Joint Pains

[Rablemo25]

I was diagnosed with Graves 3 yrs ago and underwent a total thyroidectomy a yr later because I wasn't responding well to neomercazole. After going into thyrotoxicosis 3 times, my doc thought it wud be best to just remove the gland. My problem now is that I get these really crippling pains in my limbs that can be so excruciating. All the Graves symptoms are gone now, but every now & then I get this pain either in my knees, elbows  or wrists. Sometimes I dont evem know whether the pain is actually in the joints or the whole bone. My doc prescribed painkillers, which do not help. I've done all these tests to rule out gout, arthritis etc. I dont know what brings the pain on. I've tried to identify the causes, but so far no clue. It just comes, leaves me crippled and writhing in pain for days, then disappears again. My doc is now at his wits end. Please, does anyone else get this pain in the bone/joints? I had them before the surgery, and I still have them after. Or cud it be that it's something totally unrelated to my thyroid condition?  I just wish  someone wud be familiar with this thing and help me out on how to deal with it.
My doc mentioned casually that I shd get tested for Lupus, because it is also autoimmune & that has sent me into a state of panic & alarm. Pls does any thyroid patient have this pain too? :-(

[gimel]

If you are totally unsuccessful in finding T3 med, I know a place that may be a source from which to procure by mail.  Prescription would be required.  

[Rablemo25]

Thanks so much. My doc is very reluctant to prescribe any t3 for me. I read about it and i asked him,but he says we do not import it in Ghana and so they do not usually prescribe it. He did say however that if i find a pharmacy that has it i should let him know. I have searched everywhere, so far i haven't found any.

Currently, i am on 100 mcg of levothyroxine a day. I did not know about the Vitamin D, calcium and ferritin, but i'll be sure to ask my doc about those. Thanks so much, you've definitely given me some new leads to look into.

[gimel]

Your Free T3 and Free T4 ranges are quite different than those we see most often; however, in considering the above ranges, your Free T4 is higher and your Free T3 is lower than what we generally recommend.  We usually suggest that Free T4 should be around the middle of its range, and Free T3 in the upper part of its range, as necessary to relieve hypo symptoms.  

Your results are typical of what we see when a hypo patient is taking a T4 type med that is not being adequately converted to T3.  Getting to recommended  levels may require a reduction in T4 med and adding a source of T3.  What is your current thyroid med and daily dosage?

When I re-read your initial post, I noticed that you stated that you had the bone/joint pain even before surgery.  So I also wanted to ask if you have been tested for the possibility of low calcium?  Also, since hypo patients are frequently deficient in Vitamin D and ferritin, have those been tested?

[Rablemo25]

This is the result of the most recent test I did

S-TSH      0.05             0.34 - 5.60
S-FT3       5.4                3.7 - 10.4
S-FT4       21.4             7.5 - 21.1

[Red_Star]

I haven't heard anyone suffering that degree of pain in the bones/joints with a thyroid imbalance.

"The frequency of another autoimmune disorder was 9.67% in Graves' disease and 14.3% in Hashimoto's thyroiditis index cases (P=.005). Rheumatoid arthritis was the most common coexisting autoimmune disorder (found in 3.15% of Graves' disease and 4.24% of Hashimoto's thyroiditis cases). Relative risks of almost all other autoimmune diseases in Graves' disease or Hashimoto's thyroiditis were significantly increased (>10 for pernicious anemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, Addison's disease, celiac disease, and vitiligo)." - Prevalence and relative risk of other autoimmune diseases in subjects with autoimmune thyroid disease. Am J Med. 2010 Feb;123(2):183.e1-9.

[gimel]

From a very long list of symptoms that can be related to hypothyroidism, note this section on Pain.

Pain:

    Migraines
    Chronic headaches
    Chronic back and loin pain
    Wrist pain
    Muscles and joint pain
    Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (hands or forearms)
    Tarsal Tunnel syndrome (legs)
    Joint stiffness
    Tendonitis
    Heel spur
    Plantar fasciitis
    Arthritis
    Gout
    Painful soles of feet
    Muscle cramps
    Aching bones
    Aching muscles
    Joint pain
    TMJ
    Fibromyalgia


So how about posting your last several sets of thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  do you have any other symptoms besides the joint pain.