thyroid symptoms after the flu

[AGee1]

Hi,

Please can anyone help? I’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and hasimotos for many years. Previously taking Levothyroxine for many years and recently (December) started taking liothyronine (combination of t3/t4). First 6 weeks I felt amazing, felt like I’d finally found something that made me feel well.

about 5 weeks ago I had the flu; very unwell for around 2 weeks and haven’t felt right since.

Has this happened to anyone else or is there anything anyone can recommend I try to try and get back to feeling like I did?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and hopefully someone can help.

[FancyPants54]

Hello

If you had real flu, or one of the nasty viral colds or chest infections that are doing the rounds this winter, it can easily take 5-6 weeks to get over it I find. I've had 2 really awful colds this winter. The first lasted 5 weeks and the second one around 4 weeks. I felt horrible.

You may just need to give it more time. Such illness really drains our system.

[AGee1 in reply to FancyPants54]

thank you for your reply. This was the real flu, first time I’ve ever had it and hopefully the last. It was just awful. I’ve never felt to unwell. This is the 5 th week of feeling unwell and thyroid symptoms back to how they were before the new medication. Hopefully I just need to give it a bit longer to get out of my system.

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to AGee1]

yes it takes aaages to recover properly, rest up if you can, eat right, supplement your vits appropriately, give it time, you should find your balance again. Once you have given it a few more weeks maybe a thyroid panel blood test would help see where you are. Hope you feel better and more yourself soon 🌱

[FancyPants54 in reply to AGee1]

Then I think you just need to take it easy and recover slowly. Don't push anything. No formal exercise or much of anything at all. Lots of early nights and good food and rest. You will come right. But your body has a lot of recovering to do first.

[deb25426]

I. Just getting over a nasty cold and bad throat, I doubled up my VitD .. and drank more herbal teas. For me I think this has helped a lot. In the past I’ve been like you though. Taking ages to recover. I wish you well,

[tinkerbell22]

I'm so sorry you were so ill and struggling to get better. This can happen to me, when I get a virus I struggle to shake it off and can get lingering symptoms and that includes worse thyroid problems. The last time this happened I added in selenium and it really helped me bounce back. Before that I tried homeopathy and that really kick started my recovery too (though I respect that not everyone is into it).

If you're able to take supplements then boosting vitamin c can help for a little while. Make sure you get plenty of rest, hydrate, and your vitamin b12, folate and vit D, iron are present in your diet or supplements if needed.

Long covid is a good example of how viruses can produce symptoms like thyroid symptoms that are hard to bounce back from. I'm not saying you had covid, just some viruses can linger. Post viral malaise or something like that. And some of us are more susceptible to lingering symptoms.

Hope you find something to help

[bellk]

Yes! I got the coughing virus at the end of December, then a chest infection and had 2 courses of antibiotics. Spent most of january languishing on my daybed but when I was better, some thyroid symptoms had returned-dry skin, then ankles locking. Improving now, thankfully. I take Liothyronine, no change in dose or brand.

[AGee1]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think it sounds like I need to give it a bit longer and ride it out. I was just a bit worried time wise as I’m on a 4 month trial of liothyronine and on my final month. Didn’t want the consultant not to give it me again thinking it’s not working. I’ve got blood tests next week and consultant the following week.

bellk are you in the UK taking liothyronine? Do you purchase privately?

[BadHare]

Sorry to hear that. Hope you feel well again soon! Post viral issues may be the cause Perhaps check you’’re taking all the right supplements & that you’re eating well

I haven’t been right for three years, I think post-covid though there were no test’s available then to check. I take NDT & T3, & despite trying different routines with meds & supplements, splitting dose, etc, some of my odd symptoms returned that I experienced before taking thyroid meds. I’ve found injecting B12 has helped re lowering my overall TH dose. I have lower basal temperature, an afternoon temperature & energy crash most days, & being wide wake in the middle of the night. I’m starting to regain my taste & smell so hope things are improving.

[thyr01d]

Yes, me too. I am on liothyronine only and had some awful virus over Christmas (flat out in bed, not eating, drinking or speaking for the first three days) then just lay feeling ghastly, drinking if anyone brought me a drink and eating a little for about a week, then had to graduate to keeping my upper body upright so I could breathe alright and spent weeks sleeping propped up on the sofa, barely speaking or doing anything during the day. Does this sound like what you had? My kind family looked after me. Each week I see some improvement and although not back to walking the dogs twice a day (around 4 hours) I am half way there and the cough, cold, sore throat, fever etc have gone. Like you though, I have uat-like symptoms again but think it's just post viral fatigue as it is easing with time. Let's hope it's the same for you and that in a few weeks you are back to your normal.