I am hypothyroid and have numb tingling thumb an index finger on both hands. Is this thyroid connected?

[despair1]

[mummytina]

Yes it is connected, I have the same symptoms and I am hypo as well.

[despair1]

AT LAST. THANK YOU. My doc says it's my c5 vertebrae, having arthritis of the neck it gets the blame for everything, Any advice as to how to cope with the clumsiness and any other help...

[storm1]

hi I too get tingling and my fingers turn blue

[nostoneunturned]

It would be helpful to have results plus ranges from most recent blood test, what meds, how much, how long taken them for.

Hypothyroidism adequately treated should not result in these feelings, unless you have a B12 deficiency.

[despair1]

Diiagnosed 0ctober. 0n 100mcg thyroxine. No improvement in an symptoms yet. Everyone says it's still early days. No idea About bloods until next docs appt on 7th

[nostoneunturned in reply to despair1]

Despair, thanks for your answer. Yes, it is early days for complete relief of all symptoms so this numbness/tingling is probably a hypo symptom which will disappear in time when treatment is optimal and longer term. No doubt your next blood test will be to check levels with a view to increasing your 100mcg levo.

Would you like to let us know what the results with ranges are when you have the next blood test?

Hypothyroidism can often lead to deficiencies in other things, perhaps you could ask for the following to be tested, I give the optimal figures:

Vit D 125-175nmol/L

Ferritin 90ug/L

B12 500ng/L, minimum, higher is good, B12 non-toxic

Folate 10ug/L

[despair1 in reply to nostoneunturned]

absolutely - I will post my results when I can and look forward to the advice.

[despair1 in reply to nostoneunturned]

Hi there Nonestoneunturned, results as requested - I have written them down as my doctor did, so hope you can make sense of them..

DATE T4 TSH

26.9.12 12.2 9

26.11.12 16.8 6.48

(Normal 9-24) (0.2-4.5) - No idea what these mean.

He has now increased my Thyroxine to 150 mcg and I have insisted that regardless of what my blood results say, as I do not feel any better, this should be increased until I do start to feel an improvement and I think this will now be the case. I have another blood test on 10th Jan. with further things being tested. I know both iron and vitamin D levels are fine. Because I was formerly on cancer medication which can cause osteoporosis I was monitored for deficiencies and have none. I had a DXA bone scan in 2010 which showed I was ok.

I do however take vitamins A, C, D, E, B complex and extra B12 slow release but these too are early days and may not be fully in my system yet for another couple of months.

My doctor was pleased to hear I was on this support site - I am not sure he was so pleased after I had finished setting out what I wanted fom now on. Watch this space.

[nostoneunturned in reply to despair1]

Hi despair, I am really sorry you have had all these problems.

Your results have been given to you in a cryptic form. Unfair. You do not have to tolerate this as you are entitled to have a printed out copy of your blood test results and nobody can argue with you, I get the feeling nobody will.....

I have been puzzling over these, but it looks like he meant this:

26 September 2012 ? FT4 12.29 (9-24) But this guess can't be right as docs usually test the TSH first so it must be:

TSH 12.29 (0.2-4.5) (Lab must have noted it was high )

26 November 2012 FT4 16.8 (9-24)

TSH 6.48 (0.2 -4.5)

So the pattern is that your TSH is dropping although still much too high at 6.48 of course, and he has increased your levothyroxine appropriately to 150mcg. You will probably know from this site that it is not enough to get the TSH within the reference range, those on medication should have a TSH way down near or at the bottom of the ref range. Dr Toft's little book "Understanding Thyroid Disorders" is very good on such matters.

Your next blood test will doubtless have a TSH within range but Dr Toft's book explains this is not enough and what a doctor should aim for, apart from the relief of symptoms.

You probably have checked the main Thyroid UK site? Loads of info there.

Thyroid antibodies and all tests are explained, start perhaps on

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Be careful with Vits A and D. Your Vit D was within range, you say, but an optimal level is 125 - 175 nmol/L, or 50 - 75ng/ml. (conversion factor: divide nmol/L by 2.5 to get ng/ml, and vice versa; in OTC supplements 1mcg is equal to 40 International Units) Vit D affects calcium levels, if prescribed Vit D then corrected calcium ought to be monitored. Read all about Vit d on the Vitamin D Council site, and on vitamindwiki.com

Ferritin should be around 90mcg/L.

Have your B12 and folate checked also, hypothyroidism often involves low B12 eventually. B12 ought to be above 500ng/L and folate about 10mcg/L, or in the top quarter of the reference range.

Recovery does take time as well as the correct dosage, we do not get well overnight, alas.

[despair1 in reply to nostoneunturned]

Hi,

I have Dr. Toft's book but to be honest I am currently so woolley brained and can't concentrate on tv let alone a book but I have it beside me to read and have ear marked certain pages. In fact I quoted a passage to my gp who clearly did not want to listen. He is a very good GP but like all professionals they get irritable if you try and tell them their job. I have a blood test tomorrow so am going to bend the nurse's ear as I find they are more inclined to listen and will ask he about my blood tests.

Another thing I find annoying is my blood pressure is high, which is a side effect of HypoT, so my gp has put me on BP meds. The first one made me cough badly so stopped it. This second one I have taken twice now and the cough has started again. I am going to stop this medication until my thyroid is sorted as if that is fixed, the BP problem should go away. I am just so tired of being given drugs rather than sort out the source of the problem.

xx

[babycatcher7572]

Hi ...i suffer at night time with the entire length of my arms going numb which wakes me up and their return to normal is quite painful. I had this symptom before starting thyroxine and then it disappeared when id reached 100mcg but this dose was causing my serum t4 levels to climb too high, so at present i have reduced my thyroxine to 50mcg and the numbness has raised its ugly head again. My hands easily go numb when holding thngs or typing etc . Not pleasant

karen x

[Clarebear]

My arms go numb in the night and I get tingling in my hands and feet when I am under-treated for hypothyroidism. When optimal these disappear Thd other cause is often B12 deficiency but this was not the cause in my case. I suspect you need an increase and/or some T3. Xx

[ejh1]

Take more thyroxine. Simple answer, and really helped me. I was numb all over and dropping everything. Pinched nerves everywhere. Extra 25mcg sorted most of it out!

[snowstorm]

Hi Despair -- yes the problem is connected with the thyroid but as mentioned before can also have very strong link to difficient B12, Vit D and other mins or vits but also very importantly adrenal fatigue. These need to be checked, Many tests can be done at home so do not cost anything --- 7 day temperature, raglan test, romberg test, eye sensitivity test, sergant's white line : all these can be found on Dr Wilson's site along with a lengthy questionnaire. He also has a book Adrenal Fatigue the 21st Centuary Syndrome. Might also be good to purchase Dr Peatfield's book Your Thyroid and how to keep it Health. Essential for all thyroid sufferers I would have thought.

[Hidden]

Hi I have just started with the numbness/ tingling feelings, having read other replies , I will yet again go to the doctor to explain this to them .they will say that to have another blood test and wait . very diepressing, as some one else stated that when you ask doctors questions they dont like you knowing more than they do.and even the endo specialist.

BY THE WAY THIS IS A EXCELLENT SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marz in reply to Hidden]

b12deficiency.info/signs-an... ....hope this is helpful. Welcome to the site. Are you receiving thyroid treatment ?