unbearably cold hands: Hi all, Please can you... - Thyroid UK

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unbearably cold hands

J2506 profile image
15 Replies

Hi all,

Please can you help/advise what I can do in regards to my hands being cold , the coldness gets worse each evening, I have to get in a really hot bath and use a hot water bottle to try and raise temperature, other symptoms are usual under active , brittle nails, hair loss, unbearable weight gain, constipation, low mood… I’m so sick of it but hands are so cold.

I take 30mcg Liothyrine

150mcg Levothyroxine

Endo is no support whatsoever 😳😥

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J2506
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15 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Have you discussed your cold hands with your GP? It could be due to Raynaud's or some other reason for them.

J2506 profile image
J2506 in reply to SeasideSusie

Hi, I’ve discussed them with endo , who just disregards my symptoms, I feel as I’m over 50 she has no interest. Thanks for your reply 🙏

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to J2506

I would disconnect this symptom from your thyroid, your endo isn't interested so you can say to your GP that your endo says they're not to do with your thyroid but you have this problem so could it be Raynaud's or something else. Hopefully GP will look further into it.

J2506 profile image
J2506 in reply to SeasideSusie

I just looked up Raynauds, my hands don’t swell nor change colour, but will mention to GP, thank you

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Day before test…..

Was last 10mcg dose of T3 Approx 8-12 hours before test

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Have you got vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels tested yet

And thyroid antibodies for autoimmune thyroid disease

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

I was originally on 125 Levothyroxine & 20 Liothyrine , I increased Levothyroxine to 150 daily to see if symptoms improved

Looking at previous post

Did you increase levothyroxine by 25mcg and also increased T3 by 10mcg all in one go ……that’s likely too much too quickly…..

Should only increase by 25mcg levothyroxine OR by 5mcg T3

Wait at least 6-8 weeks before retesting

Test early morning

Last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Day before test divide T3 into 3 smaller doses spread across the day and last 1/3rd of dose 8-12 hours before test

All four vitamins needed to be at OPTIMAL levels

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol

Serum B12 over 500

Active B12 over 70

Folate and ferritin at least 50% through range

humanbean profile image
humanbean

I live in a cold house and suffered from incredibly cold hands throughout the winter, but my symptoms didn't match Reynaud's Syndrome either.

The only practical things I can suggest are

1) buying a hot water bottle and using it as a hand warmer, refilling with boiling water as necessary.

2) Other possibilities are wheat bags which can be heated up in a microwave - but I wouldn't recommend these. They start to stink after very little use, and it is easy to overheat them and then they stink of burning on top of the smell of decaying wheat.

3) You can buy rechargeable hand warmers - lots available on Amazon, and some can be recharged using a USB socket on a PC.

4) There are fingerless gloves that allow you to still use your hands - but I found them useless - they just made me even more aware of my cold fingers than before. But some people think they are really helpful, so it's obviously personal preference.

5) There are heated gloves available - some of them can be plugged into a USB socket on a PC so you aren't continually having to recharge them.

Another more long-term idea...

6) I used to suffer from very low iron and ferritin. When I got my ferritin up to optimal and improved my serum iron (both of which took a long time) I discovered that I was less aware of the cold, even though my actual body temperature hadn't changed at all.

Danielj1 profile image
Danielj1

I had freezing hands all the time until added different supplements - magnesium seemed to make a real difference as they are rarely that cold any more

Daily yoga helps body alignment lowers stress and improved circulation too

Danielj1 profile image
Danielj1 in reply to Danielj1

controlling blood sugar levels seems to be important too…

janeroar profile image
janeroar

I agree with doing yoga and also doing some other exercises that get your heart rate up snd your muscles are moving vigorously eg quick sprints, rowing machine, cycling hard up a hill. Have you tried regular saunas? Anything to get blood flowing should help and the suggest from Daniel about taking magnesium

Hookie01 profile image
Hookie01

When did you last have your iron/ferritin levels checked?

J2506 profile image
J2506 in reply to Hookie01

I’m due to have bloods taken on Friday I’ve asked for vitamins to be tested too so hoping this will help, thanks

amelirom profile image
amelirom

Hi ,

I’ve had this issue for a while, incredibly cold hands, I felt the coldness all the way in my bones.

I was peri menopausal, now I’m in menopause and I’m dealing with a lot of issues related with menopause. I’m on hormone therapy and I’ve learned that my extreme cold hands went away along with other issues, not completely but I only have few days in a month that I get cold, but not as extreme as before. Fluctuation in hormones gives the extremely cold hands for myself.

I also had some vitamin’s levels low B12 and D that I’ve addressed that too. Menopause takes a toll on us and is the reason behind many issues we develop as women.

I can name more than 36 symptoms that I’m experiencing because of menopause but I don’t want to scare anyone away, it’s only by request 🤣. I know that one size does not fits all and while some women have this transition more gentle others are extremely miserable like myself 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hopefully this should pass.

J2506 profile image
J2506 in reply to amelirom

Thank you, it’s so unfair as if hypothyroidism isn’t enough with fluctuating hormones, then along comes the menopause 😭I too am going through it, HRT isn’t suiting me either , I have bloods in the morning so I’m hoping that this will answer some issue’s, such a struggle 🙏🤔🙃

Houdini415 profile image
Houdini415

10 years ago my GP lowered my thyroxine, Then in addition to all the usual underactive symptoms I also suffered with cold hands. Cold and painful to touch, painful to bend fingers. It was intolerable and made it difficult to do my work which was all computer based. It could be linked to thyroid. because I self medicated and put my dose back up and hey presto I no longer had cold hands.

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