Thyroidectomy 2014

[Kmstill]

Hi All! I had a throidectomy in 2015 due to a large benign nodule. I started on levithyroxine but after time started getting joint pain, inflammation and stiffness specifically just in my knees. It became harder and harder to do daily activities including stairs. I decided to switch to Armour thyroid which my primary care doctor was happy to do. For a “short” time I felt great and the stairs were a breeze. That didn’t last very long and I was sent to rheumatologist and they said with the joint pain and inflammation in my blood I have arthritis and they put me on Enbrel. I’ve been on taking it for a month and. Half and I think I feel worse. I’m 51 and can hardly stand from a sitting position due to the stiffness in my knees. I have decided that I’m much too young for this and will be seeing a holistic doctor that focuses primarily on the endocrine system. I firmly believe that the issues I’m having stem from not being treated properly. I did also have a hysterectomy in 2015 so there went some more hormones. 😳 Has anyone been down this road??

[Nanaedake]

Has your doctor tested your vitamin D, calcium, B12, folate and ferritin levels? I can say that I had a partial thyroidectomy and started with joint muscle pain soon after. It could be a combination of low vitamin D3, insufficient calcium, low magnesium levels and lack of other nutrients such as boron.

Before you spend loads of money on alternative treatment, get your basic vitamin levels tested and then post them here for best advice. If GP will not do them, you can get them done through Medichecks or Blue Horizon listed on Thyroid UK's website under lab tests tab.

[silverfox7]

As thyroid patients we are often low in essential vits etc. Vit D, B12, Folate and ferritin all help your thyroid work better but help with conversion issues and other symptoms. Be aware though that if low in any of these then it can take a while to get levels up to where it makes a difference so not an instant fix but well worth doing. Many of us supplement to keep well.

[HLAB35]

I read the Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean which has made me realise that Magnesium should have been among the first things I should have used in my supplement regime. I'm confident enough in its benefits that I'd recommend it to anyone with chronic inflammation, provided their kidneys are ok and it won't interfere with meds.

Firstly, it would have also prevented a lot of the side effects of thyroid levels readjusting and cramps and backache and anxiety and breathlessness. It's a good painkiller for back spasms, and my crp marker which is an inflammatory marker has gone down to less than 1, since I've been taking it regularly (after walking dogs, late afternoon and night-time). It's not a cure-all, but it certainly helps with symptoms enough that I don't have to worry about doing myself an injury through exercise which is what was happening before. Starting on a low dose (150mg) at night and then working up to about 450mg a day spaced throughout the day has worked for me (Magnesium Citrate). If you are starting on it, the soluble sort is good, because you can control the dose and as Magnesium is very quickly used up you can space it out throughout the day. It'll make you quite sleepy and rested feeling which is why taking it at night is a good starting point.... the sleepy side effect tends to get less as you get used to it.

doctorshealthpress.com/pain...

drcarolyndean.com/2015/07/m...

This is Carolyn Dean's article on relationship between knee arthritis and low magnesium (P.S. I'm not endorsing her brand of Magnesium which I think is only available in the U.S.A - there are plenty of UK suppliers which I use!)

[Hidden]

I also had a TT in 2015 and was put on Levo after just a few months I couldn't even get up from the floor. In 2014 I was swimming, yoga and walking every week. I also put on weight.

I then joined this site and started self medicating on NDT I am now feeling well again.

I was asked on the site about my Vit levels etc but they were all optimal apart from Vit D which I now take every day. Mine was not low Vitamin D it was purely caused by taking Levo I am sure of that.

[LAHs]

Very good advice above. Get all of your vitamins and minerals up to par as advised above. If you still have problems up your NDT by 1/4 grain. This is exactly what I had to do. My doc prescribes 1.1/4 grains (Armour NDT) and I take 1.5 grains otherwise I get what feels like arthritis. I would try that first before you take Enbrel because Enbrel, as an anti-inflamatory, might interact with your NDT (it might reduce it's effectiveness).

Here is another idea - but not for long term - I have a lot of erosion in my knee joints, I had an MRI of my knees because I wanted to know if the pain I sometimes have was physical or due to NDT dose being too low. You might want to try Cortizone shots in your knees. I do this very occasionally and it gives me about 3 months of "perfection" of movement. Don't do it too often however, maybe just before you go on holiday.