Hi everyone,
Is muscle weakness a sign that your under or over medicated or something totally different?. I ask this because I have noticed for a long time but never gave it any thought but, my arms are pretty darn weak and very noticeable when holding onto a cart handle they quiver almost. It feels like you feel after doing push up weak or tired feeling and I never had this prior to thyroidectomy.
Have you had thyroidectomy for Graves‘ disease? I did and have been feeble ever since. My consultant told me I would never regain the lost muscle and I confess I am not a gym type person so have not tried, but I know exactly what you mean about quivering. Maybe someone will have a good idea for us!
Thank you,
I had thyroidectomy for cancer. It's very disturbing since it seems to have gotten worse.
I can’t exactly answer your question but my sister in law had a thyroidectomy and chemo for thyroid cancer about 45 years ago and since then she has done all sorts of sports - hill walking, climbing, mountain biking, yachting, swimming all very energetic so she must be pretty fit. Are you on your optimal dose of whatever medicines you are taking. If you have got them, post your results along wth their lab ranges and people can have a look. If you haven’t had your ferritin, folate, vitamin D and B12 tested then have them done. Yes u want them to be well up within their ranges to help your thyroid. You might find you have t have them done privately - lots of people who use this website have to do that.
Endo says I'm overdosed I guess I'm going to mention this to Endo hope it's not another problem.
Do you have the results which he bases that ‘overdosed’ statement?
Sept 24, 2018
TSH: 0.090 (L) (0.27 - 4.20)
T3: 98.7 (80-200)
FT4: 1.02 (0.93 - 1.7)
FT3 NOT ORDERED (Retest in Jan 2019)
These results do not show overmedicating. He is looking only at your TSH result and does not understand that it is not an accurate guide to dosing. If he had bothered to do your free T3, he would no doubt find it is low, as your total T3 (I assume that is what you meant) is low, as is your free T4. In fact you probably need an increase in dose. What medication are you taking?
I'm taking Armour Thyroid (2grains). FT3 was not tested that time but it is getting tested this time in early January and your correct I'm not over medicated but my Endo did a bone scan earlier this year and it showed mild osteopenia so this ostepenia diagnoises from bone scan has brought on the constant harrasment about being over medicated even though in 2010 I had a bone scan that also showed I had mild osteopenia even though I had a thyroid and was on no medication for thyroid issues. She actually wanted me to reduce it to 1.5 grains from 2. I refused and now I'm wondering if this could be behind my muscle weakness.
I think osteopenia is very common in women after a certain age. It is only because of modern technology that we can know this. I feel sure most women have it to a degree but do not know. I had a Dexa in 2013 that showed in one part, I forget which, but I have been on T3 since then and will stay well away from scans. The reality is we are torn between osteoporosis or feeling ill every day without T3 and in any event, there is no proof that T3 causes it. Rock and hard place, as the saying goes! Maybe get a Free T3 result, just to see how you are and then decide.
I think osteopenia is very common in women after a certain age. It is only because of modern technology that we can know this. I feel sure most women have it to a degree but do not know. I had a Dexa in 2013 that showed in one part, I forget which, but I have been on T3 since then and will stay well away from scans. The reality is we are torn between osteoporosis or feeling ill every day without T3 and in any event, there is no proof that T3 causes it. Rock and hard place, as the saying goes! Maybe get a Free T3 result, just to see how you are and then decide.
I'm glad you refused. They shouldn't willy/nilly alter our medications.
It is probably a clinical symptom, of which there are many:-
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
The following by one of TUK's scientific Advisers:
I'm in the middle of a 'problem' re my bones at the moment. Ok results say osteopenia but they are wanting me to take drastic action and lots are saying this made no difference so I'm happy to increase Vit D and see if a gentler approach works than overkill. Apparently my bad wrist break says I need drastic action. But thinking logically for your problem. Bone issues need you to be exercising rather than a couch potato and the best thing for making exercise possible is to have an efficient thyroid to help you so I would concentrate on getting/keeping that optimal.
Silverfox, Your right exercise is important for bone health and currently by no fault of my own I've been pretty darn crippled from having a psoriatic arthritis flare that has been blasting my feet, ankles knees and tendons for 2 yrs now I'm on immunesuppressing medication but my Rheumy told me this is going to take several months to take effect because I was having undiagnoised flare for so long before getting meds. Maybe my muscle weakness is psoriatic arthritis flare as well.
On another thought I don't buy the 100% exercise for bone health and I say this because in August of 2010 my 1st bone scan showed that I have osteopenia I had a thyroid was on no medications for thyroid problems and I was super fit I was a runner and weight lifter the common health issue I was having for both bone scans was a "Medical induced hysterectomy" menopause probably has a much greater chance to cause bone lose then thyroid disease.
Hi there, as I understand it you are post thyroidectomy and treated with NDT.
I believe NDT is the most " complete " thyroid supplementation available, for us thyroidless people.
Once on NDT it is more about how you feel.
To comply to blood test ranges that were designed to monitor patients on monotherapy is now not appropriate. A T3 read is the only " read " that is relevant.
I would think you are undermedicated - I am currently self medicating and on 2 tabs.
Most people seem to be on higher doses than this. It's seems to be trial and error.
If you are with a doctor supporting your treatment regime they may have more information and knowledge to pull on, but it's early days, reading that it can take a year
to come back to feeling " more like you " .
Hi pennyannie, I had thyroidectomy 2 yrs ago and only started Armour Thyroid in August of this year (2grains) my Endo said based on test results I posted above in this post I'm hyper and wanted to drop my armour meds down to 1.5grains (rejected that offer). I'm currently concerned with noticeable muscle weakness when gripping things mostly notice it when holding onto the handles of carts not sure why it's more notice while doing this I thought maybe it's my thyroid levels or god forbid something else like psoriatic arthritis flare starting on my arms.
From what you've said it sounds like your doctor is a bit of an idiot, and will keep you sick.
Is it possible to change to a different one?
You need to see that freeT3 blood test, because that's the one that's most important. That will show whether you're under or over medicated. The TSH can't tell you anything! As other suggest, I think the likelihood is that you're considerably under medicated.
Hi SilverAvocado, I'm definitely getting FT3,FT4,TSH,T4 and maybe T3 in Janurary and I'm paying out of pocket to see the outside Endo in Jan after I do blood test and then a couple weeks after I see the out of pocket endo I will be seeing a different female endo at my Orginal endo office....I'm going to ask about this weird weakness had it for a very long time just seems more pronounced now. Im going to compair the 2 endos.
OK - so you say your endo says you are overmedicated.
On what test result is this statement being made ?
There is not a T3 reading in your post, is there ?
I think he is going by your TSH reading, and by guidelines that were initially intended as a diagnostic tool, and now seem to be used widespread and wrongly, as a dosage guide.
The professor who helped write these guidelines has now come out in his retirement and
done a complete " U " turn on the guidelines, along their interpretation and misuse in primary care.
Prof Toft. Thyroid hormone replacement - a counterblast to guidelines November 2017.
It can be found on this site, somewhere !!
It would be wise to ask for a full thyroid panel blood test, and the relevant vitamins and minerals as detailed on this site to all patients posting questions so that there is the correct information to hand on which to make a considered opinion.
I stand by what I said previously in that a healthy thyroid produces approximately 100 T4 + 10 T3 daily, with the additional T3 required throughout the day, by the conversion of T4 into T3.
My endos do everything thing by TSH and my bone scan....they keep telling me I'm hyper to try to get me to reduce my Armour Thyroid because of a bone scan earlier this year that says I have mild osteopenia.
See if your GP will do a blood test for Vit B12, ferritin and folate and VitD. I was noticing extreme muscle weakness before I got my diagnosis of low B12. You need ferritin and folate levels to be good in order to absorb B12. VitD if it is low can give you aching joints and muscles, which will make any weakness feel worse.
GP and Endo won't do Ferritin and no idea why my b12 is scheduled for Jan with Vit D...
And apart from all of the above re undermediaction, possible other tests etc, there is also the question of our other hormones e.g. testosterone which also influences muscles and levels of magnesium and vit D which are also very relevant for bones. And have you ever considered Lyme disease as a possible cause of your symptoms?
None of the doctor I've seen consider nothing this is why it has taken a year and half to get psoriatic arthritis diagnoises and now I can hardly walk most of the time.
From my own experience having muscle problems can be either higher FT-3 or low FT-3 .Labs run on FT- and FT-4 are very essential for these times to be able to tweak thyroid meds .
I hope you get sorted out soon .
I had test done in March 2018 I had muscle weakness then just not as bad as I have now.....March 2018 results below
MARCH 2018: Retested with FT3,FT4,TSH and ReverseT3.
FT3 (2.0 - 4.4) 2.980
FT4 (0.93 - 1.7) 1.23
TSH (0.27-4.20) ......0.076 (L)
Reverse T3 (9.2 - 24.1) 19.3
Results here are when I was on 88mcg synthyroid and 15mcg Cytomel. Currently I'm on 2 grains of Armour Thyroid.
Your freeT3 was under halfway up the range at this point. Most people need it near the top to feel well.
Your dose of 2 girains is a little less T4 and a little more T3 than what you were taking then. Maybe a tiny dose increase.
It's likely you will have room for a dose increase once you see your full results.
Canyouhearthat , My sympathy to you . Not to feel well is never an option . I was wondering if your FT4 was high before Cytomel was added ? Adding any T3 to a high FT-4 will give us a lot of hyper symptoms . Lowering T-4 slowly by 25mcg at a time and waiting for a few weeks since T-4 stays longer from our system . Running labs to see how much the T-4 dropped . From my own experience I could not add any T-3 because my FT-4 was high . I was getting all kinds of hyper symptoms including discomforts in my adrenals . Having my FT-4 at 1.1 allowed me to dose with low dose NDT . I did it very slowly . Slow Wins The Race .
It's possible that You do better on NDT . I tried Cytomel and did not do well with it . Once I switch to NDT with some T-4 made a world of a difference . It was a much smoother way for me to get my T-3 for my T-4 mix .
Hi jgelliss,
I have never had hyper symptoms I have the dreaded Hypo. Below is labs BEFORE I started Cytomel.
Keeping in mind that my original Endo who did blood work below never saw fit to prescribe or test Ft3 at the time this blood test was taken I was only taking 125mcg Synthyroid. Kind of confused why my TSH bottomed out without the use of Cytomel (T3) and I'm currently taking 2 grains of Armour Thyroid and still everything seems at low end....None of my current health issues (psoriatic arthritis) and weight gain (never ending) until after thyroid was removed.
March 3, 2017: No FT3 tested
FT4: 1.77 《H》(0.93 - 1.7 ) Range
TSH: 0.663 (0.27 - 4.20 ) Range
NDT and T4 ? Are u taking NDT along with t4?
What is your dose of NDT and how much T4 do u add to it
My Dose is 1.25 NDT +50mcg T-4 .
What brand of NDT are you on that's comes in 1,25?
Although currently "Temporarily unavailble", RLC's Nature-Throid comes in one and a quarter grain tablets.
I dose with 1grain + 1/4grain . In divided doses . AM I dose with 1/2grain +25mcg T-4 . Mid afternoon I dose with 1/2grain +25mcg T-4 . Before sleep I dose with 1/4grain NDT it helps me with better sleep . Some don't do well with T-3 before sleep it energizes them too much .
Yes I'm on NDT +T-4 .
Muscle weakness on 100mg
Weak legs and muscles and shakey hands 
Weak muscles
