Does anyone have problems with use of their hands
I m now on 125mg levothyroxine daily it’s risen over the last mths from 75 as my system doesn’t seem to be absorbing
The use of my hands seems to. deteriorating daily I couldn’t even use my mouse yesterday
At times I was really bad my legs, arms and hands were just dead on waking. Hubby had to run life into my hands. Not so much when I was moving around, up and awake but my pelvis has always been bad and I e been for a few carpel tunnel tests all not positive.
Yes I have, particularly carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel symptoms, I have had both hands operated on. It’s something that is more common with people who have thyroid issues. It’s a simple sort if you go to see your GP then a hand specialist as well.
There are many associated problems with thyroid disorder including joint pain, carpal tunnel etc etc. Pop n see your doctor and they’ll refer you on for treatment. I hope it clears up soon x
First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of copies.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
Carpel tunnel is common hypothyroid symptom
Add results and ranges if you have them or come back with new post once you get results and ranges...members can advise on next steps
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome likely. See your doc for a referral. If you can't hold your hands above your head for more than a matter of seconds, the it's CTS. Soon sorted out with a simple op but you can't have both done at the same time.
Carpel tunnel due to hypothyroidism should resolve if thyroid levels are correctly treated
I had carpal tunnel syndrome a long time before becoming hypothyroid and know how painful it is. I had a brilliant doctor though and through his physiotherapist and her treatment it resolved with no need for operation on wrists.
I get this when I feel really bad/in my worst patches. It’s like my arms and hands (and often legs) are unresponsive. I lose proper feeling in then too so have ended up burning myself and not realising for a while. Had it all checked out and nerve function etc is all normal! It does get better when I’m feeling better overall though, usually from an increase in thyroid medication
Yes - know the problem. I would walk on to a hot pavement with bare feet and instead of jumping off I would burn my feet. I too had nerve conduction tests and given the all clear. For me getting off Levo and onto NDT fixed it. I now do 50/50 Levo/NDT and seem ok so long as I keep Levo below 50mcg perday.
That’s interesting! Mine is largely better and since it was at its worst I’ve increased my liothyronine and decreased the levothyroxine 🤔
Hi cazzaleo. Yep same. Reduced Levo from 125 to 75 and added NDT to make up the difference. Levo T4 poisons you if you cant convert it to T3. My theory is you need to T3 to make T3. So there is no point throwing extra Levo at a person if they arn't currently converting, it just jiggers up their nerves.
Levo poisons you if you take too much. If your adrenal system, liver and kidneys arent in tip top condition you pool T4 in you soft tissue to the point it starts poisoning your nerves. As you get older you cant carry the lower TSH levels 1-4 and may need to drop back to a TSH 4-5. You can try having a break from Levo for 3-4 days and see if your hands feel better. Then if that works, try taking 50% less Levo for a month. Your TSH will rise on your blood tests so your GP will get cranky
Just thought it was worth a flag, although I might be missing something here, that reducing a levo dose by 50% seems like a possibly dangerous thing to do. Usually the advice is to drop grandially by 25mcg or so for 6-8 weeks, retest and then drop again as necessary/in accordance with symptoms. To my knowledge, this is to because the body becomes used to the dose and such a large change can be too sudden.
Also seems ill advised to break from levo for 3-4 days? Usually the advice is that it works in the body over about 7 days so any meaningful understanding of how symptoms are changed couldn’t be achieved in such a short time. Again, if dosing by symptoms, usually the suggestion is to reduce the dose by degrees for 6 week periods to see the effect on symptoms.
The advice may well be different if there are known adrenal problems (I have no experience in this area). However, without testing to find out, it seems wreckless to advise OP to completely stop or drastically reduce their meds without further investigation.
@hjh88 My thoughts when responding to Nina.
Re Reduce by 50% for a month - Nina's original dose was 75 so she is really only returning to previously prescribed dose. Over the month Nina's Levo titration will drop until she normalizes or goes slightly hypo(cold hands feet, sore joints, slow pulse etc).
Re 3-4 days. As you say it takes 7 days to purge the Levo so 3-4 days will be about 50% and show one way or another if it is T4 pooling.
Re blood tests, prior to 1970 they had no blood tests and they used symptoms.
Ultimately she goes back to the GP better armed in a month.
Sorry, to clarify, test adrenals. Why assume there’s a problem there when the symptoms mentioned here could just as much be the result of still being hypo? Agree that dosing can be be done, as historically, measuring by symptoms alone.
Irrespective of that, reducing a dose so suddenly, only to potentially have to increase again suddenly, doesn’t match to any of the advice usually given - here or by the medical profession. In fact would this not cause adrenal stress, if OP were still hypo which we can’t rule out, and her body suddenly had to compensate for a lack of thyroid hormone? I can’t help but feel that a safer way forward, as suggested by other members, would be not only to test thyroid hormone levels fully, but also to test adrenals before assuming that there’s an issue with these.
Yes,since my last upping of Levo from 150mcg to 175,feels like my hands have grease on,cos of dropping things,and have burning right at fingertips. Was diagnosed with Carpel Tunnel just before Auto Immune Hypothyroidism in 2004,but mostly solved that thru not doing repetitive things like keyboards,and certain machinery. Refused operation some time back as didn't want arm/s out of action for college,and burning pins and needles waking me at 3am has stopped!
I have had both hands operated on for carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a very painful condition. I was told by the surgeon that it was caused by hypothyroidism. Since then my grip is weak but at least the pain in my wrists has gone.
I now have Duypretens Disease in my hands and had to have a steroid injection to take away the pain at the base of my ring finger. I was again told that it is due to hypothyroidism!
Please check your vitamin B12 level. When my B12 was law I had lots of problems with my hands.
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