Muscle weakness

[mulligan2525]

Can hypo cause weakness?   I feel generally weak.  Especially my legs.  I know hypER can cause weakness.  Can hyPO?

[jacrjacr]

my blood test on 88mcg synthroid just came back
tsh 3.5 from .78 from 4 weeks testing to 7 weeks testing
....and my free t4 was in the upper one third but my ft3 was low normal..

I knew all of a sudden I was feeling a lot of arm tendonitis feelings and soreness etc eventhough I just had a normal  lab test...probably bec I was overmedicated for so long.....the 4 week test was off, and I could feel it

.so I guess I need t3 added. I am so nervous whether to add cytomel or try armour.....I guess I will let the dr add cytomel which I am guessing she rather do than armour but if that doesn't work, I may try armour in 6 weeks.....dr apt tomorrow.... I am so tired of being tired....lol...

[mulligan2525]

Jacr.........


You are so right!  Hormones are so important to our well being.  When they are low, bad symptoms can happen.

I am 43.  I've been dealing with these issues since I was 37.  My progesterone came back non existant.  Low progesterone effects thyroid!  I also have low testosterone and low cortisol.  My thyroid came back "normal", but at the very low end of the range for FT3 and FT4.  I think I'm one big hormonal mess.  Lol.

I do take progesterone, cortisol, and thyroid meds.  Pretty soon I will add testosterone.  I will keep the board posted as to how I make out, in case it's helpful to anyone else!

I also had some low vitamin and iron levels.  I now supplement D3, B12, iron, along with about 10 other vitamins!

Right now I'm waiting to get thyroid labs for my 2.5 grain armour dose.  I will post those results and see what you all think of my new numbers.

Thank you for being helpful and supportive.

[jacrjacr]

let us know how that works out...I would suggest getting your hormones tested and get on top of this asap, I have lost a lot of function in my life not staying on top of things and "getting by" rather than....thriving....by treating the cause or changing meds until I am better....I don't know your age but hormones can start changing in your 30-40s...mine really changed mid 40s and bottomed out...same time I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and menopausal.....adrenal fatigue..make sure you are taking your vitamins daily and not d3 deficient...or b12 deficient

[mulligan2525]

I called the nurse at my thyroid clinic,

She said that low testosterone can cause weakness too!  The doctor will probably be adding some T into my regimen soon.  Hopefully that will help.

[jacrjacr]

from all the information I have read, muscle weakness and hypothyroid are linked and one dr said a lot of fibromyalgia patients were misdiagnosed by not threating the underlying cause, thyroid.

Yes I do think if my medication was higher, the muscle pains would have went away. I only became recently aware that my plantar fascitus, joint aches etc was linked to undermedication of thyroid for over a year.

Wish I had tried that first but I was on a compounded version that we found out was a lot weaker than what was stated on the prescription which is the reason I was over medicated when she tried to change me to nature thyroid and synthroid and I went hyper so I was definitely undermedicated for a long period.

..so it has been a journey...the muscle aches came back as my dose was lowered from 150mcg to 88mcg synthroid over a 3 mth period so now my dr has to make the decision in my next blood test...where do we go from here....I don't really know whether to try cytomel to it or what the next step will be. It is all frustrating....but my blood test hopefully will be  a guide...at 4 weeks, it didn't show anything so at 8 weeks I am testing again hence I think I had some residuals of the higher dosages the months b4 probably still in blood system since most people go up in medication, not down and I was taking double what my body needed...that created migraines ,red itchy eyes, hot sweaty feeling, lots of energy, no muscle aches, heart felt like it skipped a beat once in a while and I felt anxious but was no fun and my original dr would take my word for it when I told her I felt overmedicated so I had to go to a new dr and insist something off...

that new dr told me to never start out at equivalent when changing meds bec you don't know how the body will react, start out lower and increase but since she had me already at 150mcg and he would have did 100mcg, that he had to slowly lower me and test every 4 weeks....from 150mcg, to 125mcg, to 100mcg to 88mcg not to overshock my body jumping around in dosages.

the longer you are hypothyroid, the more you learn. I tried to ask my dr about 100mcg but she insisted that was too low....so you have to be your own advocate and educate yourself and listen to other on the panel. We are not all alike but you can read and learn a lot by listening to your own body and know what to listen for....

[Barb135]

The link you provided was a blog by a single person.  While she may need her FT3 that high in the range, very few of us do.  As I noted above, rule of thumb for FT3 is upper half to upper third of its range; we all have our own spot.  Trying to get your levels as high as another person's could cause you to end up over medicated.

[mulligan2525]

Jacr........

Do you think that if you had increased your armour dose, that maybe the weakness would have resolved?

So now you are on synthroid only?  How is that going?  Do you feel better?

I had the muscle weakness before I started armour, so I know the armour didn't *cause* it.

Thank you for your post.

The link I provived in the last post claims that many people need to be in the top 75-100 % of the normal range for their FT3.

[jacrjacr]

yes it will definitely cause weakness. I was on compounded armour and it started out as weakness and progressed over a year to joint pain, foot pain, and arm soreness like carpel tunnel, I felt like a 90 year old I was sooo weak but labs were in normal range but the t3 was not at the top and t4 was below 50 percent rather than above. My dr changed me to synthroid and still trying to get dosage right. She first changed me to nature thyroid but the dose was way too high and I had all kinds of headaches etc so she took me off of it not knowing at the time it was bec the dosage was too high but......ALL MY PAIN WENT AWAY AND I GOT MY ENERGY BACK therefore I knew I had been undermedicated for over a year hence when they lowered my dose too low....all symptoms came back and it is so hard changing medications...

[mulligan2525]

I found this great article!

http://hypothyroidmom.com/the-thyroid-worlds-queen-t3/

[Barb135]

Oh, I'm relieved to know that you didn't increase the Armour all at once.  That had me a bit worried.

Hypothyroidism can affect each of us differently, and of course, we all need our labs at different levels in order to feel our best.  There really aren't that many people who need their FT3 levels that high in the range.  FT3 should be higher in its range than FT4 in its.

All of that said, you do, however, have plenty of room to increase.  

[mulligan2525]

I didn't increase the armour all at once.  I've been slowly increasing since January.

I haven't tested for anything else for the weakness.  I was hoping it was just from thyroid and would get better once I'm optimized.  I've read that many people need their FT3 in the top quarter or even at the very top of the range.  I am far from that!

Thank you Barb, for your help.

[Barb135]

Both your FT3 and FT4 are a little less than mid range.  Rule of thumb for FT4 is mid range (50%); yours is at 47%.  Rule of thumb for FT3 is upper half to upper third of its range; yours is at 47%.  This means that you have quite a bit of room to increase your med.

So it looks like you doubled your Armour?  That's quite a jump.  

If you haven't been getting exercise, that will contribute to the weakness.  Have you been tested for other conditions that could also cause weakness?

[mulligan2525]

I don't have any pain.  Just weakness.  I haven't been very active due to the weakness.  I used to ski and snowboard, but I can't now.  Since the weather has been warmer, and the snow is melting, I have been forcing myself to walk about 2-3 miles a few times a week.  It's not easy, but I do it.

My labs from January while on 75 mgs Armour, 25 mcgs Synthroid.

FT3     3.12  (2.3-4.2)
FT4     1.09  (0.76-1.46)
RT3     18  (9.0-27.0)


My symptoms now are the same as then.  I have not improved at all.  I'm now up to 2.5 grains.  I get tested in 4 more weeks.

I just really was hoping to hear if other people had problems with weakness that were resolved once they found the right dose of thyroid meds.

[Barb135]

What were the results and reference ranges of your latest tests?  It's often more helpful to see the actual numbers than a percentage.

Because T4 med takes longer to reach potential in your blood, it will take longer for your levels to increase, even with the T3.  Very few things happen quickly with thyroid, so patience is definitely a virtue.

Do you  have any pain?  How much activity do you do over the course, of a day?

[mulligan2525]

At my last dose of 75 mg armour, both frees were at 40% of their ranges.

I have gradually raised to 2.5 grains.  I have been at this dose for 2 weeks.  I get new labs in 4 more weeks.  I have had no improvement in any of my symptoms, including weakness.

I always hear how hypo causes pain, I just wasn't sure if it causes weakness.  I am 43, but feel like a frail 90 year old!  Not fun!

[Barb135]

Yes, being hypo can cause muscle weakness, joint/muscle aches/pains, etc. There are also other conditions that can cause this, as well.

What are your current levels?  Be sure to include reference ranges.

[mulligan2525]

Anyone????