Thyroxin & bursitis

[Ihb3goto]

A few moths ago my doctor retired. He had prescribed 200mcg of thyroxin daily over the past twenty five years. Over the past few months that dose has been reduced to 125mcg. daily by my new doctor. At the same time, I have developed bursitis. Could there be a connection?

[doris59]

I think there is a link. Before my diagnosis of hypo and before I started levothyroxine I had terrible trochanteric busitis. I couldn't sleep on my side as the pains in the hip area at the top of my legs was torture. I still get bouts of this when my thyroid TSH is not quite right. Dee

[shaws Administrator]

Doctors should never, ever reduce your meds, particularly if you've been on the same dose for years.

Go back and insist he puts you up to the dose you were on. He will try to explain that he goes by the TSH, and that's the problem. TSH is from the pituitary gland and why most of the patients who are treated thus, very rarely get well because they aren't given sufficient hormones for their needs.

If he asks you to get a new blood test, make the earliest appointment, abstain from levo for approx 24 hours before the test and fast also although you can drink water. Insist he tests also your FT3 as it is important that we have sufficient T3 to get into our receptor cells. T4 is only good if it converts to a sufficient amount of T3 and we feel well.

Unfortunately, the 'modern' method of treating is to only look at the blood tests and that's usually just T4 and TSH and ignores the T3 and the clinical symptoms which I find surprising as it is the Active hormone and if we don't have sufficient?

This is a link and the first two questions in particular may interest you.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Ihb3goto in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your helpful post.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Ihb3goto.

Do you have recent thyroid levels with ranges you can post? Members will advise whether you are optimally medicated.

Undermedication can cause muscloskeletal pain so it doesn't seem unreasonable to make a connection between reducing your dose and exacerbation of bursitis pain.

A Google search threw up links connecting Bursitis with Levothyroxine, not specifically undermedication. One link said bursitis may develop with hyperthyroidism and improve when hyperthyroidism is treated.

[Margo]

Yes most definitely connected Ihb3goto. I suffered excruciating hip pain, had 4 lots of steroid injections in both hips to no avail. I eventually started taking Nutri Adrenal Extra and started to get better generally, (can't remember now if I upped my thyroid meds' as well). The pain left me and never came back, and that was 2 years ago.

[shond2015]

Hello. You don't mention how you were feeling during the years you were taking the 2oo mcg daily? And since taking the lower dose of 125 mcg what has been the difference (apart from the development of bursitis? )with taking the lower dose of 125 mcg. I am completely inexperienced with this but thought that those with more knowledge may find the above useful when trying to help you. best wishes, Shond

[Hidden in reply to shond2015]

presumably each dose reduction has been accompanied by a panel of blood tests? Can you post those, with ranges, for a full picture of what may be going on.

But yes - if all that's changed is that they've cut your meds for some reason, common sense indicates that is what's responsible.

I don't know when they took out the first principle of a doctor's code "first do no harm" as being no longer necessary - but it does appear to have gone ...

[Ihb3goto in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I do not have any figures. I will try to get them and send them on.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Ihb3goto]

If in the UK just ask the receptionist for a print-out/copy.Make sure they have the ranges (figures in brackets) as labs differ in their machines. The receptionist may want to check with GP first but say you will request copies after each blood test for your own records. (you can post then if you have any queries in future).

[Ihb3goto in reply to shond2015]

Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

[faith63]

Yes!!! Looks like they are going by a TSH reading..horrible!