I’m just wondering if there is any link between hypothyroidism and flu-like illness. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2013 after radiation treatment for lung cancer. I feel like I have the flu approximately once a month and this has been going on for years. I never have a cough but sore throat, headache, gi symptoms, malaise and extreme fatigue which usually lasts about a week.. I have blood tests once every 3 months which shows no concerns except my immune cells a little low and my last CT scans was clear. It seems to hit me if I do too much work/exercise or after stress but not all the time. I am on 137.5 mcg on levothyroxine but haven’t received results from recent increase. At 125 mcg my tsh was 1.60 (.35-5) and t3 4.6 (3.4-5.9), t4 16 (11-23) . I wish I could get to the bottom, I’ve tried taking supplements that boost immune system, I rarely eat sugar or carbs but don’t know what moreI can do.
Any advice or info would be appreciated,
Thanks
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Chrssy58
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Being hypo can often cause flu-like symptoms. And, on your last test, your TSH was a tad high for someone on thyroid hormone replacement, and I would say your Frees were probably less than optimal.
But, have you had your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin? If they are low - which they often are when you're hypo - then they will be causing extra symptoms.
I’ve never had my vit D tested but I do take a supplement.. My vit 12 is very good bc I also take a supplements. I’m not too sure about folate and ferritin but I will ask at next appt in a couple of weeks. Thanks very much for your response. I always have to fight to get a levo increase. My gp doesn’t believe t3 and t4 have to be measured so I’ve had to argue to get that tested too. It’s so frustrating.
That's not a very good B complex, because it contians cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin, and folic acid instead of methylfolate. Those are the cheapest, least bioavailable forms of B12 and B9.
Hi Chrssy58I have no real answers for you but I just wanted to say that I used to get exactly the same thing. I have been supplementing as per advice on here but I notice that it has reduced a lot recently. I started t3 recently and whether its that or a combination of that and vitamins not sure. It feels like you are coming down with a cold with sore throat and aches and more fatigue than normal! I also used to get more pain than normal in my thyroid. I asked Dr and endo, both more or less ignored me! I came to my own conclusion that it could just be another "attack" on the thyroid! Could be wrong....am open to suggestions! Hopefully it will settle down for you too.
Exactly. I feel like I have the flu but with not much congestion or cough. It stops me in my tracks though. I can’t exercise or do a whole lot because I feel crappy. It prob is thyroid related (what isn’t)
I definitely think it's thyroid related! Never happened before I had thyroid problem and doesn't happen to any friends etc. It's annoying but it seems to happen less to me now than before. I hope it settles for you too. There's lots of good advice about getting your vitamins sorted that no one tells you. I'm thankful that I found this forum. I'd be still very unwell if I hadn't! Good luck to you.
I think it tends to happen (to me, anyway) after a few days of overdoing it.
Back in the days when I had a fully working thyroid (which I suspect hasn’t been since puberty!) my body sensed it needed more thyroid hormones, told the hypothalamus and then my pituitary gland would signal my thyroid to pump out more thyroid hormones.
But now I’m on thyroid replacement hormones, that feedback loop is essentially broken. I put in the same amount of replacement hormones into my body come rain or shine. Which is fine if I’m pottering about but if I go for a long walk or decide to spend the day clearing our cupboards and taking stuff to charity shops etc, it can sometimes not be enough. And then I feel quite under the weather. A couple of days of taking it easier again does the trick and balances things out again.
It’s just a theory but it feels like it might be what’s going on?
I’ve spent the past few years dealing with a very similar issue and have just been diagnosed with recurrent thyroiditis (not autoimmune - I have never tested positive for antibodies). My endo believes it’s post-viral, probably brought on by EBV or swine flu many years ago. Most people who develop this kind of thyroiditis see it improve over about 18 months, but a small percentage are left with a chronic condition that often worsens with over-exertion, stress, illness etc. A lot of people are developing post-viral thyroiditis as a result of covid now too.
Typically this kind of thyroiditis starts with a hyperthyroid phase, that then swings into hypothyroid, before eventually righting itself to euthyroid. Some people get stuck in the hypo phase while others (like me, it seems) are hypo most of the time, with periods of thyrotoxicosis (hyper symptoms).
The flu-like symptoms and fatigue are absolutely brutal and the up and down nature of it has been so confusing for me, so to finally understand why I could swing so wildly between different states has been incredibly helpful. Obviously this might not be relevant to your situation, but it’s not something i see discussed very often so thought it was worth mentioning.
I thought one time that I had thyroiditis when I was sick. My neck was tender and thyroid seemed enlarged but could’ve been grasping at straws to figure out why I was sick. How were you diagnosed and did you already have hypothyroidism?
I first saw my endo for secondary adrenal insufficiency but kept complaining of a sore throat, which eventually became a full feeling in my throat/pain on swallowing/whistling in my throat when exercising, which prompted him to do a physical examination of my thyroid. He could tell it was swollen and tender, so I went for an ultrasound, which showed increased vascularity and a certain appearance that suggested thyroiditis. That, plus recurrent symptoms of extreme fatigue, joint pain, hair loss, brain fog, puffiness (hypothyroid) broken up by periods of relative wellness and then periods of terrible tremors, heart palpitations, severe nervousness/anxiety, sweating, diarrhoea (hyperthyroid) eventually pointed us in the direction of recurrent sub-acute thyroiditis in addition to adrenal insufficiency.
A thyroid surgeon has since examined me and diagnosed the same condition.
Previous to this I’d never been diagnosed as hypothyroid, and never tested positive to any antibodies.
Aim for T4 and T3 to be 75% up through the range. i need my TSH to be between 0.2 - 0.6 to feel well. And i need T3 as well, as I am a poor converter, so maybe look into this. It may be driven by your normal female cycle. ie when oestrogen is higher, it’ll make you feel worse. Ensure you check vitamin D too as lower levels can mimic UAT symptoms.
Have you ruled out period related hormonal issues? I get flu like symptoms 4 or 5 days before my period and I’ve been reading it’s quite common. I can feel my glands are swollen and have achy bones etc.
Chrssy58 I understand your story and I have great familiarity with it and everyone’s comments. I am surprised a bit by your endos knowledge and acceptance of your symptom picture. It is not something we see often on here. Oops I see you are posting from Canada that might explain it. In the UK our leading endocrinologist does not believe people who move about from feeling better to worse or normalish are hypothyroid. This message has filtered down to our local endocrinologists and GPs and we find that in the first instance we are not listened to and then we are not dosed correctly. If it were not for the valuable advice freely given on this forum, I for one would have been in a very bad place. You have found a good source of information right here.
In my experience, it’s the same here in Canada. I’ve been reading information on this forum for a few years and I also find it invaluable. It was found that I was hypothyroid through a regular blood test even though I kept saying there was something wrong months before. I don’t have an endo I’m being treated by my gp and he, like many other doctors apparently, thinks as long as I’m within range, I’m fine and any symptoms I may have are not at all related to my hypothyroidism. I’ve had a lot of different symptoms throughout the years but have had to fight for every increase. I am so thankful to have found this forum.
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