Anyone with hypothyroidism had covid?

[OneMoreForExtra]

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?

@hannahbanana2007

is this a known possible side effect of hypo as I wasn't aware

Yes, hypo or hyper amongst other things (e.g. low iron/ferritin levels)

@trulydelicious

Anxiety may be linked to uncontrolled thyroid hormones

I've experienced this, hypo, purely because when working full time in a demanding job with a brain that's not working well and finding everything very hard, you have to spend more time working and less time seeing friends, are less able to exercise, spend down time resting or sleeping, become very forgetful, struggle to get words out or on paper correctly, make mistakes or spend a lot of time making mistakes, loss of your partner as you stop being able to tidy up or do much other than work and it's quite distressing. And no one understands unless they've experienced it.

It's very slow and gradual and then suddenly it's all out of front of.

My hair starts to fall about when tsh is around 3.5-6, but extra zinc has had a big impact on that. Not sure what my levels are at the moment, something like 1-1.5 I think (hope.)

@TrashedWarrior

It's very slow and gradual and then suddenly it's all out of front of

Yes, and also because one hormone (thyroxine in this case) affects the production/uptake of others like oestrogen, dopamine, cortisol (and a lot of these affect brain processes and hence mental health)

So if one hormone is out of whack, others are likely to be too

@trulydelicious thanks for the advice. Am getting all of my bloods done next week including b12, ferritin, folate and vit d. I think my oestrogen is out of whack too with breastfeeding and it always gets worse before my period.

I have hypothyroidism and recovered quickly from covid I think it might just be the normal effects some people get after covid perhaps. Take care of yourself

I have hypothyroidism, currently on 75 mcg of levothyroxine. We all had covid last February but had the loss of taste & smell symptoms, with sore eyes but no flu fever. I recovered from that but haven't felt well since. Still struggling with fatigue (have also got CFS, and fibromyalgia, but it feels worse than that), low mood/depression and just sheer exhaustion. DH is struggling with increased fatigue too. DD had covid toes appear months after we'd had covid. So all have long term effects. It all feels shit and miserable

@TheWindOnTheMoon has it affected your thyroid too?
I been telling people for weeks that my depression and lack of motivation feels chemical or lack of something. Beginning to think I am severely undermedicated. No reason to feel as depressed as I do. Yes really difficult times to be living in but usually really resiliant. My DH struggling too with fatigue and phantom smells it seems never ending. I hope you all feel better soon.

@Mintypylonsfryingsurplus Honestly it's hard to tell what's doing what atm. The last time I needed a change to my meds I could tell something was wrong - I kept getting a racing heart and feeling very cold. I haven't had the racing heart this time and that was unpleasant but am getting the cold and achy.

We're all fed up now. Hope it won't drag on into a third year - that really would be demoralising.

@TheWindOnTheMoon I know how you feel. So sorry you still struggling. I think if I knew it would improve soon I would have hope but its hard not knowing if there will be massive improvements

Still waiting on some blood results

Full blood count and thyroid are ok

Still awaiting Ferritin and vit B12

@AnyFucker thats great! Hope the rest are all normal. Mine due back Monday will report if any change.

Hi folks, I was feeling bad about being too rubbish to keep up with my thread until I read @TrashedWarrior 's description:

brain that's not working well and finding everything very hard, you have to spend more time working and less time seeing friends, are less able to exercise, spend down time resting or sleeping, become very forgetful, struggle to get words out or on paper correctly, make mistakes or spend a lot of time making mistakes, loss of your partner as you stop being able to tidy up or do much other than work and it's quite distressing. And no one understands unless they've experienced it.

Exactly this.

@AnyFucker did you get your full results? What were they - did they give any explanation?

Had mine back: TSH suppressed of course, high FT3 and low FT4. Which suggests FT3 pooling and not getting into my cells, which explains why I feel run over. I also have low B12 probably caused by being hypo, and very high ferritin indicating inflammation, possibly caused by the covid I guess, but might be the reason why the FT3 isn't going where it's needed. I'm not really sure what to do about any of that.

Sorry so many people are struggling.

Still waiting on ferritin and vit B12

They are "still on the doctors desk" apparently. I don't know know what that means.

On a better note, the hair loss seems to have slowed from the alarming levels of the last few weeks < fingers crossed >

It's not great still and my hair condition is shocking made worse by the fact that it needs a bloody good cut and the grey is coming through. Damn you, lockdown !

@AnyFucker

the hair loss seems to have slowed from the alarming levels of the last few weeks

Good to hear it's improving

That's good Any. hope you continue to improve.

@OneMoreForExtra I often muse about the fact that the condition is more associated with women. And hormones definitely intermingle too in chicken and egg ways making it extra tough. And if more professional men had it, there would be more understanding.

So many people just think it makes you fat. I'm never overweight. I may be having peripheral neuropathy issues linked to it (no idea.)

I have no idea what t3 pooling means. Does that just mean too high? There was an interesting post on health unlocked about how having some tsh is helpful for the actual conversion process in some people (or something....!)

It does always seem to take a good 2-3 months for most symptoms to fully settle after any big fluctuations or big deficiencies.

In my experience I've put that down to how most cells turn over etc. Eg if you take vitamins for fertility it takes a good 3 cycles to have an impact.

Hypo with Hashi's here. Mercifully haven't had Covid, but when I hear people describing long Covid a lot of it sounds like untreated hypo.

Very often Vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B12 are deficient in hypo people. The amount of enzymes affected in one's body by having B2 deficient runs into the hundreds. There's no way you can feel well if those aren't working optimally. Hypothyroidism affects pretty much every part of your body and active thyroid hormone (T3) is essential for so many functions. GPs often don't test FT3 (free T3) levels (not always their fault, they can order it but the lab may refuse to do it if FT4 and TSH are within range.) Therefore it's hard to know how you are if you have no idea what your active thyroid hormone is doing!

The ranges used for 'normal' thyroid levels are far too broad. TSH should be around 1.0. Anything much above that shows your thyroid is beginning to struggle.

T3 pooling is an odd concept - there's no actual evidence for it at all, it's been invented by online groups with no data to back it up. If you have high T3 then it's not because it isn't going into your cells. It's because there's another reason it isn't working. This can be something like low iron, low cortisol, low B12, infection, poor gut absorption, etc.

@TrashedWarrior - peripheral neuropathy is caused by B12 deficiency and is quite common in hypothyroidism.

Ok. Just spoke with GP.
My Vit b12 is low. I am to start supplements orally and book in to check levels in a month.
If not improving, might need to start injections.

@AnyFucker good they've found a reason for how you feel. I hope you get sorted out soon.

@CrunchyCarrot thanks yes I do know this. I've never had low b12 though and take bvits complex eat meat etc. They've tested me for that a few times and diabetes. I've been noticing links to when my toddler has a virus (so passes it to me, I'm bfeeding him) and also drop in cycle hormones. That sounds nuts though. It's driving me nuts. I've queried mild Raynauds too.

The Gp suggested "burning feet syndrome" which mentions B vitamins actually and also hypothyroidism. That's from last time I queried it in the summer. I'll look at the b2 in the complex I take, thanks.

I'm going to buy a full comprehensive test for the first time though very soon. I noticed you have to cease b12 for two weeks too, which I've not done before.

@TrashedWarrior - what you might not know (and I certainly didn't know) was that oral B12 usually doesn't do much at all, it will show up in a blood test that you have high levels, but in fact this is a paradoxical deficiency (i.e. levels are high but person still has B12 deficiency symptoms). Also if your B2 is low then there's no way you can utilise B12 efficiently. Doctors just don't know this stuff and rely totally on labs.

The best test to ascertain whether you have B vit deficiencies (and other things too) is to do an OAT or Organic Acids Test. Pricey but well worth it. That's what showed up my B2 deficiency. I use a B-complex multi for B2 and transdermal B12 oils for B12.

Well, I've just checked and the complex that I switched to has 1/3rd of b2 the basic Sainsbury's berocca I was taking.

I've got sublingual b12, but stopped using them as my mil actually had too high b12 and mine has been apparently ok. Though my blood relative aunt has got pernicious anaemia...

I think I'm going to do the basic medichecks test first with a folate test. And may ask the Gp again. Thanks for the info.

it could be something else 🤷🏻‍♀️ peri??

This is what I was told to look at last time. And the symptoms of Erythromelalgia is something I've been experiencing. Like Raynauds in reverse.

www.racgp.org.au/afpbackissues/2003/200312/20031218makkar.pdf

Watching with interest as I also have Hashis, and coeliac, and I a, worried about Covid. I also have a teenager with Hashimoto’s .

How do they properly diagnose for PA? I've just had b12 blood tests previously.

I've just found that Erythromelalgia is common with low b12.

@TrashedWarrior How do they properly diagnose for PA? I've just had b12 blood tests previously.

You need tests for antibodies to Intrinsic Factor.