Itching burning legs, can anyone help?

[Kathy6]

Itchy burning legs. I have no bites skin not too dry, no rash It's driving me mad. I suffer from an under active Thyroid and Crohn's. Has anyone idea what it might be?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have any recent thyroid and vitamin results

Are you still only on 75mcg levothyroxine

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

[Kathy6 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes still on 75 mcg had a test not so long ago and they said my levels were ok. I normally take vit d, B12, zinc and magnesium, star flower but on hols for a week and haven't been taking them didn't think it would matter for a week. Later I have been feeling so well.

[Kathy6 in reply to Kathy6]

Hi have eating gluten though and have been going to the loo more of often.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kathy6]

What are your actual thyroid and vitamin results and ranges

Presumably with Crohns you get regular vitamin testing via GP

Did you get coeliac blood test

[Kathy6]

They have done that this has just come on recently may not be connected. Just worried it might be something else.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Presumably you have Hashimoto’s.

Strictly gluten free diet is frequently beneficial or essential for majority of Hashimoto’s patients

Are you still on steroids for other issues. Steroids can significantly affect TSH, absolutely essential to test Ft4 and Ft3

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

Presumably your endoscopy checked for coeliac

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.

[pffft2017]

Changed your washing powder or soap recently? I itched like hell when we put some limescale cleaner through the washing machine. Try some anti-histamines or Flexitol which has been brilliant for my psoriasis flare ups.

[Kathy6 in reply to pffft2017]

No but I am on holiday and everything smells quite sented.

[fredjones]

Hi Kathy6, I have exactly the same symptoms, especially at night when my calf muscles in particular touch the mattress. It has kept me awake for more hours than I care to remember. My NHS endo says it nothing to do with my thyroid problem, so to go and see my GP. The GP just said hmm and thought the same. My private endo says its all part of getting old! Between all of them I could scream. I previously was hyperthyroid but the NHS endo gave up trying to regulate my hormone levels and suggested a thyroidectomy. I presumed he knew what he was doing and had the operation. Bad mistake . I have felt worse ever since but having a bit of T3 with T4 means I can sort of operate some days instead of sitting on the sofa all day.

So this post is no help for you but I know exactly how you feel.