Jaws, cheecks and neck pain persisting!! ... - Thyroid UK

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Jaws, cheecks and neck pain persisting!! Should I need a parathyroid blood level test?

Lois71 profile image
23 Replies

Just received calcium, phosphorum, magnesium, etc., results...

In my last post I asked about hypoparathyroidism symptoms and I decided to get the blood test done, these are the results:

Calcium 9.4 mg/dl 8.6-10.0

Phosphorum 4.3 mg/dl 2.5-4.5

Magnesium 2.3 mg/dl 1.6-2.6

Iron 49.4 ug/dl 33-193.0

Sodium 140 meq/L 136.0-145.0

Potasium 4.5 meq/L 3.5-5.1

Chlorine 100.9 meq/L 98.0-107.0

They seem to be within the ranges..., but the discomfort persist, Will I need to have an additional parathyroid blood test to these results?

Ps. Parathyroid were preserved in my surgery one year and eight months ago.

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Lois71
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23 Replies
humanbean profile image
humanbean

They seem to be under the ranges

All the results you've given are within range, so I'm not sure what you are referring to.

Do you have a ferritin result and a transferrin saturation result?

Your iron result is only approx 10% of the way through the range and should be between 55% - 70% of the range.

Optimal results for iron and iron-related levels are given on this link :

rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_...

I wouldn't suggest supplementing iron purely on the basis of an iron result. You need more information, such as ferritin and transferrin saturation as well as the iron to have a hope of making sensible suggestions.

Please note I have no medical training.

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to humanbean

Hi humanbean.

Correction, they are within the ranges.😁

No, a have not ferritin done yet, only B12 and Vit D

B12 was low, so I am taking the supplement of methylcobalamin, metilfolate and B6

Vit D was within the range ( middle ).

I appreciate your sugestions

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Lois71

What was actual vitamin D result?

Being hypo often linked to jaw clenching or teeth grinding. This can cause lot of pain

See dentist for possible mouth guard at night ...very effective

What are your most recent Thyroid results

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Essential to test TSH, FT4 and FT3

Many people after Thyroidectomy have low FT3.

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17 in reply to SlowDragon

Forgive my ignorance, what is the difference between parathyroid test and thyroid test and how to get parathyroid test? Thanks

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Thyroid17

The parathyroid glands (there are 4 situated behind thyroid gland) control the body's calcium level, the thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone.

Because a thyroidectomy can sometimes damage the parathyroid glands testing is often done to check calcium level.

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17 in reply to SeasideSusie

Thanks

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to SlowDragon

Vit D was

51.12 ng/ml ranges

Enough 30-100

Deficient < 10

Insufficient 10-30

thyr01d profile image
thyr01d

Might it be worth checking with your dentist if your jaw is 'out of place', I don't know much about this but a friend had it, the dentist gave her rather a lot of wirework to ease it back into line.

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to thyr01d

Thanks for the advice, I'll do it

Newmummy82 profile image
Newmummy82

Your symptoms could be TMJ, I developed this earlier this year and found wearing a mouth guard at night as well as botox injections in the jaw muscles helped. I also had my reimagining wisdom teeth out to even my bite and a chiropractor worked on my neck for a few months. Now pain free, although I have to wear the mouth guard every night and keep up the botox every 3/4 months.

Do you grind your teeth or clench your jaw?

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to Newmummy82

Woow! Actually I'ven thinkink about botox procedure

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

So vitamin D is ok

What are your current TSH, FT3 and FT4 levels?

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Is this how you do your tests?

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi, yes, that's how I always do the blood tests.

The current dose is 100 mcg of levo and 5 mcg of T3, I have little more than a month with that dose, since before I tried with pure levo and saw no improvement.

The latest results of last October showed the following:

Tsh 0.091 pUI/ml (0.270-4.200)

FT3 .082ng/ml (0.80--2.00)

Ft4 1.67ng/dl (0.93-1.70)

As you see the Ft4 was in the highest range and the Ft3 in the lowest, thas why I decided try addind T3.

At that time I had symptoms of hyperthyroidism, with this new dose I have seen some improvements but I know that I need to get my new blood thyroid test soon.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Lois71

Personally I found teeth clenching and teeth grinding got noticeably worse after adding T3....though it does improve slowly as adrenals get use to better levels

A mouth guard can help a lot

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to SlowDragon

I never imagined that it was because of that but it makes sense because I had few days of having the dose when I started with those problems, all this time I tried to attribute it to other causes.

It has helped me a lot that you shared your experience.

This week I'll start using the mouth guard 👍

Calcium Management in Thyroidectomy Patients - Hypocalcaemia.

medicine.uiowa.edu

Your symptoms seem to indicate that you may have too low calcium levels. Vitamin D and vitamin K helps the absorption of calcium. Beef liver is high in iron and vitamin k.

Tetany is a symptom of calcium. You should go back to nurse for tests for calcium levels.

I take magnesium and calcium carbonate which might help in Rennies. indigestion remedy.

Think you need to see minor injuries unit if the symptoms persist as you need expert advice on calcium management after thyroidectomy. Hope you feel better soon.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to

The link is just to the University of Iowa Health Care - Carver College of Medicine and does not in any immediately obvious way mention Calcium. If you know the actual link, you can edit your reply to add it.

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to

Thanks

in reply to Lois71

The University of Iowa Health care in its Iowa head and neck protocols

has an introduction describing levels of hypocalcaemia.

medicine.uiowa.edu/iowaprot...

In the symptoms of hypercalcaemia it refers to increased neuromuscular

irritability and spontaneous muscle cramps. Tetany is seen in severe

hypercalcaemia. As your level is normal from your tests, then it is not known if vitamin K deficiency might cause muscular problems if it affects the matrix protein inhibitor of calcium salts.

Another article from the BMJ stresses the problems with lack of vitamin k with vascular disease. I have a teeth grinding problem but this was explained as a problem of tension and the brain function. My grandson had tooth grinding, but he had an open bite and had dental treatment which solved the problem. I have had thyroid symptoms with tension in the neck, and a feeling of weakness but I have type 2 diabetes.

I guess if you have been hyper and hypo but your thyroxine levels are not adjusted Shaws is right.

bmj.com rapid response/2011/11/01/the-need-for-vitamin-k-in-calcium-supplements-

Lois71 profile image
Lois71 in reply to

I appreciate the information, I'll check the web sites.

in reply to Lois71

The advice for post thyroidectomy patients was to take 1 gram of calcium if they have problems with the symptoms along with vitamin d. (In the article from University of Iowa). I take vitamin d3 rather than D2 as it is the sunshine vitamin which can be digested in the liver, Normally the d3 is made in the skin when the sun activates a prohormone d3. I get these in value paks from chemist and feel fine after them. Vitamin k synergises with vitamin D and can be bought in supplements but is high in certain foods such as goose liver beef liver pate, parsley, and kiwi fruitbut is very low in the western diet unless you eat plenty of green dark vegetables. It can be found in kale chard, but unless you eat large amounts many peoole and kids are deficient. My grandchildren don't like many green vegetables!

I also found a cough medicine with anti histamine helped the vagus nerve to the throat and calmed down the feeling of lock jaw. It is made by welcome labs. Can pm private message the name of it over the counter. Take care.

Hi have looked up the drug Olanzipine and found it has many side effects such as hyperkinetic muscle activity akinesia . Citalopram can affect your menstrual cycle.

As you mentioned in other posts you had difficulties with menstruation and were considering a hysterectomy due to your endocrine problems and now after a thyroidectomy you still have problems, May be you should go back to the doctor about the drugs which you are taking.

Mental health problems can occur with thyroid and endocrine disorders. If you can be fast tracked to a gynaecologist, and your drugs revised, this might help. If it is perimenopause, or menopause, then you need a well woman test to see if you have oestrogen dominated hormone levels or are lacking in progesterone.

My daughter has similar problems has had operations on cysts, and has fibroids. She has been told to have a hysterectomy but the menopause is now underway so there might be a chance she wont need an op. I think you have had gynaecological problems associated with endocrine and been prescribed strong drugs, which may not help your medical condition.

I had an early menopause like you and had to have a hysterectomy and felt better. It takes over two years for hormones to settle down after this op.

May be the Olanzipine is causing the problem with hyperkinetic muscle problem.

May be the emphasis should be more on gynaecology and how to correct hormone imbalances which can affect your health. Olanzipine also can give rise to personality disorders, much as any other drugs can cause changes in the liver, and affect the brain. We are unique and what may suit one may very well make someone else ill.

Lois71 profile image
Lois71

Hi, regarding hysterectomy, I have decided to wait, for now I don't want to know anything about hospitals.

I am sure that the premenstrual syndrome started with my thyroid problems since 2005.

I regularly have gynecological hormonal blood tests and they are normal.

As for the estrogenic domain or the low level of progesterone, I agree with that, there are already two cycles in which I use wild yam cream and I have felt an improvement of 40% or so.

Speaking of olanzapine, that was the first cause in which I thought about the problem of the jaw and I am in the process of leaving it little by little, although in reality I only take a very small part of a divided tablet.

My story of how I got to the point of taking citalopram, olanzapine and tasedan is a bit long and gradual, but it's about thyroid problems, maybe poorly treated (I had thyrotoxicosis before surgery) and it has been a long way. Unfortunately, these Medications are helping me to have a little "quality of life", it's hard to depend on something like that, but sometimes you have no choice.

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