Does being hypo interfere with the body's ability to get rid of a cold?

[Zephyrbear]

I have found that getting rid of a cold seems to be much harder and take far longer than it used to. I did get flu last year ('09-'10 season) that refused to budge for approximately 6 weeks as opposed to the usual 3 weeks it used to take and I lost my voice almost completely for that entire time! The chest infection I contracted as a complication to this in turn caused asthma which was diagnosed in May last year. Obviously, being a diagnosed asthmatic now has resulted in my being eligible for the flu jab which I had just before Christmas. However, I had another cold which took 6 weeks to run its course with complications resulting in brochitis before that and I caught another one from one of my guests on Christmas Day, which is still present now. It seems as though the cold is running its course in slow motion; I have been coughing since Christmas and now the stuffy runny nose has finally made its entrance this morning, so I guess this will take another 3 weeks to clear up. Oh whoopee! Could the hypo thyroid be responsible for this?

[HazelD]

Hello,

Sorry I can't actually answer your question, but I just wanted to say that I do feel for you because my colds seem to be much worse and definitley seem to be lasting longer since I have been diagnosed hypo too. I think its so hard with work because so many people just seem to have a cold and never take a day off sick, but I have to take most of my cold off sick because I just can't move my body!

I hope you feel better soon.

Take care,

Hazel

[Zephyrbear in reply to HazelD]

Thanks for your support.

[katey]

Hi zephyr, I'm sure my colds take ages to get over too, and I can feel so bad with them. But then if you are hypo then NOTHING can work properly, including your immune system. Low adrenal performance makes everything worse too, and recurrent chest infections are a sign of this. So, supporting the adrenals may help you recover faster. (Glandulars, vit C, selenium, siberian ginseng, etc).

I've tried echinacea, but am not sure it helped. It's really heard to have normal life when you are hypo, and I hope you have an understanding boss.

[Zephyrbear in reply to katey]

Thanks for that. I have also heard that selenium is useful in the process of converting T4 to T3, so I shall certainly be trying that one. Luckily, I am my own boss and I'm very understanding!

[TinainKent]

Hi,

When you have hypothyroidism your immune sysstem is suppressed.

I also had the same probllem with piggy flu last year, it was more severe and lasted longer.

Hope this helps.

Tina.

[Zephyrbear in reply to TinainKent]

I have long felt that my immune system seems to be compromised somewhat as I seem to catch almost anything that's doing the rounds if I'm daft enough to go out... Luckily, this year, I qualified for the Flu jab because I am now asthmatic, so I'm hoping that if I am unfortunate enough to come into contact with any flu, it will stop it being too awful.

[Maggiet]

I was about to post the same question when I saw yours! I've been ill with a 'cold' now for 3 weeks and can't seem to shake it off. I spent 3 days in bed with a box of tissues unable to get up at all without wanting to flop in a heap. I used to shrug colds off after a couple of days but now it lasts for weeks and - like others say - I feel pretty useless that other employees have 'just a cold' and carry on and I've taken to my bed! At least it's not only me that's feeling like this. I'm going to take plenty of vitamin support from now on with a bigger boost for next winter and try and keep on top of things. Hope you feel better soon.

[Zephyrbear in reply to Maggiet]

Thanks very much for that. It is getting better, but only very slowly. I am currently experiencing the blocked ears that go with the blocked nose and people keep wondering why my TV is turned up so much... I've had the head full of cotton wool for nearly a whole week now and it's depressing! I'm beginning to feel like a bear wanting to take the winter off sleeping!!

[Maggiet in reply to Maggiet]

I have decided to hibernate next winter! I am also at the 'blocked everything' stage, but I do find that Sudafed sinus decongestant tablets work a treat. A word of warning though - don't take them at night as they contain caffeine and you'll be 'buzzing' till the early hours!

[Zephyrbear in reply to Maggiet]

Yes, I have been taking those too, but they don't seem to do much for me... I'm wondering whether that has anything to do with the steroid inhaler I have to take for my asthma...