Aching legs

[teenarocks]

Has anyone connected aching legs to taking T4. I was on synthroid, now on NDT and have aching legs on both. Has anyone gotten relief from this on T3 alone?

[shaws Administrator]

The only time I had aching, stiffness and pain was on levothyroxine. The addition of T3 to T4 helped. Sometimes it is the fillers/binders in the medication which may cause problems or not at an optimum in medication. I tried about 4 NDTs all of which improved my health but only one made me feel better. So sometimes we have to try a few.

I am good on T3 only (if fillers/binders don't cause a problem) or Naturethroid which is hypoallergenic.

[teenarocks in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your reply. I am taking WP Thyroid by Nature-Thoid. It's supposed to be hypoallergenic. So I don't think it's the fillers. The aches in my legs are actually more painful now than they were on Synthroid which is very disappointing. I'm thinking of asking for a trial of T3 alone but will have to wait until April when I have an appointment with a functional medicine M.D. I'm almost sure my current endo would not go for it.

[shaws Administrator in reply to teenarocks]

Maybe you're not on sufficient WP yet, as before the blood tests the patients increased gradually until symptoms went. The patient regulated their dose themselves.

How long have you been taking WP and have you had a recent blood test since you've been on it?

[teenarocks in reply to shaws]

I've been on WP for 3 months. On 1 1/4 grains last bloods on 12/ 9/14 were TSH .97 (.40-4.5)

T4 .8 (.8-1.8)

T3 2.7 ( 2.3-4.2)

So I increased to 1 1/2 on four days a week. Will have new bloods drawn next week. Most of my symptoms have abated. Only the pains in the legs remain as far as I can tell.

[shaws Administrator in reply to teenarocks]

As the blood tests were introduced for the use of levothyroxine, when we take T3 alone or NDT, our blood tests wont be comparable with taking T4. So the best way is how we feel on a particular dose.

So, as I understand it you have been on 1 1/4 dose of WP for 3 months since 12/ 9/14 up until 4 days ago when you increased by 1/4? This is some advice which may be helpful:

Extract.

STICKING WITH TOO LOW A DOSE. For a myriad of reasons, this happens often for those on NDT or even T3-only and will make you feel even more hypo due to feedback loop suppression. Have one of these been true of you?

a) being held on a starting dose longer than two weeks (such as one grain, 1 1/2 grains or less)

b) being bound by the directives of a TSH-obsessed doctor. The TSH lab test only keeps you sick.

c) failing to get a raise of desiccated thyroid until the “next labwork”, which can be weeks and months away

d) following an inaccurate Synthroid-to-Armour type conversion equivalence chart.

e) being afraid to go higher!

stopthethyroidmadness.com/m...

I wouldn't have another blood test just yet as you have only been on an increased dose for 4 days.

[teenarocks in reply to shaws]

I've been on the increased dose for a month. One month ago I increased to 1 1/2 grains on four days a week and remained on 1 1/4 grains three days a week for the past month. I have been increasing slowly against doctors advice for the past three months.

[shaws Administrator in reply to teenarocks]

If we take too much thyroid hormones we feel overstimulated, and don't like the feeling i.e. it could be very hot, fast pulse etc etc. When on sufficient for us we should, theoretically, feel well.

[eeng]

How is your Vitamin D level? random aches and pains can be due to low levels. Most people with underactive thyroids have low Vitamin D unless they supplement. My GP says we should all take Vit D in the winter.