Painful legs: I am used to having 'restless legs... - Thyroid UK

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Painful legs

Mantras131 profile image
21 Replies

I am used to having 'restless legs' but last night was different. The pain in my legs was awful. Massaging helped but the pain came back as soon as I stopped. Finally got to sleep then woke up at 3.45 really uncomfortable so took 2 paracetamol which did help. I have never felt pain as intense as this (without knowing why). Any thoughts. I am on 50 levo and 20 T3, have Hashis. Next blood test due in July. Thanks for reading.

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Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131
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21 Replies
Marz profile image
Marz

Did you have the private testing done for your B12 - Folate - Ferritin and VitD that was discussed on your post/thread of 3 months ago ? I can also see from your post today that your T3 dose has remained the same. It was also mentioned in the link below that your results suggested there was room for an increase. All these things could be part of your painful experience :-)

Magnesium Oil by Better You rubbed in before sleep could help too ....

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to Marz

Thanks Marz, I am going to have my bloods done privately in July as endo only does the basics. Bit nervous about increasing T3 until I get the bloods done might bite the bullet. My tablets are 20 and easily divided so I could try increasing by 10. Thanks for response and info re magnesium oil. :)

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Mantras131

...or even cut the pill into 4 - or nibble half a tablet throughout the day :-)

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to Marz

Good idea I am assuming an hour away from food /drink?

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Mantras131

You can try to keep it away from food - but am thinking a little nibble won't be affected too much 😊

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Marz

A little nibble will be affected more than a whole tablet, because there is less of it. So, a drop of milk in your tea could completely nullify the dose.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to greygoose

I have read of another lady here who nibbled her tablet through the day with good results. But of course I bow to your better knowledge :-) :-)

jimh111 - I think has mentioned that T3 is not so affected by absorption issues ....

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to greygoose

Thanks Greygoose. Its quite a task keeping things separate but I guess once you are in a routine.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Mantras131

You're welcome. :)

Ellie-Louise profile image
Ellie-Louise in reply to Marz

I was about to recommend Magnesium oil too. It works wonders but be careful if you have coloured sheets, it took the colour out of mine just where my knees were after I used it one night. Make sure it's massaged in really well.

ajs100uk profile image
ajs100uk

Wow, I could have written that post! My legs wake up every night, several times, with terrible intense pain.

It seems to be the outside of my legs and the skin/muscle is so tender to touch.

To be honest, I have tried many things and nothing has helped. I take pain killers already due to arthritis but they do nothing to stop this. It is not in the bone, I definitely feel mine is muscular/skin/fat (mucin - can this be painful - my legs are swollen?). I have tried magnesium oil massaged in, did not help. I take magnesium in the evening, it helped a little at a high dose but I was recently advised a high dose is not good (I was taking 750mg) so now I am back down to 350mg and the leg pain is worse than ever.

When I get up they do not hurt but the extreme tenderness is still there when I press, whatever the time of day.

I totally sympathise it is a horrible thing and even worse when doctors have no answers.

Hugs.

lc1973 profile image
lc1973 in reply to ajs100uk

I have pain in my legs as well like you describe when you press it. I also get what i can only describe as nerve pain, it feels very deep and it feels like my legs have been put in the deep freezer or chilled aisle in a supermarket. I do have swelling in them as well because when i take my socks off the indentation stays for quite some time afterwards. Be interested to hear from anyone who has had this...i take Naproxen which helps but i dont really want to be doing this for the rest of my life as it is very bad for the liver!

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to lc1973

Not pleasant is it! Yes legs in freezer sums it up! Mine don't swell. Hope it improves.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to ajs100uk

I think you need your B12 tested.

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to greygoose

I've been under a fair bit of stress recently (being made redundant) so I think its impacting on my health. Yes time for a decent set of bloods - endo wont do full set - might try the GP ..then get it done privately.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

In my personal experience :

To get rid of pain in my legs I needed to do the following - they all helped to varying degrees :

1) Get my Free T3 levels higher in range.

2) Get my serum iron and ferritin (iron stores) closer to optimal (I had very low iron to start with).

3) Take magnesium supplements at night, at a dose which has varied from 300mg - 400mg per night.

4) Take potassium supplements. I buy 99mg supplements and my dose has varied from 1 - 4 per day. It is not a good idea to supplement potassium to be honest because it can affect the heart. I keep tabs on my potassium levels with blood tests. It would be healthier to alter my diet to include more potassium-containing foods.

5) Improved levels of vitamin B12 and folate.

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to humanbean

Thanks Humanbean. An increase in T3 has been suggested but I have just been a bit wimpy! Sounds like I need my bloods checked. Thanks for the advice and info.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to Mantras131

There is little point in testing magnesium levels. It is a poor test. All the other things are worth testing though.

The body needs magnesium in every cell in the body (I think). For some reason that I don't know, the body prioritises magnesium in the blood. So if magnesium levels drop in the bloodstream then magnesium gets moved out of the cells of the rest of the body and into the blood. So, the body could be hugely deficient in magnesium, but the serum test will most likely show levels which are in range.

As long as you have reasonably healthy kidneys then excess magnesium will be disposed of via urine. It is also true that kidneys need magnesium for good health too.

You might find this interesting - but note that it comes from a commercial site :

traceelements.com/Docs/The%...

Mantras131 profile image
Mantras131 in reply to humanbean

Thanks Humanbean, I am taking one tablet of Magnesium at night - but think I need to up the dose (it says up to 3 a day). Blood tests are interesting - wish it was more like Star Trek and our bodies could just be scanned. Appreciate your advice.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to Mantras131

What kind of magnesium are you taking? There are loads to choose from and some are better than others.

jacrjacr profile image
jacrjacr

b12, d3, important for me when I used to have leg pain, the other thing was I had low normal free t3 and my legs felt heavy too back then....

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