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Pins and Needles in the skin/Feet Tingling
I have been experiencing pins and needles all over my body (but mostly in my legs and arms). My feet are tingling. The pins and needles in my skin is so bad. Even the touch of the cloth in my skin feels awful. I was given Vistaril by my doctor for the itching but it does not make me feel better. I had total thyroidectomy back in 2007 and was on Synthroid .75 mg since then. My blood works came back with high TSH.
Does anyone experience this awful painful pins and needles on the skin and tingling feet?
Thank you.
Pins and Needles
Does anyone experience this awful painful pins and needles on the skin and tingling feet?
Thank you.
Pins and Needles
COMMUNITY LEADER
Make sure you specify FREE T3 and FREE T4 on those tests, not just T3 and T4....... if Free T3 and Free T4 are not specified, you will get total T3 and total T4, which are not the same....... the totals are considered obsolete and pretty much a waste of $.
I am seeing a neurologist end of Nov. I am now taking 100 mg of Synthroid and Vistaril. I am due for another TSH test after 6 weeks of taking the higher dosage of synthroid. I will request my primary care physician to add T4 and T3 in my tests.
Right now, my symptoms are stil the same. Its more difficult because of the added pain in my arthritis (hands). I stopped my arthritis medication f (Plaquenil) since my symptoms started. I read that Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can sometimes cause neuropathy. I could not take arthritis medications with aspirin or ibuprofen.
Gimel : Yes, i would be glad if you can share with me the link that you mentioned in your letter.
Thank you so much for all your feedback.
Right now, my symptoms are stil the same. Its more difficult because of the added pain in my arthritis (hands). I stopped my arthritis medication f (Plaquenil) since my symptoms started. I read that Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can sometimes cause neuropathy. I could not take arthritis medications with aspirin or ibuprofen.
Gimel : Yes, i would be glad if you can share with me the link that you mentioned in your letter.
Thank you so much for all your feedback.
For many tests, just being anywhere within the so-called "normal" range is not adequate. This includes the Vitamin D and B12 tests. With both of those you want to be in the high end of the range. So it would be a good idea to get tested for both of those and then supplement as necessary to get them at least to the midpoint of the ranges.
The main thing you are missing is a test for your Free T3 level. You should also request to be tested for Free T3 and if the doctor resists and makes excuses as to why it is not necessary, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer. Free T3 is the most important thyroid test because FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while FT4 and TSH did not correlate. If you look at this list of 26 typical hypo symptoms,
how many would you say that you have?
http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html
Many doctors assume that if the Free T4 level is adequate, then Free t3 will be as well, because the T4 converts to T3. This is frequently wrong because hypo patients taking thyroid meds often find that they are low in Free T3 because their body is not adequately converting the T4 to T3. Without testing you do not know about this. Also, since the reference ranges are so broad, many of our members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and FT4 adjusted to around the midpoint of its range.
The most important thing for successful treatment of hypothyroidism is a good thyroid doctor. By this I mean one that will treat you clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. This is a link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
When you read this letter, compare the clinical approach to your treatment and I expect that you will find that your doctor has been treating you based on TSH, which doesn't work. You are either going to have to talk to your doctor about clinical treatment and get him to change his approach or you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so. If you think that you may be able to prevail on your doctor, then I will send you a link to a very comprehensive site on thyroid that makes for great reading and copies of selected parts of it might have an impact on your doctor's approach to treating you. Just let me know if you want the link.
The main thing you are missing is a test for your Free T3 level. You should also request to be tested for Free T3 and if the doctor resists and makes excuses as to why it is not necessary, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer. Free T3 is the most important thyroid test because FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while FT4 and TSH did not correlate. If you look at this list of 26 typical hypo symptoms,
how many would you say that you have?
http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html
Many doctors assume that if the Free T4 level is adequate, then Free t3 will be as well, because the T4 converts to T3. This is frequently wrong because hypo patients taking thyroid meds often find that they are low in Free T3 because their body is not adequately converting the T4 to T3. Without testing you do not know about this. Also, since the reference ranges are so broad, many of our members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and FT4 adjusted to around the midpoint of its range.
The most important thing for successful treatment of hypothyroidism is a good thyroid doctor. By this I mean one that will treat you clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. This is a link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance. The letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
When you read this letter, compare the clinical approach to your treatment and I expect that you will find that your doctor has been treating you based on TSH, which doesn't work. You are either going to have to talk to your doctor about clinical treatment and get him to change his approach or you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so. If you think that you may be able to prevail on your doctor, then I will send you a link to a very comprehensive site on thyroid that makes for great reading and copies of selected parts of it might have an impact on your doctor's approach to treating you. Just let me know if you want the link.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Apparently, your doctor is not checking Free T3? Most of us find that FT3 levels correlate best with symptoms.
Simply being "in range" or "normal" isn't always good enough, with either thyroid levels and/or many vitamins/minerals.
Your FT4 is low in it's range, which suggests that your levels of FT3 might not be adequate either, particularly, with the high TSH. Many of us find that in order to feel well, we need to have FT4 at around mid range, and FT3 in the upper 1/3 of its range.
You should get tested for B12 deficiency, as that's a prime cause of the pins/needles/numbness. I have some permanent nerve damage in my feet/legs and hands/arms because of undiagnosed/untreated pernicious anemia.
Simply being "in range" or "normal" isn't always good enough, with either thyroid levels and/or many vitamins/minerals.
Your FT4 is low in it's range, which suggests that your levels of FT3 might not be adequate either, particularly, with the high TSH. Many of us find that in order to feel well, we need to have FT4 at around mid range, and FT3 in the upper 1/3 of its range.
You should get tested for B12 deficiency, as that's a prime cause of the pins/needles/numbness. I have some permanent nerve damage in my feet/legs and hands/arms because of undiagnosed/untreated pernicious anemia.
Thank you so much for your feedback.
My bloodwork results as of Oct. 5 are: TSH - 9 (normal range: 0.450-4.500 uIU/ml) and T4, Free (Direct) - 1.25 (normal range: 0.82-1.77 ng/dl). My iron of the same date is normal.
My Vit D is normal, at least, as of last year. I dont know about Vit.B12 as I have not not been tested for it, but lately since I this deep stabbing pins and needles sensation, i started taking Vit.B-12 supplement.
My feet feel tingling and sometimes numb.
After the total surgery, my doctor and i worked closely to monitor my TSH, T3 and T4. We tried several dosage, until we found the .75 mg. My TSH last May 2011 was normal.
Thank you in advance for any inputs.
My bloodwork results as of Oct. 5 are: TSH - 9 (normal range: 0.450-4.500 uIU/ml) and T4, Free (Direct) - 1.25 (normal range: 0.82-1.77 ng/dl). My iron of the same date is normal.
My Vit D is normal, at least, as of last year. I dont know about Vit.B12 as I have not not been tested for it, but lately since I this deep stabbing pins and needles sensation, i started taking Vit.B-12 supplement.
My feet feel tingling and sometimes numb.
After the total surgery, my doctor and i worked closely to monitor my TSH, T3 and T4. We tried several dosage, until we found the .75 mg. My TSH last May 2011 was normal.
Thank you in advance for any inputs.
That dose of 75 mcg daily sounds low for someone who has had a TT. Not sure how you got by for 4 years with that. If you doctor has been treating you based on TSH levels, that is inadequate. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it doesn't even correlate well with the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4, much less correlate with symptoms.
How about posting your thyroid test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report so that members can assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.
Patients that are hypothyroid often have low levels of Vitamin D, B12, iron/ferritin, and a few others. Have you been tested for these? I know from what I have read and what I hear from other members that pins and needles feelings can be associated with being hypo and also being low in B12.
How about posting your thyroid test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report so that members can assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.
Patients that are hypothyroid often have low levels of Vitamin D, B12, iron/ferritin, and a few others. Have you been tested for these? I know from what I have read and what I hear from other members that pins and needles feelings can be associated with being hypo and also being low in B12.
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