T4 and Hip Pain: Hi All Since being on Levo I... - Thyroid UK

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T4 and Hip Pain

Daffers123 profile image
22 Replies

Hi All

Since being on Levo I have suffered on and off with sharp pain deep in my hip - mostly left side but sometimes both. I think it could be connected to the T4 levels but not sure if it means too much T4 or not enough. 

Anyone else have this uncomfortable symptom ?

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Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123
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22 Replies
HIFL profile image
HIFL

I have it in my left hip when my T4 or T3 dose is too high.  Lowering the T4 reduced the pain for me.  You may also need to balance your T4 with some T3.

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to HIFL

thank you. I feel it's too high T4 (mine fluctuates all the time). I will try again to add some T3. 

kezza2shoes profile image
kezza2shoes

Hi, don't blame the meds until you've had everything else checked too.  I ignored my hip pain and leg aches and it turned out it was caused by a vitamin D deficiency.  I thought it was hormonal because it felt like menstrual cramps and I have a history of cysts on the ovary.  It was only when I couldn't sleep that I went to the GP and they tested.

I'm not suggesting that you too have a Vit D deficiency (although it's possible) but it's worth checking your symptoms with a doctor.

Take care

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to kezza2shoes

no you're quite right to point it out -I'm afraid I do tend to think every ailment is thyroud-related. I must admit I too can't sleep. so will get checked as you suggest. thank you 

marigold22 profile image
marigold22

Depending on your age, have you had your hips x-rayed for joint problems?  Out of the blue, I had x-rays & my right hip joint was ragged to say the least.  So within 3 weeks had hip replacement.  Just a thought   x

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to marigold22

I'm 59 so guess could well be as you and Kezza suggest - not thyroid necessarily.  Another battle with GP I suppose as they don't like paying for xray !

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7

I've had two hips replaced and just wanted to comment that the pain is rarely in the hip region. Iris mostly in the groin which I didn't have with the first but did with the second! Knees are offen a pain  site as well for a hip. With the first I was referred for Odin management as the Xray showed both bad but one more severe and I also had an injection in it but only for relief for about 4 weeks but long enough to convince me I needed something doing! 

I decided I would wait that long for the second but when it was Xraysd was even worse than the first as bone was rubbing on bone which was making me stumble as the joint kicked as I was walking and threw me! So try the dose change but if no luck then ask for an X-ray. My GP never worried about mine until the pain management referral by a physio and I think she was only worried about the cost so she needed to see if it was warranted. 

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to silverfox7

thanks Silver Fox. my pain is on side of hip - as of someone was drilling into the big bone! So yes will try dose adjustment first. Are you feeling physically better with your replacements? 

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7 in reply to Daffers123

Getting there thanks but it does take time! 

Pastille profile image
Pastille

Hi Daffers123  I do have this symptom but mine is osteoarthiritis and was just as painful before the levo. Have you been tested for this? Maybe the levo brings it out more?

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to Pastille

I will ask for a test as think mine might have started pre menopause -it fools me as it comes and goes - no pain for weeks or months then wham! I wonder sometimes if it's IBS related. 

Pastille profile image
Pastille in reply to Daffers123

I thought alsorts, I never thought it was arthritis, I just didn't imagine arthritis to feel like that, I was convinced it was an organ problem, not bone, it was a dull ache but it really got me down at times, I was always rubbing it to ease it. I thought it was kidney trouble, the osteoarthritis was discovered through a problem with my foot. mine also goes for a while then comes back with a vengeance. worth having it checked but I only use Ibuprofen anyway 

Debeee profile image
Debeee

Hi ,I developed hip pain mostly in my left hip & front of leg but in both hips sometimes,this was after being on Levothyroxine for about 6 months,I was previously on only Liothyronine for about 10 months after a TT,this Jan I was put into a mix of T4&T3 & the hip pain has 99% gone along with other joint pains !  As others have said it might be best if you got it checked out by the docs,however I might add that if I mentioned all my aches & pains to the GP  it was met with a blank stare,good luck X

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to Debeee

Yes I know the blank stare. it means ' get ov er yourself and let me get on to next patient '....

I shall try mix t3 with t4as you say - i struggle to get my dose right anyway as got Hashi's and it fluctuates.

how did T3 only suit you ?

helen_m profile image
helen_m

Daffers123, it could be bursitis. This is something I suffer with too. I'm on a mix of T4 and T3 though just started it. I read somewhere recently that B12 can help with this. Have you had your B12 levels checked recently?

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to helen_m

Hi yes B12 is good as supplement that plus D3. Bursitis might be the problem - does it come and go ?

hoperhaps you do well on T3 and T4 . I'm about to try adding T3 again. maybe if I do hip will sort itself!

helen_m profile image
helen_m in reply to Daffers123

Yes bursitis comes and goes. Since I restarted my B12 spray, less hip pain. There's also a stretchy exercise that helps relieve it. Kneeling on all fours with hands on floor too, stretch out left hand and right leg, then alternate. Hope it helps

Yes, I hope so too about the T3 - I think I'm on too low a dose though, knackered!

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to helen_m

thanks Helen for the reply. I am taking sublingual methylcobalamine B12 so hopefully that will help. I have started taking 5mcg T3 with my Levo, and intend to increase it to 10 mcg after 2 weeks. How much are you taking ?

Did you have any treatment for the bursitis ?

helen_m profile image
helen_m in reply to Daffers123

My endocrinologist put me straight onto 20mcg of T3, split into two doses daily. Unfortunately they halved my levo from 100mcg to 50 mcg, so I'm feeling a bit hypothyroid. Blood tests next week though and I'm hopeful of a levo raise.

No treatment for bursitis as my doctor says these aches and pains happen to everyone as they older!

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123 in reply to helen_m

 I have tried several times to add T3 (at the same time reducing T4), and failed miserably every time by getting terribly hypo, panicking and giving up the T3!

This time I have added T3 without reducing t4 and Bingo, I feel much much better! So I hope  you get the raise in T4 which should help no end.

I think we should be dosed according to our FT3 and FT4, not TSH.

SO we just suffer with bursitis - getting older isnt much fun!

Andrea

Debeee profile image
Debeee

Hi daffers,I think the blank stare from the GP was more to do with her being clueless about thyroid levels ,she knows the hospital have me on a supressing dose...the time I spent on only T3 was awful,especially as one registar doubled my dose for 2 months without the knowledge of the consultant,jittery sweaty ,weak,fatigued etc....I was on 150 mg levo per day  ,I took 100 mg levo plus 20 mg Liothyronine for about 6 weeks & the consultant had written to doc saying to push it up to 100 mg levo plus 30 mg Liothyronine per day without blood testing if I still felt bad,which I did,it took a few months but I am now feeling so much better & have even lost some weight at last X

Daffers123 profile image
Daffers123

I had same as you on T3 only and my private endo just kept saying increase the dose despite me losing 2 stone (from 8.5 stone) in notice still plus panic snd anxiety etc.etc.

Are you still on T4 and T3 ? 

will ask about bursitis too

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