I used to get pain in my wrist when I got very tired working nights. I am now getting a similar pain which almost feels like its outside my body, in my shoulders, arms and wrists at bedtime. I had to take paracetamol and amitriptaline to get to sleep last night. It really hurt. Does anybody else get this and does anybody know the cause.
pain in shoulders arms and wrists: I used to get... - Thyroid UK
pain in shoulders arms and wrists
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30 Replies
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I have been googling recently to work out why i have had. Tennis elbow, an achy wrist, achy knees and ankles which crack a lot over the past few months... It seems to be all the joints..... Am very aware that something is going on and am spending more time building up muscles at the gym.....
Not reached any conclusions yet but will share if i do....
Xx g
same here my shoulders, neck, elbows, ankles and feet 
its miserable being in pain. I have started gentle swimming and it is showing how weak i have become, my muscles ache from exercise but its different from the pain in my joints xx
Hello, your symptoms sound similar to me, I got diagnosed with Hypermobility Syndrome. Were you quite flexible/double jointed growing up? If yes, can cause problems. HMS is not curable but I am I have been referred on NHS to UCL in London as they run programs on how to manage it.
Think my thyroid up the creak too so having blood tests at mo. Can't believe I am in such pain just because I am too flexible!
Will let you know if I get any more info.
I hate feeling 100 years old (when less than half that!)
All the best x
shawsAdministrator
I had severe pain/stiffness develop when on levothyroxine. I couldn't step onto a pavement as everything ached.
You may not yet be on an optimum dose of levo and I think your pain might be relieved by the addition of some T3 as it is the active hormone required by all our receptor cells. Sometimes we don't convert T4 to sufficient T3 which is the purpose of T4.
Did your doctor prescribe amitriptaline for depression or pain relief?
From the link below you will see that pain is a clinical symptom of hypothyriodism so I suspect your Free T3 might be low.
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
Also from the link below you will see the reason why FT3 is valuable but the doctors appear unaware of its importance.
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
• in reply toshaws
Thanks shaws, I am taking nature thyroid. I am generally feeling better on it but early days yet. I am taking 5 grains so am getting some T3. It still might be low though. My Gp allows testing of T3 so I will try and get tested soon to see if T3 is high in range.
If you are on NDT you are getting T3 directly as well as the T3 from converted T4, so maybe when you get to an optimum for you your symptoms will subside.
• in reply toshaws
My doctor prescribed the ami to help me sleep and pain relief for arthritic knee and hips. I dont take it very often, except when desperate.
Insomnia and pain can be clinical symptoms of hypthyroidism. The test is Free T3 and the reason is on this link why it's important but most doctors are unaware and rely only on the TSH.
Sounds very familiar. Sounds like Repetitive Strain Injury. Do you work on a computer?
• in reply to
No I dont work anymore, retired on poor health grounds from nursing. It is a weird kind of pain, feels neurological and as if the pain is outside my body.
I have just been reading about B12 and wonder if it is something to do with that.
Marz• in reply to
I have weekly B12 injections due to lack of Terminal Ileum - and it works wonders on the back pain ! As you may know it effects the myelin sheath that protects the nerves - so when B12 is very low then there is demyelination going on. It has happened to my spine
Great book by Martyn Hooper - Chairman of the Pernicious Anaemia Society - Pernicious Anaemia The Forgotten Illness and B12 Deficiency. He has written another book which has just been published - Living with PA. Worth having in the Health Library.....
Hi marz, I too ave bad pai in my ankle and a bit of pain in other places on feet, I have had my b12 tested three times and it comes back just within range. My doc won't do anything and I am getting worse. I am in UK? Just sharing. Happy new year
Sorry to read of your pain. You could try supplementing B12 as its not too expensive and effective. Also are you supplementing VitD ? Happy to help if appropriate....
Happy New Year to you and may 2016 be less painful 
Your B12 needs to be around 1000 to prevent cognitive decline.
• in reply toMarz
Thanks marz. I am supplementing B12 and vit d at 10,000iu per day,
Happy new year to you to and a healthy one.
Marz• in reply to
....sorry MJ - my reply above was for Mado
Thanks so much. My b12 results showed it was 229 last time and doc said that was just above borderline. Thanks so much marz.i hope your yoga teaching is going well. I am teaching as well now. Take care
mado - B12 needs to be ABOVE 500 to prevent neurological damage and ideally around 1000 to prevent cognitive decline. Docs are clueless about the dangers of LOW B12 - something they are not taught about at Medical School.
Yes still teaching yoga - 2/3 classes a week - and will be into my 5th year soon ! Unbelievable. So pleased you are teaching as well
• in reply to
Been doing lots of gardening, or knitting, or anything which is demanding on your arms and wrists and neck? DIY? Painting?
All these can lead to RSI.
• in reply to
The only thing I do is use my lap top to talk to people on this forum and load the dishwasher and washing machine and cook food and look after my boys aged 7 and 9. Nothing very repetitive. I wish I could knit
• in reply to
Ok, nothing obvious to trigger further damage to your arms .. It does sound as though you damaged those nursing tho.. When I got rsi (which is linked to hypot as u prob know) I was kept awake by the same pain u describe, and it also became v painful to load the washing machine, my shoulders froze so I couldn't turn my head while driving...
Do u also v daytime pain?
• in reply to
I cant turn my head either. I thought it was antipsycotic medication I take making me stiff but perhaps its connected with this arm and shoulder ache,. I dont get much shoulder pain in the day jsut at night.
• in reply to
It sounds v similar - your muscles basically freeze up and the tendons in your forearms stick to one another. Strong massage on the neck, shoulders and forearms ( the forearms will be painful) should help, along with daily neck, arm and upper spine exercises to begin to get flexibility back.
You may find driving makes it worse, or is very tiring.
But I still wonder what the trigger is - are there movements which are painful during the day?
• in reply to
No painful movements in the day. Just when I lie down to get to sleep. It always used to be triggered by extreme tiredness.
I don't know if this might be helpful. My tennis elbow finally cleared up when I started taking a decent dose (5000 IU) of vitamin d. (Even though I work outside all year round). B12 sorted out my tingling fingers (I have mild carpal tunnel diagnosis) and pins and needles issues. I would have laughed if someone suggested that until I tried it for myself and found it worked.
What are your VitD levels ? Also have your read my post below ? - about Magnesium ?
I have been taking 10,000iu of vit d for a while and my vit d levels were at 90 not sure of ranges. My magnesium levels might be low I havent been taking magnesium supplements for a while
Hi , I know exactly what you are going through I am having the same symptoms, but with all of my joints, especially my feet some days I can hardly walk, and I can't even read a news paper for the pian in my fingers, and at night I'm often woken by sever pain in one joint I, e , index finger , big toe, shoulder etc, , I've spoken to my gp but got no answer to the problem they said to tell the oncologist, my daughter sent me an article on using natural thyroxine, but my gp won't or can't prescribe it, at times I'm really down, , I don't know what the answer is
Dear Joma,
Sorry your having such a hard time. Thankfully with me the pain comes and goes and I had a good night last night. Have you thought about treating yourself with a natural thyroxine. Lots of people on this forum are doing this because GP and endo care is so poor. Lots of people here can help you and advise.
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