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Stiff Muscles - Hypo
Hi everyone,
Appreciate your help with these two questions -
1. I'm suffering from stiff neck muscles and muscle cramps in my shoulder blades & hamstrings. Been like that for a year now, from when I wake up to when I go to sleep. I have no conditions except Hypothroidism. Is that a possible hypothroidism symptom? I've seen these in many symptoms lists, but I would appreciate hearing of any experience you might had/seen of these.
2. Raising my Eltroxin dosage to 50mg and then to 75mg seemed to only influence my FT4 level, leaving my TT3 below range without any change. I realise this might mean a problem with T4 to T3 conversion (and that I shouldn't receive T3 treatment until I get my FT3 levels checked). Hypothetically, is adding Cytomel treatment to Eltroxin the preferable solution? Or taking Armour Thyroid instead of Eltroxin? What's the preferable treatment usually?
Besides Eltroxin, I tried Magnesium (helped a bit) and i'm now trying Vitamin E. My bloodwork (potassium, magnesium etc.) is all good.
Thanks for the help!
Appreciate your help with these two questions -
1. I'm suffering from stiff neck muscles and muscle cramps in my shoulder blades & hamstrings. Been like that for a year now, from when I wake up to when I go to sleep. I have no conditions except Hypothroidism. Is that a possible hypothroidism symptom? I've seen these in many symptoms lists, but I would appreciate hearing of any experience you might had/seen of these.
2. Raising my Eltroxin dosage to 50mg and then to 75mg seemed to only influence my FT4 level, leaving my TT3 below range without any change. I realise this might mean a problem with T4 to T3 conversion (and that I shouldn't receive T3 treatment until I get my FT3 levels checked). Hypothetically, is adding Cytomel treatment to Eltroxin the preferable solution? Or taking Armour Thyroid instead of Eltroxin? What's the preferable treatment usually?
Besides Eltroxin, I tried Magnesium (helped a bit) and i'm now trying Vitamin E. My bloodwork (potassium, magnesium etc.) is all good.
Thanks for the help!
COMMUNITY LEADER
"Hypothetically, is adding Cytomel treatment to Eltroxin the preferable solution? Or taking Armour Thyroid instead of Eltroxin? What's the preferable treatment usually?"
Whatever makes you feel best is what's preferable.
Agree with LM that the logical thing would be to add cytomel to the Eltroxin and if that doesn't work, switch to desiccated. Most T3 meds, such as cytomel, generic liothyronine and dessicated hormones are best taken in multiple doses throughout the day to keep FT3 levels stable.
Studies have shown that selenium may help with the conversion of FT4 to FT3; you might talk to your doctor about supplementing that.
Magnesium is one of the best things for muscle pain/stiffness. Even though your levels are "fine" (we never know exactly what the means), they might be too low for you. With many lab tests, just being "in range" is not "fine".
Whatever makes you feel best is what's preferable.
Agree with LM that the logical thing would be to add cytomel to the Eltroxin and if that doesn't work, switch to desiccated. Most T3 meds, such as cytomel, generic liothyronine and dessicated hormones are best taken in multiple doses throughout the day to keep FT3 levels stable.
Studies have shown that selenium may help with the conversion of FT4 to FT3; you might talk to your doctor about supplementing that.
Magnesium is one of the best things for muscle pain/stiffness. Even though your levels are "fine" (we never know exactly what the means), they might be too low for you. With many lab tests, just being "in range" is not "fine".
The amount of T3 in your blood is more responsible for easing muscle soreness than T4. Need Free T3 tested, not total T3.
The logical step is to add synthetic cytomel T3 to your synthetic T4. If that does not work, then dry dessicated like Armour.
I also learned trigger point release, myofacial release and active release to ease my muscle and tendon pain. goggle them on you tube.
Magnessium glycniate has the most absorb-able magnesium per weight than any other type.
D-Ribose after exercise also helps muscles aching from slow recovery.
The logical step is to add synthetic cytomel T3 to your synthetic T4. If that does not work, then dry dessicated like Armour.
I also learned trigger point release, myofacial release and active release to ease my muscle and tendon pain. goggle them on you tube.
Magnessium glycniate has the most absorb-able magnesium per weight than any other type.
D-Ribose after exercise also helps muscles aching from slow recovery.
Although i'm sure there's resemblance between the conditions, I find that movement doesn't help me nor do I have irregular breathing during sleep. It's probably not the sleep, hopefully just low FT3. But thanks a lot for the info!
Bad muscle pain was one of my worse symptoms!
The worst of it went away once I got my Free T3 and Free T4 levels up and then the pain hit me again~just not as severe, but enough to make a doctors appointment when it would last for weeks. Like you, I would go to bed feeling fine and once I woke up and moved around the pain would worsen. I would be stiff in the morning. I would refer to it as a "cycle of pain" because I would be fine for awhile feeling great and then a few weeks of feeling terrible. Headaches, muscle pains, fatigue....
Anyways, the doctor sent me home with a pulse ox recorder which led to a sleep study. When I left with the nighttime pulse ox recorder I was irritated at my doctor for not testing my Reverse T3 and other stuff I asked about.
During the sleep study I found that I have central sleep apnea. It is where your brain "forgets" to breathe during the night.
I asked the doctor how she knew to check that since I told her that I sleep fine, she said it was when I said the pain returns when I move around. I guess it is carbon dioxide build up in the muscle.
As all hypothyroid people do I read everything I could and found a link to obstructive sleep apnea and hypothyroid. Because of tissue swelling-when you are not optimized- also includes your throat. So when a person with OSA sleeps and the throat muscles relax it can close the airways.
I never woke up with a sore throat or a choking feeling, but I do remember not breathing and I always thought it was just a bad dream. But I also don't have OSA. Just a thought.
The worst of it went away once I got my Free T3 and Free T4 levels up and then the pain hit me again~just not as severe, but enough to make a doctors appointment when it would last for weeks. Like you, I would go to bed feeling fine and once I woke up and moved around the pain would worsen. I would be stiff in the morning. I would refer to it as a "cycle of pain" because I would be fine for awhile feeling great and then a few weeks of feeling terrible. Headaches, muscle pains, fatigue....
Anyways, the doctor sent me home with a pulse ox recorder which led to a sleep study. When I left with the nighttime pulse ox recorder I was irritated at my doctor for not testing my Reverse T3 and other stuff I asked about.
During the sleep study I found that I have central sleep apnea. It is where your brain "forgets" to breathe during the night.
I asked the doctor how she knew to check that since I told her that I sleep fine, she said it was when I said the pain returns when I move around. I guess it is carbon dioxide build up in the muscle.
As all hypothyroid people do I read everything I could and found a link to obstructive sleep apnea and hypothyroid. Because of tissue swelling-when you are not optimized- also includes your throat. So when a person with OSA sleeps and the throat muscles relax it can close the airways.
I never woke up with a sore throat or a choking feeling, but I do remember not breathing and I always thought it was just a bad dream. But I also don't have OSA. Just a thought.
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