Autoimmune diseases

[Piixxiiee]

I have underactive thyroid and daughter has coeliac disease. Any idea if we're at high risk?

[Appiandterri]

Hypothyroidism - not high risk

www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease-and-coronavirus-covid-19/

[LucheroTena]

No

[courderoy]

I’ve got three autoimmune conditions- all the support organisations say not high risk unless you are immunosupressed due to treatment

[Iamamoleinthegarden]

That depends upon the drugs you are on and their effect on the white blood cells.

You don’t ask the internet for factual advice.

Stupidity abounds in these places.

[Thighmageddon]

You'd have to have different autoimmune diseases and be on immunosuppressants to be high risk.

I'm on two and am rarely leaving the house because the ones I'm on have caused me a fair few infections recently.

[MRex]

No, not unless you take certain specific drugs, in which case your doctor will have told you.

One thing you should be cautious about if you have Hashimoto's is that you may have a higher risk of getting chronic fatigue following any virus, so it is extremely important if you get unwell that you rest fully during your recovery and take it a bit more slowly rather than rushing back to doing everything you normally would.

[NecklessMumster]

Shit, I've got Hashimotos

[Onceuponatimethen]

@MRex where is the source for that - also have it

[chickenyhead]

Yeah, this advice is as unclear as the figures. Type 1 and type 2 diabetics are at equal risk and about 9% death rate. But they are vulnerable not shielded.

They aren't on immunosuppresants. The poor control of the disease itself suppresses the immune system. No drugs needed.

I would say ask the medical professionals but they have as little information as everyone else.

My advice is to keep up to date with the research on your illness as it comes out. Also note how easily and severely you pick up illness generally.

My daughter and son are type 1 diabetics. He rarely gets ill and if he does it is mild and short lived. My daughter on the other hand gets severly ill for extended periods. I am worried about her but not him even though they have the same autoimmune disease. So much is unknown and i don't want my daughter to be a statistic in the discovery of the risk.

Do what you have to do to stay alive.

[MRex]

Link about viruses causing chronic fatigue: www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/,
Link between hashimoto's and chronic fatigue:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180320084337.htm.
I can't find the report I read that said clearly that chronic fatigue following any severe virus appeared to be a higher risk with hashimoto's. I had mild post viral fatigue after flu gave me pneumonia, so it stuck with me. Polymyalgia can also be linked to being post-viral and is linked to hashimoto's.

[Pokemontrainer]

With coeliac your have to be careful for respiratory illnesses as you may have a higher chance of getting them.

Drink water, try relax and if possible speak to your medical team. I was told I was not a higher risk of covid but I know I am at a higher risk for respiratory illnesses.

I believe I have come out the other side of having covid 19.

[Lizziesbusy]

Email your clinic/consultant.

I did (busiest department in the UK) but to my surprise they got back to me the following day.

They’ll advise you.

Don’t know if this helps?

[Lizziesbusy]

Just to clarify I don’t attend Leeds. I posted as this lists the medications that suppress the immunity.

[Rollergirl11]

My MIL has Addison’s disease which she takes steroids for. Would this count as immunosuppressant medication? Trying to work out if she should be shielding.

[Lizziesbusy]

Steroids on their own I think don’t put her in the shielding position. It has to be with another immunosuppressant drug as far as I’m aware.

[Lizziesbusy]

@Rollergirl11 If I was her I’d contact the GP or consultant asap by email/ Econsult or phone and in the meantime shield until she knows either way. Sorry, rushing.

[Rollergirl11]

@Lizziesbusy yeah she won’t do that as she doesn’t actually want to shield and doesn’t think she needs to. I think she should as she is completely floored whenever she gets a stomach bug but she won’t be told! 😤

[JammyGeorge]

Coeliac UK released a statement a while back which said that adults were at a higher risk of complications from Covid and for children there was limited research but their health advisors would support parents treating their kids the same.

They posted it on their FB page. I'll see if I can dig it out.

It's risk of complications not very vulnerable/shielding list.

[JulietTango]

@Rollergirl11
I have Addison's. As far as I know (I'm not medically qualified) we don't have a greater risk of catching it but should be more careful if we have it.
Does she know the sick day rules?
The Cahisus page on Facebook is very helpful where dosing/timings is concerned

[Wetfloortiles]

I'm type 1 diabetic and now I've read this j feel like I'm just waiting to die

[Thighmageddon]

Wet the guidance for us that are high risk is to do strict social distancing.

I'm not leaving the house unless strictly necessary. I've been out four times in nearly 5 weeks, I'm furloughed and have a dh that's still having to work and he's doing all the shopping.

I just watched that CV, how clean is your house programme and I think it gives us higher risk people some important guidance on how to reduce our risk at home.

[Wetfloortiles]

Surely we have more chance of being ok than not though? Despite diabetes ?

[Endofmytether2020]

For type one diabetes, there just isn't enough evidence so far. Obviously there is the risk of DKA with any illness, so you need to make sure you've got blood ketone testing supplies and are really familiar with the sick day rules. They are seeing atypical DKA in people with type 2. I have UCTD (for me this is effectively borderline lupus). Initially they were saying this would be high or very high risk, but now they are classing it in terms of what medication you take. I think I'll probably be a bit screwed if I get it as I have really high levels of inflammation at the best of times so I'm concerned about the cytokine storm in coronavirus, but I don't think there is a huge amount of evidence to back this up at the moment. I'm taking a daily walk very early in the morning, but other than that, I've had no contact with the outside world for four weeks, and anything that is delivered to the house is "quarantined" for a couple of days, then wiped down, etc. I'm not working and my DH is working from home so I can do this. My DS has type one diabetes and has had respiratory problems in the past so we are being careful on his behalf too.

[Rollergirl11]

@JulietTango thank you very much I have just looked on the Facebook page and it’s really informative! I don’t think MIL knows about sick days and I am almost certain that she doesn’t have an emergency injection kit at home. I will get DH to check with her.

[CrunchyCarrot]

I've Hashimoto's. I believe thyroid disease does put us at an increased risk. We have to take thyroid hormone as our bodies do not produce enough (or any). Our thyroids do not function normally and this affects every system in our body. Taking thyroid hormone might be adequate in every day life but it isn't ideal and it isn't the same as having a healthy functioning thyroid, that can adjust as needed. We take static doses of hormone. If our bodies need more, too bad, it's not there. And not everyone is on an optimal dose.

Having an autoimmune disease means our body has a damaged immune system. Antibodies are made against some of our own proteins, that's not normal. Many hypo people I know have a hard time shaking off illnesses at the best of times.

Thyroid hormones and the immune system are very connected, although not all the details are as yet known. Good review paper here:

www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00350/full

Also I wonder how many will go on to develop chronic fatigue due to the after effects of having Covid-19.

Personally I am self-isolating and trying to live as healthily as possible.