My hypo husband has a really bad toe nail infec... - Thyroid UK
My hypo husband has a really bad toe nail infection. Is this likely to be yet another of the seemingly endless list of related symptoms?
I do not know if it is a hypo symptom but I think it wise if he sees the GP for treatment.
Has your husband been checked for diabetes?
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He's already receiving treatment for it, thanks, and no mention has been made of diabetes.
I hadn't really thought about what could cause this, but funnily enough I too have an infection in my toe. I am going away on the 3rd Jan so think I will see if I can see doctor before I go. It's funny but I have wondered for awhile if I might have Diabetes, as I feel dizzy quite a bit and wake up with a very dry mouth, so might ask for it to be checked. Hope your Hubby gets sorted, let us know what the doc says.
Is yours toe or toenail? My husband has had a disgusting toenail for months and was referred to a podiatrist - he now has to paint a sort of lacquer on to it once a week. No-one has mentioned diabetes.
At times, low iodine and zinc both prime co-factors in hypo cases, and their deficiency could result in fungal growth i.e. toenail fungus
Thanks for your reply Melanie...though I'm a bit puzzled about how you found my question, since I posted it over a year ago!
I have just joined the community and I was browsing around. I didn't realise that your question was posted a year ago. I only hope your husband is much better by now.
Thank you - his toe is a lot better, but his general hypo status isn't.
hi
i have not been diagnosed with a thyroid problem .tsh was normal but going back for more blood work on thyroid as i have a lot of the symptoms
one of my random symptoms is a 6 yr on going battle with a toe nail infection on both big toe nails. none of the other toe nails are effected
it started out with a horizontal crack at the top of both big toenails.GP said just let cracks grow out. they did but then both big toenails cracked again further down the nail
had yellow stuff underneath the nails .sent nail clipping to be tested but came back normal.
went back to GP who said it must be a toe nail infection as he did not know what else it could be .and to use over the counter lacquer for a year .but even doing that nails where growing back in multi layers . and nails felt loose
both big toenails then cracked down the bottom of nails so GP then game me lacquer on prescription. again painted it on for over a year
nails no longer have cracks in them .but left with yellow tint
i can not get a proper answer out of GP to as why i can not get rid of the infection
i do not have diabetes
all i can say is that it worked out cheaper for me to buy lacquer on prescription .and it seemed to fight the infection better . over the counter lacquer is so expensive.
hope your husband gets his nail infection sorted out soon
If this contributes anything, I was still very hypothyroid in 2004 despite "treatment" for diagnosed hypothyroidism and my big toenails cracked halfway down and separated from the nailbed, but no infection. They also grew very, very slowly. Right thumbnail also developed a hole which appeared from under the cuticle and slowly made its way up the thumb. Just one of the joys of being hypo.
Thanks everyone - it's beginning to like like there is a connection.
I get what they call "plumbers nail" it is a symptom of graves where nails come loose from nail bed also causes in growing nails,
Thanks for replying - there's certainly a pattern emerging here.
When I was severely hypo my toenails were always bad with a fungal infection which persisted even when taking terbinafine for over a year. A soon as I got my thyroid symptoms under control with proper treatment the infection went away on its own.
Thanks - that's encouraging. We know he's undermedicated and needs to do something about it.
Isn't this one of a long list of manifestations of candida overgrowth/gut dysbiosis? Which may also play its part in hypothyroidism...
drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Leaky_g...
...the connection might not seem obvious but I think there's something in it.
That's a possibility. Thanks.
My experience was that i developed fungal (yellow and flaky nails too) and other toe nail infections (especially the big toe) while hypo - although it didn't quite progress to nails coming apart.
Lots of other infections as well - a chronic sinus infection that required surgery to clear, and lots of urinary and related.
There's probably the possibility of a gazillion other causes, but it seems likely that his hypothyroidism could be involved - the classic spotty back and so on are reckoned to be a result of the system in circumstances where the circulation of blood is reduced (due to a less powerful heart beat etc on low hormone levels) withdrawing blood flow from the periphery to protect the core organs.
An extremity like the toe seems likely to suffer as a result.
It all sorted itself out once i got to a T4 +T3 based replacement regime that worked....
ian
Hi Sue, yes it's my toe nail. t's very yellow and cracked. Luckily it's not causing me a problem, but as I don't know much about them I will get it checked when go to docs. Thanks
I developed a horrible fungal toe-nail infection a couple of years ago and my nail started breaking down and became very ugly! A summer without sandals or bare feet was awful, but thankfully, instead of going out and paying a small fortune on 'Curanail' and other such commercial treatments, I was told to use neat tea tree oil, painted on the nail daily with a cottonbud, available at just £4 a bottle from Boots! It stopped the infection in its tracks and once the bad bits grew out, I've not had a problem at all!
That sounds good - thank you. Once he's finished the doc's treatment, I'll get him on to it.
