Is this Raynaud's?

[Blossom234]

Hi there, I'm a hypothyroid sufferer and on 50mcg of T4 per day.

On Saturday it was raining very hard and my partner and I went into town. I thought because it had been spitting rain on and off I would be ok. For some reason I started to get very irritable and confused when we'd been out in the rain for about five minutes. I also started to shiver quite badly, which is weird as it wasn't cold that day. So we got into the warm and I seemed to go back to normal. I know my temperature's always been very low - it's not as low as it has been, where it's been at 34c, and I've started my increased dose of T4 on that Saturday as directed by my doctor so I'm not sure what's going on or if it's anything at all! I've been tracking my temperature since the 5th June and it's fluctuated like mad, ranging from 35.2c to 36.1c! Could this be some sort of hypothermia and should my doctor know about this? Whenever I go for a check-up to a walk-in centre or surgery they use an ear thermometer and before coming in to see anyone I'd been walking so no wonder my temperature would've been in the more normal ranges! At present I use a normal mouth thermometer but take readings in my underarm first thing in the morning.

Also I had a shower yesterday (I like my hot showers!) and as soon as I got in and turned it up to the temperature I like and my fingers turned white. I know that with Raynaud's fingers and toes technically go white in the cold which was what threw me. Is this still Raynaud's? I

Thanks for any help xx

[ChemicalAngel]

All I know is my sis-in-law has been tested for raynards as she always has cold hands and feet. It came back negative. To us she is underweight , obsessed with weight, as if you are underweight your body goes into survival mode and concentrates on preserving the blood supply to the heart, lungs and brain so you get cold hands etc as the blood isn't getting there properly.

Your thermometer under the arm is not accurate as it is measuring skin temp and not body core.

Ann xx

[Blossom234 in reply to ChemicalAngel]

Hi Ann thanks for your response. I've noticed from a question you asked you're also monitoring body core temperature? Do you use a normal thermometer or did you manage to get an ear thermometer?

Thanks xx

[ChemicalAngel in reply to Blossom234]

I am struggling to find an ear thermometer that I can afford! But yes, I am checking core temperature orally and it is lower than I used to be.

Ann xx

[Blossom234 in reply to ChemicalAngel]

Thanks Ann.

Yes, before switching to underarm temperature tracking my oral temperature has always been low so I'll think I might stick to that. Not sure about ear thermometers, I know my doctors use them so they must be pretty good. Checked vaginal temperature too and that was also low, but that's just been today's measurement.

Hope you find an ear thermometer soon -- I'm sure you will!! Good luck!

xx

[roslin]

Hi blossom

You can get Raynaud's with temp changes and even vibration and prolonged pressure. roslinxx

[Blossom234 in reply to roslin]

Hi there roslin thanks for your answer.

Yes, I usually get raynaud's with temp changes. I don't remember using prolonged pressure or vibration, but I'll have to keep thinking about what I've been using or doing that could cause pressure or vibration.

Thanks!! xx

[sarahstevenson]

Hi Blossom - I used to get symptoms similar to these especially the confusion and shivering and now seem much better with adrenal support in the form of Nutri Adrenal or Nutri Adrenal Extra. I am also better off Levo and on T3 only. The symptoms can return if I'm very very physically stressed as with disturbed sleep etc.

My son was told by GP (not tested) that he has Raynauds and is also doing better with Adrenal support and a teaspoon of salt in water for breakfast.

Good luck

[Blossom234 in reply to sarahstevenson]

Hi there Sarah, thanks for your answer.

Funny you should say that about adrenal support. Apologies if I've got this wrong, but are you suffering from adrenal fatigue? I've had mood swings - at times being very keyed up for around half an hour or more and then getting angry or sad. Even when I'm out on my own or with my boyfriend I would get racing thoughts and everyone else around me seems to be rushing by. It sounds strange I know, but I hope I'm not going mad! It's weird how I'm flitting from one mood to another and I'm not sure if it's from taking the T4 (I started on a dose of 25mcg for two weeks and I'm now on a dose of 50mcg for another two weeks as directed by my doctor) or the hypo is getting worse.

You've hit the nail on the head about symptoms getting worse with disturbed sleep. I tend to wake up early in the morning but even if I do sleep through the entire night I wake up very unrefreshed. If it's anything adrenal related I could ask my doctor about this.

Take care and thanks xx

[sarahstevenson]

Hi Blossom - yes I have adrenal fatigue not helped by having had a kidney removed many years ago, so may have one adrenal gland too. I understand that widely fluctuating temps can be due to adrenal fatigue and that low temperatures are the hypo factor.

Mood swings and anxiety were, for me, worse on T4, but at the time I now know my ferritin was alarmingly low i.e.5 so well worth checking that one before blaming the T4. Also bizarrely the GP began me on 100mcg due to antibodies TpO of 600+ . This dose made me profoundly ill, but GP insisted I needed it and then endo dropped to 75 then 50 after which Dr Peatfield and I decided to drop altogether and start again with the adrenal support.

Nutri Thyroid helped a bit but I always seem to plateau at a level below which I feel worn out and which makes me hyper if I increase. T3 has been better.

I think if your adrenals are low then you are very likely to have conversion problems. NHS offer synacthen test which didnt show outside range so they say adrenals are fine. I had private 24 hour saliva tests done which have shown improvement on NA to an OK early morning to below level from about 11am.

I self medicate for adrenals and am trying to work with NHS for T3.

Hope you can find some helpful answers

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