Hello, i have just recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and am now on 100 mcgs of levothyroxine, the last three nights i have been woken sudenly buy pain from my left buttock down my leg to my knee, creating sleepless nights, last night i was so frustrated i took some paracetamol, before i make an appointment with doc, has anyone else had similar?
Thank you in advance
Hi Iriscarolyn
Unfortunately, pain is quite common in hypothyroidism, particularly if quite newly diagnosed and not yet on the correct dose of hormone replacement for you.
When you have a blood test for thyroid hormones, it should be a fasting one and the earliest possible, although you can drink water. Also allow about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This allows the TSH to be at its highest and GP may adjust dose unnecessarily.
I would request another blood test as it is usual to have one every six to eight weeks until symptom-free (although most GPs think it's when the TSH reaches somehwhere' in range').
It is a big learning curve for us to recover our health and if you've not already had a B12,Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate tested asked for these as we can be deficient, thus causing problems too.
Always get a print-out of your results, with the ranges, and you can post if you have a query.
Thank you Shaws, my doctor is very good and i can ask her anything, but i dont want to make an appointment unless neccessary, i worry about taking pain relief for this, paracetemol does nothing but cause problem for the liver, would cocodamol be better! Doctor does have me on Vit D, i take my levo at night, so that could be a problem leaving it for 24 hours before i see her for next blood test, but i will try o sort that one, thank you for you help, much appreciated x
You just miss the night's dose and take it after your morning blood test and take your night dose as usual. (some people take a whole week's dose at one time!!)
Theoretically we shouldn't have pain but doctors are apt to treat our clinical 'symptom' with something other than thyroid hormones so I am sure as your dose builds up it should relieve all of your symptoms.
Thankfully, I have no pain now but when first on levo I was so painfully stiff I could barely move and couldn't step on a pavement. I was also unable to comb hair.
Thank you Shaws, i will wait until i have next doc appointmen in six weeks, and take pain killers for now, thanks for your help on this, was worried it may be something else.....xx
It sounds like sciatica - from the buttock down the back of the leg?
If it is there are exercises that help, and things to avoid. Like long periods driving, and standing (walking is fine) for long periods.
Thank you Ruthi, having never had sciatica, it came as a shock and i wondered if it had anything to do with the hypo? Cheers for the advice toox
If its sciatica, then no, its an age thing. In my case I have one leg longer than the other, and as a result my spine is slightly twisted. As I aged and the discs flattened a bit the nerve got trapped.
The good thing (eh?) is that you do grow out of it as the discs harden with age, and then in general, its sorted. I do still feel it (about 16 years after it started, but its not unbearable any more). When it was really bad I used to be permanently plugged into a TENS machine
IrisCarolyn,
You could ask your pharmacist to recommend which pain relief to take for that pain and how long it may take to resolve.
Thank you clutter, i will ask them xxx
Hi Iriscarolyn - I have just seen your post . About 16 years ago ( when I was much fitter than I am now and attended a gym 3 times a week) I got up....well tried to....and could barely walk. The pain was excrutiating and just as you describe but also went all the way down to my ankle bone. I was diagnosed with acute sciatica....and a severe twist to the sciatic nerve. Apparently sciatica can be caused by comparatively simple movements that often involve a "twist". Mine was caused by putting a heavy suitcase in my car. People have also been known to get it following putting a baby/ toddler in a car seat as this also involves a twisting action. It is possible you have triggered it by a simple movement or action that you didn't think any more about at the time. I was put on all sorts of anti-inflammatories and pain killers but they barely touched it. I was also sent for a scan on my back. Eventually I recovered - mainly I think due to doing the "cat"excercises as recommended by a brilliant physiotherapist I went to. If it helps.....you will recover but it is a horrible pain ( literally !!) while you have it. Hope this helps and good luck.☺
Look into Iliotibia Band Exercises on YouTube. I was diagnosed by a physiotherapist with Sciatica and had a good response to Acupuncture. I then changed and went to see an Osteopath who said it was my Iliotibia band. Since that diagnosis/treatment - I have made great strides.
Yesterday was a bad day and the pain not good. I massaged Magnesium Oil by Better You into the butt and thigh muscles and slept like a baby. I will be doing it again tonight - have a yoga class in the morning and need to be on form 
Hope you soon find some relief.
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