RA and feeling the cold

[Gretchy]

I really seem to feel the cold these days especially since I started the methotrexate. My family keep laughing because I'm sometimes wrapped in two jumpers and a duvet. I usually feel like I can't get warm particularly a couple of days after taking the methotrexate but don't know whether it's just my imagination

[trish1957]

Hi I feel exactly the same. ive got the heating on already and still feel cold.

[Downtime]

Strange. I always feel hot and sweaty! Maybe my age.

[Jollygoodglyn]

I celebrated 1st June in Edinburgh two years ago by buying a new pair of gloves. I was wearing them again this year well into mid June.

[AgedCrone]

I'm sure everyone will laugh at my reply......but as soon as it gets cold I put my ski thermals under my trousers .......even really slim legged ones as they are very lightweight .......& I'm as warm as toast!

Stop laughing.....they are not the old fashioned 'Long Johns' they are fabulous bright colours these days & they cheer you up no end!

[Em13]

Are you sure you don't have anything else causing the sensitivity to cold?

I lost a lot of weight, along with menstrual problems, when I started on Plaquenil and really felt the cold. I was so worried I asked my GP to check whether I was anaemic and if my thyroid was ok. She ordered the tests, but ignored the results (one of which was in the anaemic range) because I was "peri-menopausal".

So I wear long sleeved thermal tops and long janes under my clothes during the day and have an electric blanket and two high tog duvets on my bed at night and keep warm that way!

[Joy_1]

Hi Gretchy,

Perhaps you have already gone down this road, but I would get a blood test to see if you have an under active thyroid.

If you do no worries, you just pop a tiny pill and unlike all our RA meds it won't bring on side effects.

[Gretchy]

Funny you should mention that as the first thing the consultant did when I was diagnosed was test for an underactive thyroid as she said the two often go together. I've just had it repeated but no, all my bloods are fine except the anti ccp of course.

[Simba1992]

I suffered a long time, just as you and I was not on any RA meds. It turned out that I was anemic and had problems with my thyroids. Having done some research found out that this is very common in RA. Started taking natural liquide iron and lugano iodine drops dayly fixed my problem. Perhaps it would be an idea to take a thyroid panel?

[Joy_1]

15 years ago I went to the doc complaining of feeling cold all the time. He said there was nothing wrong with me and that my bloods were fine. Then I began to suffer from fatigue as well but again he said there was nothing wrong with me. So I swapped to another doc in the practice and she ran the bloods again.

She said my bloods were fine but that in fact I may be 'borderline' and more sensitive when it comes to having an under active thyroid. She said lets see if the lowest dose of Thyroxine does the trick - you will see a difference in 48hrs if that is the case she said. And yes in 48 hrs I went back to normal.

10 years later I got RA and as you say they are linked.

[Simba1992 in reply to Joy_1]

RA and thyroid problems are often linked. There was a recent Harward studiy that showed in fact that thyroid dysfunction can be misdiagnosed as RA as the symptoms seem to resamble one another. In this case the right treatment would ofcourse be to treat the thyroid dysfunction primarily. Normal thyroid test seem to also be too superficial to always be able to pick up on this culprit. Perhaps something newly diagnosed RA patients should insist be assessed before starting RA medication.

[melissa6140]

I get cold easily also but i also have hot flashes every now and then. I can't turn up the heat at home cause everyone else can't take it. A lot of times I ask if they are hot or cold cause I am never sure what it really feels like anymore. But I work part time pressing shirts at a dry cleaners which is really hot, so sometimes I can't wait to go to work and be warm. Even when it is 25 outside I can wear a t-shirt and sweat in there.