skin itchiness, hives & Hashimoto thyroid - Thyroid UK

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skin itchiness, hives & Hashimoto thyroid

Suzi_ profile image
22 Replies

i have been having severe itching & hives on my legs in the evenings. Recently, i . Had a skin prick test, i was pricked with 50 needles, dr didn’t find any allergy. Recommend Allegra when needed! Reluctant to take meds unless absolutely necessary!

I was on Levothyroxine 50 mcg , switched to 50 mcg synthroid, brand name three weeks ago, itchiness little better on Synthroid..

Allergy Dr thinks itchiness: hives are due to Hashimoto thyroid. Endocrinologist does not agree!

Any one had similar experience? Have any solutions?

Thanks

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Suzi_
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22 Replies
PinkSkittles profile image
PinkSkittles

Yes Ive also recently started having severe itchiness on my lower legs and a red rash in patches sometimes hot. It co-incided with taking high dose b1 hcl which can cause histamine issues so I thought it was a histamine issue.

farrellkl68 profile image
farrellkl68 in reply to PinkSkittles

How odd . I’ve had itchy legs ( lower front ) and I’ve recently started taking the Thorne B vitamin complex. Wonder if it’s connected ?

PinkSkittles profile image
PinkSkittles in reply to farrellkl68

Ohhh interesting! Mine have woken me up in the night and when I itch them they burn.

I think you will know if you stop it for a bit then restart.

Or just carry on and take something for histamine. I plan to take high dose quercetin.

farrellkl68 profile image
farrellkl68 in reply to PinkSkittles

Mine aren’t too bad but it’s only recently started

I’m having follow up bloods on March , so I’ll be stopping vits then

Will see !

SadieGma711 profile image
SadieGma711

Hi Suzi, I have Hashimoto's and had been sent to an allergist and I tested negative to all. He said it was probably my antibodies and they were very high and started on Zyrtec and have been on it for several years. I have, on my own, discovered an allergy to yellow dye. When I eat anything with yellow dye, I itch like crazy! Never give up!

Fizzyinch profile image
Fizzyinch

I came out in hives after eating high histamine food (mackerel in my case). Could be histamine intolerance

Puddleperson profile image
Puddleperson

Endocrinologist wrong allergy Dr right. I experienced exactly this. GP even suggested it was insect bites! Eventually the problem vanished when I started thyroid meds. I never get hives now but can sometimes get itchy lower legs as I’m now prone to discoid eczema. I keep it at bay with regular moisturiser. Keep going until you are on the right dose of thyroid meds for you. For me that included T3 but we’re all different. Make sure it’s right for you, not your endo! Good luck.

Agitator23 profile image
Agitator23

Yes, regularly get hives/urticaria rash and eczema. I never had these before my thyroid hormones got so low. I've also been told nothing to do with thyroid - but it is.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Hives and Hashimoto’s

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

50mcg levothyroxine is very low dose

What are your most recent thyroid and vitamin results

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

All four vitamins need to be at GOOD levels

Are you on gluten free or dairy free diet

Suzi_ profile image
Suzi_ in reply to SlowDragon

Blood test due. Will post. Last blood test all results were in range.

I am on regular diet. Would be good time go on vegetarian diet!

Not on gluten free or dairy free diet.

As my bone density result was low, i am trying to get calcium from diet.

Thanks to everyone for their response, I appreciate.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Suzi_

Last blood test all results were in range.

What were actual results

Would be good time go on vegetarian diet!

You would need to do full iron blood test including ferritin 3-4 times per year to ensure iron and ferritin levels were optimal

On vegetarian diet would need to be taking daily B12 and vitamin B complex

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.

A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing

Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential

A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to 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 may slowly lower TPO antibodies

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first as per NICE Guidelines

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng20/c...

Or buy a test online, about £20

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet 

(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially) 

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...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/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

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.

Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial

With loads of vegan dairy alternatives these days it’s not as difficult as in the past

Post discussing gluten

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Maddyisla profile image
Maddyisla

I have hashimotos, and I find when my iron levels are borderline or low I have the same thing, it drives me crackers!

Suzi_ profile image
Suzi_ in reply to Maddyisla

What do u do to raise iron levels?

Batty1 profile image
Batty1

Yes, I went to the emergency room twice for hives that swallowed my body … doctor was shocked the last time I went in he said I had hives as large as a dinner plate stacked 5 high on my head … I looked like the elephant man and I felt horrible… I still get occasional hives just not as bad to go to emergency room … in my opinion it’s thyroid related.

Capan24 profile image
Capan24

I really think that there is a connection to Hashimoto's and hives. I have been allergy tested, negative to everything. I tend to get hives when I am overheated and when sick. I go in spurts where my skin gets very itchy and then I break out in hives easily. I can go months without getting hives and then once I start to get them I have them for months on and off. My breakouts are usually on my chest, abdomen, up my neck, and sometimes on my face. I do take Allegra once in awhile when they are really bad since it is a histamine blocker. I make sure I moisturize my skin daily to keep it from getting too dry. I also cut out all the tags in my clothing so there is no rubbing on my skin and shower right away after exercising.

Suzi_ profile image
Suzi_ in reply to Capan24

Allergy dr said my skin was very sensitive, to take allegra for hives.

I do moisture my skin.

I have been taking vitamin d & k2 vitamin drops, i wonder if that’s the cause,

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Suzi_

More likely not on high enough dose levothyroxine

Suzi_ profile image
Suzi_ in reply to SlowDragon

I have been on this dose for sometime, added a 5 mcg of T3

I will mention to the endo.

I am looking at the ingredients of my 10,000. Biotin. Soyabean oil, yellow beeswax.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Suzi_

That’s a massive dose of biotin

Extremely important to stop this at least a week before all blood tests

Biotin can falsely affect many lab tests

Post discussing how biotin can affect test results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

And best to avoid ever taking anything with soya in

You stopped T3

Bloods should be monitored regularly after stopping T3

Almost inevitable to need dose increase in levothyroxine in following months

Capan24 profile image
Capan24 in reply to Suzi_

I take calcium with vitamin dally and vitamin k-2 micrograms daily to help with my bones. I guess the only way you could figure out if that is the cause of your issue is to stop taking one for a while and see if it improves. I think a lot of time we're hives are concerned, they are idiopathic. It is really hard to find the cause of hives. I played around with my diet and one thing I noticed that bothers me, if I eat strawberries.

bookish profile image
bookish in reply to Capan24

Magnesium is also important for your bones and has the advantage of being a mast cell/histamine stabiliser. You are more likely to have issues with processing histamine if you are low in magnesium. (Strawberries are high histamine). As mast cells produce histamine (as well as all sorts of other often pro-inflammatory chemicals) and are the first responders of the immune system, those of us with messed-up immune function are likely to have a little or a lot of difficulty with mast cell mediators and histamine. Some of it is genetic, some affected by other meds, but a high histamine diet may well be a problem. I eat low and medium histamine only and moderate my intake depending on symptoms and weather (a main trigger for me).

Suzi_ profile image
Suzi_ in reply to bookish

Thanks

I take calm magnesium powder everyday.

Will look into high histamine diet. Thanks

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