Low Thyroid & Mouth Ulcers

[sallyjayne]

I could really use some advice.  a little over 2 years ago, at my annual physical, my doctor said I have an under active thyroid, but that I was close to normal, so perhaps we should just keep an eye on it, and reevaluate it after some time.  Shortly after I started having terrible sore throats with accompanying ear pain.  I would be given ear drops, and various scripts for the sore throat, but nothing ever helped.  After about 6 months, the sore throats stopped.  But i started getting mouth ulcers.  Their frequency just kept increasing.  This year at my annual physical, my doctor recommend I try a low dose of synthyroid in order to help fight the fatigue, anxiety, moodiness & depression that also seemed to be getting worse.  I've been on synthroid for about 5 months now.  The mouth sores are so bad that some days I cannot eat, or speak.  I'm 5'7" and I now weigh under 100 lbs.  I've been back to my doctor twice since starting the synthroid to explain to her how devastating these mouth sores are.  She gave me a script for Valtrex and said if that doesn't work go see a nutritionist.  I don't feel like I'm getting heart burn, but perhaps GERD is a possibility?  3 years ago I had to have my gallbladder removed after a long battle of being misdiagnosed.   I know I need another doctor, mine hasn't even looked in my mouth and all I talk about when I see her is how much pain I am in from my mouth.  I fear another general doctor may just lead to more misdiagnoses, and I should see a specialist but I'm not sure where to go - an endo?  a GI doc? ear, nose & throat specialist?
All advice is deeply appreciated.  thank you.

[dpleiman]

First i think i would probably see an endo for the thyroid issue and make sure you are on the right dosage of synthroid and that you are on top of that issue..

As far as the mouth ulcers i'm not quite sure, maybe a nutritionist would be good, i know sometimes those things can be caused from certain things you eat and drink including over the counter vitamins.. My husband gets HORRIBLE mouth ulcers from over the counter vitamins and when he eats a lot of tomato based food.

I'm not sure mouth ulcers are related to hypothyroidism but it could be and maybe someone here has experienced it along with hypothyroidism, it's not something i've experienced myself or heard of so far, however, If you have hashimotos that is causeing your hypothyroid which is an autoimmune disease, there can be some coorelation between autoimmune disease and mouth ulcers... Might be worth checking into with the endo...

Wishing you well....

[Katfalls]

I have suffered with mouth ulcers, too. I started taking l-lycene once a day and it really helps. Also a b complex for cracked lips. Kathy

[TamraW]

Why do you weigh under 100 pounds? Is it that your mouth sores prevent you from eating? Is it that you are on too much Synthroid? What dosage are you taking? What are your current TSH, FT3, FT4 levels?

Find out what's making you hypo. Is it Hashimoto's? TGab and TPOab blood tests plus thyroid ultrasound will determine Hashi. Find a good endo, one who specializes in thyroid, not diabetes. Here's a link I used to find my new endocrinologist:

http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/

Many of us here have Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, which is an auto-immune condition. Hashi is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the US. Many times auto-immunities accompany each other.

Some auto-immunities that cause mouth ulcers:
Lupus
Celiac Disease
Sjogren's Syndrome (common among Hashi's)

I have some Sjogren's symptoms, especially the gritty eyes. My mouth ulcers are gone now. They were bad before when my D vitamins were low and before my Synthroid. I did have some bad mouth thrush that no medicines could cure until I used Jernigan's Yeast Ease. It was gone within a few hours, and I had tried EVERYTHING my docs gave me to no avail.

See link to Jernigan's:  http://abc.eznettools.net/jernigannutraceuticals/yeast-easeShort.html

I also had the terrible GERD before diagnosis and proper treatment. I still get it from time to time. Hashis get skin problems, too, rashes, shingles, herpes-like sores. I am taking two Zantac daily and Zyrtec/Flonase to combat the rashes.

Take care...
:) Tamra

[shanta1982]

I am on venafaxine 150mg due to depration  in last two years. I have started menopose recently. some time I feel very low in mood, hope less twoards life.
now I have got bed mouth ulcers and sevear throte pain not tonsils just middle of my throte.so much pain that it harts when I sowallow any thing.
I am worried for this weird pain. At night it gets worse,and cough as well.
do you think long time antidepration medication is harmfull?
I am not happy with myself.

[stella5349]

On a thyroid end that is strongly a PH imbalance abnd a possible zinc deficiency. Your body's immunity and digestive track is slowing/ breaking down. You need to find a doctor who understands how to speed the digestive system ( Most GI's ) will not look at PH levels and Free T3 metobolism.

Metobolism is just not about weight loss - it is a form of help for our bodies for digestion too. Just because you are losing weight does not mean your metobolism is working right.

Insulin and pancreas will become off if you are not balancing correcting within the digestive system.

You can try speeding up your digestion on your own with pure forms of acidophillus.- You can try to PH balance naturally too.

That may help - but goal for many with hypothyroid is to get the Free T3 hormones working optimally to relieve this side effect of the disease.  

[clover14]

I have suffered from mouth ulcers on occasion ever since I was little.  Although i would usually only get an outbreak of them a couple of times a year, they have gotten significantly worse over the past year.  I am now going on 4 1/2 months straight of nonstop mouth ulcers...sometimes 10-12 at a time and are extremely painful.  I have been tested for celiac disease (which was negative) as well as herpes (also negative).  It wasn't until my last visit to an ENT that an issue with my thyroid was detected.  The doctor truly believes the ulcers are autoimmune related and sent me for tons of bloodwork.  But since she could feel my thryoid enlarged just by a physical examination, she is concerned that hypothyroidism is causing all this pain (i have also been suffering from fatigue, depression, sensitivity to cold, constipation, and weight gain).  So, i am due to have an ultrasound of my thyroid next week.  i really hope that this is what it is and that i will start to feel better soon.  Thank goodness for this ENT doc!!!  Has anyone had anything similar?

[magpieannie]

The doctor (ENT) is probably right! Those are all symptoms!!!! Keep us posted please.