hi all i also go on the thyroid page and asked a question and was told that fibro was a symptom of levels not being managed right by lazy doctors, just wondered if anyone else feels or has heard the same.
hypothyroidism causes fibro - Fibromyalgia Acti...
hypothyroidism causes fibro
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she33
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I have fibro and have had it for 23 years and there's nothing wrong with my thyroid levels I am not vitamin d defeciant in fact I am perfectly healthy except for fibro.... Lol now thats a contradiction
I am guessing whoever told you that was an expert on fibro without actually having it
Just smile sweetly and ignore them...
I would love them to be right then I could be cured.... But I can't be cured as my levels are fine...
VG x
SilkyJ• in reply to
Hi VG and all
I think people are misled by doctors when they are told their thyroid levels are "just fine". There is NO such thing as 'fine' thyroid levels as we are all individual and the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood does NOT tell a doctor how much your CELLULAR/TISSUE uptake of thyroid levels are. So, in theory, we can ALL have levels which are WITHIN the reference range and STILL be hypothyroid OR have thyroid antibodies and, hence, suffer with fibromyalgia as it a SYMPTOM of low thyroid hormone in one's CELLS/TISSUE (not blood!).
Doctors are unaware that patients with 'good' or 'normal' thyroid levels can STILL have Hashimotos which is an autoimmune thyroid disease OR Hypothyroidism. These blood tests tell a doctor very little about one's thyroid because it is a PITUITARY blood test which is fine for detecting pituitary disorders. Until a test is found where they can measure how much thyroid hormones there are in one's CELLS, doctors can never ACCURATELY diagnose if one has thyroid disease, or not. So, it is entirely possible to be misdiagnosed with Fibromyalgia when one has thyroid disease because there is sufficient thyroid hormone in the blood but NOT how much is in your CELLS/TISSUE. There are NO tests which accurately measure the CELLULAR/TISSUE uptake of one's thyroid hormone. So, in theory, one can have sufficient levels of thyroid hormone in the BLOOD but if your cells are defective for some reason and are NOT allowing your thyroid hormone to enter them in order for you to function properly, you will be hypothyroid with NORMAL blood tests. This makes the thyroid blood tests seriously FLAWED!
Too little thyroid hormone in the CELLS/TISSUE (not blood) gives one Fibromyalgia. There are studies which have been done by the famous late Dr John Lowe to prove this.
Dr Lowe's CV etc:
web.archive.org/web/2010121...
pressurepositive.com/blog/7...
ndnr.com/web-articles/anxie...
Here is the evidence:
web.archive.org/web/2011030...
thyroidscience.com/cases/lo...
web.archive.org/web/2010103... 1
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/relate...
Dr Mercola interviews Dr Lowe on FMS and thyroid disease:
articles.mercola.com/sites/...
Also, what doctors do not tell you is that the reference ranges for the TSH blood test is seriously FLAWED for several reasons - too many to mention here but I shall provide two:
1) These blood tests were developed around 1973. Approximately 200 volunteers were used to establish the “normal” range but these volunteers included people who were also ALREADY sick with thyroid disease.
2) Many people have partial or full resistance to thyroid hormone at the cellular level which does NOT show up in blood tests or any other test available today. So, one can be fully hypothyroid and go undiagnosed for years, or worse, the rest of your life!
The late Dr John Lowe explains how conventional medicine has been MISSING the diagnosis because they rely only on lab tests here:
textozon.com/healthboard/ar...
Janie Bowthorpe, author of Stop The Thyroid Madness, also explains in detail why the blood tests used to detect thyroid disease are totally USELESS here: stopthethyroidmadness.com/t... Here is an excerpt:
"WHAT IS PATIENT EXPERIENCE WITH THE TSH LAB? It’s lousy. First, there is a huge body of hypothyroid patients who have a so-called “normal” TSH lab…along with classic or raging hypothyroid symptoms. And because doctors have become lab-obsessed rather than giving credence to clinical presentation, patients remain undiagnosed for years before the number rises high enough to reveal the condition.
Then, even when the patient is on a T4-only medication, or on desiccated thyroid, some symptoms remain–from mild to disabling–when they are forced to stay in the TSH range. Additionally, because doctors view the TSH man-made lab as infallible, they fail to understand that the continued symptom complaints by patients reveal that the lab and its range is unreliable and a huge failure!
WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE ABOUT THE TSH LAB ACCORDING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF PATIENTS? Two words: it sucks. It leaves hypothyroid patients undiagnosed for years. And even when on meds, its dubious normal range leaves patients with continuing hypothyroid symptoms, including bone density and heart problems. The best use for the TSH pertains to what is IS: a PITUITARY HORMONE! And for that, it’s a good guide to reveal if you have a malfunctioning pituitary gland, especially if you have a very low TSH and low free T3, accompanied by raging hypothyroid symptoms."
Further references on the Flawed TSH test:
lowthyroidadvice.com/low-th...
Frankly, Big Pharma would also rather ignore the evidence because they profit HUGELY from Fibromyalgia.
The late Dr John Lowe explains more about the link between hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia below:
October 12, 2010
Question:Are fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism really linked? I think that they are. I have fibromyalgia and I also have weight gain, although I eat very little and have body swelling and many other symptoms of hypothyroidism. Conventional thyroid lab tests come back as normal, but I know in my gut I have a real thyroid problem. How can I get a more sophisticated, discerning thyroid testing done? I am in the UK? Thank you very much for your time.
Dr. Lowe: Most patients’ fibromyalgia is definitely related to too little thyroid hormone regulation! For those patients, what we call “fibromyalgia” is largely a set of symptoms that develops from too little thyroid hormone regulation. The two essential symptoms are chronic widespread pain and abnormal tenderness. However, the so-called “associated fibromyalgia symptoms”[1,2] are each classic hypothyroid symptoms.
Some patients’ inadequate thyroid hormone regulation occurs because of they have thyroid hormone deficiencies; for others, it occurs because of they have partial cellular resistance to thyroid hormone. In either case, the predominant symptoms can be widespread pain and tenderness. However, many fibromyalgia patients’ symptoms are worsened by lifestyle factors such as nutritional deficiencies and a pro-inflammatory diet, and various prescription drugs.
The “more sophisticated, discerning” tests you ask about are for the most part not laboratory tests, although for some patients, various lab tests can be helpful. But the conventional laboratory thyroid function tests (TSH, free T3, and free T4) are largely useless unless one or more of the levels is way out of range.
The important points are these: In-range TSH, free T3, and free T4 levels simply cannot logically rule out that a patient needs thyroid hormone therapy. And when a patient is undergoing thyroid hormone therapy, these test levels are not accurate gauges of the effectiveness of the therapy.
You said your thyroid lab tests were within range. Because of that, were I you, I wouldn’t waste time undergoing more of the conventional tests. Instead, I would look for a clinician who’ll listen to me, look at me, physically examine me, and do physiological (such as your Achilles reflex speed and the voltage of your ECG/EKG) and limited, meaningful lab tests.
You’ve apparently tried to get an accurate diagnosis from physicians who lack skills at what’s called “pathognomy” (pa thog’ no me). This term means the study and knowledge of the symptoms and all other characteristics of a disease. The term comes from the Greek for “skilled in judging disease.”
When you find a competent physician, he or she will practice pathognomy. Years ago, I invented the term “extremist medical technocrat” during an interview with Mary Shomon. What I meant by this term is that most conventional physicians don’t practice pathognomy; instead, they practice a extreme medical technocracy. That is, they focus solely on lab test results, stair into their computers screens rather than you without giving you so much as a glance or permitting you to express yourself. In my view, for a physician to fail to embrace and practice pathognomy is to forsake his or her patients, such as you.
Laboratory thyroid function tests tell us nothing whatever about whether a person’s tissue metabolism is sufficient regulated for the person to be healthy. They tell us nothing whatever about a patient's thyroid-hormone-related general metabolic status. Thyroid patient advocates at Thyroid UK are a caring resource for people such as you in the UK. I encourage you to contact them. Their organization’s contact information is at their website: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index....
You can learn a great deal about the relation of fibromyalgia to thyroid hormone by reading some of the hundreds of webpages at drlowe.com. But I especially encourage you to read a review paper Jackie Yellin and I wrote a couple of years ago for Thyroid Science.[3] It the paper, we summarized the evidence that inadequate thyroid hormone regulation is the main underlying factor of most patients' fibromyalgia. It’s likely that seeing the evidence will turn your suspicion that fibromyalgia and thyroid hormone are linked into an steadfast belief.
I hope this reply is helpful to you, and I wish you the best for soon recovering your health.
References
1. Wolfe, F., Smythe, H.A., Yunus, M.B. et al.: The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia: report of the multicenter criteria committee. Arthritis Rheumatol., 33:160-172, 1990.
2. Wolfe, F.: Diagnosis of fibromyalgia. J. Musculoskeletal. Med., 7:54, 1990.
3. Lowe, J.C. and Yellin, J.: Inadequate thyroid hormone regulation as the main mechanism of fibromyalgia: a review of the evidence. Thyroid Science, 3(6):R1-14, 2008.
September 23, 2002
Question: My endocrinologist said that he doesn't really think that I have fibromyalgia. His reason is that I my fibromyalgia symptoms started suddenly after I injured my neck by turning it too quickly. Have you had any patients whose fibromyalgia symptoms started suddenly after an injury?
Dr. Lowe: According to some studies, about 30% of patients' fibromyalgia symptoms are "post-traumatic." This means that their symptoms began either at once or shortly after a trauma. Obviously, a sudden onset of fibromyalgia symptoms is fairly common.
In The Metabolic Treatment of Fibromyalgia, I gave the a plausible explanation for the sudden onset of fibromyalgia symptoms following a trauma. When I carefully scrutinized many patients' medical histories, I came to a tentative conclusion: The typical patient with post-traumatic fibromyalgia symptoms has a history of marginally adequate metabolism. The marginally adequate metabolism is suggested by experiences the patient commonly reports after some contemplation—intermittent hypothyroid-like symptoms, especially after or during physical and emotional stresses.
As a part of stress—either physically or emotionally induced—the adrenal glands release more "cortisol." Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body adapt to cellular needs that abruptly change during stress. The blood cortisol consequently rises. The increased cortisol transiently suppresses the thyroid system. Increased cortisol reaching cells of the pituitary gland suppresses TSH secretion. As a result, the reduced TSH reaching the thyroid gland decreases the glands' release of thyroid hormones into the blood. The increased cortisol reaching other cells inhibits their conversion of T4 to T3. The result is a body-wide slowing of thyroid hormone-driven metabolism.
In most people, the slowed metabolism might not generate fibromyalgia (hypothyroid) symptoms. But some patients’ metabolism was only marginally adequate to start with. Slowing their metabolism even more can induce symptoms typical of hypothyroidism, which doctors diagnose as fibromyalgia. Most clinicians today fail to recognize these symptoms as those of hypothyroidism. This is especially true of most endocrinologists, who over the past 30 years have all but lost the ability to recognized hypothyroid symptoms for what they actually are. Hence, the patient may end up with a diagnosis of post-traumatic fibromyalgia. The correct diagnosis, however, would be hypo-metabolism secondary to post-traumatic hypothyroidism.
It's important to note that if the patient's cortisol level stays high, her thyroid system usually "escapes" the inhibiting effect of the cortisol. The escape usually occurs within a few weeks. But the injured patient, especially if her injury was severe, is likely to be relatively inactive physically for a few weeks. She may even be inactive for a few months. Her low physical activity during this time is likely to reduce her body's muscle mass. The reduction in mass will lower her metabolism even further. Keep in mind: Other factors held constant, our metabolic rate is proportional to our muscle mass. Even a small loss of muscle mass in a patient with marginally adequate metabolism may reduce her metabolic rate enough to produce chronic symptoms of abnormally slow metabolism.
In my experience, many fibromyalgia patients come to realize they've long had symptoms of slow metabolism only after learning what the symptoms are. Their realization often occurs after they've recovered a noticeable degree of metabolic health. Experiencing good metabolic health teaches them to distinguish good from poor metabolic health.
Is this mechanism of post-traumatic fibromyalgia established scientifically? No, it's not. But it's reasonable based on the available scientific evidence, and it’s presently our only plausible explanation. Certainly it deserves investigation. You, of course, are the best person to decide whether the mechanism applies in your case. Regardless, understanding the mechanism can help one to see how some patients’ fibromyalgia symptoms might start after an injury. Perhaps you can share this causative conjecture with your endocrinologist. Perhaps he’ll then appreciate the fact that some patient’s fibromyalgia symptoms are post traumatic and do develop suddenly.
November 5, 2000
Question: My doctor and I are hoping that you will soon solve the problem of fibromyalgia. How much longer do you think it will take?
Dr. Lowe: The time has passed. We’ve already solved the problem of fibromyalgia. In addition, we have a treatment, "metabolic rehabilitation", that relieves some 75% to 85% of patients from their fibromyalgia symptoms—fully and permanently. I explain the solution and the treatment succinctly on various pages of drlowe.com, and I explain in depth in The Metabolic Treatment of Fibromyalgia. In a single statement, fibromyalgia is the symptoms and signs of too little thyroid hormone regulation of tissues, due either to hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone resistance, complicated in most cases by a health-impairing diet, nutritional deficiencies, and physical deconditioning.
But it isn’t enough that we’ve solved the scientific problem of fibromyalgia. We must now solve a daunting psychosocial problem—how to educate other fibromyalgia researchers and practicing doctors about the fact that we’ve solved the problem. This educational undertaking is proving far more difficult than solving the scientific problem. The main difficulty is the unscientific code of conduct that predominates in conventional medicine. In compliance with this code, most conventional medical researchers and doctors dogmatically cling to false beliefs they’ve accepted without question while bowing before the throne of medical authority. This unscientific code of conduct is often whitewashed as the "conservative nature of doctors." It is, however, a major obstacle to the relief of human suffering from disease. Tragically, as we toil at this educational task, patients with the set of symptoms we label "fibromyalgia" will continue to suffer on a worldwide scale.
Link for above: web.archive.org/web/2010122...
My thyroid lab range has ALWAYS been 'normal'. I diagnosed myself with thyroid disease but the conventional levothyroxine only therapy only made my condition worse... in fact, so ill that I almost died from it. I was sent a lifeline in the form of liothyronine (T3) and once I started taking this new thyroid medication, my symptoms got better and my Fibromyalgia completely went. This person saved my life. I continued to self medicate and was eventually referred to an endocrinologist of my choice. I showed him photos of me before T3 and he could see how much I had improved. He diagnosed me hypothyroid and prescribed me T3 only. He also made a note on my medical records not to give me levothyroxine (T4).
I hope this info will help many with FMS who have 'NORMAL' thyroid function BLOOD tests but are LOW in thyroid hormone at a CELLULAR/TISSUE level (which cannot be measured by any science yet).
Millions continue to suffer because the amount of thyroid hormone in their blood does not reflect how much thyroid hormone is in their cells!
Silky x
Hello Silky, thank you so much for sharing this myriad of wonderful information with us. I agree with you 100%. I have been suffering from Hypothyroidism now for nigh on 20 years. Was on Levo T4 alone, for 19 years and the last year with added T3. I trialled it myself first, then my Endo gave it to me on the NHS. I did not fare well. They lowered the T4 and I felt terrible. I tried to got T3 only and my TSH soared to 29. He has since said that I have symptoms of Hyperthyroidism (because of suppressed tsh), he now has told me to up T4 again to 100mcgs (he had reduced down to 50 and then 75), the results done I was already taking 100mcgs as I know my own body so you see the results were wrong anyway. I asked for another ultra scan and have been told that my thyroid has shrunk and is small, and the Consultant Radiologist said he is not surprised given my history. On the 25 February I sourced my own Nutri-Throid and have worked up to 3 grains (as of today). I have all the signs and symptoms of Fibromyalgia and awaiting appointment with Rheumatologist. I have every faith in the late Dr Lowe and have read a lot of his findings. I truly do believe that Fibro is to do with Hypothyroid symptoms. I know this, I am living this. I am doing every thing I can, by self treating with NDT, checking all my vitamin and mineral defeciencies etc and reading more and more each day. I feel truly cheated by my treatment, and I feel passionately about research and getting better and I wish with all my heart that I had know this years ago. Thank you so much for sharing.
SilkyJ• in reply to
Sorry, I must have left off the scientific references. There are plenty in the medical journals so I will only put down a few:
Measurement of serum TSH alone may not always reflect thyroid status
Anthony D Toft (anthony.toft@luht.scot.nhs.uk), consultant physician, Geoffrey J Beckett ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... bmj.com/content/326/7384/29...
Serum thyroid stimulating hormone in assessment of severity of tissue hypothyroidism in patients with overt primary thyroid failure: cross sectional survey
BMJ 2003; 326 doi: dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.... (Published 8 February 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;326:311 bmj.com/content/326/7384/311
The TSH Reference Range Wars by Jeffrey Dach MD jeffreydach.com/2011/08/31/...
Why are our hypothyroid patients unhappy? Is tissue hypothyroidism the answer? ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
There are many, many more but this letter from Dr Henry Lindner to the Scottish Parliament says it all... scottish.parliament.uk/S4_P...
Silky x
Well, there goes my afternoon, seriously thanks. All very helpful.
Thanks VG i like to get all the facts and i thought that it might be right the only thing i have in common with the thyroid geek is that we both dont have one anymore.
Same here I have had my thyroid levels checked,rechecked and double checked and they are absolutely fine I like many others don't know why I have fibromyalgia i just do.........A diagnostic test would be a marvel for us kind of like a Eureka moment!xxx
Hello, She33.
My name is Evey. I also go onto the thyroid page, I have not blogged for a while but do read the comments. and I am also of a mind that there is a connection between Hypothyroidism and Fibromyalgia. Six months ago a Rheumatologist told me I had Fibro. What could he give me ? Antidepressants and pain killers, GREAT I've been on them for 20 years! So? Keep taking the tablets, I'll see you in six months.
I saw him again last week, Do you know you have Fibro ? Yes! Fine, Keep taking the tablets. I'll see you in six months and then refer you back to your GP !!! GP sent me to him in the first place, for Expert help !!!
Saw an endo last year, (the most horrible arrogant woman (head of dept.!) I have ever come accross in the NHS) My TSH was NORMAL (surprise, surprise) despite a list of signs and symptoms as long as your arm, despite my mum having had Hashimitos, (she nearly died from being untreated when I was a wee girl) two of her brothers and my brother were underactive and probably my sister (but she is another story). According to her, (endo, not my sister) I DO NOT and WILL NEVER have an underactive thyroid. I had breast cancer 2 1/2 years ago and was off work for six months, back for ten months, was sort of ok. Since having the feet taken from under me with all this endless fatigue and pain and getting worse, I have been off work now for 14 months and about to be Dismissed - due to ill health - on benefits - lost my 24 year marriage - my home etc. etc. ........anyway, it could be worse.
I have read a lot on thyroid//fibro (eg. Dr Skinner and Dr. Lowe and others). To me, it just seems like COMMON SENSE to at least check out the connection as there are so many signs and symptoms that overlap between the two. Unfortunately, nowadays, that seems to have gone out the window and NOBODY will LISTEN to the patient. I am back and forth to as many different hospital departments and consultants, with so many ailments and still NOBODY joint up the dots. With Fibro, there is no blood test, they diagnose you according to signs and symptoms. With Thyroid, they ignore any signs and symptoms and do not waver from the Normal range of the blood result.
I apologise for going on and on, I am feeling very frustrated so I had better not even mention the golden TSH and Levo or I really will go off on one !!!
Wishing you a good nights sleep,
Take Care,
Evey.x
The doctors and specialists are all just concentrating on one thing at a time . When someone like a consultant looks at one particular thing and does tests ect they almost give up. Instead if looking at the hole picture . History , and symptoms NHS are not the best doctors as they don't have the time to really look into things . That's my experience . X
Wonderfully stated Evey, I truly feel for you and feel that this is me. I just wish they would see it, it is all for big pharma and keeping us sick. Wishing you so much help and I hope you get it soon. x
Hi Evey,
Just came across your post, how is things going?
I have graves and after my bloods went into normal range had years of fatigue (docs didn't seem to care, bloods still in range) eventually became fibro.
Since fibro my thyroid has been yoyoing along with a one off bout of suspected autoimmune pancreatitis.
But low an behold went quite hyperactive and my fibro symptoms went, thyroid treated (I refused RAI or TT) and fibro back again, endos explanation, I had more energy! Even after me asking for further investion, explaining my entire history and progress, not interested!
Given up with him, rather go it with my GP what's the point in seeing a specialist who won't treat you!
He also shocked me, I'm a chemistry student in final years, so went into the detail, he said his biochemistry was rusty, not done it since he was a student.... He is meant to be a specialist in hormones.... Which is biochemistry!!
Felt like shouting at him, if you mean I had more cellular energy, ATP, due to more T3 available in my blood for use because my thyroid glad was creating more t4 and more t3 while overworking then you would be spot on gah! But I know he didn't mean that he meant it as a fob off!
I despair sometimes!
Everything in my history points to my fibro being directly related to thyroid hormone problems at a cellular level but no one will help and I can't afford private! It sucks!
thanks Evey i just read some of Dr Lowes stuff (found it doing a serch) and he does sound believable but then so many people with fibro have no thyroid problems. I am sorry you are having such a bad time and that things get better for you.
Hi All.
I don't think there is a direct link between thyroid problems and fibro. I like many others have no problem with my thyroid, in spite of it being checked, rechecked, checked again .... Over a number of years. One GP even started me on thyroid medication - just in case it was a problem but not showing up in the tests! Did nothing for me.
I personally think fibro is often the body's reaction to other things - trauma, other illnesses etc. I believe mine started following a car accident in which I suffered both whiplash and a lumbar disc displacement. But it wasn't immediate, which is why it's not easy to spot. So yours may be linked to a thyroid problem, it doesn't mean that's true for everyone. Just like not everyone who breaks a leg does it in the same way, or the same part of the bone, or heals in the same amount of time! So fibro is triggered by different things, and develops in a different pattern and is helped, or not, by different treatments for different sufferers.
You just need to find what works best for you.
Hi all I've been hypothyroid for 15 yrs now, and I would have to say that there is definately a connection with the thyroid and fibromyalgia . This is why, it's all to do with your endocrine system. Which controls all of your hormonal responses . I now have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis as a result of lazy drs not treating my thyroid properly. So yes some of you are ok thyroid wise, so your dr says but do you know that just coz your dr says your TSH levels are ok that's often rubbish! It's not just about TSH levels. So be persistent if one dr brushes you off find one who will take you seriously. It took me 5 drs in the same surgery until I found one who would listen. I basically sat there and said " so you would go thru life feeling like this then would you"? Living half a life??? You find it's acceptable then? My Dr lolled at me and said " no your right I wouldn't" I was quite assertive but not rude, although I've met some condescending waste of space endocrinologists over the years. I love the look on there faces when I come out with statistics and info they haven't got, very scary. So my advice is be persistent it's your body, your life. Only you know how you feel, get the best medical help you can, after all you deserve it. And no one will ever love you like yourself. Xxxxx
I'm sure that if you DO have thyroid deficiency it's bound to cause your fibro to worsen, as will any other disease, but thyroid deficiency doesn't cause fibro, per se.
I wish it were that simple, then we could all take thyroxine and be perfectly healthy!
It certainly seems true that any illness or operation will cause a worsening of fibro symptoms - that's why this unpredictable and arcane condition causes so much confusion and difficulty with treatment.
Moffy x
This is the trouble with fibro ...no one really knows what causes it some are convinced its because of a thyroid connection as posted here ... I know my levels are fine ... Same as I know my fibro is different to a lot of people's on here I have symptoms , but some one else will not have my chostochondritis , same I as I don't get pins and needles on my feet, someone may have my pins and needles in my hands. But not have my neck spasms... There is no one reason for fibro ... If there was we would be at the cure stage......
And stress Definately doesn't help ...
My last personal thought... If fibro is caused by thyroid levels being wrong and that's all it is... Why is their a forum for people with thyroid problems....... Maybe because like fibro its hard to control......... We should all accept we are ill no matter what our diagnosis and not stress about what other people say caused it.....
VG x
There does seem to be a link between the two, but that doesn't mean thyroid problems cause fibro.I have heard some people say that when their thyroid problems were sorted their fibro was cured. This can only mean a misdiagnosis of fibro in the first place as we all know there is no cure. I know other people who have thyroid problems and are receiving treatment for it but still have fibro. There is a lot of stuff on the thyroid site about fibro, but I don't believe it is backed by any medical evidence.
under or over active thyroid can cause many conditions,it can i guess play a part in Fibro, but I have had mine checked more than once over the past year or two because of other conditions and there is nothing wrong with my thyroid. So at least i can say that isn't the cause of mine.
I think this is why Fibro is such a mystery and why so many still don't believe in it 
When I had an orthopaedic specialist say to me he doesn't know a lot about Fibro but he knows the pain is real. I wasn't there to talk about Fibro but it cropped up as part of my medical history, but when he said that i could have hugged him 
I did thank him for being so understanding. I just wish more were like him. Its horrible when you com across os many in the medical profession who still have never heard about it. If they specialise in something else ok its fine, you don't expect them to know all the details but they could at least be aware of it so that we don't keep getting dismissed xx
I have under active thyroid as a result of having only a tiny bit of my thyroid gland left after surgery for Graves disease. HOWEVER my levels are checked regularly and are always fine.
My GP feels I have Fibro and osteoarthritis or both...I have a fibro for a while we feel which has been undiagnosed as a result of me thinking it was my thyroid playing up (or down).
I feel the symptoms are similar but not connected as I have been underactive over 15 years now and on Thyroxine daily with levels steady and still developed Fibro regardless.
Just my opinion, I may be proved wrong some day when we (if we ever do) find out what causes fibro...
• in reply to
Just to add my GP is very good and my levels are managed very well so if it was as simple as thyroid being underactive causing Fibro I should be fine once I take my thyroxine....?
I have an underactive thyroid too. I started with that before the fibro. Not sure if there is a connection but personally I know of two other people who have both.
Hello Everyone,
My personal opinion is that Fibro could be be a precursor to thyroid problems. I would suggest that the Fibromyalgia causes problems with the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (regulatory part of the body controlling the hormones etc) and therefore affects your thyroid.
It could be very likely people have Fibro before any diagnosis of Hypothyroidism and unaware at the time as they have similar symptoms to Fibro. I personally think that the person who thought they had Fibro then had Thyroxine tablets claiming they felt better after treatment, merely had the symptoms of Hypothyroidism (that are similiar) and not Fibro at all.
I would be interested to read any comments from Lindsey on this subject,
Very interesting post
Emma
i started with fibrositis in my early twenties it was called that then 1982 had terrible pains for years till i went in the nineties too a rhumatoligist who said it was fibromyalgia i have worked all my life with this pain neck shoulders legs hips knees then in early 1999 i was diagnosed with underactive thyriod was told it was in normal range which is up too 4 i was getting worse n worse till they sent me too a specialist who did my tests and it was not normal mine runs at 0 point 5 eased my symtons but fibro just gets worse i have worked forty years in constant pain also got osteoarthuritis which plays havoc as well xx
Hello, my fibro started after my immune system decided to attack my thyroid! Been on Thyroxine for about 15 years.
Had fibro for 15 years and diagnosed with under active thyroid 18 months ago - now if I have ANY new symptom my thyroid levels have to be checked BEFORE anything else has been treated......it drives me insane xx
okay after me asking the question the receptionist at the dr surgery got it wrong it was not a thyroid blood test but a liver blood test so does anyone know what that could be for.
Thyroid issues should be ruled out (or isolated) before a diagnosis of Fibro is made. Does this always happen? No, so some people are mis-diagnosed. Does that mean that Fibro is hypothyroidism? No.
Having said that, having ANY chronic condition seems to increase your risk of having Fibro. This has been especially studied with the rheumatological conditions, such as RA or Lupus, but it also discussed by experts in relation to many conditions, from hypermobility to endometriosis.
Fibro is the end result of what can be a long process in some people. The over-stimulation of the Autonomic Nervous System - that leads to poor response from that system, central sensitisation, disturbed sleep, low levels of available dopamine and from there to the many symptoms of Fibro - can result from any extreme or long-term stimulation of this system (anything that triggers your body's fight-or-flight-type mechanisms). In some people this is linked to a long period of emotional stress, such as an abusive relationship, in others it is linked to compression of the cervical spinal cord, in others it is linked to trauma and in others to a pre-existing condition (even if the Fibro diagnosis came first). If you have a chronic condition, especially one that is uncontrolled, your body is under stress even if you are not aware of it.
Hi, In answer to your question I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid 3 years ago and since then have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. hope this helps.
I have both, not sure if connected.
I had over active thyroid 23yrs ago they put me on tabs, then went under active after approx 6months I have been on different levels of thyroxine ever since, was diagnosed nearly 20yrs ago with fibro which I believe I suffered from a long time before that. I'm having a bad flare but I hope you can all understand, hugs to all x
I have both and am convinced it is one and the same thing. Dr John Lowe was a legend on the research of Fibro and "cured" many many Fibro sufferers using Thyroid hormone T3 replacement and stated that people needed to have a TSH suppressed or under 0.01 to feel better and NDT and T3 was the drug to use not synthetic T4. He himself was Hypo. Lab Ranges of TSH and FT4 in the "normal" range are useless indicators of Hypothyroidism especially if you are in the upper range of TSH.
After years and years of battling I have finally found an Endo who has started me on T3 yesterday. I will keep tabs on how it affects my Fibro and hypo symptoms.
Best of luck to you all. x
The doctors do not even do the right tests do even diagnose Hypothyroidism. Also, some people with Fibromyalgia have normal Thyroid tests,, but their cells do not get the Thyroid Hormone..Thyroid Hormone Resistance.
I too have fibro and I have normal thyroid function but my fibro is definitely related to my thyroid read the info and studies done by Dr John Lowe!
This question/debate goes on and on and shows that there has been little progress over the years. Lots of Fibromyalgia sufferers say their thyroid is normal. HOW DO YOU KNOW? The tests used cannot test the level in your cells! So you do not know if you have adequate thyroxine in your cells! You may have adequate/normal levels in your blood, great, but it needs to get into the cells.
Perhaps a biopsy test could be developed? I'll be long gone by then, ha ha!
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