Flare up lasting weeks

[Obsdian]

Have you had a flare up lasting weeks? I'm really getting discouraged how long it's been that I can't function in my "life"

At easter I got a virus for a week. It's gone gradually downhill from there for two weeks, then two weeks really ill and been improving since but soooooo slowly.

I feel more frustrated at the stage I'm at now than when I was most ill. Now I wake feeling quite good and it gives me so much hope. Then I wash and it takes more energy than I thought and I feel like I just go downhill from there.

I feel like this stage is gaslighting me and wearing out my mental health. I am trying to tell myself these things have improved this much, but I ak just discouraged anyway.

Also this flare up has also flared up my allergy and I have had to start prescription antihistamines for the first time.

I have googled what to do but I am doing everything listed that I could find. I also had a levo increase the last week of April so I'm even doing that.

[greygoose]

What do you mean by 'a flare up'? What is flaring up?

[Obsdian in reply to greygoose]

My symptoms gradually increased in severity and very snail pace improving.

[greygoose in reply to Obsdian]

OK, but flares aren't usually gradual. 'Flare' and 'flare up' are much over-used terms, and everyone means something different by them. They're very often used in connection with Hashi's. But a Hashi's 'flare' is when you go temporarily hyper due to the immune system attacks on the thyroid.

What you're describing sounds more like under-medication aggrivated by the virus you got which your body is taking a long time getting over. It happens to us hypos. I still haven't quite got over the flu I had on Boxing Day! I'm still struggling. But I don't think it's anything to do with thyroid per se, just a weakened system due to having been hypo - I'm not hypo anymore. Not sure what you can do about it.

[Obsdian in reply to greygoose]

What should I call it? Or just describe things in future?

After the virus, I had increased fatigue the following week, then went to work the next and it got worse and was off five days, then went in one day and it all got worse still after that.

In March my tsh did test as 1.88 at the GP and a month after in April my medichecks tsh camr back as 4.21. Of course the GP said that was normal. That's the point where I got my first dose increase finally.

[greygoose in reply to Obsdian]

Or just say an increase in symptoms, or something like that. But it certainly does sound like at least part of the problem is under-medication. Sounds as if your doctor is being a bit negligent and doesn't understand thyroid very well.

[FallingInReverse]

What you're describing sounds more like under-medication aggrivated by the virus you got which your body is taking a long time getting over.

Weighing in with my two cents - what GG said as quoted above described my Dec-Mar and maybe a little April or so!

Had a few stressors in November, had a flu + antibiotics in Feb, and a 2-day norovirus maybe end of Feb or March I can’t remember now.

I think I came out of the fog in April sometime and only in the past few weeks am aware that it’s lifted.

It was very frustrating and disheartening, so hard to do my job or anything.

I am 18 months into treatment, so also was prob under-replaced last fall and am prob a little closer to optimal now 5 months later. I’ll find out soon with new bloods next week.

But even writing that sentence… I held on for dear life so I could “function” and it was a long 4-5 months! For me, I just consider it part of the ups and downs with being under replaced. I get it - it’s been so long since feeling ok, but I have reset my expectations for another 6 months before I really lose hope again : )