Has anyone had worsening thyroid issues or problems after taking the Flu vaccine and the Covid-19 vaccines?

[rillo1472]

I just wondered if anyone else has had the same issues after having the flu or covid vaccines? I had my flu vaccine last November 2020 and was left unable to weight bear on one leg or use my arms properly for almost a week. I called my surgery the day after having it and was told to wait a few days as some people have had more unusual reactions than others. I did and things did improve about 7 days later. When my TSH levels were next done they had risen from a stable 2.58 to 4.78 and I was having worsening hypothyroid symptoms as the months progressed saw the GP he said let's increase the Levothyroxine to 175mcg from 150mcg this had no effect. Then in May 2021 I finally made the decision to have the Pfizer vaccine as it had limited side effects as I have clotting issues. All went well and I felt no immediate issues but within the week my lymph node in the right groin blew up and was tender and my neck on the lower right side started to feel like it was burning and radiating into my right ear. My hypothyroidism was getting severe and I went back to the GP with my most recent hospital blood tests for another clinic which showed my TSH had now doubled to 9.0 with continuous burning in the neck and ear. The GP increased the Levothyroxine to 200mcg and said wait 3 months and repeat bloods. Based on this my pharmacist refused to give the second vaccine and checked with MHRA they came back saying it is unlikely to be related as it's an ongoing issue and not one they are aware of in anyone else but as I never initially reported it as an issue to the MHRA as I just thought it was thyroid related perhaps others have done the same and assumed it's just an endocrinology issue and nothing triggered by the vaccines causing some kind of inflammatory or autoimmune response. I have now had my Levothyroxine raised to 225mcg in the past 12 months and my TSH has finally dropped to 4.78 again and I am no longer freezing but still getting periodic burning in the lower right side of my neck radiating into the ear. I have chosen not to have my second vaccine as I cannot he certain it's not related. I have had MRI scans CT scan of the Thyroid and a camera down to look at the back of the throat all came back clear. So I am now just left with a 50% increase in my Levothyroxine dose in a 12 month period after having been stable for years on 150mcg. My endocrinologist always said on treatment my TSH should try to remain between 1.0 and 2.5 to be feeling at my best so waiting to see if this recent increase will bring it back down in range and stop the burning and hypothyroid symptoms. Anyone else have this experience?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Could be coincidence…looking at previous post 8 months ago….very low vitamin D and ferritin suggesting under medicated

Long term omeprazole likely causing lower vitamin levels

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

On levothyroxine we need OPTIMAL Vitamin levels

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

PPI frequently lower B12 and magnesium

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

How do you take your levothyroxine….waking or bedtime

Do you always take on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

No vitamin supplements or medications within 2 hours

No omeprazole, vitamin D, iron supplements or magnesium within four hours of levothyroxine

[rillo1472 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks Slow Dragon

All other bloods are ok ferritin is normally low but within range as I suffer chronic anemia and take 210mg of ferrous fumerate twice daily vitamin D is now 3200 daily and a complex b supplement daily I take magnesium and vitamin C at high doses as well. Almost all on prescription. The GP and pharmacist as well as endocrinologist say there will be no effect on the Levothyroxine by the esomeprazole. The GP has tried me on it at different times of the day with the 4 hour gap to see if morning, lunchtime or evening made any difference and with a 3 month gap and review between each try I am currently back on mornings with water and a 4 hour gap for all meds and food endo said have all vitamins with food to aid uptake. So not really sure what's happening but it's been like this since December last year about a week or two after I had the flu jab and all the issues with walking it subsided and I had my routine thyroid check because of worsening symptoms of hypothyroidism and there were way up and the same after the covid vaccine they doubled again. So now everything else has been treated and ruled out they say it's all thyroid related but struggling to understand why and what triggered it all and that's the only thing I could link as a possible factir

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rillo1472]

What are your most recent vitamin results

Vitamin D dose not very high

Remember to stop taking vitamin B complex a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results

Does vitamin B complex have folate in, rather than folic acid

Are you on absolutely strictly gluten free diet

[rillo1472 in reply to SlowDragon]

Vitamin D is currently 101 so much improved and I remain on supplements at high dose for it as they previously stopped it at the GP but now realise I will always need to take it. The 3200 vitamin D is daily it was higher but reduced once treated to a maintenance dose. The vitamin B complex comes dispensed in the usual brown pharmacy bottle so it's generic from the NHS I guess. I will ask the pharmacist about the folate question. I will try stopping it before next blood tests they say take it daily but will give that a go. My symptoms currently are cramp in arms and legs numbness in hands, weight gain, worsening reflux, fluctuating blurred vision, headaches low pulse below 50bpm joint pain, dry skin and a host of other issues. All has been investigated and ruled out they say it just thyroid related.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rillo1472]

Low Ft3 extremely common on just levothyroxine

Things that might improve poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 …

Getting all four vitamins optimal

Strictly gluten free diet

Strictly dairy free diet (and lactose free levothyroxine if lactose intolerant)

Liquid levothyroxine

Splitting levothyroxine dose ….half waking, half at bedtime

But many many people eventually need addition of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine if Ft3 remains too low

Getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done 6-8 weeks after dose change

[rillo1472 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks,

After 12 months of ongoing issues I am willing to give anything a go to improve things. My previous GP did a test for cealiac previously which came back negative I had been on a gluten free diet at the time and had to eat gluten to get an accurate result. I reverted to eating it since it was negative but I did feel more energetic being gluten free and less bloated. I don't eat meat so dairy is a large part of my diet but happy to give that a try as well thanks once again

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rillo1472]

So if meat free likely low iron/ferritin

What were most recent iron and ferritin results

medichecks.com/products/iro...

If gluten free diet gives noticeable improvements you can assume you’re gluten intolerant and therefore likely to need addition of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine

When was Ft3 last tested

It is possible, but difficult, to get T3 prescribed on NHS

First step is to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done

Improving low vitamin levels, if necessary

Are you sure that prescription is vitamin B complex…..it’s usually just folic acid or B12 on NHS

You might find my profile info helpful

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rillo1472]

Cramp is frequently low magnesium

Common when hypothyroid, but especially on PPI

Are you currently taking any magnesium supplements

Any magnesium supplements must be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...

Numbness in hands….carpal tunnel…common when under medicated

If Ft3 is less than 5-5.5 (3.1-6.8) likely too low either due to under medicated ….if Ft4 is low

Or poor conversion if Ft4 is high….and Ft3 is low…poor conversion

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Obviously if you have to take PPI you need to regularly retest vitamin levels and make sure you maintain at optimal levels by supplementing

Taking supplements and PPI as far away from levothyroxine as possible

Iron supplements well away from other supplements too

Omeprazole will tend lower vitamin levels

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...

webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/ne...

pharmacytimes.com/publicati...

PPI and increased risk T2 diabetes

gut.bmj.com/content/early/2...

Iron Deficiency and PPI

medpagetoday.com/resource-c...

futurity.org/anemia-proton-...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[userotc]

Suggest you complete yellow cards for both vaccines otherwise MHRA will never be aware of such side effects. Of course, they will fob it off with the comments you've mentioned but they ought to have suggested a yellow card.

[bookish]

I agree that it would be a good idea to report it. Covid seems to be causing some people thyroid abnormalities, even in those who were previously unaware of an issue (as viruses often do) and I see no reason why the vaccine couldn't do the same, indeed neither does a relation's GP it having clearly affected hers, although likely only for a few months. Plenty of other self-reports online suggesting patients have needed to adjust medication at least short-term. Best wishes