Pulsing crawling sensations in legs and arms - Thyroid UK

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Pulsing crawling sensations in legs and arms

Neijam profile image
19 Replies

Does anyone else suffer from pulsing crawling sensations in arms and legs when lying down ,i have hypo due to partial thyroidectomy,i am waiting on bloods coming back from docs as the lab lost my last ones ,i was diagnossed with m.e 4 yrs ago which I now think has been wrong all along ,i think the symptoms have all been to do with my thyroid,i am glad I have found this site to which I will gather all the info .I have been so naive listening to n.h.s endo

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Neijam profile image
Neijam
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19 Replies
Sue777 profile image
Sue777

Do these sensations happen in the evenings and at night? If so it could be restless leg syndrome which can also affect the arms. I have suffered with this for many years. There is a Restless Legs syndrome site on Healthunlocked which you can check. It is also a symptom if hypothyroidism.

Neijam profile image
Neijam

Thanks sue777,it happens all the time ,i wasnt sure if it is a symptom of hypo or not

Tweetypie28 profile image
Tweetypie28

Hiya

I'm not sure if I get the same as you but before I was diagnosed, I used to get a "bubbling" feeling in my leg. I used to think it was the blood bubbling through the vein, it used to really panic me!

Since being diagnosed and taking Levo, I can't remember when I last had this feeling however the other night, I had a bubbling feelin in my arm, which when it heightened I realised was a muscle twitching.

I wonder if it's the same feeling you are getting?

Bubbles2014 profile image
Bubbles2014 in reply to Tweetypie28

What was your diagnosis, and what is Levo? Thanks!

rubyred profile image
rubyred

Hi I also think this sounds like restless leg syndrome I have it pretty bad and not just athe evening but all day long it comes and it goes mine is triggerd by any tweek to mess or over tired the sensation is different in everyone mine feels like water running down the rear right side of my body and it affects my right leg and right hand. Mine first started within three months of RAI. Do have a good read up on it and I do so hope that you feel some release from the discomfort soon. It may take time but when you get a bit more stable it should help. Xx

p1d2n3m4 profile image
p1d2n3m4

I get this as well as in head.i have cfs/me.My cortisol levels high all time -adrenal stress test.Waiting for apt wth endocrine.no sleep day or night.Say it is do with sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system.

jenbob38 profile image
jenbob38 in reply to p1d2n3m4

How did you get on? It's a while ago now but have a read on how to activate parasympathetic nervous system. Some very simple techniques. Also look into reasons for anxiety, counselling may help.

BillieSt profile image
BillieSt

Restless Legs Syndrome is truly awful. It's worth considering taking a magnesium supplement, I know we shouldn't believe everyone we read on the interweb! but it is apparently true that when our magnesium levels drop, we are susceptable to amongst other things, restless legs syndrome. Women are, apparently, more prone to magnesium deficiency.

getrobene profile image
getrobene in reply to BillieSt

+1 Magnesium - iherb.com/pr/21st-century-m... It really works. P.S. 5% discount coupon code: AID8235

kiltis profile image
kiltis

I've had this in the past when my cortisol has been high and I have it again now when my cortisol is high morning and evening and low late afternoon (I had it tested recently). I'm also deficient in magnesium but for me this sensation is directly connected to cortisol levels.

kiltis profile image
kiltis

Sadly my experience is that GP's know nothing about cortisol and it's effect on the body and mind.

I'm not convinced endo's do either. The endo I met said that cortisol should be at its highest at midnight..

Good grief.

serenfach profile image
serenfach

My legs really get going when I go to bed. Its as if an army of ants is crawling up and down my bones. This attracts the pin fairy who comes and sticks pins at random all over my body (I think there may be more than one, or she can fly very quickly!). My legs do the tango (it could be the Charlston, I am not up on these things!) by themselves. The duvet gets tangled at this point, but does not smother the ants or the fairy, so I get up and wander around, then try again. This generally goes on until about 4 in the morning until I am so exhaused that I sleep through the next attack. I have not found anything to help. The GP and Endo refused to test for anything, let alone Cortisol.

djjmswartz profile image
djjmswartz in reply to serenfach

I just happened to have some hydrocodone from another pain problem so I took that and wala, the leg sensations went away and I fell fast asleep. I checked with my doctor and told him I really only need 1/2 tablet for this to happen so he wrote me a script for 1/2 tab. at bedtime, 15 tabs a month. No concern for addiction with that small amount. Don't know how I'd manage without it. Hope this helps you too.

lucindajethol profile image
lucindajethol

Having read a few reports lately, I would say that ME could quite easily get wrongly diagnosed for thyroid problems especially as some thyroid sufferers seem to suffer with depression too. Still no excuse for wrong diagnosis as all avenues should be pursued before making such a diagnosis as ME. Do you get pains and cramps in your legs and arms at night only, or maybe suffer from numbness if you lie on your arm for any length of time ie dead arm. Yes these symptoms could also be described as pulsing, crawling sensations and I am no doctor but they do sound like Thyroid problems to me.

Neijam profile image
Neijam in reply to lucindajethol

I get them all the time morning noon and night ,i got a cortisol test by endo and he said all was fine ,but he was as useful as a poke in the eye , having read a few things I found out that the tests where they give u a jag then test ur blood 30 mins later are unrealiable anyway ,that the best test is the 24 hr salyvia test

1704 profile image
1704

I have had a sensation in my legs while at rest at night for about 25 years. It feels like millions of ants crawling in the muscles of my legs. It has recently started in in my arms as well. It is restless leg syndrome. Fortunately, there is now medication for it that works well and does need to be prescribed.

dannipanda profile image
dannipanda in reply to 1704

What is the medication?

Shalee profile image
Shalee

Hi Restless leg is where your legs are restless, it runs in my family on my mom's side. It's not a bubbly feeling like it's in your veins. It's restless feeling and makes you want to move them and try to shake it off, there are times you want to cut them off too. Anyways after years if suffering this girl told me to eat a tablespoon of mustard straight up. Next time I got it, I are a TB spoon of mustard. With in 10 minutes it was gone. Your not going to believe it till you take it. It's the real cure with out meds, and works GREAT. Me, my mom and sister do this when we get it, and I swear it works! I'm glad I found this sight , and hope you all pass this on!

Shalee profile image
Shalee

And if your getting a bubbly vibration in your body are legs ,you might want to get checked for M.S.

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