Hypothyroid newbie. Horrible sinus cold/strep t... - Thyroid UK

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Hypothyroid newbie. Horrible sinus cold/strep throat. Can’t take usual Sudafed with levothyroxine. Advice on how to feel better?

Tired2022 profile image
11 Replies

I was diagnosed in August and take 75 levothyroxine. I was supposed to have blood tests last Monday but rescheduled as taking teen to GP with strep tonsillitis. He got ten days antibiotics.

For last few days I feel terrible, fever, sinus pain, blocked nose, sore throat and cough. I would usually take Sudafed and power through. Now I’ve got very anxious in case sinus with thyroid can be dangerous somehow?! Should I go to doctor? I’ve got vicks vapour rub which seems fine. Should I woman up and get on with it? Any advice on feeling better please? Thanks

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Tired2022
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11 Replies
Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase

You haven’t picked up what your son has have you? If you’ve got a fever it could be that you have an infection somewhere in which case you might need to get yourself some antibiotics.

I used to steam my head over a bowl of water but I ended up buying a cheap facial sauna from Argos and steaming my head regularly. You can also use warm compresses over your forehead, nose etc. In the past I’ve used saline sprays and a NeilMed sinus rinse, it also helps to keep well hydrated and as long as it doesn’t irritate your sinuses Vicks vapour rub is good - especially before you go to bed.

Tired2022 profile image
Tired2022 in reply to Fruitandnutcase

I was thinking that. I already feel that the GP thinks I’ve been demanding asking for the blood tests and increased doses recommended here. I don’t want to be a drama queen. I have always been really well until this. Hadn’t been to the GP for ten years. Now it feels like I’m always there!

Cramtele8 profile image
Cramtele8 in reply to Fruitandnutcase

cheap facial steamer,and eucalyptus crystals (tiny pinch) from chemist, steam as much as you like

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

Sudafed the tablets or Sudafed the nose spray?

For what it’s worth, I’m optimally replaced for hypothyroidism and I’ve taken both, don’t actually think twice about it. That’s not a recommendation and I would absolutely promote caution but just sayin’…

Wouldn’t be a good idea to take pseudoephredrine hydrochloride if you were undertreated hyperthyroid (overactive) but I think hypothyroidism should be less of an issue so long as you aren’t currently over medicated.

Have you considered the nose spray instead (assuming you do mean the tablets)?

Tired2022 profile image
Tired2022

Thank you. It was the tablets - didn’t know about the nose spray. I’m under medicated and finding it hard to get through the day with work, family etc. Feeling ill isn’t helping and scared that if I take the ‘wrong’ cold remedy i’ll end up worse or for longer or cause a new problem 🙄Feeling v sorry for myself lol, hopefully good nights sleep will help.

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to Tired2022

Really feel for you, it’s absolutely miserable isn’t it? Hugs x

Hope you get some sleep and feel a bit better in the morning xx

RockyPath profile image
RockyPath

Dear Tired2022,

I'm so sorry to hear of your trials. It's an ordeal of the highest magnitude.

After seeing several endocrinologists in the States, and having my Vitamin D checked more times than I need to tell, (always coming back on the edge of the bottom of the clinical range), and always being told it was "fine," I finally stumbled upon something no practicing medical professional ever brought up:

"Vitamin D has many roles in the body such as homeostasis of serum calcium and phosphate levels, bone metabolism, and regulation of the immune system.  Not surprisingly, studies have correlated vitamin D deficiency with a number of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease."

"Vitamin D has a signaling role in modulating both the adaptive and innate branches of the immune system. Vitamin D enacts these changes in its calcitriol form by interacting with nuclear vitamin D receptors (nVDR) expressed on B and T lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and dendritic cells (DC). ... Vitamin D also induces production of antimicrobial peptides such as defensins β2 and β4 and cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) by macrophages, monocytes, keratinocytes, epithelial, intestinal, lung, and corneal cells.  In macrophages and monocytes, this enhances chemotaxis, autophagy, and phagolysosomal fusion of immune cells. In keratinocytes and epithelial, intestinal, lung, and corneal cells, this reinforces the physical barrier function. Collectively, these anti-microbial effects increase the body’s defense against microbes"

This means that we need Vitamin D to maintain the naturally-occurring antimicrobial layer in our eyes, lungs, mouths, noses ..... and if we are operating with insufficient D levels, everything falls apart.

Are you living on the equator, enjoying sunshine every day? Me neither.

And in case you're also troubled by insomnia, Vitamin D also regulates melatonin production. I went five years, seeing a sleep specialist, neurologist, etc., etc., prescribed all sorts of sleep-inducing drugs, with nobody ever considering the connection to insufficient Vitamin D levels, clearly recognizable in my lab results. Sufficiency is near the top of the reference range, not the bottom.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/fu...

Wishing you good fortune in your health journey.

Rocky

Tired2022 profile image
Tired2022 in reply to RockyPath

Thank you. I have booked a blood test to look at all the vitamin levels and anything. I though it best not to take any supplements until I had the blood tests done.

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple

If I were you I would just do what I have to do and get it done with. Painkillers, Sudafed, antibiotics, whatever you decide. Get well asap. It won’t help your thyroid condition prolonging your illness and the shorter it is the less interference with your thyroid treatment.

Tired2022 profile image
Tired2022

Fair enough. I think that's what I wanted to know. I have been very well until very recently and I've found it quite shocking how my body can go so wrong and I can't fix it. I'm feeling very anxious about anything else going wrong. The insert says if you take levothyroxine with sudafed it can cause blood pressure and cardiac symptoms - also some interactions with antibiotics. Worried about making myself worse rather than better! It seems safe to take the sudafed though, so that's great. Thanks.

Batty1 profile image
Batty1

If you son has strep throat and now your feeling bad …. Go to the doctor get the antibiotics before it gets worse and who cares what the doctor will think.

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