Stella

[Goldengirl69]

I keep getting The flu , I'm sure it from Levothyroxine? Has anyone else had this ?

[greygoose]

How would levo give you flu? Flu is a viral infection: you have to catch it from someone else. Levo is a thyroid hormone - not even a drug. There is no connection.

Do you have Hashi's? Are you optimally treated? You probably have a compromised immune system that makes you vulnerable to infections like flu.

Or, you are under-replaced and what you are experiencing are actually hypo symptoms.

But there is no connection to the levo itself.

[Goldengirl69 in reply to greygoose]

Hi Grey Goose , Thanks for geting back. I'm think I'm being underddosed, year and half ago had a private test , sorry can't find thd number . But lady on here say I'm extremely underddosed, I take 75mg . She say my results I should be on 132 mg of levo. I don't know what to do . Been running to doctors here for years , saying something wrong with Thyroid . To be ignored and ridiculed , saying I'm so sick. Drs are non existent. My doctors never give me results when I ask . They just say mostly ur Thyroid is ok. But saying that one doctor neatly year ago he say my Thyroid is to high . I say I had a bad heart . He say u need take the Thyroid drug . It bad as it must say on the System , if I'm being underddosed. I've become mentally ill , don't know if it Levothyroxine effecting me or underddosed.

[greygoose in reply to Goldengirl69]

Yes, just looked at that post. You were under-medicated, so presumably you still are. But no-one can tell you how much levo you should be taking, just that you need an increase of 25 mcg - no more, no less - to take you up to 100 mcg.

Best not to ask the doctor for your results because they don't like you knowing. Best to ask the receptionist for a print-out. In the UK it is your legal right to have a print-out of your results, they are your results. They cannot refuse, and if they try, there are steps you can take to force them to give you your results.

It's not a drug you're taking. It's thyroid hormone replacement - levo is the thyroid hormone T4. And it doesn't make you mentally ill. It's lack of thyroid hormone that makes you mentally ill, so you really need that increase in dose. See your doctor and tell him that's what you want.

[Amethist]

what are your vit D levels ?

[Goldengirl69 in reply to Amethist]

I don't know . Doctors are not good and tell lies to me . But I am taking vitamin d at times . Thanks

[pennyannie]

Hello Goldengirl and welcome to the forum :

I used to feel like that when under medicated -

Do you have any blood test results and ranges you care to share with forum members ?

It could also be non optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and / or vitamin D - so again. please share what information you have and we will try and help you understand better what is going on .

[Goldengirl69 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi Pennyannie. Do u mean u used to feel Flu like when undermedicated ? I got severe stomach and diareer, dizzy , chest pain, can't breath. Very pain full neck and ears and Mucus galore. The doctors don't give me information when I ask they just say mostly ur Thyroid is in Range . They bad doctors. I'm taking iron and vit d often . B12 I haven't been taking . It's so hard to take all these vitamins. Thanks so much x

[Goldengirl69 in reply to Goldengirl69]

Ps Pennyanne , I did go to hospital walm in Centre , he say j have a Chest infection and gave me antibiotics, but they not work

[pennyannie in reply to Goldengirl69]

I was under medicated and my body aches were very similar to my having the flu.

Once optimally medicated and with optimal ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D I am much improved.

My doctor prescribed me anti depressants alongside my T4 - Levothyroxine - which of course were just to get rid of me in the few minutes I had with her.

After finding this forum and learning all about thyroid, as best as I can, I am my own best advocate and now look after myself.

[helvella Administrator]

Goldengirl69,

I see that in the past you have tried some thyroid support products.

Are you taking anything other than levothyroxine now, or in the past few months?

There are lots of health problems that people describe as being like flu. It is very easy to mis-identify. Are you totally sure it is flu and not something else?

Have people round you got flu? Because that is quite usual as we infect each other.

[Goldengirl69 in reply to helvella]

I did go doctors 2 weeks ago anx he say I have chest infection. And gave me antibiotics, and they not work . No , nobody around me has flu, and I live alone . I'm only taking vitamins, vit D , and iron quite regularly. I haven't been on the Thyroid Support for a long while . Even tho it felt good. I'm also take oregano oil vits now . For chest infection. I'm so Sick , it awful , so Cold anx purple hands . X

[Tina_Maria]

There is no evidence that levothyroxine will get you the flu, and as greygoose has pointed out, the causing agent of a flu is a virus, not a thyroid hormone.

However, thyroid hormones do have an influence on the immune system and in turn on your immunity. Low thyroid hormones can lead to an impaired immune function, so your body is less resilient in fighting infections and it can take you longer to recover from them.

How much levothyroxine have you been prescribed? If you share your latest results we can see if your thyroid hormone levels are okay or would need optimising.

[Goldengirl69 in reply to Tina_Maria]

Hi Tina Maria , thanks for this information. Yes low thyroid hormone is very bad , if insufficient. I'm going Crazy . As if u read packet on levo , there is endless bad symptoms u can get . And I got neck pain and Mucus infection. Doctors are Not good , they never give me the Results. But my last thyroid test , was year and half ago was high tsh. It probably same . I'm on 75mg . A lady got back on here , saying I'm extremely low dosed and should be on 132 mg levo. I'm scared to take 132. But I think what if it true . 😢 I'm so ill . I will confess, am skipping levo a few days of week , Terrified it's killing me and giving me flu . I don't know what yo think . Help .

[Tina_Maria in reply to Goldengirl69]

Well, as I have explained, levothyroxine will NOT give you the flu, but a LACK of levothyroxine will lower your immunity and that will make you more susceptible to catching a virus. And how can a medication that is keeping you alive be killing you, highly unlikely. And a high TSH is a sign that you are not on the right amount of thyroid hormones and that you very likely need an increase in your medication. Have you done a private test to see where your levels are? 75mcg is a fairly low dose (unless you are very petite!). General rule is 1.6mcg levothyroxine per kg of body weight (NICE guidelines).

So your problem is definitely not levothyroxine but a lack of levothyroxine and by skipping your medication and not taking it, this is actually making your bad situation worse. You need to take your medication and you also need to check your levels on a regular basis. And if you are having low levels of thyroid hormones (low T4 and T3), you need to INCREASE your medication and certainly not skip it.

If you want to help your immune system, take your medication and increase it when needed, and also check if you are deficient in Vitamin D. Low levels of Vitamin D can also impact on your immunity and can make you more susceptible to catching viruses. We should aim for a Vitamin D level of at least above 75nmol/l, better to aim for between 100 and 150nmol/l.

And by skipping your medication, you are also impairing other important metabolic processes such as cholesterol and lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, cognitive function, thermoregulation etc.. We do not take levothyroxine for fun or because it is not necessary, we take it because it regulates many, many biological processes in our body, and we do not function properly without it!