Swelling

[palberts01]

Hi, I have developed over the past few weeks lower leg swelling, weight gain 10 pounds, enlarged abdomen. My hair is extremely dry and losing mostly on top of head. Increased palpitations, shortness of breath. I haven't had my labs drawn in about 2 months. Will go June 2 to have labs drawn. Any suggestions. On 125mcq Levothyroxine

[silverfox7]

Have you a copy of your last bloods? If you could post them with their ranges as you may not be optimal. Make an appointment with your GP for another test and also ask for B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin as they all help the thyroid to work better. Make your appointment as early as possible and don't eat anthing after the night before and take only water that normining . Leave your meds till after the test. Then post all these results and ranges when you get them. Many doctors happily tell you that you are fine when you are within the ranges but it's where in the ranges that is important.

In the mean time rest as much as you can and make sure you are hydrated.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Did you get vitamin D, folate, B12 & ferritin checked as suggested in your previous post.

Did starting magnesium supplements help with night cramp & then enable you to tolerate taking vitamin D

[Katepots]

Has anyone mentioned Hashimotos to you?

When you next have your bloods taken (today I think!) ask for your thyroid antibodies to be tested.

You would then need to be 100% gluten free. If you get bloating and inflammation it sounds like you are gluten sensitive.

Research leaky gut. Chris Kresser website is good for this or Josh Axe.

Casein in cows milk is also a problem. Gluten and Casein look like the thyroid to the body so when it is eaten and leaks into your bloodstream (leaky gut) the body sends T cells to attack these foreign invaders but the thyroid also looks like gluten and casein to them (molecular mimmickry) so it gets attacked as well.

You could also be sensitive to the fillers in the levothyroxine, just a thought.

[shaws Administrator]

Your blood test should be at the earliest, fasting and if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test.

Swelling is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism. and shortness of breath. You probably need some T3 added to T4.

You need a full thyroid function test which isn't usually done but you should ask anyway. Maybe you aren't converting T4 to sufficient T3 and it is T3 which is required in all of our receptor cells, the brain contains the most. We cannot function with insufficient T3.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Highlight a couple of excerpts from the above link and copy the important parts to show to your GP.

[palberts01 in reply to shaws]

I have a question..my doctor stated to me that I could miss a month worth of meds and levels would be the same. And when I go to get bloods drawn tell me I don't have to fast..can you tell me why fasting? Thank you

[Clutter in reply to palberts01]

Palberts01,

After a month without meds there will be so little in your system your FT4 and FT3 will be low and your TSH high.

After a month off meds my TSH was 107.5 (0.35-5.0) and my FT4 was 4 (12-22).

Fasting before a thyroid blood test is a patient-to-patient tip. TSH drops after eating and drinking and is highest early in the morning which is why early and fasting tests (water only) are recommended.

[thyr01d]

Lower leg swelling plus weight gain sounds as if it could be fluid retention which can be a result of the heart not functioning optimally (I am not medically qualified) so I'd suggest you ask your GP to rule this out. I think Shaws' advice is best though, to have your T3 checked, .

[JOLLYDOLLY]

Hi palberts01

In my humble opinion your dose is too low. I have odema in both legs and swelling in my tummy. My original dose was changed from 200 mcg to 75 mcg (by a silly GP, who would not listen but thought she knew better). My left ankle started swelling almost straight away after my dose was changed. Twenty years plus on, I am now on the original dose of 200 mcg and 20 mcg of lithyronine. But the damage has been done. Whilst they argued with me and changed my dose, I gain around 10 pounds per year, to the stage now I am considered morbidly obese and evidently "accountable for my actions". Nobody out side of a thyroid condition, believes it is linked to it, the professionals all think I over eat. I have long since given up on justifying myself. My cholesterol is always low and kidney and liver function is normal.

I now have to take diuretic everyday and I get breathless and wheezy mixed with back problems and mobility. I have to wear prescribed shoes as I can't get shoes to fit. Please try and get someone to understand you. Get the dose right. I had to really fight for mine. I have now got sleep apnoea and B12 deficiency and anaemia.

It is so important for people to understand what it is like for us to have a thyroid condition and the devastation it can cause.

Sorry if I have alarmed you. But just don't want you to go through what I have endured.

Take care and keep in touch

[thyroidnodules]

I too have lower leg swelling mostly left leg. it got worse when I started on levo (100). I also gained more weight on levo and had headaches. When I told my doc about the left leg being bigger than the right he told me to straight to a and e as I probably had a blood clot and could die! I didn't go to a and e as I was sure it was thyroid related. i decided enough was enough after 6 months and started on thiroyd. Gradually the swelling has gone done and I have lost nearly a stone in weight. docs don't have a clue - told me my weight gain was my age and it wasn't too bad. I am now feeling much better - my tsh is suppressed though and the doc was querying my about symptoms as he does not know I am on thiroyd - he still thinks I am on levo - if I listened to the docs I would be an ill obese elephant

[Barb1949]

I know we are prone to suffer from fluid retention when we are hypo, and this can often be made worse by being undermedicated. These symptoms certainly sound like this could be the case but you do need to get checked.

I have been having this problem for a few months now, I actually gained about two stones in a month, was finding it difficult to breathe getting the odd palpitation etc. In fact I was swollen all the at up my legs, into my abdomen and up as far as my ribs when I was admitted to hospital. It was thought I might have heart failure, but after tests and a cardiac scan this was ruled out, however I was put on intravenous furosemide for ten days and lost enough fluid to allow me to come home. However I am now left with Chronic Venous Insufficiency which apparently means I will have to take diuretics for life to ease the pressure on the valves in my leg veins as they do not work properly any more. I am still struggling to lose the fluid, have had to go up between one and two sizes in clothes and can only get one pair of sandals on and none of my shoes. I would not wish this on anyone else.

I did discover I was undermedicating the week before I became so ill and, despite being on T3 only, added 50mcg levo as I need to get another appointment with my endo to get an increase in my T3. This has helped with the hair loss and brain fog but I am now not sleeping well, lol. It's one thing after another.

Hope you see an improvement soon

[Wynthedragon]

Where can I get Thiroyd. Levo does me no good

[lucylocks in reply to Wynthedragon]

Wynthedragon if you ask this in a new post and ask members to P.M. you with where you can get Thiroyd.

[Wynthedragon]

OK THANKS FOR YOUR HELP