Painkillers ?

[henrythewasp]

I am am Hypothyroid and have all the usual aches and pains to go with it perticularly back pain.I have asked my doctor for painkillers and he told me to use Paracetimol,Asprin and general over the counter medicine but i find they don't help.Can anyone please advise me of anything he can prescribe so i can go to him and suggest it to him.

[shaws Administrator]

If you have aches and pains, it suggests to me you are not on enough hypothyroid meds. If you have had a recent blood test, get a copy of them with the ranges and post for members to comment. Your GP may think if you within 'normal' range pains aches are due to something else, whereas it may be undermedication. If you've not had a current test, ask for a new one plus Vitamin B12, iron, ferritin and folate and Vit D. The two vitamins are usually low in hypo and can cause problems in themselves.

[henrythewasp in reply to shaws]

Shaws i am currently on 125 mcg Levothyroxine.My last blood test was the 4 of Feb where i was given a 25mcg increase. to the above dose,readings were...

Serum free T4 level (XaERr).....17 pmol/ L (9.0-25.0)

Serum TSH level (XaELV) above range 5.6 miu/L (0.3-5.0)-Outside reference range.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to henrythewasp]

You should be having another test six weeks after the increase, and I agree that a vit d test would be helpful. D deficiency can make you very achy.

[henrythewasp in reply to puncturedbicycle]

I have had this argument with my practice puncturedbicyle but they will only send me for tests every 3 months.

[shaws Administrator in reply to henrythewasp]

Henry I am not medically qualified but even I can see you needed more meds. a TSH of 5.6 is awful especially after being on levo for about 9 months! No wonder you feel terrible. Normally, when they increase the dose a blood test is done after 6 weeks and increased as necessary. I am flummoxed at times. The blood tests are guidelines only (they appear not to know this) and the clinical symptoms should have enough medication for patients to feel well. With the rise of 25mcg maybe your TSH will come down but the main question is "will it make you feel better with pains/aches diminished". After 5 weeks make another appointment and ask for an increase of 25mcg if you are still having problems and the GP wont do a blood test. We can give you a copy of a Pulse article in which it tells the GP what level to aim for on levo. Again this doesn't mean you will feel better but it must surely improve your condition.

Also make sure you get the same levothyroxine each time, so that you may ask your pharmacist for a different one if not improving. Sometimes just a changeover works. For me, it was Eltroxin but they have had problems in supply recently with this (I cannot understand why as Mercury Pharma insist it is the same as their generic levo) although people have complained that they don't feel well on generic.

[Hidden]

I find what works best for my aches and pains is something containing codeine.co Codamol and the like. Because they now think everyone gonna get hooked on codeine you can only get tablets OTC with small amount added, but it's usually enough to make a difference.maybe that would help if you haven't tried it yet.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

The above definitely don't suit me. My husband was prescribed co-codamol and was extremely dizzy and quite unwell. GP changed to an alternative.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Too true Shaws....my GP gave me codeine when I had a gallstone attack and it promptly constipated me.

Also I have come off Mercury Pharma 12 days ago and have to say.....I went out this morning and there is definitely a slight improvement in my walking .....early days yet but I'm hopeful.I certainly don't want to see anymore MP.

[scatterbrain]

Just for information, over the counter co-codamol is very low dose (8/500 ), you can get a higher strength on prescription (30/500), I know it doesn't suit you but it might be helpful for others.

I use higher strength Tramadol alongside ibuprofen and paracetamol where necessary (all under prescription and the regime worked out by the pain clinic) but doctors can be reluctant to give out tramadol as it is a very strong opiate and addictive. I was prescribed it for severe joint hypermobility syndrome following a car accident after co-codamol stopped working.

[Hidden]

Please don't go to painkillers as a way of coping with your thyroidism. Prescription painkillers are so so bad for you, as well as being habit forming. A small 'good' for the doctor for not prescribing them for you. A big 'bad' for the doctor for not investigating why you are in so much pain. Best way forward is to insist doc reviews your treatment. Have you tried a timiny chiropractor or osteopath for the back pain?

[henrythewasp in reply to Hidden]

Hi Humphry i was examined before i was diagnosed with hypothyroidism for back pain and sent for pysio that left me feeling a lot worse and i couldnt complete the 6 week course.I kept complaining about the way it was giving me more back pain but i was just ignored and still seem to be as far as my back problem goes.I have not been to see anyone else as funds stops me.

[Hidden in reply to henrythewasp]

Yes - that (making things worse) is a problem with the private as well as the NHS sector. They all think they KNOW, don't they? the old 'first do no harm' thing has completely gone now. It says in the training manual that it must be done THIS way - and that's they way they do it, no matter what the patient says. There was a petition on this site very recently that was about this very thing (not directly connected to thyroidism). Sympathies on your plight.

What does the doc say is wrong with your back?

[henrythewasp in reply to Hidden]

Hi Humphrey,The Doctors have never told me whats up with my back,i saw yet again a different doctor at my surgery today and sorry to say i got a little angry as i was told that this has gone on long enough and i need to get back to work as it gets harder esp at my age,what a cheek,i am only 49.I was told to take paracetimol so i will try them and see how i get on (isn't continuous use dangerous?) but i just felt like the doctor was one of those that knows nothing about thyroid problems.

[Hidden in reply to henrythewasp]

Doesn't sound as if doc knows anything about back pain or thyroidism. Sandy's reply below sounds apposite. It is bang out of order to tell you to take paracetamol and not give a diagnosis. This is how they treat back pain (they did it to me too years ago). It is as bad as the way they treat thyroidism. Hopefully your back pain IS connected to your thyroidism and will ease when you get a proper dose of thyroid meds inside you. My doc won't give me even a tiny tranquillizer to get me to the dentist - but painkillers? Dishes 'em out like sweets. These people don't seem interested in their patients getting well.

Have they x-rayed your back?

[henrythewasp in reply to Hidden]

No x-ray Humphrey,nothing whatsoever apart from shirt off,prod my back,told can't find anything and sent for physio and the latest one....Take Paracetimol.

[Hidden in reply to henrythewasp]

that seems very strange. Although when I finally wheedled an x-ray out of my doc the receptionist (those medically qualified givers of results ...) said it was 'normal'. I became voluble and high-pitched, but it did no good.

Could you scrape up £35 for a trip to a good osteopath? One such should at least be able to tell you what ails you. And hopefully what you can do to help yourself. They are specialists in their field (unlike GPs) and if you tell an osteo what the physio made you do which was so painful I suspect that would be a good clue.

Good luck!

[mumcat2]

I'm like several people here, in that I have other conditions beside hypothyroid ism that cause intense pain if untreated. I take 8 Tramadol and the same number of solpadol(Co-codamol 500 paracetamol,30 codeine)every day - hypermobility and disc prolapses and osteoporosis being the main culprits. I'm also allowed aspirin and ibuprofen for bad days.

The main thing with any painkillers is that they generally make people drowsy; I have absolutely atypical responses, as they make me hyperactive so I usually have to stop taking any pain relief after 5p.m.then set my alarm to take a double dose about 6 a.m. so I don't wake up in pain! Good luck and I really hope you get sorted out soon.