Periferal neuropathy?

[Deotima]

I have cold tingly feet and legs most of the time, and a bad lower back. I assume they are related.

Has anyone had success with a pulsed electric field mat?

What supplimentation would be best please?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As per your post from 2 months ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

Recommend you get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing

[Deotima in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

Would you suggest I ask GP or go privately?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Deotima]

You will almost certainly need to test thyroid privately to get TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 plus BOTH TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested

Ask GP to test B12, folate, ferritin and Vitamin D first

If GP is unhelpful then include vitamin testing in private testing

Your current prednisalone may be lowering TSH, causing central hypothyroidism

TSH is all a GP looks at

[Deotima in reply to SlowDragon]

Many thanks. I’ll start with the GP.

I expect you will know where to get private tests done.

I wondered if the Prednisolone had anything to do with it. I have cut it down to 6.25 mg a day, and hope to get off it eventually.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Deotima]

I added full details in previous post

But here they are again

Essential to ALWAYS get any thyroid test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

If taking any vitamin supplements that contain biotin you need to stop these a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

[Deotima in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

I’m on Lugol’s iodine, presently about 80 mg a day.

Should I stop this before tests please?

[cjrsquared in reply to Deotima]

If you are suspecting underactive Thyroid why are you taking Lugols iodine? It was the treatment in the past for overactive thyroid as it depresses thyroid function. It is unusual to be low in iodine in Europe and it is normally recommended that you get tested first and only supplement under supervision.

In order for peripheral neuropathy to be properly diagnosed you need to be referred to a neurologist and to have nerve conduction tests. I have recently been provisionally diagnosed with this and am awaiting a nerve biopsy at a tertiary centre. The neurologist doesn’t think in my case that my neuropathy is related to hypothyroidism (TT for cancer) but he does see a greater number of patients with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies.

[Deotima in reply to cjrsquared]

I understand that the Wolff Chaikoff effect is temporary, only lasts 10 days and that iodine will work for both hyper and hypo thyroid. After all lack of iodine causes goitre. I’m certainly no worse on it.

Thyroid peroxidase tests. Is that for Hashimoto’s, or is that the antibody test?

I agree I need to have a nerve conduction test. It’s possible that crumbling vertebrae is the cause of my tingly legs, but as I am permanently cold and tired I think thyroid and vit tests are a good idea.

Thank you.

[cjrsquared in reply to Deotima]

Hope the blood tests give you some answers. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are the thyroid antibodies normally tested to confirm hashimoto’s, auto immune, hypothyroidism. There are other thyroid antibody tests but they are normally only ordered by an endocrinologist. I wish you well.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Deotima]

Never ever take iodine unless definitely deficient

Iodine can badly affect thyroid causing hypothyroidism to get MUCH worse

[Deotima in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I understand.

[Singoutloud]

Peripheral neuropathy is a symptom of B12 deficiency & the autoimmune condition called Pernicious Anaemia. Have had both vitamin B12 & folate levels tested?

When you already have an autoimmune condition there a greater chance of developing others. (hashimotos Rheumatoid Arthritis)

I would advise ruling out Pernicious Anaemia by having intrinsic factor antibodies tested before you start any B12 supplements.

Once you start supplementing it will skew blood results for months and doctors will be reluctant to test any further for autoimmunity.

Low folate/folic acid can cause degeneration of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerve fibres.

[Deotima in reply to Singoutloud]

Thank you.

I have had rheumatoid arthritis for many years, caused I believe by an allergic reaction to herpes 1. This has been much improved by getting on top of the virus with Aciclovir and the herb Chinese Scullcap. I have been able to cut down on Prednisone, and hope eventually to get off it.

I have been supplementing with b12 for some time.

So rather difficult to know where to start.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Deotima]

Likely you have autoimmune thyroid disease as RA is autoimmune

Getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing

Probably best to wait a few weeks after stopping iodine

drknews.com/iodine-and-hash...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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 .

[Deotima in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for your help and advice.

I’m hoping to get a GP’s appointment next week or so and will see what my new doctor says.

I note what you say about stopping iodine before testing, so I will tell doc about it.

Between you and me I haven’t much confidence in the NHS system, but I thought it best to start there.

Xxx

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Deotima]

There’s little point in discussing any vitamin supplements with NHS GP, they don’t learn anything about importance of vitamins in medical training