Weak legs

[mulligan2525]

Is having muscle weakness, specifically in my legs, a hypo symptom?  I'm having a hard time climbing stairs.  My legs feel very weak and shaky.  Will this get better when I find my optimal dose, or is it permanent.

I currently take 75 mgs of armour.  My TSH is 0.008 ,  my FT3 is at 50% and my FT4 is only 40% of the range.  My current doctor won't increase my dose because of my low TSH.  I booked an appointment with Dr. Hotze in Houston the end of January.  He supposedly treats according to symptoms.

My main symptoms are:  very weak legs, feeling cold, hair loss, weight loss, appetite loss, poor memory, poor concentration, irregular periods, low motivation, low stamina.

I don't have muscle pain, just weakness.

Thank you for your input.

[Maggs0566]

I am new to the site and fairly new to thyroid issues. Started with synthroid for 3 months with no improvement despite TSH levels being 1.32. Major symptoms were hair loss, extreme fatigue, and leg pain. PCP says that leg pain is NOT coming from thyroid. Levels are normal and would not increase synthroid.  Found a doc who switched me to armour. Within a week or so the fatigue and exhaustion improved. Leg pain seemed to only come late at night and when I wake up on the morning. I've been on 60 mg of armour for 3weeks now. Leg pain now seems to linger all day. Energy level is good. Hair loss is about the same. But my main concern is the leg pain. It's a strange sort of ache or restlessness. I am not splitting the armour into two doses. I have also not had any bloodwork done since beginning armour. Before armour TSH was 1.32 and FT4 was .89. Never had FT3 done. I know that's a lot. I'm mainly worried about this leg pain and want to know if this I'd from my thyroid.

[Jeda01]

I am new to thyroid problems. I was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and goiter. I have been on Levo for about a month now and it has been a miserable experience so far.

[mulligan2525]

Several people have messages me a out my doctor.  I have an appointment at the end of January at The Hotze Health And Wellness Center in Katy, Texas (near Houston).  They supposedly treat according to symptoms and not TSH.......imagine that.!  They also use armour thyroid.!  I will update after my appointment.

[goolarra]

Every cell in your body needs thyroid hormone to metabolize properly.  So, when thyroid hormones are low, the list of possible symptoms is almost endless.  Before I was diagnosed, the muscles in my lower back were so weak that I had to stop en route from bedroom to coffee pot in the morning because I felt like my back wasn't going to hold me up.  While I still have back issues (arthritis, which doesn't go away, among other things), that feeling that my back is about to collapse went away will proper meds dose.

I'm glad to hear you have a new doctor lined up.  I once had to go to Canada for a medical reason, so I can identify.  Good luck in Houston, and let us know what they have to say and how you do.

[mulligan2525]

Thanks goolara!

I am going to see a new doctor in January at the Hotze Health and Wellness Center in Houston.  They ignore TSH and shoot to get the frees in the upper part of the range.  They will also test and treat any other hormone deficiencies I may have (progesterone, cortisol, testosterone)

It's impossible to find a good doctor around here who is thyroid savvy.  So, I am flying to Houston from NY!  I'm done effing around and wasting my time and money and getting no where!  If my issues are from thyroid, they will fix it!

My symptoms seem so severe.  I really thought I had MS, the muscle weakness was/is so bad.  My memory and cognition is so bad, that I was worried about early onset Alzheimer's.

I guess what I'm looking for here, at this forum, is validation that these horrid symptoms can be caused by low thyroid.  I'm really scared!

[goolarra]

Okay, so the 25 mcg of Synthroid most likely explains why your FT4 is as high as it is (which is a good thing).

You CAN get better, but you probably won't if you stay with this doctor, who is freaked out by your low TSH.  Thyroid meds, especially those with a T3 component, often suppress TSH, so it becomes a useless test.  You have to ignore it and concentrate on FT3 and FT4 (and you have to convince your doctor to do that, too).  

You don't necessarily need to get to top of range.  Rules of thumb are FT4 at midrange, and FT3 upper half to upper third of range.  The range should be looked at as the playing feild in which we can adjust meds for optimal symptom relief.  With FT4 at 40% of range and FT3 at 50%, you have a lot of range to increase and feel well.

You can try to educate your doctor, or you can try to find another who treats clinically for optimal symptom relief.  I think you need an increase to feel better (all the usual caveats...I'm not a doctor, just a fellow patient).  

[mulligan2525]

I do split my dose.  I take 45 in the morning around 6:00 and 30 around 11:00 in the morning.

[mulligan2525]

Yes, my percents are based from the bottom to top of range, not zero.

I am also on 25 mcgs synthroid.  My symptoms have not improved at all.  I've been on this dose for 3 months.  I'm just worried that I'll never get better.  I keep hoping if I get to the top of the range, that I will feel better.

Thank you, goolara.

[goolarra]

Muscle weakness can be a symptom of both hypo and hyper (overmedication).  Symptoms caused by thyroid are very rarely permanent.

Just to be sure we're on the same page...the percentages you post for your FTs are the percentage between the top and the bottom of the range, correct, not zero and top of range?  Your FT4 is actually quite high for someone on desiccated.  Many people find it hard to get FT4 that high without overdoing FT3.

It sounds like you might need an increase.  Many people on desiccated like FT3 in the top half to top third of the range.

Do you split your dose into two halves?