# Cramps and muscle spasms or charlie horses



## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

So I've been getting these horrible muscle cramps and muscle spasms and charlie horses for some time now. It seems to come and go, I get them in my neck, ribs, back and legs,arms and hands. Any idea why and what can I do to get rid of them and are they related to Graves Disease?
Thanks ;o}


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Wyspur. Do you have any recent labs you can post with ranges. I went severely hypo and had terrible muscle and nerve pain. My Doc told me to take 1,200 mg per day of Mangesium Citrate. Muscles including the heard love Magnesium. That took time but it did help.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Wyspur,

What medication are you taking?

I hurt all over when I was taking Tapazole.


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## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

I take 10mg Methimazole and these were my last results.
T-4 is 1.2 and T-3 is 3.5 
TSH, SENSITIVE <0.015
Will do blood work in two weeks


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## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

Opps, these are the latest 9-12-2013
T3, FREE 2.9
T4, FREE 0.6
TSH, SENSITIVE <0.015


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Ooo, without ranges I can't be sure, but that FT4 looks hypo. You may need to be backed off on the MMI dosage.

Also have your D checked if you haven't. Low D can cause muscle cramps. I get them bad when my D drops.


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## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

I'm on mega doses of D, so hypo is better than hyper?


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

No, not really. It's less dangerous, I'll give it that, but some of the symptoms suck almost as bad. 

The protocol for Graves is to put the patient on anti-thyroids until the Free T4 is approximately 75% of the range iirc and then lower the dose to a maintenance level for a total of 12 to 18 months. Depending on your lab's FT4 range, yours looks to be at the bottom or below. Your doctor should have lowered your dose well before now, and again if your FT4 continued to fall. I've seen people on as low a dose as 5 mg (or mcgs, I forget which it comes in) every other day. Anti-thyroids can't be dosed by TSH. Heck, as far as that goes, nothing thyroid related should be dosed by TSH.


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## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

Thanks, my Endo. left the clinic and I now have a new Dr. who loves the RAI method. I'm not having any issues so I think it may be too early to consider that. I've only been recently diagnoses this past May and had no symptoms other than the shaking hands and weight loss. This is clearly a wait and see kind of disease if I'm not mistaken ;o}


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## mohsinj677 (Dec 10, 2013)

You are doing the right thing to get ablation. There is no sense messing around w/it for I don't know a single person that ever went into "permanent" remission meaning of course, for the rest of their life.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

mohsinj677 said:


> You are doing the right thing to get ablation. There is no sense messing around w/it for I don't know a single person that ever went into "permanent" remission meaning of course, for the rest of their life.


I certainly agree. I have been on thyroid forums and boards for many years and while some seemingly go into temporary "quiet moments", I have never heard of or nor have I ever observed permanent remission. As you point out; permanent is permanent!


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## burdette2004 (Oct 29, 2013)

The magnesium would really help with the cramps. Also, it sounds weird, but when you are having one, you can take a teaspoon of mustard. Like the stuff you put on a hot dog. It should help relieve the cramping.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Wyspur said:


> So I've been getting these horrible muscle cramps and muscle spasms and charlie horses for some time now. It seems to come and go, I get them in my neck, ribs, back and legs,arms and hands. Any idea why and what can I do to get rid of them and are they related to Graves Disease?
> Thanks ;o}


Could be from Graves' but there are other causative factors such as Statins, Quinalones or low Ferritin.

If from Statins or Quinalones; your CoQ10 may be depleted and taking CoQ10 will correct this. If from low Ferritin; iron supplement would be in order.

Let us know.


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