Hyperthyroid symptoms from Sun exposure

[ChrisD]

Short story:
Diagnosed with subclinical Hypothyroidism Jan 2020 by endocrinologist, on top of previous ME/CFS diagnosis. Slowly started on a titrating dose of NDT, then the addition of some synthetic T3. Then due to lockdown and not having access to monitoring tests, Endo continued to treat based on symptoms and I became overmedicated with T3 July 2020 causing mild thyroid storm(Hyper) and had to go to hospital overnight requiring diazepam, beta blockers, lots of fluids. Off meds since then, becoming quite Hypo yet still having Hyper symptoms after exercise and sun.

I've been off meds since then and went from TSH 0.01 to 5.6, then to 3.9/4.2 which is where it was in October/November.

I was unable to take even the smallest amount of NDT (then and still now) without getting Hyper symptoms despite being Hypo, so it was quite hard to get TSh down, but I have managed to now in Feb 2021 after several months of pro thyroid diet and supplements.

Over the months, I have got marginally better, the hyper symptoms became part of my ME PEM,so after minimal activity I would go hyper, whereas now it takes a lot more activity to trigger that. However the Sun is still a massive trigger especially if my neck/thyroid is exposed.

Is it possible to have Hyperthyroid symptoms when you are Hypo if you have been Hyper (overactive) by overmedication?

I still have heavy fatigue and hypo symptoms, and I'm worried that my thyroid has been affected long term by the emergency event, or that some balance between the HPA axis has been upset. I have Lyme and co infections as well but thyroid antibodies are relatively low.

I spent a few hours in the lovely sun yesterday (UK) and to my horror, I'm still experiencing Hyper overactive symptoms after sun exposure, especially if neck is exposed to sun. For hours after and through the night, lots of adrenaline, irritability, heart rate and blood pressure up, Brain fog, then trouble sleeping etc.Throughout winter I haven't really experienced these symptoms unless I've done too much exertion for my limits (ME/CFS), so I was really surprised that it would still be happening.

However my TSH is currently 2.9 and mid range T3 and T4 so Hypo. I'm really concerned that my Thyroid storm event (TSH 0.01) has offset the balance perhaps between the HPA axis and thyroid, perhaps the Parathyroid. I don't know, and no doctor or consultant seems to be able to help me. I love being in the sun but I'm now becoming scared of it 😪

Would love it if anyone can add any ideas or suggestions, perhaps tests that I should get done... Or any theories as to why this is happening?

 

[Wolfcub]

I'm sorry, but I don't know enough about Thyroid problems to be helpful to you in that respect.
But there possibly may be some helpful clues in this PubMed article: Benefits of Sunlight

I wouldn't call our beautiful and probably short-lived early spring sunshine "excessive sunlight", but it says this about exposure to sunlight in excess (remember...ME/CFS people have a different rule book! :

Excessive sun exposure can also cause cataracts and diseases aggravated by UVR-induced immunosuppression such as reactivation of some latent viruses.

(My bold text for emphasis.)
You could dig around in that article and see if anything makes sense at all?

What a shame. The weather is so lovely right now especially after the freezing conditions lately. It's a pity you can't enjoy it.

 

[Judee]

becoming quite Hypo yet still having Hyper symptoms after exercise and sun.

I can't find the thread where this has been discussed but some of us have found that we don't do well on the NDT. I actually do better on the synthetic T4 only.

Firstly, NDT is not bio-identical. It's something like a 20%/80% - t3/t4, if I recall correctly but our bodies do a 3%/97% - t3/t4 when released from the thyroid.

Anyway, don't quote me on this but if it's true then the 20/80 would seem to over-rev people with ME/CFS and burn us out.

After 11 years on NDT I finally weaned myself off of it, iodine, and DHEA 5mg that an environmental doctor put me on but just stayed on the T4.

Later, I realized that a couple of my symptoms actually went away. (Something I call "spiral down" as well as daily episodes of horrible hypoglycemia.)

Not to mention my SHBG which had been abnormal for years (tests he did not show me) came back into the normal range.

Also being in the sun doesn't make me feel ill but if I try to lay in the sun for longer than 10 minutes I feel sick. Lupus runs in my family and I've been checked for it several times but results always come back negative but you might want to see if that is a factor in your situation.

 

[ChrisD]

I'm quite concerned because this is still happening to me after sun exposure, yet no doctor or endo can find any rhyme or reason for it, suggesting that all my results are normal.

Beginning to wonder if it's adrenal insufficiency or if the thyroid hospitalization caused by Hypothalamus or pituitary or both to go up the creek. Or worse if I have some kind of pituitary/Adrenal tumour.

 

[Judee]

I'm quite concerned because this is still happening to me after sun exposure, yet no doctor or endo can find any rhyme or reason for it, suggesting that all my results are normal.

Do you know if you have VDR polymorphisms?

It is my understanding that these are not well understood yet but Dr Coombra an MS doctor in Brazil said that they can affect our absorption of Vitamin D.

I wonder if that is why we feel ill with exposure like that. Perhaps there is something building up as a toxin rather than converting to the next form? I think that happens with a lot of vitamins for me as well.

Maybe an idea would be to research things that help the body absorb, convert, or use the Vitamin D in the body like K2 and/or boron and take that before having to go out into the sun?

For instance when I started supplementing with Vitamin D I would get horrible leg cramps until I started adding the K2.

Then because I was trying to do a mini version of Dr Coombra's protocol, my gums started to bleed and my teeth got very loose. I think that was because it was creating a sudden need for Vitamin C in my body. Now, if I take the Vitamin C at the same time that doesn't happen.

I'm guessing you have been tested for Lupus because you said your doctors cannot figure out what it wrong.