Hello all. Anyone else experienced ‘slowed down’ walking and pain with hypothyroid?

[Josephineinamachine]

Hi. I’ve recently been diagnosed hypothyroid. What got me to the GP in the end (despite experiencing some other classic symptoms, I now realise on reflection) was a sense of not gaining strength and fitness from the endless dog walking I do. In fact I was slowing down in my pace, really struggling with hills up and down, and experiencing pain similar to ‘intermittent claudication’ or spinal stenosis. Was actually referred to a physio which promptly sent me back to the GP saying it was ‘something inflammatory’ and that I needed a blood test (bless that physio!!). All pain gone now I’m on Levo. Just wondered if others have felt this? Thank you 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

Yes, many, many members would typically see significantly reduced energy, reduced time able to walk, or walk at speed

Joint pain is extremely common

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Low vitamin D virtually inevitable, unless already supplementing

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase or brand change in levothyroxine

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)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

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 down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

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

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.

Link about thyroid blood tests

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

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom...

[Josephineinamachine in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you 😊

[RedApple Administrator]

Josephineinamachine, Thyroid hormone is needed for both the brain and the physical body to function properly and to interact with each other. Insufficient thyroid hormone can slow down the signalling processes between the two that we would normally take for granted. Add that to the energy deficiency caused by insufficient thyroid hormone, and everything we try to do becomes slower and more difficult. Slowed walking, slowed mentation, slowed digestion etc. etc.

[BShankly in reply to RedApple]

Hi RedApple What about slowed hand coordination? I’ve found typing (quickly) a struggle, and constantly hitting the wrong keys. Thanks

B

[tattybogle in reply to BShankly]

yeb thahb s detibintly a thig too....

[jrbarnes]

Glad you found out early on. I too was sent to physio and around the world only to realize it was thyroid. Joint pain and stiffness, body weakness and cognitive issues are common with hypothyroidism. Excellent you're doing well on Levothyroxine.

[Josephineinamachine in reply to jrbarnes]

Ah thank you! I was googling for months trying to figure out what was wrong with me.

[tattybogle]

Yes , definitely. After a bit of a walk when the gradient increases on the way home, i sometimes end up veering off sideways rather then going straight up, Makes me look like i've had a few too many.

When i get home i cant speak in sentences either.

[Josephineinamachine in reply to tattybogle]

Yes I can relate to this. After 30 years living where I do I suddenly noticed the slight incline going up my road...never noticed it before...then it somehow started to turn into a hill. Couldn’t walk and talk either.

[Hidden]

Yes! I used to carry my son in a sling on the school run. I had to put him in a buggy in the end, partly because I couldn't carry the extra weight anymore but mostly because I needed something to lean on and support me as I walked.

It felt a bit like running in a dream; I was giving it my all but nothing much was happening!

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Hidden]

Exactly! 😊 wow that must have been hard with young children ☹️

[hjh88]

Definitely recognise this. It’s a wading through treacle feeling for me, not just walking but in all activity. It’s usually accompanied by a feeling that increasing my speed is an impossibility. For example, if I suddenly had to love out of the way of something or react quickly, there’s nothing in the tank to give me that short sharp burst of movement. Its much less frequent for me now but I still experience this when I have a crash.

[tattybogle in reply to hjh88]

Yes i know the treacle feeling too... watching old biddy's overtake you walking on the prom.When i have a good day i feel like shouting "yeah !...i've just overtaken somebody!"

[tattybogle in reply to tattybogle]

And sometimes if cars stop and wave you across the road, i politely decline , because i can't speed up to get across swiftly when i feel like treacle.... it's all rather embarrassing to look like '80' when your still '50something'

[jrbarnes in reply to tattybogle]

This made me laugh. I'm a 40 something woman that walks like I'm 100 and angrily waving at people not to wait for me to cross the pedestrian way. Sometimes I look away as to not make eye contact to encourage them to keep going.

[tattybogle in reply to jrbarnes]

one of the lesser known joy's of hypothyroidism,.. that, and staring blankly at carrots...

[Josephineinamachine in reply to tattybogle]

🤣

[hjh88 in reply to tattybogle]

Amazing how the bar lowers isn’t it. And just how much a treacle free day/overtaking a slow walker can mean 😂

[tattybogle in reply to hjh88]

TREACLE FREE DAYS love it..... i might start writing them on my calendar

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Noticed you have Clonazepam listed on profile

Can be possible contribution to hypothyroidism

researchgate.net/publicatio...

[Josephineinamachine in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon

Thank you 😊 I have always wondered if the Clonazepam might lead to ‘something’. I’ve been on it for 14 years now for RLS (which nearly cost me my job due to lack of sleep). I have asked GPs in the past about alternatives (that are proven to work, which means other medication as I tried all natural remedies which failed). Apparently clonazepam is the ‘least’ medicinal cosh for RLS with the least side effects. But I’m convinced that it must be doing something unpleasant long term. I’ll speak to the GP again though. Maybe there’s something new. Difficult one as nobody really knows what causes it!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Josephineinamachine]

You need to get BOTH thyroid antibodies tested to see if cause is autoimmune thyroid disease

And test iron and ferritin levels too

Have you tried magnesium supplements for RLS?

Loads of posts on here about RLS.....common hypothyroid issue

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

Ultrasound scan of thyroid can be helpful if antibodies are negative

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...