I am 21 years old male, and since the age of 16 I've been suffering from chronic pain mostly on my neck and back area. Since than I am living a life of pain as it is controlling everything. During these years my biggest preoccupation has been pain, without a break, during the days my brain is constantly focused on my back or neck or shoulder or arm. As I thought the inability of me to focus on something else and chronicity of this problem had made me depressed. I have tried almost everything NSAIDS, corticosteroids, massage, PT, meditation, even some mind-body techniques believing that it was all in my head.I won't continue much of these and will pose my question.
About a month ago I got my blood tested for thyroid hormones for the first time, and it turned out I have an underactive thyroid with FT4 below the range and TSH of 8.4, I went to an endocrinologist, and it has been 2 weeks that I get thyroxine 50mcg for some days and 100mcg after a week. I have my next blood test after 2 weeks, but before, I wonder if all that my pains could be associated with hypothyroidism, and what kind of pain do people with underactive thyroid feel. I also want to know how long does it take for thyroxine to work?
Written by
yosoymiguel
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Welcome to our forum and I am really sorry you are so young and to have health problems for around five years so far and that the pain is crippling.
This can be due to hypothyroidism and as your dose increases (which must be done slowly as we are dealing with hormones) you should begin to improve. Usually we start on 50mcg then after six weeks add 25mcg and again after six weeks another 25mcg. It is usually gradual.
Hypothyroidism means one of our most important glands, the thyroid gland is not providing enough hormones and we get many clinical symptoms and the pain can be very disabling.
Thyroid hormones should be taken first thing on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. If you prefer you can take it at bedtime as long as you've last eaten protein about 3 hours earlier (food interfers with the uptake.
If having a test, you allow 24 hours gap between the last dose and the test and take afterwards. If you prefer the bedtime dose, miss this and take after test and bedtime dose as usual the same day.
Ask GP to check Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate because if we are deficient these can also cause problems for us.
Always get a print-out of your results for your own records and you can post if you have a query.
I had pain and it was head to to, joint and muscle pain. I could barely step onto a pavement or do much with my arms. I am now fine with no pains/aches.
You will find that the subject of food sensitivities comes up a lot, especially gluten. You may well find that going wheat/gluten free helps with your pain. Definitely worth a try. Good luck.
Please be aware you are legally entitled to a copy of your test results under the Data Protection Act 1998. Some GPs or their receptionists challenge you when you ask for a copy of your results WITH ranges but you simply need to reply "They are for my own records as I am legally entitled to them. "
If you ever have difficultly with obtaining test results (or medical records) please start a new thread and other posters who have had problems will give you suggestions due to their own experience on how they dealt with them.
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There's no quick fix, it is all gradual.
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