Rheumatoid arthritis, also ideas for vitamins, thyroid diet

[Heather123]

Just wondering if anyone's had rheumatoid arthritis or something similar related to thyroiditis?  I'm hypothyroid.  The last few months when I wake up my ankles hurt and are very stiff - I walk funny for about 10 minutes.  This also happens when I lie down for a little bit throughout the day.  My knees always hurt, and I ache all over.   When I go to bed the blankets feel really heavy on my ankles and feet.  I also have very restless legs and feet (I feel like I want to chop them off they drive me so nuts).  My arms feel a bit restless and are always weak.
I would think this stuff would go away when I get my thyroid regulated.
Anyone else deal with this?  Any good OTC meds I can take in the meantime?
Also - I've been reading about vitamins and thyroid diets.  Anyone have any good ideas there?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Heather, I don't recall your history from previous posts - but some patients with autoimmune thryoid disease may develop an autoimmune thyroiditis - - I typically test rheumatoid factor and ANA to begin with and if still concerned ask a rheumatologist to evaluate the joint pain and muscle symptoms.

I would think that appropriate thyroid treatment consistently over 3-4 months should improve most of the hypothyroid related joint pains.

OTC meds - any good multivitamin and a stress-formula vitamin (high in b-vitamins) may help.  Also ibuprofen with food can help the pain.  No specific thyroid diet that I have seen proven to be helpful....

[LowMac]

Hi,
I went through the joint pain and wondering about RA, so had the tests Dr. Mark mentioned (RA Factor & ANA), I also threw in the uric acid test, to check for gout because my mother has had it. All tests were negative. My Dr. at the time, mentioned that with actual RA, you'll have swelling and redness around joints and semetrical manifestion of it (same joints affected on both sides). Another Dr. I later went to, an Endocrinologist, expressed the opinion that my high antibodies levels, causing thyroiditis-inflammation, could be traveling to other parts of the body, by bloodstream. That makes sense in my opinion. It could be that after long enough on treatment and as antibody levels do decrease, even more joint pain relief is experienced. Just these past two weeks, I've had the longest period of joint pain relief I have yet experienced, and am ecouraged by it.
Best Wishes,
Jim

[ArmourGal]

The joint pain is so common to hypothyroidism and sometimes just takes enough medication plus time to get rid of it.  

One good rule of thumb I've read is...that for every year that you think you've been hypo, give yourself a month of healing.
And I've heard another doc say that it can take two years to recover from Hashimoto's.  My own personal experience is that even at the 18th month of taking thyroid medication, I was still experiencing significant improvement.  I think "slow and steady" is very important in recovering from the ill effects of thyroid hormone deficiency in the body.

You have also described a symptom that is also common to hypo folks - restless leg syndrome.  I had this terribly for years but oddly enough, never mentioned it to a doc.  But it did go away with thyroid hormone treatment.  In researching this particular symptom, I also found that it could be caused by low Ferritin (iron storage).  since hypos can become anemic...and since low Ferritin can be one of the first indicators...it might be worth your while to have that checked too.

[ArmourGal]

On vitamins and diets..I believe it is important to take a good multi-vitamin (without iodine if you have hashi's), Omega oils, and esp. B-Complex for women.  I also would not be without Coenzyme Q10.  And calcium with magnesium at night.  Vitamin E and Vitamin C may be helpful.

As for diets, it is reported that many hypos do better on a higher protein diet and less carbs.  That is true in my case.  Where I once craved my pasta, now I crave my sirloin.  Smaller meals also are good for weight loss.

Mary Shoman, national thyroid patient advocate, has a fairly new book out called "The thyroid diet" which I thought was fairly well done.

[Heather123]

Thanks everyone - your comments and encouragement are very helpful.  I am trying to be patient about feeling better.  The hard thing is that I want to start a family and I'm almost 38!  So, I'm trying anything I can to get everything normal again ASAP.  I was reading that flaxseed oil is good too - I might try that today and a few other things I've read about (I'm reading Mary's books now).

[Heather123]

I did read about low iron also causing restless leg, and also to take magnesium.  I've been taking a multivitamin with magnesium and extra iron so hopefully that will help.
I've had the restless leg thing going on for a long time, but it's been intense the last few months.  Just sitting watching TV I can't get comfortable most of the time.
Really annoying!  I wish I had been educated on the thyroid a long time ago - I would have had tests done...I always thought it was stress or whatever and that once I quit working I'd feel better.
I haven't found anyone in my family who's had thyroid trouble - but I haven't talked to my dad's side yet!  I think my problem stemmed from extreme stress I had for a few years (I mean REAL extreme every day).  Also, in 2003 I started to get real sick all the time and at the end of the year I was given antibiotics (I think in error, b/c I probably just had a bad flu) twice - and once I didn't take them all b/c they made me so sick (later I learned that not taking the whole Rx is a VERY bad thing).  A year later after still feeling crappy I had CTs, MRIs, and more meds - I think further screwing me up.  Then I had hives for 3 months, and still feel crappy to this day.  I've been reading up on antibiotics, the immune system, and autoimmune disease - fascinating.

[jkrl]

Restless leg syndrome can be helped with L-Tyrosine and it did for me. Also helped with some neuropathy and almost eliminated all problems. Heal the gut with enzymes and flora and eat well without sugar or refined carbs. We have to work harder to keep ourselves healthy but I can tell you that it does work if you can stick with it. It also takes awhile but with juicing green vegetables and eating healthy with supplements you will notice a difference in three to four weeks. Sometimes I don't want to be so strict but it affects my health and I have to go back. All B-vitamins are important especially B5 and B12.