Anyone with hypothyroidism had covid?

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My household all got covid over Xmas (brought home from school by DS). We all had the mild, flu-like version, wouldn't recommend it but never felt like we needed medical help. 4 weeks on everyone apart from me is out the other side. I went back to work as normal but found the fatigue, brain fog, lack of concentration and muscle weakness and shakiness on the slightest excertion too much. Still have lung pain and a slight lingering cough, but actually they aren't the debilitating things. I've been put on antibiotics and told to rest.

What this feels most like is uncontrolled hypothyroidism. I haven't found any info about the effect of catching covid on hypothyroidism (some the other way round), and wondered if fellow travellers wanted to share?

It does look for some of us Covid does mess up thyroid quite a bit?
Its like chicken and egg though is it covid giving us thyroid problems or thyroid driving long covid? I fought for 2 years to get T3 only treatment and tgey use any excuse to take me off it. I so worried no this will be used as a reason. Up until covid it was stable for 15 years... I am wondering too whether to up dose now. I been on HRT for 14 months which can mean thyroid meds may need increasing and taking omprezale for terrible GERD again can interfere with med absorption....I been doing a little research on how covid affects thyroid gland and its not looking great tbh. I hope you all get answers too. Please keep posting I am saddened to hear others struggling whatever we can do to get answers.

@Kitcat122 do you have symptoms now? Or Long covid symptoms?

I haven’t been confirmed as having had Covid yet (if I have had it it has been very mild) but I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto’s age 21 and I’m now 46. It was uncontrolled for a long time but by the time I hit 30 i feel I’ve found my thyroid sweet spot - a TSH of under 2 and doing plenty of walking and weights when I can and trying to often stick to low carb eating. Not always! I also now manage my thyroxine myself and buy my medícation from spain so I can ensure i always have the same brand. I found my prescriptions were sometimes changing brands and I didn’t know this would be a problem until I felt awful and my tsh plunged to close to ten (how precious posters are feeling at 20 I cannot imagine!). I spoke to thyroid UK who I always find very helpful and they said it was probably down to the changing brand.

I digress. Thyroid UK also published their findings on thyroid in relation to Covid and it would suggest that as long as your condition is well managed there shouldn’t be any additional issues. Of course we all know, as thyroid patients, that thyroid issues are not always stable. I am trying as much as possible to be consistent with my medícation (Im on 150mcg thyroxine) and also have started to take a variety of vitamins snd omega 3. Vitamin d, that old chestnut, is also said to be an issue for thyroid patients.

Interestingly I also had several autoimmune miscarriages and was treated for something called a high level of natural killer cells to have my children. The thought being that your body fights off the baby thinking it’s a foreign object. This is something anyone with an autoimmune condition is more likely to have. One thing that did worry me was the cases with Covid that then seem to have heightened immune responses and attack their own organs. But my miscarriage specialist also thinks we shouldn’t be at any greater risk of serious illness.

@Freetodowhatiwant so sorry you have had problems with pregnancies, it it an awful illness.
T3 supresses my TSH to 0.2 which sounds scarily hyper but thats when I feel optimal. No heart racing etc body temp 36.2 all very normal.
When ill with Covid my temp dropped to 34! I truly believe it mucks up metobolic systems. The auto immune approach is very interesting. I had to go on steroids in Oct gor very bad chest infection and felt fantastic for 2 weeks no joint pain fatigue etc sadly in Nov all came back like you say body attacking itself over and iver again. I take a range of Vits too but now added loratadine to see if its a histamine response but sadly no real improvement as yet. I hope you managing to stay well. All of these stories are very interesting. Thank you for post OP

Sorry to hear about your miscarriage free

I too find weight bearing exercise good for hypothyroidism. I believe we have to keep our muscles really strong partly as if you have a blip, weakness can be an issue.

Also currently finding a stronger level of omega helpful too.

I asked the Gp to stipulate one brand of thyroxine.

Being on the faulty Teva brand in 2011 really fucked up my first pregnancy.

I've started taking mine with a little soluble vit c in the mornings too.

I have never given a 2nd thought to when I take my thyroxine before. I tend to just swill it down with tea (I know, not great) whenever I remember in the day.

Had anybody any advice on what I should be doing. Like I said, my prescription has been the same for 20+ years so I can't have been getting it too wrong. I know I should do better though to aid absorption.

I was told to take it first thing on an empty stomach with just water and dont eat for an hour after. Youve also got to avoid iron supplements within 4 hours of it.

Routine is key anyfucker. That's going to be ok if you then have roughly the same routine for breakfast every day. And are on the right dose/ feel ok.

Small kids destroy my morning routine.

Avoid calcium iron and magnesium for up to 4 hours afterwards ideally.

High fibre foods can be an issue if taken to close to them.

Taking with a large glass of water Half an hour before breakfast is usually ok.

Stop taking any multivitamins with biotin in about a week or few days before a test, test early as possible and around the same time each time you go for test.

I usually swill down with tea tbh. But my levels recently have been around 1.5-2.5 and I actually don't cope well then. So I'm trying to be really strict about the gap of at least half an hour for a month + and see if I feel any better (and might get a private test, which be never done) before I see the Gp.

I've never particularly noticed a big issue with absorption till the last couple of years.

I’ve had under active thyroid for twenty years .. always well controlled but not unusual for it to be knocked by a virus .. I had covid in March and have long covid .. bloods in the summer showed TSH still fine at 1.3, getting them re checked next month so will be interesting to see what happens

Thanks guys. I can't cope with all those "rules" tbh. Will wait and see what my levels are.

I have hypothyroidism but I ave not to had Covid. I was wondering how it would should I get it as like many I find it hard to shake off colds etc.
Hope you're feeling 'better' soon as we know even with the medication you never feel quite right. X

Just bumping to keep this thread on my active list

I have hasimitos. I was iller than my mum with severe lung disease. She had mild symptoms. I was being observed for hospitalisation but it was at the time when don’t ring unless your lips are blue at the beginning of the pandemic. Still not well now ten months later.

Not covid related and sorry to derail, but I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's after giving birth and am struggling with awful anxiety and night time panic attacks. Has anyone else had this? Wasn't sure if it was pnd, covid anxiety (certainly not helped!), post birth hormones or the thyroid? It feels really unsettling when my thoughts and panic escalate and I struggle to rationalise.

That sounds awful @GentlyGentlyOhDear

Have you spoken to your GP ?

Its a long story, but GP hasnt been too helpful with the mental health side of things. I had to have half my thyroid removed in September after a nodule biopsy was inconclusive and I think they think my anxiety is due to that. It might well be more of an emotional rather than physical thing, but was just wondering if my thyroxine needs adjusting. Im going to ask for some anti-anxiety medication I think.
Sorry for the long de-rail!

Good luck. I hope you find your equilibrium very soon.

Thank you AnyFucker

@GentlyGentlyOhDear

Make sure you have a full thyroid panel done (not just T4 and TSH) - it should include T3 (to ensure conversion) and antibodies.

Some do better with certain levothyroxine brands than others

You will find information on thyroiduk.org/

I find this site useful as well healthunlocked.com/

Anxiety may be linked to uncontrolled thyroid hormones

I have hypothyroidism after having my thyroid removed in March (due to cancer and hyperthyroidism). In March/April my levothyroxine dose was too low and I felt terrible - tired, breathless, I was so scared of catching Covid.
Still feel very anxious about catching it as there isn't much evidence to show how it effects different thyroid patients, but thankfully I have had my first covid jab :)

This thread is fascinating. I am (mildly) hypo and had COVID in Oct. Since then I’ve been SO tired and forgetful, had chest pains, and been more anxious than usual. But I had a CT scan and blood test in Dec (due to cancer history) and they said all was well on both counts. It never occurred to me that there might be a correlation with the thyroid. But I do know you should take thyroxine in the morning at least 30 mins before eating or drinking anything except water!

I have hypothyroidism too, so this post caught my eye (although not had COVID). Just wanted to ask about the comment on hair loss and getting levels checked? I've noticed a huge increase in hair loss in last 6 months, is this a known possible side effect of hypo as I wasn't aware?