Aa
POLL: Hypothryoidism and colds or other viral/bacterial infections
Dear fellow forum members:
Does this describe you? One part of your hypothyroidism suffering has been a vulnerability (more vulnerable than what is normal for you) to catching colds (or to developing any other upper respiratory infection...or any infection of any kind). If this does describe you, could you post the details? I am testing a hunch, which I will explain after the poll results are in.
With best wishes for one and all,
Jenny
Does this describe you? One part of your hypothyroidism suffering has been a vulnerability (more vulnerable than what is normal for you) to catching colds (or to developing any other upper respiratory infection...or any infection of any kind). If this does describe you, could you post the details? I am testing a hunch, which I will explain after the poll results are in.
With best wishes for one and all,
Jenny
Thank you very much, both of you, for your generous comments! Kate, it would be easy to talk me into posting "my conclusions" if there were not a relatively small "quota" of how many words (or characters) can go into a new post. If you see a way to work around the limitation (meaning: if your case of brain fog is not quite as bad as mine seems to be tonight!), I would be grateful for a suggestion.
As for reaching a broader audience...you have put a bug in my ear. I am going to do some thinking about what kind of strategy a person could use to get the idea spread around widely--the idea that if you have an endocrine system problem, you should not listen to any physician who tells you that something you are experiencing "Can't be your endocrine system," and if you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician, you should remember always that you may not have more than a simplistic idea of what the entire range of symptoms is like. I want to say, "Yes, I have seen only anecdotal evidence to back up my subjective impression that my collection of weird symptoms have been caused by my thyroid gland, but hey, folks, there comes a point at which a sensible person begins to think 'Where there's smoke, there's fire,' as the person reads for the umpteenth time about a symptom that his or her endocrinologist has dismissed,saying 'Can't be coming from your endocrine problem.'" As you can tell, you really have put a bug into my ear. Hmmmm....
Best regards to you both,
Jenny
As for reaching a broader audience...you have put a bug in my ear. I am going to do some thinking about what kind of strategy a person could use to get the idea spread around widely--the idea that if you have an endocrine system problem, you should not listen to any physician who tells you that something you are experiencing "Can't be your endocrine system," and if you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician, you should remember always that you may not have more than a simplistic idea of what the entire range of symptoms is like. I want to say, "Yes, I have seen only anecdotal evidence to back up my subjective impression that my collection of weird symptoms have been caused by my thyroid gland, but hey, folks, there comes a point at which a sensible person begins to think 'Where there's smoke, there's fire,' as the person reads for the umpteenth time about a symptom that his or her endocrinologist has dismissed,saying 'Can't be coming from your endocrine problem.'" As you can tell, you really have put a bug into my ear. Hmmmm....
Best regards to you both,
Jenny
Thank you very much, both of you, for your generous comments! Kate, it would be easy to talk me into posting "my conclusions" if there were not a relatively small "quota" of how many words (or characters) can go into a new post. If you see a way to work around the limitation (meaning: if your case of brain fog is not quite as bad as mine seems to be tonight!), I would be grateful for a suggestion.
As for reaching a broader audience...you have put a bug in my ear. I am going to do some thinking about what kind of strategy a person could use to get the idea spread around widely--the idea that if you have an endocrine system problem, you should not listen to any physician who tells you that something you are experiencing "Can't be your endocrine system," and if you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician, you should remember always that you may not have more than a simplistic idea of what the entire range of symptoms is like. I want to say, "Yes, I have seen only anecdotal evidence to back up my subjective impression that my collection of weird symptoms have been caused by my thyroid gland, but hey, folks, there comes a point at which a sensible person begins to think 'Where there's smoke, there's fire,' as the person reads for the umpteenth time about a symptom that his or her endocrinologist has dismissed,saying 'Can't be coming from your endocrine problem.'" As you can tell, you really have put a bug into my ear. Hmmmm....
Best regards to you both,
Jenny
As for reaching a broader audience...you have put a bug in my ear. I am going to do some thinking about what kind of strategy a person could use to get the idea spread around widely--the idea that if you have an endocrine system problem, you should not listen to any physician who tells you that something you are experiencing "Can't be your endocrine system," and if you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician, you should remember always that you may not have more than a simplistic idea of what the entire range of symptoms is like. I want to say, "Yes, I have seen only anecdotal evidence to back up my subjective impression that my collection of weird symptoms have been caused by my thyroid gland, but hey, folks, there comes a point at which a sensible person begins to think 'Where there's smoke, there's fire,' as the person reads for the umpteenth time about a symptom that his or her endocrinologist has dismissed,saying 'Can't be coming from your endocrine problem.'" As you can tell, you really have put a bug into my ear. Hmmmm....
Best regards to you both,
Jenny
I agee! Send it to all the magazines and newspapers. Heak and all the endo offices and doctors.
Jenny! Jenny! Jenny! You should be a writer. I would LOVE to see this written in a magazine-or any written material that would reach a broad audience. I think it would be so helpful for many to read this.
It's perfect...and I think you are right!
Can I talk you into posting this at the top of the forum? As in: POLL: Hypothryoidism and colds or other viral/bacterial infections "My conclusions" And post a link to this thread.
Very nicely written, Jenny!
~Kate
It's perfect...and I think you are right!
Can I talk you into posting this at the top of the forum? As in: POLL: Hypothryoidism and colds or other viral/bacterial infections "My conclusions" And post a link to this thread.
Very nicely written, Jenny!
~Kate
When I started this thread, I said that I was testing a hunch, which I would explain when the poll results were in. That was days and days and days ago, I know. I apologize for taking so long to explain what I was thinking.
My hunch—and I think there is something to it—is that endocrinologists, as a group, have an incomplete picture of the range of symptoms that can be caused by a thyroid problem. I was especially interested in hearing from members of this forum, because we have something important in common. We are at the upper end of the scale of how much difficulty a person can have with a thyroid problem.
I say this because anyone who regularly reads the posts at this forum realizes that we members all have VERY full lives. I think that few of us would spend time at the forum if we did not need a support group. Over the eight months of my forum participation, I have noticed that some people participate in the forum very briefly. They get an answer to a question such as “Could my symptoms be coming from a thyroid problem?,” or they quickly reach a point of feeling much better, and we do not hear from them again.
Those of us who hang around and become forum veterans seem to be the ones who are having one heck of a rough time, which not everyone with a thyroid problem has. We are having a rough time not only in the areas of feeling “sick and tired of feeling sick and tired” in a general way, many of us are having a rough time because we are dealing with multiple symptoms in more than one category at once.
I think that anyone who wants to know “What are the most common symptoms of a thyroid problem?” can look at any of the standard lists and get a good answer. Anyone who wants to know “What is the entire list of possible symptoms?” probably needs to ask a bunch of people who are having an unusually miserable time with their thyroid problems.
As can been seen in the poll results, even when you ask a group of people who can be classified as “Wow, have we ever been through it” with their thyroid problems, not everyone has every symptom. What I wondered in asking the question, however, was NOT how common it is to have a lowered resistance to infection as an apparent effect of a thyroid problem. My question was “Is it possible?" I wanted to see whether anyone else, like me, has had what has seemed to be a very clear cause-and-effect relation between his or her thyroid struggles and his or her ability to resist colds and other infections.
The question occurred to me after my last visit with my endocrinologist. I mentioned in passing the problems I had had with common colds—both their frequency and the length each one lasted—during the worst of my hypothyroidism struggles (I also had a vaginal yeast infection, during the worst of my hypo hell, that went on and on and on and on and on…). I assumed that my endocrinologist, who has a special interest in thyroid problems, would nod knowingly. Instead, he said that a compromised immune system is not an effect of hypothyroidism. I see that Dr. Lupo, who also is a thyroid specialist, said the same thing in a reply to someone’s question. Thank you, Kit, for giving me the link. I had wondered what Dr. Lupo’s viewpoint would be, and I was grateful to you for sparing me the work of looking through the archives.
On the other hand, one of the poll respondents was told by a physician that bouts with pneumonia, pleurisy, and bronchitis had something to do with thyroid functioning. I see this same sort of hit-and-miss in regard to other symptoms, meaning: some physicians have made the connection between certain symptoms and thyroid troubles; other physicians have not. For example, some of my most annoying symptoms have had neurological overtones. Either there have been wild coincidences of timing, or else the symptoms have come from my thyroid problem. Someone who had similar symptoms, in a post many months ago, had been sent to a neurologist to be checked for scary neurological diseases. After testing her thoroughly, the neurologist then tentatively diagnosed a thyroid problem and referred her to an endocrinologist, who eventually confirmed the neurologist’s guess that a thyroid problem was the villain. In other words: the neurologist made the connection.
As for a connection between thyroid problems and the immune system, I do not know why there would be one. The only information I have been able to find that says “the immune system depends upon the functioning of the thyroid gland in order to operate normally” has come from not particularly credible sources. My own common sense (which may not be credible either!) is no help with an answer. Since autoimmune diseases are caused by an over-reactive response of the immune system to something in the body that belongs there, I would be surprised if the same immune system were under-reactive to viruses or other invaders.
Even if there is a problem with my reasoning, autoimmunity cannot explain the connection that I have seen in myself between hypothyroidism and lowered resistance to infections, because I do not have TPO antibodies. I have a straightforward case of hypothyroidism; I have not been through the stress of either radiation or surgery, so those explanations are not applicable to me, either.
Granted, both my experience and what you “poll respondents” with similar experiences have reported is all anecdotal evidence. All the same, there has been no room to doubt some sort of direct connection between my thyroid gland’s struggles and a loss of my formerly excellent ability to “fight off” infections. A return of the ability was one of the first signs that my endocrinologist and I were beginning to succeed in getting my thyroid problem under control.
I think that in a big way, the world of endocrinology could use some simple descriptive research that would tell all of us more about the entire range of possible thyroid symptoms. When my endocrinologist said that a reduced ability to resist colds and other infections is not a symptom of a thyroid problem, and when I replied that possibly, any one endocrinologist does not see enough patients at the high end of the suffering scale to be aware of the entire range of possible symptoms, my priceless endo thought hard for a moment and then said, “That could be true.” Food for thought….
My hunch—and I think there is something to it—is that endocrinologists, as a group, have an incomplete picture of the range of symptoms that can be caused by a thyroid problem. I was especially interested in hearing from members of this forum, because we have something important in common. We are at the upper end of the scale of how much difficulty a person can have with a thyroid problem.
I say this because anyone who regularly reads the posts at this forum realizes that we members all have VERY full lives. I think that few of us would spend time at the forum if we did not need a support group. Over the eight months of my forum participation, I have noticed that some people participate in the forum very briefly. They get an answer to a question such as “Could my symptoms be coming from a thyroid problem?,” or they quickly reach a point of feeling much better, and we do not hear from them again.
Those of us who hang around and become forum veterans seem to be the ones who are having one heck of a rough time, which not everyone with a thyroid problem has. We are having a rough time not only in the areas of feeling “sick and tired of feeling sick and tired” in a general way, many of us are having a rough time because we are dealing with multiple symptoms in more than one category at once.
I think that anyone who wants to know “What are the most common symptoms of a thyroid problem?” can look at any of the standard lists and get a good answer. Anyone who wants to know “What is the entire list of possible symptoms?” probably needs to ask a bunch of people who are having an unusually miserable time with their thyroid problems.
As can been seen in the poll results, even when you ask a group of people who can be classified as “Wow, have we ever been through it” with their thyroid problems, not everyone has every symptom. What I wondered in asking the question, however, was NOT how common it is to have a lowered resistance to infection as an apparent effect of a thyroid problem. My question was “Is it possible?" I wanted to see whether anyone else, like me, has had what has seemed to be a very clear cause-and-effect relation between his or her thyroid struggles and his or her ability to resist colds and other infections.
The question occurred to me after my last visit with my endocrinologist. I mentioned in passing the problems I had had with common colds—both their frequency and the length each one lasted—during the worst of my hypothyroidism struggles (I also had a vaginal yeast infection, during the worst of my hypo hell, that went on and on and on and on and on…). I assumed that my endocrinologist, who has a special interest in thyroid problems, would nod knowingly. Instead, he said that a compromised immune system is not an effect of hypothyroidism. I see that Dr. Lupo, who also is a thyroid specialist, said the same thing in a reply to someone’s question. Thank you, Kit, for giving me the link. I had wondered what Dr. Lupo’s viewpoint would be, and I was grateful to you for sparing me the work of looking through the archives.
On the other hand, one of the poll respondents was told by a physician that bouts with pneumonia, pleurisy, and bronchitis had something to do with thyroid functioning. I see this same sort of hit-and-miss in regard to other symptoms, meaning: some physicians have made the connection between certain symptoms and thyroid troubles; other physicians have not. For example, some of my most annoying symptoms have had neurological overtones. Either there have been wild coincidences of timing, or else the symptoms have come from my thyroid problem. Someone who had similar symptoms, in a post many months ago, had been sent to a neurologist to be checked for scary neurological diseases. After testing her thoroughly, the neurologist then tentatively diagnosed a thyroid problem and referred her to an endocrinologist, who eventually confirmed the neurologist’s guess that a thyroid problem was the villain. In other words: the neurologist made the connection.
As for a connection between thyroid problems and the immune system, I do not know why there would be one. The only information I have been able to find that says “the immune system depends upon the functioning of the thyroid gland in order to operate normally” has come from not particularly credible sources. My own common sense (which may not be credible either!) is no help with an answer. Since autoimmune diseases are caused by an over-reactive response of the immune system to something in the body that belongs there, I would be surprised if the same immune system were under-reactive to viruses or other invaders.
Even if there is a problem with my reasoning, autoimmunity cannot explain the connection that I have seen in myself between hypothyroidism and lowered resistance to infections, because I do not have TPO antibodies. I have a straightforward case of hypothyroidism; I have not been through the stress of either radiation or surgery, so those explanations are not applicable to me, either.
Granted, both my experience and what you “poll respondents” with similar experiences have reported is all anecdotal evidence. All the same, there has been no room to doubt some sort of direct connection between my thyroid gland’s struggles and a loss of my formerly excellent ability to “fight off” infections. A return of the ability was one of the first signs that my endocrinologist and I were beginning to succeed in getting my thyroid problem under control.
I think that in a big way, the world of endocrinology could use some simple descriptive research that would tell all of us more about the entire range of possible thyroid symptoms. When my endocrinologist said that a reduced ability to resist colds and other infections is not a symptom of a thyroid problem, and when I replied that possibly, any one endocrinologist does not see enough patients at the high end of the suffering scale to be aware of the entire range of possible symptoms, my priceless endo thought hard for a moment and then said, “That could be true.” Food for thought….
I have been sick alot even took allergy shots for 10 months didn't feel any better so stopped taking them. I had pnuemonia in Oct last year, and seems like at least once or twice a week I have major sinus problems. Been to the ENT and he can't find anything wrong with my sinuses so I just deal with them and take Benydryl when they start acting up it doesn't help all the time but it at least releaves the itchy watery eyes.
I sat here, thinking...I've had a busier summer but you know, that's lame. For me, however...it's felt busier. I'll get a little energy, capitilize on it...but then dray for about 3-4 days after. Now that things are slowing down, a little (gosh forbid the school tries to "wrap me up" into things though. Aint gonna happen)...I can breath and catch up with personal correpondence.
Are you going to create a new post with your theories?;-D
I'm interested to hear what you are thinking.
~Kate
Are you going to create a new post with your theories?;-D
I'm interested to hear what you are thinking.
~Kate
Hi, Kate--
In regard to your comment about getting back with me--long overdue and you are sorry--please don't say "sorry"! I have been overwhelmed by demands on my attention, and I have less energy with which to meet those demands than I would like to have. I would bet that you could say the same, so please don't think twice about the length of time between communiques.
Sincerely,
Jenny
In regard to your comment about getting back with me--long overdue and you are sorry--please don't say "sorry"! I have been overwhelmed by demands on my attention, and I have less energy with which to meet those demands than I would like to have. I would bet that you could say the same, so please don't think twice about the length of time between communiques.
Sincerely,
Jenny
Thank you, everyone, for your responses. Cheryl, thank you for your "interesting thread" comment. The reactions to my question have been interesting indeed. When I posted the question, I said that I was testing a hunch, which I would explain after the poll responses were in. It seems as if it is time for the explanation, but I need to postpone it until tomorrow. If I do not focus for the rest of the day on my work (the part that I am paid to do), my employer either will kill me or fire me--not a pretty outcome, either way. ;o)
I do promise an explanation tomorrow, however, so stay tuned....
Yours in thyroid-related struggles,
Jenny
I do promise an explanation tomorrow, however, so stay tuned....
Yours in thyroid-related struggles,
Jenny
I think (it's been awhile since I've read them):
http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/21/3/292
http://www.ebmonline.org/cgi/content/full/231/3/229
http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/21/3/292
http://www.ebmonline.org/cgi/content/full/231/3/229
Just thought you'd like to know that I either woke up with a monster cold this morning or the flu. Am the only one in family sick.
Dac
Dac
I have to get back with you (long overdue, I know and am sorry!)
Interesting question. I've wondered this too. In taking a poll (for which the taker was allowed to mark all that applied, this is the result).
The question:
Prior to a diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction, did you experience more/frequent infections or viral illness that improved/resolved with treatment? Please choose which condition(s)improved.
Upper respiratory 13
Lower respiratory 2
Yeast (oral,vaginal or systemic) 7
Urinary 9
Skin (other than yeast overgrowth) 4
Colds 12
Flus 6
Sore Throats 9
Other infections/viral ilness 4
I continue to experience frequent infections/viral "bugs" despite thyroid treatment 1
There is a paper I found written on this and if I can find it, I'll post it.
~Kate
Interesting question. I've wondered this too. In taking a poll (for which the taker was allowed to mark all that applied, this is the result).
The question:
Prior to a diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction, did you experience more/frequent infections or viral illness that improved/resolved with treatment? Please choose which condition(s)improved.
Upper respiratory 13
Lower respiratory 2
Yeast (oral,vaginal or systemic) 7
Urinary 9
Skin (other than yeast overgrowth) 4
Colds 12
Flus 6
Sore Throats 9
Other infections/viral ilness 4
I continue to experience frequent infections/viral "bugs" despite thyroid treatment 1
There is a paper I found written on this and if I can find it, I'll post it.
~Kate
After my thryoid surgery they realized I have been subclinical hypo and many of my symptoms improved with Synthroid !
In answer to your question:
Interesting to note I have not been sick once since my sugery (knock on wood) and I usually have my fair share of sinus infections and colds.
I have passed a few kidney stones and had urinary tract infections but that has been going on for me the past 2.5yrs and followed closely by a Uro and Prim. Care Dr. I don't think that would be related at all to hypo vs. hyper, etc.
Interesting thread .. Cheryl
In answer to your question:
Interesting to note I have not been sick once since my sugery (knock on wood) and I usually have my fair share of sinus infections and colds.
I have passed a few kidney stones and had urinary tract infections but that has been going on for me the past 2.5yrs and followed closely by a Uro and Prim. Care Dr. I don't think that would be related at all to hypo vs. hyper, etc.
Interesting thread .. Cheryl
You are welcome for the response. Of course all these responses are anecdotal and people with more problems with their general health are more likely to be on a medical message board. There are about 1.5 million people with Hashis in the USA alone .
I would guess surgery for anything and radiation would make people vulnerable to infections, at least for a while.
I know a lot of people who are just plain Hashis hypo, like me, no surgery, who are generally fine. One said he notices no difference in how he feels from before he was accidentally diagnosed and after. He has a cold on occasion, but is not prone to them. I work with three hypo people and one person with lupus and they have been helpful on the topic.
I think it's important to take the best care we can of ourselves and try not to dwell in a negative place for too long. Studies show that depression negatively affects the immune system too.
I would guess surgery for anything and radiation would make people vulnerable to infections, at least for a while.
I know a lot of people who are just plain Hashis hypo, like me, no surgery, who are generally fine. One said he notices no difference in how he feels from before he was accidentally diagnosed and after. He has a cold on occasion, but is not prone to them. I work with three hypo people and one person with lupus and they have been helpful on the topic.
I think it's important to take the best care we can of ourselves and try not to dwell in a negative place for too long. Studies show that depression negatively affects the immune system too.
I have been sick alot this past year .Especially since I had the RAI back in March.The last one put me in hospital with pnuemonia.I take alot of supllements as well but I still got sick.
Love Venora
Love Venora
One of the things that led to the suspicion of Graves' was how often I had pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus infections. They were almost constant. I am now dr induced hypo b/c they killed my thyroid. Use to get everything in the world that came within 100 ft of me, but then I started taking a supplement to boost my immune system and hardly every have a cold. If I do start feelng sick I take zinc and elderberry concentrate with ester C and am over it almost before it begins.
If you have an auto immune disease then of course you have a compromised immune system. But I would think that b/c the thyroid plays such an important role in immune system that would make sense that it would affect one's immune system. That's my 2 cents worth, anyway.
Dac
If you have an auto immune disease then of course you have a compromised immune system. But I would think that b/c the thyroid plays such an important role in immune system that would make sense that it would affect one's immune system. That's my 2 cents worth, anyway.
Dac
Well I have had some illness in the past 1-2 yrs, that I never have before like Sinus problems, and I did get pneumonia, pleurisies, and bronchitis. I was told years ago i had something with my thyroid(age22) and never had nothing done. It didn't start affecting me till I was 32, now I am 35 and it really hit me!
When I became hypo after TT (several months after the actual surgery) I was sick with a cold for like 3-4 weeks at a time. My son and I kept passing the same virus back & forth. I went to my doctors twice (primary) and what she told me is that by being hypo my body can't handle stress as well which includes the stress of being sick; so my immune system wasn't directly affected by my hypothyroidism but my body's ability to deal with the stress of being sick and "bouncing back" definitely was.
Rayne
Rayne
Thank you, Graves Lady, for pointing out that I need to clarify something. My question includes EVERYONE who has suffered with hypothyroidism, including the folks who have been made hypo on purpose, I suppose you could say. If anyone else responds to my question, it would be interesting to know what sort of hypothyroidism you have had.
Thank you, too, both of you, for your responses.
Thank you, too, both of you, for your responses.
I am not originally hypo, but hypo by treatment for Hyper/Graves', so don't know if your question would include me (us). However, I'll answer just incase it does.
Answer: NO!
Of course I take lost of vitamins and minerals per day - all separate, no multi's.
Before diagnosed with thyroid, I was getting pneumonia, pleurisies, and bronchitis all together at the same time. Ended up in ER once it was so bad. When I started getting them in the summer, along in winters, I got a one time pneumonia shot, which has work protecting me against those three issues for 17 years now.
No full blown colds in years. When I feel one coming on, brandy and hot spicy soup does wonders for it (me) ;)
Answer: NO!
Of course I take lost of vitamins and minerals per day - all separate, no multi's.
Before diagnosed with thyroid, I was getting pneumonia, pleurisies, and bronchitis all together at the same time. Ended up in ER once it was so bad. When I started getting them in the summer, along in winters, I got a one time pneumonia shot, which has work protecting me against those three issues for 17 years now.
No full blown colds in years. When I feel one coming on, brandy and hot spicy soup does wonders for it (me) ;)
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
