Thyroid or Fibromyalga: I have been suffering... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid or Fibromyalga

1Harley profile image
14 Replies

I have been suffering from my Thyroid going completely. I had a gotier for about 3 years and felt awfull but just thought it was because of a car accident I was in. When my body finaly gave up and would not funtion I was forced to the doctors who diagnosed that the thyroid had completely stopped working and has now shrank to nothing. I take 100my Levothyroxine daily plus HRT which I dont know why but he thought was a good idea Oh and iron tablets. The doctor telly me my bloods are normal in the middle range. However I have a monthly cycle of feeling well for two weeks then feeling dreadfull, tired, forgetfull, teary, hair falls out, nails brittle, bla bla bla yes you know what I mean. The doctor can not explain why and is totaly baffled as to why I have two good weeks and then two bad weeks where I can go to work and function then have to come straight home and go to bed to get through the day. He referred me to an Edrocologist and I went through the symptoms with him he just wanted to put me on antidepresants (now there is a supprise) I said no find out why my body does this would be of more help as I had tried prozac before I was sent to him and they had no effect , personaly I though over rated god knows why all the stars rate it. I mentioned that my father had Fibromialga but he dismissed it with a snort yet I find from the forum there is a clear link between the two conditions. Have you guys got any suggestions how to sort my body out as i'm fed up with only have two weeks of a life out of every four.

Sorry about the spelling of medical conditions new to all this.

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1Harley profile image
1Harley
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14 Replies
Marz profile image
Marz

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Sorry you are still feeling poorly. Above is the link to your post of two years ago and I think most of the advice given then applies to your post of today.

I would have another read through - make a list of the advice given and tick them off as you go.....

We have to do so much for ourselves - reading and learning is key. I wouldn't worry about a Fibro diagnosis. If your Thyroid is correctly treated and you follow all the advice given you could well feel stronger.

Glynisrose profile image
Glynisrose

Fibromyalgia is just poorly treated under active thyroid.

lb003 profile image
lb003 in reply toGlynisrose

I disagree with you there Glyn is. I have both and my thyroid is now very well managed but I still have fibromyalgia symptoms.

The things that have made the most difference to me are all well documented on this website.

Your stomach may not absorb tablets so well, I certainly get more results with liquid supplements, such as Floradix for iron and b complex liquid, and B12 spray. Stopping gluten helped enormously with fatigue symptoms too.

Try thinhs out 1 by 1 then you will know what works best for you .

Glynisrose profile image
Glynisrose in reply toGlynisrose

I stand by my comment.

Jaybrooke profile image
Jaybrooke in reply toGlynisrose

I stand by your comment too fibromyalgia is a symptom of hypothyroidism thyroid blood tests are renowned for being unreliable just because blood tests are normal means very little ! My thyroid blood tests were normal for years told I had CFS / fibro I took thyroxine going against blood tests became 60/70% better it wasn't till I took NDT ( thyrogold) that i became well !

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply toGlynisrose

I agree with Glynis..Fibromyalgia is caused by low metabolic rate and is a name given to a group of symptoms, which are the same as hashimotos or low thyroid and it is not a disease in and of its self. Dr. Low proved that, when he cured it with his protocol of thyroid hormone containing t3 and various other things.

If your doctor doses your thyroid medicine, based on labs, and you are not on a med containing t3, and raising until symptoms are eliminated, not by looking at labs, you are not properly medicated. There is just no way.

Sometimes with Hashimotos, thyroid meds alone are not enough to get rid of pain and the cause of hashi's like food sensitivities and leaky gut, need to be looked at. My pain is bad and i am not able to raise my thyroid meds, because i go hyperthyroid...based on labs of my liver, creatnine, glucose, blood pressure and heart rate.. I have never once thought that i had something else, other than Hashi's, with fibromyalgia symptoms..pain and tightening of muscles, tendons, ligaments, achy like the flu episodes..its just my hashi's . I am working on getting rid of it thru functional medicine.

Hello Harley

Fibromyalgia and thyroid problems have a lot of overlapping symptoms ; muscle and joint pain, debilitating fatigue, brain fog, sleep problems and depression, etc.

Any excess stress on the body (mentally or physically such as unmanaged hypothyroidism) may compromise adrenal health. High or low cortisol levels together with low thyroid hormone may cause weight gain, disrupt gut health and cause blood sugar imbalances, and anxiety together with further hormone imbalances such as estrogen and progesterone.

Many members perform a saliva stress test that will measure your active cortisol levels (stress hormone) and DHEA so enabling you to take supplements known to help adrenal health.

Sex hormones are also intricately connected with the thyroid and if you have bad periods or are menopausal, ask your doctor to test these.

Taking your pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D supplements will ensure good absorbtion. Taking Vit C with your iron tablets will aid absorbtion.

Eating regularly and including fats, low GI carbs and proteins at every meal, getting good sleep and managing stress will help healing.

Ask your doctor to test Vit B12, Vit D and folate and post results complete with ranges ( numbers in brackets). Also have you had thyroid antibodies TPOAb & TGAb checked?

Taking HRT may lower thyroid function (by raising TGB that binds to thyroxine meds.)

Flower

Hashimotos and fibromyalgia

hashimotoshealing.com/fibro...

Saliva Stress Test (test ref END01)

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Four saliva tests that measure the available "active" cortisol (& DHEA) secreted at set times over a 24 hours period. The results will allow you to see any imbalances in the daily circadian pattern so enabling use of correcting supplements to aid your adrenal health. Unfortunately this test is not generally used or recognised by GP's.

The cost is £77.00 which is a discounted price for THyroidUK when code A42AQ is used.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....................

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................

Do you still have periods. I used to be hypo after my period for a while as my iron levels dropped.

eeng profile image
eeng

You say your thyroid is totally non functional, you are on 100mcg of Levothyroxine and your results are in the middle of the range. 100mcg seems a low dose for someone without a functioning thyroid - unless you are small and petite. A full replacement dose if someone has just had their thyroid removed is calculated based on body weight:

"1.6 micrograms of levothyroxine per day for each kilogram the person weighs

(You would sometimes see doctors suggesting anything from 1.6 through to 2.3 mcg/kg.) So for someone of 60 kg that would work out at 96 mcg – and they would be given 100 mcg as the closest dose. "

The results being in the middle of the range sets alarm bells ringing - the TSH range (which is the most commonly measured hormone) is something like 0.3 to 5 (different labs have different ranges). If your result is in the middle of that range you would be undermedicated - people of thyroid hormone replacement usually need to have a TSH of 1 or lower to feel well.

Ask you doctor for a higher dose of Levothyroxine and see whether that makes you feel better.

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Hi Harley.

I have FM & hypo symptoms, both have been reduced since I started taking NDT last summer.

I also take a bio-identical HRT, which has helped greatly with peri-menopausal issues, as my hot flushes were constant & unbearable. I suffered severe period pain & horrible symptoms every month for 35 years, before starting HRT, which stopped most of the pain & PMS. This is something the contraceptive pill I was intermittently prescribed, never did, in fact it always made me worse. I've asked two endocrinologists why, & they both obfuscated, as they couldn't give me a direct answer. I'm not sure of your age, but perhaps ask your GP for bio-identical hormones, as the horse urine type disagrees with a lot of people. The brand I take is one my friend's sister, who is a gynaecologist, recommended as being one of the safest.

I was prescribed anti-depressants for FM, by my pain management doctor, but only managed a day on one type, & three on another, due to the severity of the side effects. I think they're an easy option for most doctors who don't know what else to do, though they do seem to work for some people.

Eating a clean diet helps me, especially with FM digestive issues.

Mel

MariLiz profile image
MariLiz

Well I have been told I have both, plus low B12 ( pernicious anaemia). My endocrinologist recently trialed me on adding T3 to my Levothyroxine. It was interesting that some of the symptoms were less bothersome during this trial. My GP has, so far, failed to respond to the recommendation of the endocrinologist to prescribe T3. As Christmas and New Year have meant the surgery has been closed for a while, I am waiting till the end of this week to approach them for an answer.

1Harley profile image
1Harley

Thanks for your advice what is T3. I have tired to up my levothyroxine but ended up with realy bad side effects. Does any one know how I can cut down the digestive problems which happens when ever i eat anything apart from the bloating and wind I get realy bad grubles and abdominal pain.

faith63 profile image
faith63

Do you have hashimotos disease? Why did you have a goiter? excuse the caps..its seems to be too much an effort.

MayaDominica profile image
MayaDominica

1Harley - have you resolved your issues I'd be really interested to know as I am exactly the same as you. I've had a TT due to cancer and I'm only on 75mcg thyroxine a day. Apparantly my bloods are normal but I hardly ever feel well. Would love to know if you found the answer...

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