Bursitis and Tendonitis in hips, knees, shoulders and ankles

[Noona123]

I saw a Rhumetologist yesterday for ongoing pains which got worse when I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 10 months ago. He is referring me for an ultrasound to check it's bursitis/ tendonitis and they will inject steroids into it (shoulders first) if it is. Has anyone else had this combination of under active thyroid and it affecting the joints? The Rhuemey said I'd have to wait months probably for this procedure. Is there stuff I do in the meantime to alleviate the pain?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Did you mean to post here? This is the PMRGCA forum, not the thyroid one and as far as I can see from your profile, you don't have PMR? It doesn't matter but few of us have thyroid problems.

The best way to deal with the inflammation is to manage the underlying disease properly - your thyroid disorder. There are exercises online what may help some of the areas and icing sometimes helps. Just google bursitis or tendinitis and the appropriate body part.

[tempusfugi in reply to PMRpro]

Just as a matter of interest, PMRpro, I have been treated for an underactive thyroid for nigh on 30 years (27 to be precise). The dosage has varied over the years and right now I'm on 150 mcg/daily. I thought for some time that my thyroid is hardly working. It wasn't until I found this site that I realised that an underactive thyroid is an autoimmune disease! I haven't exactly researched it over the years.

Apparently, I have an atypical case of PMR. Is my underactive thyroid the underlying disease that contributes to the fact that I am atypical do you think? It makes sense if it does. It's just that no one in the medical profession has suggested this to me. Perhaps they don't think it necessary🤔

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tempusfugi]

Underactive thyroid is one of the rule-outs listed for PMR. But in addition to that, there are some rheumies who have noted that treating even patients with no history of thyroid problems as if they were hypothyroid gets a better QOL for them. Same applies for chronic fatigue patients I'm told.

[tempusfugi in reply to PMRpro]

That's useful, thanks PMRpro. When I originally had a PET scan, not long after starting on the PMR journey, I remember the Registrar at my hospital showing me the result on screen. He pointed to inflammation showing up where the thyroid is situated and simply said something like 'that's presumably your underactiven thyroid'. Nothing more. Looking into it further, I am beginning to wonder now about Hashimoto's disease. Something more to get my head around. Thanks again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tempusfugi]

Having one autoimmune condition predisposes you to developing another (or even more!) and I do wonder if even very slight effects all added up just leave us feeling more rubbish although they don't necessarily register on the doctors' radar.

My daughter has Hasimotos and is currently trying LDN and said she thinks it is helping. She also said there are a lot of PMR patients reporting it improves their symptoms. I don't really care what it does - but to be rid of the fatigue alone would be a major gain.

[tempusfugi in reply to PMRpro]

More useful info, which I can look into. I certainly didn't respond well to 15mg of Pred at the start, so there are probably complications with me generally, I think, especially since I'm on Phenytoin too!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tempusfugi]

15mg really is the bottom end of the range of starting doses - whatever the doctors scared of pred think.

[Pixix]

I too, think you’re on the wrong forum, but I’ve got trochanteric buritis & had a depo medrone injection to help two weeks ago…& it’s helped a lot! Before I withstood six months of very bad pain, tried tranadol, but it didn’t help & I can’t take ibuprofen or similar. Suggest you see your doctor for pain relief!!

[Noona123]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Yes I should have put my query in the Thyroid forum - I have been investigated for PMR but my ESR and CRP weren't high enough so my pains are still a bit of a mystery - maybe related to hypothyroidism. Thanks again for responding everyone.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Noona123]

Normal range ESR or CRP does NOT rule out PMR. Up to about 1 in 5 patients have markers that are still within normal range although they may be raised FOR THEM. The range is not a range that applies to each individual, it is the range of levels found in 95% of a large population of apparently healthy persons. 5% lie outside that range - half above, half below. Hypothyroidism can cause similar pains - but your normal markers do not rule out PMR. If your symptoms look like PMR, it may well BE PMR.