I Have Pneumonia. Again

[firebreather]

About 15 months ago I came down with pneumonia - I'm only 38 years old.

It quickly cleared up with a zpack.

Today I found out I have it again but thankfully it's not quite as bad.

My thyroid is definitely not optimized. I was taking 4.5 grains of NDT (171mcg of T4 and 40mcg of T3) which is a lot I know but even with that my temp and pulse were not where they should be.

My old doc moved so I just found a new one. She put me on 30mcg of time released t3 and no t4 until my blood work came back.

I'm wondering if dropping the t4 altogether and t3 partially could have caused a drop in my immune system.

I'm really discouraged by the whole thing.

New doc doesn't even take my insurance.

Although I wasn't at my best by any means things were quite a bit better when I was on the 4.5 grains of NDT.

I see that you can get both t4 and t3 from blueskypeptides.com now.

Should I ditch the doc and just start dosing t4 and t3 myself?

Another thing that is really strange is why am I needing so much?

I was paleo for a few years then low carb for 9 months but I quit that about 2 years ago.

I do have a pretty stressful life at times (getting up in the middle of the night for my job and stress at home).

Additionally most of my sex hormones are low and have been for a few years at least.

 

[Diokine]

How are your guts? Endotoxin can cause a lot of issues with lungs, and I have personally experienced how devastating it's effects are in this regard. Do you eat a lot of starches? Look for symptoms related to a lot of starch intake. You may want to look at your inflammatory status, not responding well to T3 indicates latent infection or other issues. It's possible to make things worse by continuing high doses of it.

Thyroid status is definitely not just about thyroid gland or thyroid hormone levels. Inflammation will cause the body to turn down its responsiveness to thyroid (rightfully so, as generating a lot of reactive oxygen species during states of inflammation is very bad.)

Make sure you're getting as much sunlight as possible and do whatever you can to reduce stress.

 

[PakPik]

Thyroid status is definitely not just about thyroid gland or thyroid hormone levels. Inflammation will cause the body to turn down its responsiveness to thyroid (rightfully so, as generating a lot of reactive oxygen species during states of inflammation is very bad.)

This is very true and often overlooked issue. Inflammatory state won't allow metabolism to improve much. It really goes beyond ingesting thyroid hormones.

 

[firebreather]

How are your guts? Endotoxin can cause a lot of issues with lungs, and I have personally experienced how devastating it's effects are in this regard. Do you eat a lot of starches? Look for symptoms related to a lot of starch intake. You may want to look at your inflammatory status, not responding well to T3 indicates latent infection or other issues. It's possible to make things worse by continuing high doses of it.

Thyroid status is definitely not just about thyroid gland or thyroid hormone levels. Inflammation will cause the body to turn down its responsiveness to thyroid (rightfully so, as generating a lot of reactive oxygen species during states of inflammation is very bad.)

Make sure you're getting as much sunlight as possible and do whatever you can to reduce stress.

I don't really have any stomach issues. I do eat more starch than fruits because too much fruit makes my frequent urination worse.

In regards to inflammation I've had my CRP checked a few times and it has always been excellent.

 

[PakPik]

I don't really have any stomach issues. I do eat more starch than fruits because too much fruit makes my frequent urination worse.

In regards to inflammation I've had my CRP checked a few times and it has always been excellent.

CRP is a very unreliable mediator in my book. CRP tends to normalize with chronic inflammation. I found that cytokines such as Interleukin 6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor are much more reliable. One can have nice CRP and be dying from inflammation.

 

[Tarmander]

How are your guts? Endotoxin can cause a lot of issues with lungs, and I have personally experienced how devastating it's effects are in this regard.

Same for me. In fact some supplements I take I have noticed can irritate my guts and lead to coughing up phlegm the next day. MB seems to really help with this. Same with increasing salt intake. Increasing salt intake just helps with infections in general. Might be a good place to start.

 

[Blossom]

Do you have a history of smoke inhalation from you job?

Do you go on a lot of emergency runs taking sick people with breathing difficulties to the hospital-especially paramedic type interventions like intubation?

I think those are two possible things about your work coupled with stress and a change in thyroid dose that could put you at higher risk for pneumonia. I'm in a similar situation but have noticed recently that I don't seem to get sick as often. I'm pretty sure it has to do with gradual pufa depletion over the last two+ years. I always wear a mask now too regardless of what other people think. I've been splashed a couple times and it's not worth the risk.

Improvements can still be made even in an atmosphere of higher stress we just have to find ways to manage things to the best of our ability. I have always had to handle my own thyroid dosing and I think quite a few people here have to as well so it will just be a matter of what you are most comfortable doing.

Anecdotally my worst bronchitis coincided with a time period when I was deficient in vitamin D so that might be worth checking your levels if you don't get regular sunlight like Diokine mentioned or supplement vitamin D.

I also agree with Diokine on the gut/endotoxin connection.

ETA: I posted at the same time as PakPik and Tarmander so this is merely an addition to their excellent replies.

 

[firebreather]

Do you have a history of smoke inhalation from you job?

Do you go on a lot of emergency runs taking sick people with breathing difficulties to the hospital-especially paramedic type interventions like intubation?

I think those are two possible things about your work coupled with stress and a change in thyroid dose that could put you at higher risk for pneumonia. I'm in a similar situation but have noticed recently that I don't seem to get sick as often. I'm pretty sure it has to do with gradual pufa depletion over the last two+ years. I always wear a mask now too regardless of what other people think. I've been splashed a couple times and it's not worth the risk.

Improvements can still be made even in an atmosphere of higher stress we just have to find ways to manage things to the best of our ability. I have always had to handle my own thyroid dosing and I think quite a few people here have to as well so it will just be a matter of what you are most comfortable doing.

Anecdotally my worst bronchitis coincided with a time period when I was deficient in vitamin D so that might be worth checking your levels if you don't get regular sunlight like Diokine mentioned or supplement vitamin D.

I also agree with Diokine on the gut/endotoxin connection.

ETA: I posted at the same time as PakPik and Tarmander so this is merely an addition to their excellent replies.

I've had very little smoke inhalation - my dept is very cautious and we're always wearing our airpacks and I've been in very few fires in the 10 years I've been doing this.

I can't say that I run a lot of people with breathing problems and I'm never in the back of the ambulance. I've been on probably 5 calls in the last year where someone was intubated but those were are codes where we were doing cpr on the person.

How are you handling your thyroid dosing now with the changes with getting cynomel?

I do supplement with vitamin D - usualy 8000 IU in the winter time.

I've had very few gut issues in my life

 

[firebreather]

CRP is a very unreliable mediator in my book. CRP tends to normalize with chronic inflammation. I found that cytokines such as Interleukin 6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor are much more reliable. One can have nice CRP and be dying from inflammation.

Are these some types of test that you can get done?

 

[PakPik]

Are these some types of test that you can get done?

Well, in my country they are available.

 

[PakPik]

I've read Ray Peat recommending light therapy for people with asthma and things like that. It does strengthen cells and lower inflammatory mediators. Also worth checking things like glycine/gelatin due to their antiinflammatory properties.

 

[Blossom]

I've had very little smoke inhalation - my dept is very cautious and we're always wearing our airpacks and I've been in very few fires in the 10 years I've been doing this.

I can't say that I run a lot of people with breathing problems and I'm never in the back of the ambulance. I've been on probably 5 calls in the last year where someone was intubated but those were are codes where we were doing cpr on the person.

How are you handling your thyroid dosing now with the changes with getting cynomel?

I do supplement with vitamin D - usualy 8000 IU in the winter time.

I've had very few gut issues in my life

I'm so glad to hear that your job is pretty safe, your gut seems fine and that your vitamin D is covered.

I've been doing fine on cynoplus only and fortunately don't seem to need much thyroid lately. I will probably go with the BSP myself in the future.

Do you have any other lung issues?

 

[haidut]

About 15 months ago I came down with pneumonia - I'm only 38 years old.

It quickly cleared up with a zpack.

Today I found out I have it again but thankfully it's not quite as bad.

My thyroid is definitely not optimized. I was taking 4.5 grains of NDT (171mcg of T4 and 40mcg of T3) which is a lot I know but even with that my temp and pulse were not where they should be.

My old doc moved so I just found a new one. She put me on 30mcg of time released t3 and no t4 until my blood work came back.

I'm wondering if dropping the t4 altogether and t3 partially could have caused a drop in my immune system.

I'm really discouraged by the whole thing.

New doc doesn't even take my insurance.

Although I wasn't at my best by any means things were quite a bit better when I was on the 4.5 grains of NDT.

I see that you can get both t4 and t3 from blueskypeptides.com now.

Should I ditch the doc and just start dosing t4 and t3 myself?

Another thing that is really strange is why am I needing so much?

I was paleo for a few years then low carb for 9 months but I quit that about 2 years ago.

I do have a pretty stressful life at times (getting up in the middle of the night for my job and stress at home).

Additionally most of my sex hormones are low and have been for a few years at least.

Sorry to hear about this. Have you read Peat's articles on using magnesium and vitamin E for boosting immune system especially in cases of pneumonia? A recent study confirmed the vitamin E angle.
Vitamin E can be a treatment for pneumonia

 

[firebreather]

I've read Ray Peat recommending light therapy for people with asthma and things like that. It does strengthen cells and lower inflammatory mediators. Also worth checking things like glycine/gelatin due to their antiinflammatory properties.

Great reminder on the glycine/gelatin.

I have tried gelatin in the past but didn't really find that it provided any stress relief so I didn't stay with it.

Do you have a recommendation for an amount of glycine per day?

 

[firebreather]

I'm so glad to hear that your job is pretty safe, your gut seems fine and that your vitamin D is covered.

I've been doing fine on cynoplus only and fortunately don't seem to need much thyroid lately. I will probably go with the BSP myself in the future.

Do you have any other lung issues?

No I don't.

I've always been really healthy and used to sleep like a rock.

Things didn't start to go downhill for me until I started paleo in 2009. I was too stubborn to see it was probably the biggest factor to my downfall

 

[PakPik]

Regarding glycine, I would have to hunt down for some of haidut's threads, but speaking from personal experience, 4 grams feels very nice and helps my inflammation.

 

[Blossom]

Things didn't start to go downhill for me until I started paleo in 2009. I was too stubborn to see it was probably the biggest factor to my downfall

Mine too. Sorry, I know how you feel. I think PakPik and Haidut have made some excellent suggestions.

 

[firebreather]

Sorry to hear about this. Have you read Peat's articles on using magnesium and vitamin E for boosting immune system especially in cases of pneumonia? A recent study confirmed the vitamin E angle.
Vitamin E can be a treatment for pneumonia

I haven't but I just slathered on some Estroban.

I'm a little leary of magnesium as it seems to lower cortisol - the last couple times I had it checked, it was low.

But I'm sure a couple 100mg wouldn't hurt

 

[firebreather]

Regarding glycine, I would have to hunt down for some of haidut's threads, but speaking from personal experience, 4 grams feels very nice and helps my inflammation.

Great, I'm going to order some now

 

[PakPik]

I haven't but I just slathered on some Estroban.

I'm a little leary of magnesium as it seems to lower cortisol - the last couple times I had it checked, it was low.

But I'm sure a couple 100mg wouldn't hurt

I second the magnesium suggestion. It relax bronchial tubes. I've had great success with topical. Why would you want cortisol to not be low? (I mean, not low as in deficiency, just right on range). It is immunosupressive if high.