Swollen/ stiff fingers and toes first thing in the morning

[sunshineisbetter]

I am possibly in the early stages of being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s.

What causes swollen/ stiff fingers and toes first thing in the morning and occasionally throughout the day. Is this anything to worry about?

[Cavapoochonowner]

Hello,I have graves disease which causes the thyroid to be overactive.Before I was diagnosed I had a few different symptoms, one was having stiff feet and toes.I couldn't bend my feet properly to especially when I first got up in the morning.I was checked by my GO for arthritis but it was negative.Also I can no longer get my wedding ring on due to swollen and stiff fingers.I think my thyroid problem is causing this and it's just part and parcel of graves.Due to my treatment I have gone underactive a few times and my muscle aches and stiffness are still there.In my experience they are better when I'm properly medicated but I still have good days and bad days.Hope this helps Best wishes.

[Cavapoochonowner]

Above post should read GP not GO sorry got a new phone just getting used to it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous post, your high thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease- aka Hashimoto’s

Once you get started on levothyroxine this should start to improve

Low vitamin levels can exacerbate symptoms, especially low vitamin D

After coeliac blood test done, trialing strictly gluten free diet may help too

[sunshineisbetter in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. My coeliac blood test was negative x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sunshineisbetter]

So you can consider trialing strictly gluten free diet

Only make one change at a time

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

[sunshineisbetter in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I believe that medichecks do a gluten intolerance blood test x

[sunshineisbetter in reply to SlowDragon]

Apologies. I’ve just checked and it’s a ‘cereals’ allergy test that medichecks offer xx

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sunshineisbetter]

As you have tested negative for coeliac, the only way to know if you have non coeliac gluten intolerance is to try strictly gluten free diet.

[Smilykaf]

Hello. My mum was misdiagnosed for many years with arthritis and these were symptoms she had to start with. When you have bloods done are they checking for inflammatory markers?

My dear mother would be crippled at times and also had to have her rings cut off.

Hopefully you may feel better soon.

[sunshineisbetter in reply to Smilykaf]

My CRP levels are slightly elevated x