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bloating/muscle pain/twiching/fatigue
HI I am a 35 yo male and I have been hit with many unusual symptoms over the last 7 months. It started with bloating and hernia like pains in my GI. Over the next couple of weeks I had tons of twitching over my body, activity intolerance, muscle pain, low temperature, buzzing in my hands and feet, sore hip joints and SI joints, and brain fog. I have developed constipation and upper abdominal bloating in which I think is gastroparesis. I have seen an internist and now a GI doc. My endoscopy revealed some food bits left in there. I had more than 24 hours of fasting prior to test. MY initial thyroid test were normal. My question is could there still be a thyroid problem like Hoshimotos? With these symptoms should I see an endocrinologist or another specialist. It has been 7 agonizing months with the severe bloating. I can not even exercise with all the side stitching and if I bike I get cramp like pain in my groin and hip muscles. I would appreciate your opinion on the possibility of this being thyroid related or seek a particular specialist.
Sorry I meant Does anyone know of a doctor in MN or WI that will consider ordering a t3 med
Doe anyone here no of a Dr in Minnesota or wisconsin that will prescribe t3 med additional to t4(levothyroxine) I still have a ton of muscle pain and fatigue? I cant find a doc that will listen to me and try it?
Don't you just want to slap that first Dr. up side the head for not testing autobodies? They don't get it. They should get it. Do they get these licenses / degrees in Cracker Jack boxes?
Welcome to the Hashimoto club, "you may check out,..... but you may never leave".
Oh what fun!
On a serious note, I'm well experienced in the Hashi muscle pain game. The worst is over for me, but some still lingers after sports ect. Getting that T3 into the upper third helps many with the muscle pain (not all hypos get this symptom, lucky ones), but you know that by now.
The info I would like to pass on is how to deal with that pain without pain meds Advil ect while it takes time for the thyroid hormone to play catch up. Like comments mentioned previously, it can take awhile to heal. Check out this thread just a few threads away from yours at the moment. Learning how to release muscle Trigger Points after and before physical activity can do wonders for the hypothyroid body. Most Drs are unaware of this, because Drs prescribe drugs or perform surgury. Some Physical therapist and massage therapists swear by it. It's worked for me. It not snake oil either.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Hashimotos-and-trigger-points--muscle-spasms--tension-type-headaches/show/1600200
Welcome to the Hashimoto club, "you may check out,..... but you may never leave".
Oh what fun!
On a serious note, I'm well experienced in the Hashi muscle pain game. The worst is over for me, but some still lingers after sports ect. Getting that T3 into the upper third helps many with the muscle pain (not all hypos get this symptom, lucky ones), but you know that by now.
The info I would like to pass on is how to deal with that pain without pain meds Advil ect while it takes time for the thyroid hormone to play catch up. Like comments mentioned previously, it can take awhile to heal. Check out this thread just a few threads away from yours at the moment. Learning how to release muscle Trigger Points after and before physical activity can do wonders for the hypothyroid body. Most Drs are unaware of this, because Drs prescribe drugs or perform surgury. Some Physical therapist and massage therapists swear by it. It's worked for me. It not snake oil either.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Hashimotos-and-trigger-points--muscle-spasms--tension-type-headaches/show/1600200
How long have you been on your current dose?
I had pretty bad muscle cramping, twitching, bloating, puffy face /eyes & pain when I was very hypo. They became less frequent and intense with each increase. The cramping eventually went away with enough synthroid, but I continued to have all the other symptoms until we added Cytomel.
It seems like you need an increase and possibly to add a T3 med like Cytomel. If you do add a T3 med start with a very low dose. If you've been hypo for awhile, it will take your body time to adjust. I added cytomel 2.5mcg twice a day and then up to 5mcg twice a day. I still have some hypo symptoms, but SO much better!
Good luck.
I had pretty bad muscle cramping, twitching, bloating, puffy face /eyes & pain when I was very hypo. They became less frequent and intense with each increase. The cramping eventually went away with enough synthroid, but I continued to have all the other symptoms until we added Cytomel.
It seems like you need an increase and possibly to add a T3 med like Cytomel. If you do add a T3 med start with a very low dose. If you've been hypo for awhile, it will take your body time to adjust. I added cytomel 2.5mcg twice a day and then up to 5mcg twice a day. I still have some hypo symptoms, but SO much better!
Good luck.
I just wanted to add that when you go in and request testing for Free T3 and Free T4, if the doctor resists and makes excuses that it is not necessary, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer. Also, it would be a good idea to test for Vitamin D, B12, RBC magnesium.
Were you tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with the TSH? If not, then you need to request those two additional tests and if the doctor resists, insist on it and don't take no for an answer. Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have also shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is supposed to represent the levels of the actual thyroid hormones, but data shows that it doesn't even correlate well with Free T3 and free T4, much less with symptoms, which are even more important.
Also, frequently patients taking T4 meds only find that they are not adequately converting the T4 to T3. The result is Free T3 that is too low in the range, resulting in hypo symptoms. Many of our members report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and FT4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.
In my previous message I gave you this info and link. It would be good now to go back and read it again.I think you will conclude that your treatment is inadequate.
'"A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient 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. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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
Also, frequently patients taking T4 meds only find that they are not adequately converting the T4 to T3. The result is Free T3 that is too low in the range, resulting in hypo symptoms. Many of our members report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and FT4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.
In my previous message I gave you this info and link. It would be good now to go back and read it again.I think you will conclude that your treatment is inadequate.
'"A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient 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. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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
Well i have seen an endo and my TSH is high and My Antibodies where positive for hoshimotos. Go figure. I am on 100mcg of levo. Still have a ton of muscle pain, tendon pain, groin pain, rib pain, and puffy/dry eyes. How long did it take for you to feel half way normal again. My TSH is still high around 6.5. Anyone else with muscle pain and cramps. Sometimes it feels as if my lower abdominal muscles are swollen near the pubic bone.
With your symptoms and your test results (with the minimal testing done), and no medication prescribed, it sounds like you are wasting your time with this doctor. I'd start looking for a good thyroid doctor like I described above. If you will tell us where you are located, perhaps some member might be able to recommend a doctor, based on personal experience.
So I had to beg for more thyroid test my doctor only approved of tsh and free T4 an no antibodies. I have a TSH of 4.1 up from February that was 2.6. also my free T4 is .9. Anyone near these numbers that had significant symptoms?
TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic for thyroid. As Christin said, you need to be tested for the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4). Also good to test for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and Tg ab, to determine the possibility of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is the most common cause.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient 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. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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
If you will get that testing done, and get a copy of the lab report and post results and reference ranges, then members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient 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. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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
If you will get that testing done, and get a copy of the lab report and post results and reference ranges, then members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
My TSH levels in Jan were 2.3ulU/ml. In feb 2.6ulU/ml. No t3 or t4 tested. Also for five months i was freezing all the time and shaking at night. Low oral temp of 96.1-96.9. My muscles after I work out are very uncomfortable and I am not even pushing myself.
Definitely have further thyroid testing...TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and all the thyroid antibodies. Some of your symptoms sound thyroid related.
Just because your thyroid test results are in the so-called "normal" range does not mean they are adequate for YOU. If you will please post your thyroid test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report, members will be better able to assess your status and advise further.
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