Leg muscle exhaustion: Just wondering if anyone... - Thyroid UK

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Leg muscle exhaustion

Qapl profile image
Qapl
18 Replies

Just wondering if anyone else suffers with intense feeling of muscle exhaustion in their legs. Mine feel like I have run a marathon for no reason. Sometimes this is just in the evening and there are days like today when I have had this feeling from the moment I woke. They aren't weak as such just very fatigued, achy and heavy. I have recently started taking t3 along with my levo and I thought at first that it had sorted it but this weekend it's back to how it was. This has been getting steadily worse over the last few years really. Wondered if it might be something other than thyroid? Any ideas?

Thanks

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Qapl profile image
Qapl
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18 Replies
Rocca profile image
Rocca

Yes, similar to how you describe. Weak, wobbly, as though my arms are filled with lead and my legs might collapse although they never do. I have hyperthyroidism though. I only got actual aching on exertion when I was first getting ill. Proper exercise intolerance, my legs would actually hurt for a couple of days after standing for too long or doing too much. Then that wore off and it was just the sensation of weakness and heaviness. It disappeared when I was given carbimazole. I think I'm having another hyper episode right now and the weakness is back.

GarryB profile image
GarryB

"They aren't weak as such just very fatigued, achy and heavy." This sounds much like I would describe my arm and back of my shoulder muscles. But I have a spinal cord injury and cannot feel below my chest so just go by my arms. I have been on NDT for 2.5 months now and believe I have experienced improvement but still want a lot more.

maxart profile image
maxart

Yeah. Used to be like that all that time. Fine since on T3 though...

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Perhaps you are low on iron as well as T3.

Quasarlis profile image
Quasarlis

Yes, all the time!!

GarryB profile image
GarryB in reply toQuasarlis

Has anything helped? Did you get any relief? This is such a disconcerting feeling. The soreness is bad enough but it feels like there is something seriously wrong with me.

Quasarlis profile image
Quasarlis in reply toGarryB

Well since I have been on the T3 it's been better but I still have my days. Do you walk up the stairs to the toilet, get to the top and your thigh muscles feel like you have just done 50 squats? ... Your not out of breath but still bend over with ya hands in ya knees waiting for it to fade away?? That's what I get, used to be every time ... All I can say is get on the T3 and do exercise .. I haven't been able to for a couple of months due to a wrist op but it did help a lot with it. I have a bike and a turbo trainer .. It's hard for the first week of so then it gets easier and the achy leg thing gets less and less.

GarryB profile image
GarryB in reply toQuasarlis

I'm so glad to hear that things have improved. I don't do stairs but your description matches my feeling upon exertion. I've been on NDT and feel an improvement but am not good yet. Thankfully my bloods show lots of room for increases in NDT so I'm hopeful. Best regards.

Salmos profile image
Salmos

What is T3??

BadHare profile image
BadHare in reply toSalmos

Tri-iodothyronine. The hormone our cells need.

nahypothyroidism.org/event/...

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Are your nutrient levels optimal?

Qapl profile image
Qapl in reply toBadHare

Truth is I don't know - I was wondering if any part of these symptoms would fit with low iron? I plan to get that checked out along with b12.

BadHare profile image
BadHare in reply toQapl

When I first joined this website, I read several posts re getting one's ducks in a row regarding nutrition & supplements for optimal levels of essential vitamins & minerals. We need the top end of the normal range of B's, D, iron & ferritin, magnesium, selenium & zinc, etc. If we're missing one thing, the rest of the puzzle doesn't fit.

Also what not to eat. I found out the hard & expensive way thay soya is bad, & I'm working on going gluten free. :(

Liz32 profile image
Liz32 in reply toBadHare

Why is Soya bad for you? Ive just changed from cows milk? I've got problems with my legs when I sit at work I can hardly walk until they come around but initially moving is embarrassing! I also suffer from restless legs at night so I take quinine tablets and that helps,odd that I can't keep them still in bed yet they won't move in the day!

BadHare profile image
BadHare in reply toLiz32

Unfermented soy reduces both thyroid hormone production and absorption of thyroid hormones by cells. I got fatter, more sluggish & achey after eating soya every day, despite reducing calories. My NDT only started working properly once I cut it out of my diet altogether. I seem to be able to eat other goitrogens regularly with no ill effect. I still eat miso, tamari, & tempeh as these are fermented, so they're not goitrogeic.

Have you tried taking chelated magnesium at bedtime? Empty stomach, with water. It stops cramp, & helps me sleep better.

Phoenix605 profile image
Phoenix605

Definitely get your essential nutrients checked

B12

Folate

Vit D

Ferritin

They all tend to be low due to poor gut absorption issues. Low or deficient Vit D and B12 levels in particular are notorious for muscular/skeletal issues.

Do you always have the same levo brand and if not have you noticed changes in symptoms that might correlate? A lot if people find one brand suits whilst another doesn't, and the culprits are usually the binders and fillers. I can't take TEVA (along with many) it played havoc with my joints, I sprained my elbow putting on an empty rucksac, had tendonitis in both ankles, legs like lead and could barely use my hands - after taking it for 3 weeks - my hands returned to normal within 4 days of stopping, tendons took weeks to get better and elbow is still a problem 6 months later. The only ingredient I could see that wasnt in my normal brand was mannitol so have to assume it was that. My GP now specifies NO TEVA on prescription but many say brand makes no difference so pharnacist can put it in notes too if needed.

If you search SeasideSusie she gives excellent nutruent levels and supplement advice, it sorted mine nicely, all sorts of miscellaneous aches and niggles disappeared too.

Qapl profile image
Qapl

Hi my vitamin D result was D3 66.9 nmol/L and D2 2.8 nmol/L. I was told this was 'adequate' and that anything over 50 was adequate.

Any thoughts on the level? Should I be supplementing?

Dee8686 profile image
Dee8686 in reply toQapl

Hi I have exactly the same feeling. I say to my husband that my legs feel like I've ran a marathon and they throb sometimes. Has anything helped?

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