Extremely painful feet

[doctordoctor]

Dr. Lupo:

Thank you for your help to members of this community.

In November 2008, I was diagnosed with "extreme" hyperthyroidism due to Graves disease.  In late March 2009, I had RAI treatment and rapidly became hypothyroid. I am on Levoxyl and have been struggling to get the correct dosage.  Am now at .1 mg, dropped down from .125 initially in July. My hair loss has finally slowed. I am not sweating at night or jumpy during the day. But my feet are so painful I can hardly walk. My heels hurt. The soles of my feet burn. My ankles feel almost sprained and are often swollen.  Podiatrist says it is "nerve pain" and has referred me to a physiatrist for Nerve Conduction Studies. I think that this is more likely to be a manifestation of a continuing thyroid imbalance.  Is there any evidence that this kind of foot pain can be caused by thyroid dysfunction?  I don't want to start having another unnecessary set of doctors, tests, and problems.

[untreatable]

I am a 41 yr old white female with a nodule on my right thyroid.  The biopsy stated that the nodule has "cancerous" tendencies and was not sure if it is cancerous or not.  My thyroid level was a 3.64 with anti-bodies present ( I don't know the numbers).  I was put on 10 mg of synthroid.  I also have an enlarged spleen, pain occassionally on my left side (high) and swollen lymph nodes under my chin on the left side.  I was constantly exhausted prior to taking the medicine.  My blood sugar level for the last 5 yrs has been 90, within in 6 months of taking this medicine my blood sugar was 125 (fasting).  I was also started on pravastatin 40 mg for high cholestoral.  Total cholestoral has been climbing slowly for years.  Six months ago it was 232, now it 132 but my triglycerides went from a 70 to 140 and my good cholesterol went from a 52 to a 36.  My liver emzines are 164.   Prior to the medicine I was constantly losing hair.  My hair loss has slown down, but my hair is not growing back.  I was back to being very tired.  After the test results, I stopped taking the thryoid and cholesterol medicine. (I haven't taken them for 5 days.)  I am not feeling tired but my hands and feet are very cold (it is very cold outside though).  Also, I am on high blood pressure medicine 10 mg of HCZ.  I also noticed 3 weeks ago a lump of fat between my shoulder blades.  I also felt prior to stopping the meds, a feeling of flight or fight.  My body felt on edge but in my mind I wasn't nervous or upset.  My mood swings are violent and I overreact to things even when I don't want to.
I mentioned Cushings to my doctor.  I have taken prendisone occassionally for the last 20 years.  I have environmental allergies and asthma.  
I am not getting anywhere with my doctors, I need to switch to someone who will listen to me and do some testing.  I would truly be very grateful for some insight.

Thank you!

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Thyroid imbalance can influence the nerves.
It is best to keep TSH in range (0.5-2.5) and also continue to look for other more common causes by seeing a neurologist.