Hypothyroid after covid - mystery?!

[Compostella1]

Hi- I was diagnosed hypothyroid 5 months after covid. A blood test for anaemia showed it up by chance and they immediately started me on levo. I was at TSH 41- started on 25mcg and within 5 weeks I had reduced to 8.. I had rly bad hyper side effects- anxiety, insomnia and ‘buzzing’ feeling ... I came off it 2 wks later as by chance got another gp who said he felt I shd have had 2 TSH levels 6 wks apart to see if thyroiditis before starting levo. He said 15mcg wld not normally be taht effective. I then checked bloods a month later which had perfect levels. Was left with slight symptoms for a couple of months some weeks ok.. some weeks terrible anxious days. Sleep generally up and down. I am going to get my bloods done tomorrow but jst widening of anyone had this experience of feeling hyper on levo?? I feel I’m going crazy!! I also never had one ‘thyroid’ side effects until I started taking levo and seems to have played havoc with my system!!

Any wisdom gratefully appreciated!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you know what’s going to be tested tomorrow

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test all four vitamin levels

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

[jimh111]

There are a number of studies that show hypo (low T3 syndrome) and hyper (acute thyroiditis) in COVID-19. It’s not well understood at the moment. It may be that your thyroid will return to normal soon. Perhaps the best approach is to test again and go by how you feel. You might also get other symptoms that are not thyroid related.

Not sure if this helps, just explaining what I know at the moment. The advice to test twice six weeks apart really applies to marginal cases with a slightly elevated TSH. If you don’t get better ask your doctor for an endocrinologist referral.

[Compostella1 in reply to jimh111]

Thanks - yes trying to ride out the symptoms and curious as to what numbers will say tomorrow. I’ve seen some studies but they kind of say ‘all resolved ‘ soon after. I just feel I seemed to have a bad reaction to levo so I wld be very apprehensive about taking it again.

It’s exhausting!!

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Compostella1]

Did you also have low iron? And how (what symptoms meant) did you notice this and think to check? I had incredibly low iron after I had Covid, which I also hear can be a side effect. Lots of the symptoms I had are v similar to those of hypothyroidism - which I already have - so it took me a while to spot.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

I take levo every day and, yes, definitely feel more anxious than before. Do not feel like myself as I used to be pre-levo. I don’t mean to say this is normal, it’s just my experience.

[Compostella1 in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

Hi- I had very low iron- 7- but I do believe this was pre covid and never got checked. I was eating ice and my nails were curved etc. Agreed that lots of the symptoms overlap. I think I was gradually more and more anemic due to my periods being very heavy- Altho hypo meant to cause heavy periods so that may have accelerated it. I had civid end of March and did my bloods sept. I did not feel particularly fatigued etc- it was rly because of the ice eating- I had mild anaemia when pregnant with my son so knew this was a sign. I feel I get the anxiousness for a couple of days every 2/3 weeks.. and feel awful for a couple of days after.. rly exhausted from it.

I prob was more tired after the covid but I think pandemic life is more tiring so jst put it down to that. Did covid effect ur thyroid levels?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Compostella1]

Heavy periods and anaemia are common hypothyroid symptoms.

Important to also test vitamin D, folate and B12

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Compostella1]

My ferritin level 6 months after Covid (first check I’d had since then) was 3 (normal minimum ferritin being 24 and up) My HB was either 100/110 (with normal being 120 and up).

My TSH was 4.5 - I’d like it to be lower but my GP (practice) is pretty useless on all matters hypo / thyroid.

I have tried and tried but all they look is how much thyroxine you are taking (150 mcg) to decide if you are taking “enough” and what you look like (anyone else think their doctors read things into their (normal) weight?) and don’t go by the symptoms.

Sounds very negative of me to say all this but this is what their care is like. It was worse when I was pregnant. Then, I was told to reduce the dose I was on previously. Happily I had read the NICE guidelines and instead (having discussed the bad advice I’d had with my midwife) increased my dose by 25 /30%.

My TSH at the beginning of March (just after I had had / while I still had Covid, but didn’t yet realise it - my symptoms were like a terrible migraine and full body inertia, eventually succeeded by Covid toes) was 1. And my Ferritin was 37.

[klr31]

I find this thread really interesting as I have had M.E after a virus many years ago and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's a few years into the M.E. I do wonder if there is a link between viruses, post-viral fatigue and thyroid issues.

Karen

[Juddie in reply to klr31]

Since having covid my thyroid is playing up and I cant seem to get back to feeling normal..... I think there is definitely a link.

[Compostella1 in reply to Juddie]

Jst wondering did u have issues with thyroid before covid or jst something since having it?

[Juddie in reply to Compostella1]

I had been taking levothyroxine for a few years but I should have been on a higher dose....but was sort of getting by but never felt well. But since having covid ... I cant seem to get right and all my old symptoms have resurfaced.. palpitations, joint pains, dry eyes, insomnia,fatigue. I was putting it down to long covid but tests are showing I am underactive again.

[sarahstevenson]

Hi, yes levo can definitely cause hyper symptoms! Check out The Thyroid Trust they hosted a webinar a couple of weeks ago re Covid and thyroid relationship, based on evidence so far.

[Compostella1]

Hi thanks a mill - do u know the title of the video? There are lots on there and not sure which one to watch!