Hypothyroidism and Muscle Injuries

I'm an active 37 y/o male, identified as having a high TSH two years ago.  My doctor put my on thyroxin and retested, settling at 37.5 mcg/day.  My problem is that have since had multiple recurring muscle & tendon injuries and seem unable to recover from any form of exercise.  Torn calf muscle (2x), tennis elbow (2x), pulled hamstring, pulled stomach muscle, plantar faciitis and lots of general soreness after activity.  I do a lot of different activities (ride bike, walk, swim, lift weights), never more than twice a week for anything and get a full rest day in at least once a week.

I seem to be sore for days after any activity done with any intensity.  As an example, I did situps one day and two days later tried to do ab bridges, but was too sore to complete them and pulled a muscle.

Prior to my diagnosis, I'd never had these sorts of problems, and always recovered in a day or so from nearly any activity.  Thoughts?  Tests I should be encouraging my doctor to run?  

[5thave]

Hi, I understand where you are. I am a personal trainer and have been fitness oriented for years. Some people would say I over train but compared to athletes and marathoners I am a baby in comparison. I am also 44.
Sorry to digress, wanted to give you some background. I have been hypo for years, recently diagnoses with Hoshimoto's thyroiditis and never had muscle weakness and injuries before until this last year. My latest 2 injuries were the wrist and now my hip on the other side. Any injury sets you back so much it is almost like starting over again. After lifting my usual routines I am sore for days and have dropped the weights I am lifting and have rest days in between. I don't have any answers other than what i just started doing this week to see if it helps.

Are you using any supplements, Amino Acids, Glutamine, Glucosomine, Protein Powders?  I started this week putting Glutamine in my water. It really helps with your immune system and many other things. We use up our stores by training and we get depleted. Since only taking it a few days I am feeing stronger, have more energy and so far so good. Of course I am just experimenting so take it with a grain of salt you can look it up on the net for the benefits of Glutamine.

I don't know why we with thyroid trouble have this muscle issue. Is it because of that or something else? All I know is I will not stop exercising I may just have more rest days in between and go lighter with lifting. This is a bummer and I can certainly relate. I wonder if there is anyone else out there in our position. I don't think that many people train as hard or as often as we do. I have even had to alternate my cardio days with my weight training days because doing them both in the same day just about kills me and I used to workout for 2 hours a day 1 hr cardio, 1 hr weight training with no problem. Sorry I don't have any answers just wanted to let you know you are not alone.....

[bobcroker]

Thanks for the empathy.  Much appreciated.  I've been careful about not overtraining and taking it slow coming back, but I'm still battling the same injuries.  I'm now at the point where all I can do is swim and walk for the near term--my tennis elbow flared up this week so no weights again.  The inability to consistently exercise makes stress management difficult.

As far as supplements, I'm just taking Muscle Milk to make sure I'm getting enough calories.  I just saw the doc again and pushed her to run some more tests.  I'll let you know what I hear.  

[rohit_786]

I just want to let you know that you are not alone in this ride . I am male 37 also and since 2 years suffering with Hypothyroid because of hashimoto's . I used to do running and do play badminton but not any more .i just can walk play badminton way less time then before. Always achy and muscles sore also feel muscles weakness.

[spouse40]

I have been on synthroid for about 5 weeks now.  Also very active.  Spend 2-3 hours a day at the gym.  I have done a lot of research online and read three books already, I read somewhere that until your thyroid is back on track you have no metabolism so you can actually hurt your muscles if you are working out and your thyroid isn't in the normal range.  Of course I still work out anyway.  I see no results on the scale.... or inches lost...but, keep on waiting to feel normal again.  If I remember where I read that I will let you know! G

[LazyMoose]

As old as the above post are I just found them interesting since this strange Hashimoto muscle pain is something that plagued me and still does to some extent. For those that have the Hashimoto related debilitating muscle recovery time, it completely changes their life style. I dont see this complant very often, which makes wonder if some just give up doing thinks they once enjoyed. These people that commented above haven't posted since 2008, wonder how there doing.

[FTB4]

As you know I have had muscle issues for two years, I do not do the type of workoputs mentioned, but thought I would add that a condition exists that is an auto immune disease, and it relates to the nerves connecting to the muscle, our nerves are coated with a sheath called Myelin, In the case of this disease the immune system does not recognize the nerves, and attacks and destroys the coating, this in turn causes the nerve to be inflammed and causes "Neuropathy" nerve pain, which can be mistaken for muscle pain by the person with the condition.  Many causes and disease bring on this condition, including Diabetes, Lyme disease, Vitamin B12 Deficiency,Toxins, some medications and in my case Post Polio Syndrome. There are too many to list here. If the cause in some of the cases of the condition is found and corrected the Myelin will grow back, but the problem is that the "Grow back period takes much longer than the time it takes to destroy the covering,if the cause is not found, than the sheath will not be replaced. I read a Medical Journal Article and it stated that in many cases the cause can be extremely difficult and expensive to determine. It ca be diagnosed with a Nerve Conduction Velocity and Electromyography Tests. The Condition is Demyelinating Neuropathy
And I can attest to the pain it causes.   Take Care Moose   FTB4

[LazyMoose]

Very interesting. I know that I do have muscle fiber adhesions and many small knots everywhere (way more than average people) as confirmed by several PT's and chiros trained on muscle 'feel' for lack of better words. T3, magnessium, help and trigger point therapy with Active Release therapy are breaking up the adhesions at a slow rate. Aparently slower than usual, so I cant rule out other possibities / treatment options.

Any rate, I will look into -
"Nerve Conduction Velocity and Electromyography Tests. The Condition is Demyelinating Neuropathy"

Q- FTB4 , you had / have this?

thanks - answers / ideas like these are what I'm looking for.  

There are quite a few muscle pain Hashi people in the arcives here, unfortunatly these people drivted away from the board, never to come back here.

[FTB4]

Yes, These are the reults of my Nerve and Electromyography Tests "Diffuse Sensory-motor neuropathy with predominantly Demyelinating Characteristics"  My neurologist also stated that the following was caused by my Poio in 1955 "There is moderate evidence or previous dennervation and re-innervation in the arms more than the legs. There is also evidence of current nerve root irritation in the right low cervical and right low lumbar distributions without frank evidence of radiculopathy. (end) I guess in short, I am a train wreck, I just had both of these tests done on November 14th, I received this report and had a follow up with my Neurologist last Monday. They took seven viles of blood for different tests to eliminate some causes ie: Lyme Disease, Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Settlement rates etc. Although from reading the Medical Journal that I mentioned above, one of the causes is Post Polio Syndrome, and another is the Auto-Immune factor, since I have have Hashi's, and have had Polio, the odds are that one of these is the cause in my case. (just my Opinion)
My Neurologist is keeping his opinion to himself for now while doing more tests. If my cause is either one, there is not much of a chance that the nerve damage can re-heal itself because there is no cure for PPS or the Auto-Immune causes of this condition. If I get lucky and it is a simple Vitamin B12 deficiency, then I can get injections to resolve that issue.
I have pasted the site with the medical journal I read here FYI
http://www.thecni.org/reviews/13-2-p11-chang.htm
Let me know how you make out, I did not know you were also having muscle pain issues, sorry to hear that, It sure is not a pic-nic.  Take Care  Moose and Best Regards FTB4

[LazyMoose]

Interesting reading in that article. It looks like they're disscussing Peripheral Neuropathies in greater detail and splitting it up into more precise descriptions than what is normally talked about.

I will say its the first article I've read (non-forum) that actually mentions thyroid issues can also be a reason for Peripheral Neuropathies. Even some of us here on MH can attest to that. Usually the the only endocrine disorder mentioned in print is diabetes. The most simple form of Neuropathy can come from muscle adhesion sticking anywhere on the nerve sheath, creating friction on the nerve and numbness at the end. This is pretty much the reason why some people get carpel tunnel symptoms while hypo (and experiencing other hypo symptoms as well).. Some get it in the feet as well.  I have had this bad in the past while very hypo and still do at times, although very minimal. There are specific nerve glide stretches for Ulnar, Radial and Median nerves from the neck to the hands. Not a miracle, but they seem to help.

I have been looking for additional info on this. I did get some electrical test by a neurologist 5 yrs ago and tested negative, I need to look for it again.

[LazyMoose]

I think most of my muscle pain is muscle based. I can feel the adhesions, knots and slowly releasing them but its a project that I'm getting help with from trigger point and Active Release professionals - and it requires muscle healing and almost re-training since I have this all over and it even changed my gate. The odd part is only very few hypo thyroidians get muscle pain as bad as I had it 3 - 8 years ago. Its improved since I started desiccated thyroid med 3 years ago. It was not until a few years ago that my muscles would recover in a sensible time from medium activity. So it must be thyroid related but possibly with another sub-reason or deficiency as well maybe. I have also gathered / read enough evidence stating that above average physical activity while in a hypo state has been known to damage muscle fiber creating  muscle micro-trauma type injuries that will add up until the hypothyroid is optimally treated. I participated in endurance events for 20 years not knowing I was hypo for a good part of that time – but I had a hunch something was not right. In addition to being more fatigued than my competitors, my muscles seemed to take longer and longer to recover, until I had to quite. Drs never checked my thyroid until the damage was done. 10 years of Synthroid, regardless of the level did nothing for the pain. But the T3 in desiccated did help. Now I'm just trying to reverse the muscle damage as I don’t seem to be acquiring any new injuries for once.

[LazyMoose]

For some reason, I'm having trouble posting....so I did it three parts!! Some med help mishap going on!

Like you, I have looked at many other causes but I didnt find anything substantial other than hypo thyroid. In my case magnesium glycinate and malic acid seem to help un-knot my muscles from supporting the delicate muscle fiber chemical balance by possibly helping expedite the removal lactic acid build up. It help, but not a miracle.  I know B12 and getting D-25 above 50 helps some people - but didn't in my case.

You didnt mention if you have tried a good magnesium like mag glycinate or mag taurate (the best two types) - nerve and muscle fiber positivity responds to this in many people.

Thanks for the link!

[FTB4]

I take mgnesium gltcinate on a regular basis, 800 to 1200 mg per day. I just received my last 7 lab tests, B12 is above average and OK, Negative on the Lyme Disease. Ihad five negatives out of the seven thay did, I did not get the results on the remaining two, I don't know what they were for, but I guess I will find out on the 21st when I have a follow up with my Neuro.
I would bet that my Source of Nerve Demyelination Neuropathy is going to be either Auto-Immune related to Hashimoto's or from The Post Polio Syndrome. Right now they have me on Neurontin 3X a day for nerve pain, and Tramadol 2X , they kind of take care of the pain unless I try to do something, then it gets pretty rough, Something as simple as flipping the blanket down on the bed will put my arm and shoulder in agony for about 2-5 minutes, then it goes away. I did a search on Hashimoto's and Neuropathy pain and got quite a few hits, although most refer to tingling and numbness, and needle type pain more than the type of pain that I experience. It could be the missing Myelin Sheath that causes the severe pain in relation to just neuropathy pain alone. I am goint to try that product you mentioned above from Wal Mart.  My other Spine MD gave me 500mg Hydrocodein/Loritabs for pain, but I am not supposed to take them with the Neurontin.  Well if you find any related info, let me know, if I find anything interesting, I will do the same. Take Care, Nice talking to you again.  FTB4

[LazyMoose]

Walmart around here doesn't have malic acid, I get it from a vitamin / supplement store for about $7 per 100 capsules.

You might try looking up nerve glides on u-tube, it helped control my carpel tunnel 4 years ago. Then T3 made the rest go away. I do active release myself on my forearm muscles about 2X per week as preventive maintenance.

Its very rare that my fingers go numb now, but I do see, to have some permanent motor control loss in my fingers - I will never be a rock star with my guitar, nor will I ever type more that 30 words per minute - my fingers just wont move that fast anymore..