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Under-active Thyroid
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After some initial blood tests (currently waiting another 10 days for a 2nd round of blood tests) it would appear an under-active thyroid gland has been responsible for my sciatic nerve pain and lower stiff back which I have been suffering with for over 6 months.
I have been prescribed some anti-inflammatories by my GP until the results of the 2nd round of blood tests are known. The anti-inflammatories have pretty much cleared up both back problems but has left me desperately lethargic on my runs.
It would seem likely that I am to be prescribed a daily dose of thyroxine for the rest of my life.
Does anyone else have any long term experiences of an under-active thyroid, thyroxine and running.
Many thanks.
I have been prescribed some anti-inflammatories by my GP until the results of the 2nd round of blood tests are known. The anti-inflammatories have pretty much cleared up both back problems but has left me desperately lethargic on my runs.
It would seem likely that I am to be prescribed a daily dose of thyroxine for the rest of my life.
Does anyone else have any long term experiences of an under-active thyroid, thyroxine and running.
Many thanks.
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Comments
Do a search using thyroid as the key word. There have been loads of threads on this, some very recent. There are lots of us around - I mean hypo runners, of course!
I was diagnosed 3 years ago, take 275mcg thyroxine and 30mcg liothyronine daily. I train 6 days/week - running and gym and race 5k up to mara. There are lots like me.
Post if you need any info or have specific questions. Good news about your back - the lethargy will decrease as you get your doseage of thyroxine going.
Looks like I'm going to become a member of a-not-so-elite club!
I would say I'm not showing many of the "typical" symptons. Definitely no recent weight gain - 6'3" and 11St2lb albeit 5 years ago I was 14st4lb. No hair loss. The only "real" recent sign has been muscle swelling that has manifested itself in my lower back. The reason I started to run (5 years ago) was to get fit to play Sunday League football at a decent level.
Prior to the back troubles (pre June 04) I was running 35-40 miles a week and did the FLM last year too.
Currently, stuggling to run 6 miles at a pace I would have considered a very slow recovery run 8 months ago.
So far, I haven't been advised to stop running or excercising. My GP has advised me to keep running but nothing too stressful.
How long can I expect to wait from seeing my GP (after to 2nd set of blood test results) to seeing a specalist and getting/taking medication?
Many thanks.
Like Buney says, you probably won't see an endocrinologist unless you don't respond to standard thyroxine therapy. After confirming your dx with the blood test, the usual protocol is for your GP to prescribe 50mcg thyroxine. You will probably go back to your GP for a further blood test after a minimum of 6 weeks - it takes that long for the dose to be reflected in a blood test.
Depending on the next test result, your GP might increase your dose and so it goes on until you (hopefully) get to a dose where you feel well.
There's no reason to stop exercising - you're an athlete so just carry on listening to your body. Good luck and keep us posted on progress.
I have never heard of it effecting your sciatic nerve or giving you lower back trouble, sounds weird to me, but then I am not a doctor.
I'm no medical expert but I think I am right in saying that thyroxin is unique in being virtually identical to the naturally produced hormone.
Many thanks for your responses and replies.
The way the initial (and I do stress initial) findings were explained to me was that my bodies anti-bodies are likely to be attacking my thyroid. The anti-bodies inturn has caused the muscles in my lower back to swell and stiffen up which has could have caused the sciatica (pinched by a stiff muscle) and lower back stiffness.
I did find a posting on a forum (via google) with someone else saying the same thing. I will try and find the link and post it.
The anti-inflammatories have done wonders.
Once again, many thanks.
I'm a member of a number of patient support groups and peripheral neuropathy is often reported as a symptom. Your experience has similar characteristics to carpal tunnel syndrome which is also common with hypo. Bad CTS was what got me diagnosed.
I'm currently working my way through a large list of research studies into muscular and neuromuscular function in hypothyroidism. It's fascinating stuff - I think the surface has only just been scratched as far as this disease is concerned.
I hope you are writing a book
The CTS I had was pins and needles at night that woke me up constantly and then would take so long to subside that sleep was very disturbed. It was confirmed with nerve conduction tests and it went away with the thyroid treatment.
I think what happens is that the myxoedema ('jelly swelling') caused by the TD interferes with nerves that pass through narrow structures like the carpal tunnel. I've heard of nerve pain associated with hypo all over though, not just CTS.
I'm on a really interesting paper at the mo - Human Mitochondrial Transcription Factor A Reduction and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Hashimoto’s Hypothyroid Myopathy. Small sample size but very interesting for Hashi athletes.
there all that practical advice you have been posting on the forums
especially about not relying on TSH, diet and lithyronine
what a co-incidence. I went to my gp today with some odd swellings around my eyes which I thought was sinuses. She's given me antiobiotics for sinusitis but, she also took blood to check my thyroid. The only other things I mentioned were the fact that I've had swollen tonsils quite regularly over the last 3 months and the fact that I regularly suffer from depression. Does this all make sense to anyone?
Cheers
I'm hypo. Depression is a common symptom. I have swollen glands, particularly on the right side of my neck which I've never linked to the hypothyroidism (and haven't gone away with treatment)but flare up when I'm tired or stressed.
Puffiness around the eyes can be TD from the oedema but it won't go away with antibiotics and it's not connected with sinuses.
Is it actually your tonsils that are swollen or is it a feeling of a lump or fullness in your throat? TD can cause the thyroid gland to become enlarged, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently but it's not associated with tonsils.
Depression is certainly another TD symptom but again not everyone who has depression has TD.
Other symptoms include inappropriate exhaustion, weight gain, constipation, heat/cold intolerance, loss of eyebrows, body hair and head hair, brittle, flaking, ridged and loose nails, brain fog, loss of libido, menstrual irregularity, low body temperature....... the list is large. Do any of these sound familiar?
In any case, it sounds like your doc is on the ball as far as getting you tested is concerned. Results usually only take a couple of days so you should know soon. If you want any info, I can bore for England on TD! so just ask.
It certainly looks like my tonsils but I might be wrong. I do feel exhausted a lot but I do get up very early and do fit in a fair bit of exercise. No weight gain - I've (intentionally) lost a great deal of weight in the past 13 months or so - around 15kg. My big surprise is that I gave up smoking 3 months ago and I haven't gained weight. My nails did go through a period of disintigrating a while back but they're fine now. Yes, low libido. not sure what you mean by brain fog but crap short term memory (have always put that down to a very, very mis-spent youth), very irregular periods, very cold hands and feet (lifelong problem).
But, the GP didn't ask about any of this.
Well, if there's anything in the blood test they'll call me.
Those sound more like the usual type of TD symptoms unfortunately. And the big red flag is stopping smoking. Anecdotally, hypothyroidism is often diagnosed soon after stopping smoking. The theory is that the nicotine creates an artificially high metabolism that masks the symptoms of TD.
There are also a fair few studies that have shown that smoking damages thyroid function. "One component of tobacco smoke is cyanide, which is converted to thiocyanate, which acts as an anti-thyroid agent, directly inhibiting iodide uptake and hormone synthesis."
However, this is all just speculation so best to wait for your results!
If your blood tests come back normal and you still feel under par - it is worth pushing to get it increased for a trial period and see if:
1. you feel better
2. your results are still normal
If so stay on the higher dose.
Now, a question for Shirl - do you know of any contraindications for thyroxine and glucosamine? I've had achy joints recently (I don't think it's thyroid related, no other symptoms and I usually have a myriad) so have been taking glucosamine, but now feeling a bit ropey. Bloated stomach, generally sluggish stomach action? Now I don't know if it's the thyroid acting up or a reaction with the glucosamine or just the glucosamine???
Mava - I think hot flushes are the thyroid or I'm in for the early menopause too!
Cod liver oil and tablets is very good for achey joints too