Carotenemia?

[infomaniac]

I have noticed for a while now that my knuckles are a yellowy colour and sitting outside in daylight today it was particularly noticeable. I have just done a bit of googling and found that it may be Carotenemia. Does anyone else have this? It is to do with not processing Vit A efficiently and as I gave up driving in the dark some time ago due to poor night vision I am rather curious about it all. I´m not sure if I should be supplementing vit a or whether that would make matters worse?

[Clutter]

Infomaniac, pallor and a yellow tone to the skin is a hypothyroid symptom.

Night blindness can be due to vit A deficiency. Over consumption of beta-carotene can cause yellowing of the skin but is unlikely to cause vit A toxicity. Vit A blood test will determine whether levels are low or high.

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

[Calluna]

Hi Infomaniac,

I have this. My palms went very noticeably orange and people kept commenting on it. It's much less noticeable now that I'm taking NDT and my thyroid levels are looking better but still, if I hold my hands out next to someone else's hands, they look orange by comparison.

I take vitamin A supplements (just a low dose - 20% of RDA) in case I'm not managing to convert enough.

If it's carotenemia it's supposed to be most noticeable under artificial lighting (though mine was very noticeable in natural light as well) and, unlike jaundice, the whites of the eyes are not affected.

What are your thyroid levels like at the moment? When I was taking thyroxine and my thyroid levels kept improving temporarily each time I upped the dose but then getting worse again because I wasn't converting to T3 very well, turning orange was a sure sign for me that my T3 had dropped again.

x

[infomaniac in reply to Calluna]

I first noticed it ages ago Calluna and like you say, it was more obvious when I put my hands up against my hubby`s as there was a massive difference in tone. I didn`t think much about it to be honest but seeing it yesterday made me curious. My hubby thought I had been a bit clumsy with the fake tan! I have been fine for ages but lately some symptoms have returned (I am overdue for my yearly check-up) so I am definitely going to make an appointment with my GP and see what´s going on...like you told me to last week Clutter! Thanks to both of you.

[siskin]

During the very hot weather I got very swollen ankles, right up to my calf, it has now subsided but there is a very definite band of a carrot colour on that part of my legs that the swelling reached.

It was pitting and non pitting oedema.

I am on 100 mcg levo.

Opinions please.

[faith63]

It is common for people who are hypothyroid, to have a build up of Betacarotine on the bottoms of feet and elsewhere. Your meds aren't adequate.