Joint pain post treatment related to thyroid disorder?

[Trish77]

I keep reading about people experiencing joint pains post-treatment.  I had achy joints post treatment but figured that was part and parcel of it.  It also coincided with me throwing this 48 year old body into playing squash and figured that I was just pushing my body hard. Over the last number of months it's gotten much worse. I have stopped thinking it's the squash although a squash buddy of mine says that playing less squash hurts more than playing more squash and I've had to cut my games back to once a week the last while.  Just the same...my knee joints hurt like heck going down stairs and simply when hoisting myself out of a chair.  I'm starting to wonder if it's my thyroid, which came on as a result of my treatment and that perhaps my dosage is out of whack.  It got me thinking and reading a bit and I easily came across numerous reference linking joint pain with hypothyroidism.  

So my question to those who are still experiencing joint pain post treatment - do you also have thyroid conditions?  

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/muscle-joint-pain.htm

[jonney4141]

I am not sure, but am going to get to the bottom of this once over with treatment. my body pains started getting really bad in my late forties, i too thought it was the getting old peoples things that usually happen. all this pain led me to find out i have hep c, was told nothing can be done, until hep c is under control. deep down i think i may have lupus or some type of autoimmune thing going on. did they give you this tsh blood test? another thing i found out was that people who do not have enough vitamin D suffer from severe bone joint pain. this is really frustrating being in pain and taking medicines and feeling helpless over your own body.

[newleaf09]

Thanks for posting, Trish.  I have been considering going to an endocrinologist and think I'll go ahead and make the appointment and ask for a full workup for hormone levels, thyroid, parathyroid, etc.  Thanks again.

[jonney4141]

forgot to mention my sister has thyroid problems and just found out she was low on vitamin d, and she told me her bones hurt so bad, but now she says vitamin d has helped tremendously? something to think about, hope this helps somehow

[Marcia2202]

I still have muscle/joint pain in my knees (just above the knee), but I don't have a thyroid condition.

[Trish77]

Thank you SO much for your post.  My endocrinologist told me I needed to start taking Vitamin D.  I haven't done it yet.  I keep forgetting.  I can't even begin to tell you why.  He didn't really explain why or he did and I don't remember.  All I know is if that's the reason why I'm having this joint pain that keeps getting worse and worse, one of the first things on my list today is get my doofus butt on that Vitamin D.  

Newleaf, I'd be interested to know how that goes for you.  Can't begin to tell you how many times someone has posted something here they think is off the wall only to find out that there are a number of others having similar experiences.

[Marcia2202]

I hate to put cast any doubt on this, but I have been monitoring my vit D since before tx. It was low for a while. It has now for 6 months been within normal limits. I am continuing to take vitamin D. Unfortunately it has done nothing to help me with the knee pain. But I must say that I feel like my immune system is doing really well. People around me have been getting sick with the flu and colds, but I haven't had as much as a runny nose. (I have never gotten flu vaccines)  

I strongly believe that it is important to have adequate vit D levels in the blood.

[jonney4141]

he also recommended to get some sun, maybe 15 to 30 minutes a day, that is where we get vitamin d... you need to get some blood tests to see if you are low on vit d. i want to start taking vitamins myself, but have only 11 more shots to go out of 48 and clear of hepc geno1, was told not to take vitamins amongst other things, so i am going to wait till after treatment and get the whole body check up (like we do with our cars lol) may need an oil change or tune up lol..................

[Trish77]

Jonney, yes - started with a TSH blood test while on treatment when my symptoms indicated hyperthyroid - the results confirmed that.  I went under the care of an endocrinologist immediately while on treatment - the first one was useless and my treatment team found me a better one that was further away but much more attentive and knowledgable.  He understood the impacts of interferon on thyroid and was and has been terrific.  We were hoping the thyroid condition would go away after treatment as it does for some people but that's not going to happen.  Usually if it's Hashimoto's it's permanent, which mine is.  I'm one year post treatment now and this is permanent.  That's okay, just needs managing.

If you think you have thyroid issues, you don't have to wait until you're done treatment, it's important to get your levels under control.  Has your treatement team been monitoring your TSH levels?  

[Trish77]

Perhaps the reason for your joint pains are different than the reason for mine..  Maybe the vitamin D isn't helping your joint pain because that's not your problem.  If I ahd arthritis I suppose I could take all the Vitamin D in the world and it isn't going to help, if that's not the cause of my issue.

Significant is that jonney's sister has thyroid issues as do I and her doc told her to take Vitamin D as did mine and she has joint issues as do I and hers went away when she started taking Vitamin D.  You don't have thyroid issues so, again, perhaps the reason for your joint pain has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of Vitamin D so perhaps that's why you don't get any relief from that.

[Tippyclubb]

I've was hypo thyroid going into tx and had been for 15 years, with very few symptoms.  Doc pretty much kept the tsh at normal levels and I did not have any joint pain, although I have read this is a symptom of high tsh.

While on tx I switched to hyper and am still hyper 5 months later.  Now, I have joint pain along with various other post issues.   I do not contribute the joint pain to my thyroid seeing as I've never had it before.  I feel the culprit is Interferon. Hard to really know though.

[jdwithhcv]

I have tx related thyroid dmamge and since tx I have had joint pain in my shoulders.  My docs have me taking Vitamin D, and if I ever get good about taking it I'll post how it affects my joints.  Thanks Trish, I never thought my thyroid might be the culprit but I will ask the docs.

[Isobella]

On paper, I look great.  All my levels are normal.  The joint pain is real, tho.  It's what led to my diagnosis in the first place and post tx it has come back even worse.

I get way too much beach time, so I'm thinking I'm ok with the vitamin D,  But I do find balancing excercise is crucial.  Too much=bad.  Too little=bad.  

Every morning my hands are soooo painful.  All day long some of my fingers are bad.  Feet are getting better with some really good orthotics, so at least I can walk ok.  

I am getting a bone scan Monday.  Curious to see if anything shows up. I'm wishing I had a baseline before tx to compare it to tho.

[GSDgirl]

I have the joint pain and muscle pain almost 2 years post TX.  Been through a ton of tests all normal.  

The last Doc diagnosed Fibromyalgia.  The docs give drugs. My mother thinks thyroid, today she painted a patch of iodine on my arm to see if it disappears. There is a specific vitamin for this, not sure what it is yet, she has some coming for me.  This seems to be a controversial "test" for thyroid problems.  I figured what the heck, nothing else seems to help.  

Denise

[copyman]

I have had joint pain mostly in my knees post tx. I have had thyroid checked before, during and after tx and all tests normal. I beginning to think it is a permanent sx of interferon.

[Trish77]

Thyroid impact aside, I'm starting to think so too, that it's a leftover of interferon.  Far too many of us reporting that post-treatment side effect.

[virgocharm]

i have the knee leg joint pain.  i dont like taking pills. took 1 naprosyn all pain left. i think i developed arthritis on tx. but it helped a lot.

[annieCinMD]

Good thread. I have been having some joint and muscle pain myself. Initial thought is that I am still out of shape post tx, which is probably true at least somewhat. I took a long power walk last weekend and could barely walk before it was even over. 70 degree weather again today, so plan on doing it again. I am having a terrible time with my shoulders when working out in the gym. I have always had rotator cuff issues from prior job repetitive motion, but it seems to be quite a bit worse.

[charm27]

Glad you posted this. I have been off tx 11 months and have severe joint pain and stiffness, I cant hoist myself up out of the car...Sleeping is the worst.

My thyoid has been fine so far.
I attribute my chronic pain DEFINTELY ro tx.

Im hoping this goes away, the sooner the better.
Never had pain b4 tx.
Regards TO ALL

[Marcia2202]

My hepatologist was convinced that my pain is due to the interferon, as there is nothing else wrong. At my last visit she said that I was the 3rd person who had come into her office that same day who had this problem post tx.

[meakea]

Yup, I'm a muscle and joint pain sufferer now too...since ending treatment.  I am hypothyroid (it started JUST BEFORE I started treatment) but my thyroid levels are perfect with the thyroid meds...and I still have the joint/muscle pain.  I'm also taking 1600 of Vit D a day by way of supplements...still the pain.  

Some days I notice I hardly have any pain and then, BAM!, the next day I will ache from head to toe and it's hard to get motivated to even try to move around -- but I do it anyway.  So far, I can't find a pattern.  I've been taking notice of the foods I eat, the pills I might take, the things I do, the sleep I get and nothing seems to matter.

I met with two "net Hep C" friends yesterday (first time I met them in person) and both of them complain of the same pains.  One is 6 months post treatment and has relapsed, one is mid-treatment of her 48 weeks and I am 3 mos post treatment with most recent VL still being UND.  So, we were a mix and all have the pain.

I do remember have sporadic aches prior to finding out I had hep C but it was never enough to mention to my doc.  Since treatment, those aches are magnified x 10 and occur more days than not.

[Rockerforlife]

Sorry to hear about the joint pain and other problems post TX,but im cirious,is it so painful that you cant work and are on disability?I dont seem to have any problems at all physically,mentally maybe another story.Am i the only person in the world who dont have any sides after doing 2 years of tx?

[copyman]

seems you are one of the rare cases of no post sx. maybe it is the blue-green alge. keep up the good work.

[jonney4141]

Hi rocker you may be on to something with the way you have been taking care of yourself. i have friend who insists on eating right--vitamins, no red meat, no junk foods, no soda's and i have to say i find her amazing and she is in her 60's and looks like she's in her 40's

[lacyjane67]

9 weeks post tx. This is very disappointing to hear this from so many. My body gets so stiff and joints ache so bad when I am still. I too think its my body  getting back as active as I am now. I have so much energy, not sure if its cause when I get still its hurts so bad to get going again or what. Feel so much better off tx but body really hurts. Not giving up hope, and still undetectable.