Overactive thyroid diagnosis following blood test for vit B12 and folate deficiency prompted by tingling symptoms.

[waltztherapy]

Whatever next?! I'm currently at 5 mg prednisolone slow tapering, and this latest diagnosis seems to be another reason for the periods of intense fatigue! and I was blaming the steroids! Is it both? I will talk to a clinician on 6th August (if I'm not lucky enough to get an earlier appointment). Is this yet another condition provoked by steroid medication? NHS Google says yes. So, treatment. - thyroid medication and/or steroid adjustment? I'd be so grateful, as always, to read of other's experiences in this area. Will be talking to GP as soon as I can get an appointment, of course. This wonderful forum is so supportive, how lucky are we.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

" NHS Google says yes"

In certain cases, higher doses of some steroids suppress the production of TSH in the short term - but more likely is that you may have developed another autoimmune disorder which is a very common event.

[waltztherapy in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks.

Is this common event related to PMR?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to waltztherapy]

No, just to autoimmune disorders in general. Once the immune system is deranged it is easily sent off in another direction. In fact, I don't view autoimmune disease as something you can always categorise into boxes - and the introduction of the diagnoses undifferentiated and mixed connective tissue disease seems to acknowledge that. Now they are considering PMR/LVV/GCA as a spectrum of disorders rather than three different things.

[waltztherapy in reply to PMRpro]

This is my feeling too. I looked up, LVV, large vessel vasculitis. I blame the steroids, that we can't do without until we're ready, for the damaging side effects. They have accelerated cataract development, raised my BP and cholesterol levels. Cholesterol has come down without medication thankfully. Diet adjustment and tapering, slowly, have helped. I'm hoping for similar benefits re newly suspected thyroid issue, type still yet to be determined.Thanks so much for your input and everone else's.

[Sandmason]

I have a gene, as many people do, that makes folic acid difficult to use. MTHFR. I have never been tested for folate but I did start taking a multivitamin with methyl folate instead of folic acid. Just in case. Methyl Multi from Amazon. Four a day and they are large so I don't really take that many.