I had FS in my left shoulder in 2018… the pain was like nothing I’d ever experienced! It’s the kind of pain you could pass out with. In time it healed with determination and no choice but to keep moving my arm, I had a baby at the time. The start of this year I got FS in my right shoulder. This time despite my best efforts the GP’s always digressed away from my cries of needing help for the pain. I gave up asking for their help as I had previous experience and apart from an ultrasound to confirm my diagnosis, the physio didn’t help, 2 weeks on naproxen did nothing for my pain and it was time that eventually healed me.. I think my right shoulder is starting to thaw as I have a bit more range of movement but I can not lift my arm up straight alongside my ear and I can’t put my arm anywhere behind my back. I haven’t slept through the night in months but still I battle on as I have no choice but to care for my son. Last week I thought I would give the GP another try as I was freaking out because I started to feel a little stiff in my left shoulder again 😩 is it possible I can get FS again? Any insights into the connection between the thyroid and FS. Any way I can speed up recovery ❤️🩹 I’m 50 but feel like I’m living in the body of a 80 year old 😭 my request to Santa is to have a full nights sleep pain free 😏
Hashimotos and frozen shoulder, is there a link? - Thyroid UK
Hashimotos and frozen shoulder, is there a link?
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Just type frozen shoulder and thyroid into Google and you'll find plenty about the link between them such as the above study.
Just trying to locate your most recent thyroid blood test results from your previous post
My NHS TSH was 3.06 on 30 May and on 20 July TSH was 1.79
Have you tested FT3 and FT4, for a complete picture of your thyroid health?
Are you still alternating 50/ 75 mcg of Levo?
July’s results
September thyroid panel results
November thyroid results
Cripes you are a terrible converter and need to be asking for a referral to Endo, with top of range fT4 and bottom of range fT3 they need to be starting you on T3.... in the mean time grab a good B complex like Thorne Basic B or Igennus B Plus as your folate and B12 need a lift 🤗
Also research HRT as it is a great help... best to tell your GP what you would like rather than leaving it to them 😏 balance-menopause.com/subje...
Thyroid Uk will send you the Endo list so that you can ask for a named one who is hopefully more up to speed on T3
TSH 1.7 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.2) 36.4%
Free T4 (fT4) 22 pmol/L (12 - 22) 100.0%
Free T3 (fT3) 3.6 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 13.5%
T4:T3 Ratio 6.111
Even lower fT3 on the previous results you have every right to feel like 💩☹️
What is your current dose of thyroid medication?
Buddy195 I’ve uploaded my past 3 medicheck results. So since getting valuable advice from this fine group. I convinced my GP to up my Levo. I went from 50 to 62.5mg initially and then on to 75mg which I’ve been taking daily until a week or so ago. The pharmacy & GP surgery didn’t dispense the prescription right so I’ve run out of 25mg tablets and I’ve been too busy, burnt out and despondent to chase them so I’m currently taking 50mg. In all honesty the only symptom that I noticed improvement on the higher dose of Levo was more body heat. Nothing else especially my mood didn’t change. I’m about to ask for a repeat prescription and will ensure 75mg is dispensed next time
Definitely get the 75mcg prescription and stick with it for 8 weeks. It may take this length of time to see any improvement. On my thyroid journey I’ve often felt worse whilst adjusting medication; so do try to stick to the increased dose.
I also found that increased body pain occurred in peri- menopause; as I had significant flares in ‘old’ injuries. For me, HRT alleviated many symptoms that flared during this time.
Were all these three tests done as recommended early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Folate is far too low
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Suggest you start daily vitamin B complex
supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
This will improve low folate and keep all B vitamins in balance
Difference between folate and folic acid
healthline.com/nutrition/fo...
Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
B vitamins best taken after breakfast
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)
Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay
Igennus B complex popular option too. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose
Post discussing different B complex
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg)
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
obviously you need to get back on 75mcg daily asap
Which brand of levothyroxine are you taking
Do you always get same brand at each prescription
High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease - Hashimoto’s
Are you on strictly gluten free diet and/or dairy free diet?
If not GP should do coeliac blood test if not been tested
Frozen shoulder exacerbated by inflammation
Hashimoto’s causes inflammation
Cutting dairy and gluten can reduce inflammation
I’ve been in remission from Graves’ disease since 2015 and in that time my TSH has increased a bit but I’m not hypo.
I broke both bones in my wrist in January 2020, then I develop CRPS probably because the plaster was too tight, it all happened during covid - long story but the osteoporosis physio managed to get me zoom consultations with a hand therapist after a few months of that I developed a frozen shoulder and boy did that hurt. Like you I’ve never known pain like it, couldn’t reach up to pull the blind cord, couldn’t reach over to switch off the bedside light, definitely couldn’t fasten my bra behind my back. The odd thing was that the physio could lift my arm up high without causing pain - the pain came when I tried to lift it myself.
In the end things were starting to open up again after the lockdown and I found myself a private physio who specialised in arms and hands and who did a lot of deep tissue massage and gave me exercises to do eventually with light weights. I went every week for goodness knows how long and eventually stopped because it was costing a fortune.
I kept doing the exercises and I used a lot of Volterol and various similar potions like Deep Freeze and Pernatron, I bought a very gentle long handled electric massager and also a funny little thing with a roller ball in it that fitted into the palm of my hand - I got it on Amazon. I also took paracetamol then two hours later a couple of ibuprofen throughout the day until I reached the full quota for both.
Eventually after a while I realised I could fasten my bra behind my back. Now I can do Pilates floor exercises where I can lie on the floor and put my arms over my head and touch the floor, both of which I didn’t think I’d ever do again.
I went totally GF when I developed inflammatory arthritis in 2015 and have been GF ever since.
I really feel for you because I found it the most painful thing I’d ever experienced - worse really than my fractured wrist, my fractured sacrum and nerve pain from my very dodgy back. Hopefully time will help you too.
It sounds like hellish pain you’ve been in. I had a frozen shoulder too and as you say time helped but it’s a sign you’re not optimally medicated.
It’s important to become your own best advocate. Look after yourself as well as you look after your loved ones and you’ll be in a much better place physically and mentally.
I added in more exercise to strengthen my shoulders and arms which helped hugely.
It’s going to take some determination and a lot of self care on your part to get the T3 you need (and probably HRT too). I buy my T3 abroad because I couldn’t be bothered going through mostly useless endos.
I haven’t had the full frozen shoulder back but when I get a little bit of a tweak in one of them then I try and do whatever I can to heal it eg using one of those elastic bands that are really good for the small muscles in the shoulders.
You have my sympathy. I’ve had it twice in both shoulders. The first time the physio in the hospital did sessions of Accupuncture and the second time I paid a local man who is very good. It definitely seemed to be the cure…eventually. I go to Pilates once a week now after doing yoga for years, I swapped those two over after lockdown. Sometimes I can feel it coming back during Pilates and I guard it by not going the whole hog during the exercise.
I do have Hashimoto’s and there seems to be a thyroid condition as there also is with carpal tunnel which I used to have.
Good luck, it’s so hard I can’t imagine lifting a baby with it I couldn’t even change gear in the car!
hi i too have had bilateral frozen shoulders lasting years i was treated radiologically with a treatment called hydrodilatation alongside physio this has been successful maybe ask the gp to refer you to physio, i also have hashimoto
The first time I had Covid my thyroid was all over the place and I got bilateral frozen shoulder, it was completely debilitating, couldn’t even dress myself, so I know how awful it is. I had steroid injections in both shoulders and then just as they started to wear off three months later, I had the first Covid vaccination and that cured my frozen shoulder within days. There is a link, but I can’t remember any details. Your T3 is way too low. I have been on T3/T4 combo for years, couldn’t function prior to adding T3. I really recommend doing what you can to get T3 prescribed, life changer.
Hi there, I’ve had 3 surgeries on my shoulder within 2 years of one another. FS in left 2019, FS right 2019 and a further shoulder op in 2021 on the right. My left shoulder and hand still leaves me in antagonising pain every day. I’ve seen various NHS departments with the left one who basically are at a loss of what’s causing it. I’m having some sort of nerve blocker put into it on Friday as a last resort to see if this stops the pain as there conclusion is that my brain has re-wired itself for pain 🙄 Total kop out in my opinion. I’m so fed up of this now. I was only diagnosed with an under active thyroid 2 years ago but looking back at my GP records I was borderline about 8 years ago and left untreated. Thyroid problems run in the family. You have my full sympathy as like you say the pain is unreal ❤️🩹
I’ve had frozen shoulder in both shoulders also. I agree about the pain, it’s hideous. I had to have my right shoulder operated on. When they had me under anaesthetic they said it was still frozen and they had to cut away a load of stuff to enable it to move again. So much better after (although weak). I now have no pain but have never regained full range of movement.
I also had nerve problems after the op which was a whole different sort of pain and I had to go on those pain killers for nerve problems which I forget the name of. No pain now but arm still gets weak and ‘tingly’
Another one here who has had bilateral frozen shoulder. It lasted about 18 months. I also have connective tissue disease, and l had put it down to that rather than my hashi's. The contradiction, of course, is that your average GP will argue that it cannot possibly be thyroid related if you are on Levo.
What had been mooted by some clinicians is that frozen shoulder is common in a variety of autoimmune diseases. Diabetes type 1 for example.
A relative of mine currently has frozen shoulder. She has vasculitis, but no thyroid issues.
What is absolutely certain is that the cause of it in autoimmune disease is poorly understood.
Me too! One shoulder in 2020. I couldn't believe it was so painful. It was a long journey to get better and I really hope it doesn't return.my range of movement is now about 90% of the other arm. I have since started T3 so maybe that will help avoid a repeat.
Have you thought about cutting your 50mcg tablet into half, until you can get some 25s?
You have my sympathy. I hope it improves as soon as possible.
I had a frozen shoulder about 10 years ago and after research found a guide with the treatment to speed up the process. There is no cure as such but getting to the thawing phase can be vastly quickened. My wife had to do the exercises on my shoulder and the pain was excruciating at times but after about 4 weeks I started the thawing phase.
I then had frozen shoulder in the other arm last year. Instead of the 2 years it can take, it was over in about 3 months.
If you want the pdf, then send me a private message with an email address and I will send it you.
Really feel for you, the pain is unbelievable plus the lack of sleep makes it even worse. I have bilateral frozen shoulder at the moment, I paid to have hydrodilatation in the worst shoulder and it did at least ease the pain so I I could sleep. I did find sleeping more upright with pillows under the arms helped slightly and stopped me rolling onto the shoulders and causing that agonising pain.
During this time of agony, I thought maybe I was having a reaction to the levo (I had only just been diagnosed) and decided to slowly lower my dose of levo. Within just a few days I felt the pain getting worse in my neck and radiating more to my shoulders and down my arms. At least that proved to me that the levo was actually helping. Maybe your pain has started to come back because they didn't prescribe you the correct meds and you lowered your dose (just a guess of course). People with more knowledge than myself gave great advice about your thyroid levels.
It is also worth going on YouTube and doing the exercises the physios recommend for frozen shoulder, even if you can only manage the pendulum one (the waiting list on the NHS to see a shoulder specialist forced me into YouTube becoming my best friend). I also put a hot water bottle on my shoulder which feels great and bought a massage trigger gun. Good luck.
I think there could quite possibly be a link, as I too have had a problem with my right shoulder two years ago, I eventually got to see a physio but luckily I have a wonderful sports massage therapist, who I visit weekly, and he gave me exercises to help keep it moving. So once I started with the physio exercises as well, I started to feel some relief but it took months to sort it out and even now I get a little twinge in that area. What concerns me now is that every now and then I feel as if my left shoulder is going to do the same, so I apply heat and keep it moving. Your post has given me food for thought though and I hope you feel some relief quickly.
A number of years ago I too was in agony with a frozen shoulder. I was examined at the hospital and told I would need an operation. While waiting for the appointment for the operation I was given I leaflet with exercises to do. The pain was so bad that I found most of the exercises impossible. Whilst researching online I came across some advice from a doctor who also had suffered from a frozen shoulder. His advice ended with 'if you don't follow anything else I have mentioned, at least get yourself an infrared lamp'. I bought one from Amazon 300watt and it is one of the best things I have ever bought. With regular sessions I was able to do the exercises and the problem resolved without an operation and has never returned. I have found it extremely useful for other things as have the rest of the family.
Yes, unfortunately frozen shoulder is common in people with thyroid disease, I did have a horrible case of it three years ago and that kind of pain I don’t wish it to anybody…the worst!
I hope you find relief sooner rather than later.
Oh dear! I’ve been there! I’ve even made a video documenting everything I learned through my experience. My brother is a shoulder and elbow orthopedist so I finally got help from him. It’s a nightmare. Email me and I will send you the video link. Most importantly get a cortisone shot under ultrasound or fluoroscopy directly into the shoulder socket. This is where the inflammation and adhesions are causing so much pain. Ask your GP to order this. Don’t give up! There are ways to relieve this horrible debilitating pain!
Hello Karma, would it be too much to ask if you would share the video with me too?
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