Is body itch common with hyperthyroidism

[Hello_Hi]

I am diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism a month ago and prescribed with Carbimazole (30mg a day) and Propranolol (max 30mg a day - to be taken when needed). But for the past one week, I am experiencing body itch, is this common with hyperthyroidism?

[pennyannie]

Hello _Hi - and welcome to the forum :

Can you please complete your Profile - age, sex, country, other health issues:

Do you mean Carbimazole - this is an Anti Thyrod drug and frequently prescribed when hyperthyroid - it can have side effects - itching being one - do you have the Patient Information Leaflet there - there is an alternative AT drug - Propylthiouracil - PTU for short.

What is the reason for your hyperthyroidism?

The Propranolol is a beta blocker and should take the strain off your heart.

Do you have your initial blood tests and ranges there - TSH + T3 + T4 - and any antibody readings TPO - TgAB - TRab - TSI - or something saying TSH Thyroid Receptor and numbers - so we can explain better to you what is going on.

[Hello_Hi in reply to pennyannie]

Yes. I am taking cambimazole.I did TRAB test, my hyperthyroidism is due to Graves Disease. The blood test I took in early June :

FT4 : 47.3 (range 12 to 22)

TSH : 0.015 (range 0.27 - 4.2).

I am taking cambimazole 15mg x 2times a day and propranolol 10mg 1 to 2 times a day (when needed, heart rate higher than 100 per min when not doing physical exercise).

After 1 month of medication, palpitations has improved and anxiety has trigger lesser.

[pennyannie in reply to Hello_Hi]

Ok then - can you please share with forum members your TRab reading and range and do you have a T3 reading and range ?

Graves is an Auto Immune disease that generally only gets diagnosed when your immune system starts to attack the thyroid and / or eyes and it is because these are vital organs that Graves is said to be life threatening if not medicated.

Quite why your immune system has turned and started attacking your body rather than defending it is the question - and you are the best placed person to know - if there is an answer that makes any sense.

There is likely a genetic predisposition with someone a generation away from you with a thyroid health issue, and Graves can be triggered by a sudden shock to the system like a car accident or the unexpected death of a loved one or for some can simply occur ' out of the blue ' though common triggers tend to be stress and anxiety.

The medication is an Anti Thyroid drug and this semi-blocks your own new daily thyroid hormone production and slowly your T3 and T4 should fall back down into the ranges and hopefully your thyroid reset itself without the need for any drugs.

All the AT drug does does is ' buy you time ' while we wait for your immune system response to calm back down again and as your thyroid hormones fall back down again the AT drug is adjusted down so your T3 and T4 do not fall too far through the ranges and you experience the equally, if not more disabling symptoms of hypothyroidism.

When metabolism is running too fast as in hyper or too slow as in hypo the body struggles to extract key nutrients through food no matter how well and clean you eat -

so suggest you also get your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D run and we can advise where optimal levels should be maintained - as some NHS ranges are too wide to even be sensible.

With Graves there can be a mismatch between what you want to do and what your body is able to do as your body in a ' heightened state ' - rest, try and relax, be selfish with your ' self ' and find things to do that you enjoy and try and relax.

The NHS generally allocates a treatment window of around 15-18 months with an AT drug with the hope that by this time your thyroid reverts to normal function without the need for any drugs.

You should have regular follow up blood tests and appointments every 6 - 8 weeks and as your thyroid levels fall back down the ranges the AT drug will be adjusted down so to try and keep your T3 and T4 thyroid hormones at around midpoint in their respective ranges.

We do now have some research that you may like :

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/338...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/306...

All things Graves Disease and Auto Immune - elaine-moore.com

Please complete your Profile page - age, sex. any other health issues etc.

[Hello_Hi]

pennyannie , thank you for sharing. My doctor only told me that my TRAb test shows that my hyperthyroidism is due to Graves Disease and I do not have the readings. Doctor only did blood test for T4 and TSH. Will be doing another blood test soon, will check with the doctor about T3 test.I suspected that my autoimmune disorder (Graves Disease) is triggered by covid disease as symptoms like palpitations, loss weight, tremble hand took place during and after covid. My thyroid blood test in Jan was normal. Took another blood test 1 month after my covid, and the result shows hyperthyroidism caused by Graves Disease.

[pennyannie in reply to Hello_Hi]

Sorry to read this -

Can you share the readings and results of the ' normal ' blood test please ?

You are legally entitled to printed copies of all your medical records -

though if you have online access - you probably have all this information anyway.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

I found I was itchier around the time I was diagnosed.

I have allergies & sinuses & with having lots of medication prescribed I stopped my usual over the counter anti histamine & that’s when it was worse.

I think It was being hyper made be more sensitive to allergies, but it could have been starting carbimazole and an ingredient it them. Propranolol can also make you more sensitive to sun. I had this reaction before with other medication.

Anyway the GP said I didn’t need to stop antihistamine & could take along with carbimazole & after that skin itchiness (& sinusitis) both went away.

[Hello_Hi]

@ purplenails, thanks for sharing. I will have skin allergy when in contact with dusty environment, and body will feel itchy b4 diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism.I am also prescribed with antihistamine, just thinking whether too much medication.