Link between cellulitis and thyroid

[Annoynomice]

This is more of an academic question. About 8 years before I was diagnosed I had cellulitis 2 years running. The doctors and hospital were really confused why I'd got it.

I was doing some training today around infection and sepsis and it mentioned to that certain conditions made you more liable to infection (which didn't list thyroid disease)

I'd be really interested if there was any research that linked these conditions together (i.e cellulitis/ sepsis) - this is an discussion point rather than a worry etc, etc.

[FallingInReverse]

what’s cellulitis?

[arTistapple in reply to FallingInReverse]

It’s inflammation and bacterial infection of the veins and skin. Starts with a red ‘spot’ which can look quite innocuous and spreads up the leg (or indeed other limbs). Legs can become red and swollen. It can be life threatening. Often needs antibiotics delivered directly into veins in hospital.

[arTistapple]

It’s not a reference to specific research but I would not be surprised if you found one. As hypothyroidism contributes to immunity issues and skin damage not clearing up quickly enough. Skin ‘penetration’ is more likely due to dryness. I would think cellulitis could be a likely outcome under some circumstances.

Athletes foot is a common starting point for cellulitis. Shin abrasions etc. I just think those are ideal entry points for bacteria.

[Yulia2010]

Hi, I had cellulitis quite a few times now and I am also hypothyroid. I get cellulitis so easily - last year it developed from a tiny insect bite. So, I don't know, there may be a link.

[Annoynomice in reply to Yulia2010]

Yes, or it could be that if you don't absorb vitamins due to thyroid issues, that to the immune system is compromised.

It was just a thought.

[Fifteen]

I've had cellulitis / sepsis 3 times, a year apart. Mine was on my left breast - I was fortunate to see a female locum GP who immediately recognised it. It had flared up overnight and quickly moved into the early stages of sepsis.It's an unusual location. A female dermatologist later told me it did not occur there - but had to confess her ignorance when I showed her photos.

I mention the location to emphasise that cellulitis can occur in different places.

It would be interesting to know if there is a link to hypothyroidism.

[SmallBlueThing]

I'm no longer taking a source of T3 -- I was taking one grain of desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) added to levothyroxine -- and my leg and foot oedema is now much more apparent. I had read of vascular integrity being dependent on T3 before starting on the DTE.

The oedema can make my legs prone to leaking lymph fluid, and each exit provides an entry -- for bacteria! The problem first arose after receiving many "insect" bites, which I later found to be actually due to arachnids -- nymph ticks, specifically. One gave me Lyme disease; my legs swelled; I had cellulitis a couple of months later, and several times over the following years. A respite of five years following particularly bad infections (when a hospital doctor was too wedded to the viewpoint that bilateral cellulitis couldn't be a thing) was quite possibly thanks to taking DTE. Three months after ceasing it I had another bout. And another, a month ago.

I wonder if I have worsened vascular integrity (see 1st paragraph, above) and so have Capillary Leak Syndrome? ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...