I have bi-lateral knee implants, both at same time, One knee is causing trouble now.
Researching causes etc., I came across something I have not seen anywhere on hypothyroid websites. (not saying it isn't there).
DEGENERATION OF IMPLANTS CAN CAUSE HYPOTHYROIDISM. METALLOSIS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.
Abrasion of the moving surfaces releases small particles of cobalt, chromium and other metals. One site I found said this can result in poor uptake of iodine.
Doees anyone on this site have experience of this? Is Thyroid U.K. aware? It appears it is quite rare.
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siskin
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All I know is that some heavy metals are toxic in the body and can cause various symptoms. From memory I think chromium is one of them. Other bad ones are nickel and mercury.
Hopefully others on this forum will be able to direct you to more information.
It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation in my opinion. Does the under-active thyroid mean the body is worse at removing toxins? OR do the toxins 'upset' the thyroid?
Some other issues include amalgam fillings and metal orthodontics.
Remember some people can't wear some metal jewellery due to allergic reactions on the skin, so it's no surprise that metals inside the body can have detrimental affects.
I'd be interested in the website address too. I have a metal-on-metal resurfaced hip. Some of these have caused controversy by contaminating the bloodstream with chromium and cobalt. I have a toxic element burden which de-toxing is gradually reducing, but my Chromium and Cobalt levels are OK. I'd be interested to read about the connection because my hypothyroiditis became obvious about 18 months after my resurfacing.
I had two rounds of back surgery after an accident, and have some metal (presumably titanium?) in fixtures that were used to stabilise the breaks.
I can't say where, but I have seen material posted before regarding at least localised i think inlammatory type responses to metal inserts. Which probably is a minimised version of the story, in that in the body there is no such thing as 'localised'.
Mercury for sure is consistently rated as bad news. For thyroid function (it messes with conversion and use among other stuff), lots of other organs and systems, and the nervous system including especially the brain.
There's even reason to think that the use of dental mercury is one of the major causes of the escalating rates of hypothyroidism and metabolic illness seen in our societies.
Thanks for info Ian, when I was at school in the 40's and 50's we frequently played with mercury from broken thermometers, and chased the little beads around the lab benches. trying to stop them rolling on to the floor.
My amalgam fillings are gradually being replaced with ceramics if problems occur.
I have a hip replacement that had to be redone because it was that notorious American metal-on-metal one and metal ions were leaking into my blood! Now I have a ceramic joint instead. My hypothyroidism developed after I had a neck op - three vertebrae were fused because ruptured discs were pressing on my spinal nerves - I suspect the poor thyroid gland suffered trauma being shoved out of the way during the op. I also now have titanium rods straightening my spine, from T10 to my pelvis, but this hasn't worsened my thyroxine level. My husband tells people I'm a bionic woman!
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