Any advice please. Have had an enlarged tongue for over a year now, used bongela and had my teeth ground down to ease the discomfort and avoided certain ingredients in toothpaste hoping that the symptoms would go away. Have recently been told that I have a scalloped shaped tongue and indentations on the inside of my cheek -being cases by my teeth and to have a mouth guard made up to sleep in at night (advised by maxillo-facial unit). I did tell them I was on 100 micrograms levothroxine but they dismissed this was related. Having read other thyroid patients suffer with enlarged scalloped tongues can anyone suggest what I do next. Many thanks.
Adding a photo of Free T4 and TSH levels since being diagnosed.
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peartree
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Most certainly it can be related. I suspect it often is related. Just don't assume that it is without proper diagnosis.
My own tongue became distinctly uncomfortable, with the tip being quite sore. And my thyroid hormone levels were only just bottom of range (FT4) and top of range (TSH).
(By the way, I rather hope you are on 100 micrograms (mcg) of levothyroxine - not 100 milligrams (mg)! dropbox.com/s/q00vyt5703f4u... )
This is an issue that I have suffered with over the years. I found that low B vitamins and low Free T3 (one of the thyroid hormones) were the most likely cause. Supplementing with a good quality B Complex and starting to have my thyroid treated helped the problem to go away.
All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don’t take any Levo in 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto at the onset - will request other relevant levels this blood test due this week - did originally get these tested but as years go on doctors only want to check thyroid level....
Hashimoto's often affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies. Certainly worth trying
I was diagnosed over active thyroid condition several years ago and one of my many symptoms back then was a swollen tongue with scalloped edges ..... not pleasant at all and so you have my sympathy. Mine went back to normal and I hope that yours does with the correct medication and the help of additional magnesium and vitamin B complex tablets.
Hyper/hypo thyroid conditions aren't easy to live with and each one throws up lots of daily "challenges". Listen to your body and with the correct medication you will learn to cope and can enjoy a decent quality of life. Good luck and ((hugs)) for you today.
Many thanks for support much appreciated. Diagnosed a few years back with Hashimoto and have taken levo and had it adjusted up and down as blood tests results suggest. Just seems strange that doctors don't see a scalloped tongue as symptom....
I suffered with a big fat tongue for 6-7 years. Swollen, teethmarks round the edges. It was raw & stinging with smooth patched. I was sent round in circles for years.
Blood tests kept showing deficiencies in Zinc & Folate then eventually I was found to be low in D & B12 and “sub clinical” Hypothyroyd (TSH 11, by T3 & T4 just in range).
My tongue is perfectly normal now. I would have never believed those raw patches would grow back. I can’t tell you what cured it, maybe it was a combination.
I supplement all of the above. I also did my own private tests which showed that 50mcg, then 100mcg of Levo didn’t increase my fT3 at all (therefore I wasn’t converting it). Following a 6 month trial on NDT, I’m now using T3 only & seem to be doing better.
Thank you just good to know that there are others with the same symptom gives me the courage to follow it up - as you can see from the original post not once was thyroid issues considered even though I mentioned medication each time....
Google Thyroid tongue. It definitely is thyroid related. I had it in 2014 with dreadful digestive issues. I went on Dr K’s AIP for around fourteen months and then slowly reintroduced denied foods. I now have a normal tongue, no digestive pain and eat mostly healthy. Good luck.
Low B12 can cause what I've seen described as ' beefy tongue' ( google images show it better than I can describe) and if low B12 is found it's important to be tested for Intrinsic factor. As SlowDragon says, ferritin, folate and Vit D should also be tested as you need good levels of these along with B12 to work together.
I had a swollen tongue with teeth indentations round it. If you look at Dr Skinners book you will see its a sign that hypothyroidism has been there a while or a result long term under treatment. It is reversable. Mine went when my thyroid levels were optimised. I didnt have raw sore patches on top with mine so not sure if that is related.
Hi, a swollen tongue with scalloped edges is a sign of malabsorption. I have one too.
As well as additional supplements as suggested- I would advise addressing your digestion. Try taking Viridian’s Digestive Aid before meals.
Herbalists will look at your tongue as a diagnostic tool.
For information- a red tip indicates stress, a quivering tongue, anxiety. Look at end of tongue- without distorting shape- a < shape - er turned so point is upwards is sign for Hashimotos.
Please make tests and public it here to understand the full picture
- TSH
- FT4
- FT3
- antibodies
- vit D
- vit B12
- iron
- selenium
- magnesium
- zink
I was taking euthirox 5 years and the doctor was telling that the tests are fine. But I had a lot of simptoms of AIT Hashimoto. I start to search the information and start to take T3 and vitamins/supplements myself. After 2 weeks of taking T3 edema of the face and body disappeared. Of course I was taking all vitamins and supplements I need. Also I don`t eat gluten and sugar.
There is test for gluten (and other food) intolerance - Immunohealth.
I think you might be anaemic and have a B12 and vitamin D deficiency. Dehydration can contribute to it as well. When itI happened to me, I would have little white spots on my tongue and that was what the teeth kept biting on them and making them sore and very red and swollen. My thyroid medication was at the right dose at the time.
At the time it happened, I had didn't know that I also had Sleep apnoea as well.
Thanks for reply - I did get my tongue looked at by a maxillo-facial and oral consultant this week and he did mention I had no white spots but only the scalloped tongue with teeth imprints and along the cheek lining too. I mentioned the levothroxine meds and the way my voice is hoarse and starts to fail by the end of a long hot day. 'just sip water regularly' and 'have a mouth guard fitted to elevate soreness at night'. Hmmmm. Getting my B12 levels taken and others suggested as above (hopefully!)
These consultants make me so cross at times. I get a very dry voice sometimes and at the moment I have a cough (might be seasonal stuff). Can you remind me what your T4 and T3, TSH levels and ranges are peartree?
A personal question, but do you suffer with heavy periods?
I have just gone through the menopause myself. A late bloomer lol.
Without the ranges, it is difficult to confirm, but your thyroids are low in range. Not sure what the ranges are for B12 but again, I would say you were deficient. I would imagine you might need some iron supplement as well.
How much T4 are you on at the moment?
I am due to be retested next Monday as my TSH was 4.87 which indicates that I am under medicated - I have been as low as 0.09 which indicated I was under medicated too. My current dose of T4 is 200 mcg and my last result was 14.7 (I think). But I only have a partial non working thyroid which I was born with. I am also on T3 which is what they are trying to get me off. because of the price issue.
I have had B12 deficiency for over 15 years (lost count) and vitamin D. But the B12 deficiency we have just found out is in our family. I have a jab every couple of months.
I would always ask for the ranges and if not happy with your GP's opinion, seek another one.
Never take you medication before the blood test though as it gives a false reading.
I also had scalloped tongue and was hypothyroid and had leaky gut and malabsorption.
I agree with knickersyard regarding nutritional deficiencies addressed with supplements
My swollen scalloped tongue went away when I took supplements although I continued to be hypothyroid, dehydrated and have extreme problems with digestion (leaky gut, malabsorption). So I believe hypothyroid patients often have scalloped tongue but the root cause is multiple vitamin and mineral sufficiency’s (not just one).
The Supplements I took that made a difference were folate and B12. I found I had MTHFR genetic weakness (which is common in those of European decent) and have to take methylated versions of these vitamins. That would be methyltetrahydrofolate and methylcobalamin. Also if you are having digestive issues it may be better to take the B12 topically. I use two products by Neurobiologix: Methyl Folate Plus and Neuro immune stabilizer but there are other companies that offer the methylated forms of B12 and folate.
I also began taking lots of magnesium In the form of magnesium citrate (for constipation) and magnesium glycinate (take before bedtime, calming).
Also I did hair mineral analysis and found I needed zinc and calcium.
I also was advised by my doc to take vitamin D3 with K2.
I my opinion the heavy hitters are the B12 and folate combo for vitamin deficiencies and magnesium and zinc for minerals. However taking a good multivitamin (I take ONE by Pure encapsulations) is also key because all vitamins and minerals are necessary for everything to work properly. Some are cofactors for others to work.
I have also changed my diet to eliminate dairy and gluten but it did not help my scallopped tongue.
Hi Annkapp, if you click on the downwards arrow to the right of "More" you will see a menu item called "Edit". Click on that and you can change the text within your post. That will save posting corrections to your post well after the fact and out of context. But good post anyway!
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