Pinkeye

[quicklyinsignificant]

Hi all,

Mum was recently hospitalised with neck and foot pain, due to hypothyroidism.

She also developed bad pinkeye, at the same time as the neck pain.

Could this be thyroid eye disease?

When she was in hospital for the second time with the foot pain and being unable to walk, her TSH was ~5.9.

The Hospital just did a swab and advised her to use chlorsig eye drops.

Thanks in advance

[Buddy195 Administrator]

In your last post you said your mum’s levels were

TSH 5.92

T4 free serum 13.

Please can you add ranges, as these can vary between laboratories.

Does your mum have any eye pain, double vision, eye lid swelling or protrusion? These are often linked with TED.

Pink eye and conjunctivitis on their own may be an eye infection, but best to get this checked with an ophthalmologist.

[quicklyinsignificant in reply to Buddy195]

Thanks for your reply.

The Hospital couldn't do a printout of the thyroid results. They just wrote that down on a piece of paper for me, with no ranges.

Some eye pain but no eye lid swelling or protrusion. Last time, her eyes turned red and she had a lot of red puffiness under each eye. Chlorsig was prescribed and the eyes wiped with gauze, soaked with saline.

The optemetrist referred us to the emergency room who didn't have an opthamalogist but I have one that Mum could go and see.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Retest her thyroid levels 6-8 weeks after stopping any iodine/kelp

Meanwhile test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

How much levothyroxine is she taking

[quicklyinsignificant in reply to SlowDragon]

We'll see the GP to get the vits tested, the Endo won't do them. She's not on levothyroxine.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to quicklyinsignificant]

Then retest thyroid levels including thyroid antibodies and Ft3 in 6-8 weeks

Test early morning for highest TSH

[quicklyinsignificant in reply to SlowDragon]

We can do the thyroid test at the same time as the coritsol test (early morning).

Thanks for your advice.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

If TED is suspected, a selenium supplement of 200ug daily is recommended for mild/ moderate TED for a 6 month period.

If eye drops are used, ensure these are preservative free.

TSH should always be under 2, so your mum’s thyroid is struggling. Optimal key vitamins (folate, ferritin, B12 and vit D) support thyroid health, so push for these to be tested, as per SlowDragon advice.

Sending you best wishes 🦋

[quicklyinsignificant in reply to Buddy195]

Thanks for your well wishes and advice. I will check the eye drops are preservative free.

[quicklyinsignificant]

Something Mum has been dealing with for awhile is a small tender patch of the scalp at the top of her head.

It becomes sore and tender to touch after she takes her coritsol acertate.

She recently had head, neck and CT scans at the hospital and they were all fine.

[quicklyinsignificant in reply to quicklyinsignificant]

Perhaps I should have made this a separate post / topic.

[quicklyinsignificant]

Further update:

Spoke to Endo, foot pain and neck pain not in his area of expertise.

Advised to go to GP.

Cortisol saliva test not necessary.