Cold medications and levothyroxine

[Jbinky453]

I was diagnosed this year with having an underactive thyroid and started on levothyroxine.

I read when looking up cold medications that I was supposed to avoid some decongestants and specifically the ingredient phenylephrine which would be active in those.

I have just also come down with COVID. I was hoping someone could shine the light a bit more on this because I would like to be able to take something a bit more targeting than ibuprofen for my throat pain and aches. The back of my throat is swollen and everything is visibly sore as well as feeling like I've swallowed a bunch of tiny razor blades. Not to mention it hurts when I cough too.

I will understand if I still can't take anything stronger but I'm running round in circles looking at information again.

I want to know if it's possible to take the brand's day and night nurse and lemsip?

Please advise.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

JBinky453

Not a UK artice but is about phenylephrine and levothyroxine

verywellhealth.com/cough-co...

Interactions With Thyroid Medications

Hypothyroidism is managed with a synthetic form of thyroxine (T4) called levothyroxine, available under the brand names Synthroid or Levothroid.

People may be at increased risk of cardiovascular side effects if they take pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine and levothyroxine. This could be especially dangerous for someone who has preexisting heart disease.

An Overview of Levothyroxine

Regardless of the type of thyroid disorder you have, whether you take medication to treat it, or happen to have a heart condition as well, it's best to err on the side of caution before taking a decongestant for a cold or flu and speak with your healthcare provider.

And you can check it on drugbank.com:

go.drugbank.com/drug-intera...

Lemsip contains phenylephrine

Day Nurse contains Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride and this is what drugbank.com says:

go.drugbank.com/drug-intera...

[Jbinky453 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you ever so much. I thought this might be the case but was kind of hoping I'd read wrong. 😅 Thank you so much for the link I'm definitely bookmarking it.

[anke123]

Hi I went into the chemist to buy some lemsips and was asked if I took any medication, I told her lecothyroxine ans was told you should not have it. Told to take parecetamol and use menthol or oilbas oil to inhale. When I have a cold now I just take small spoons of honey for my sore throat and cough and it does help. Hope you feel better soon.

[Jbinky453 in reply to anke123]

Thank you so much for your response! It's good to know I can have the menthol and oilbas oil to inhale for a cold and an doing the honey but it lasts seconds before the pain comes back. But at least that's a tiny bit of relief as opposed to none.

Thanks so much again for answering me.

[rambler123]

I had the "razor blade", swollen throat with Covid back in April. Not knowing about the interaction, I tried Lemsip and it was so painful to swallow it I gave up. I used Tesco Sore Throat Relief Dual Action Lozenges to suck and they helped a bit! The active ingredient is Hexylresorcinol. I am not meant to have ibuprofen (blood thinners), but took a couple one day and they were the most effective!

[Jbinky453 in reply to rambler123]

Thank you so much for your response. Glad I didn't risk it with the lemsip then but I am sorry you know exactly what I mean about the razor blade sensation because it's quite painful.

I feel for you in regards to not being able to take the ibruprofen but hope you were able to at least have paracetamol or something to help?

Thank you for the note about the Tesco Sore Throat lozenges will definitely look into getting those. Hopefully they will provide a smidgen of relief too.

Thanks so much again.