# Leg Pains



## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Does anyone else have severe leg pains? I feel like I'm being stabbed by a sharp knife, then it aches almost like it's burning. Or it will feel like I broke the bone and I'm afraid it won't hold me up. Mine is in the shin area, worse on one side than the other and now additional muscle aching also in the rest of the leg up to the hip. I saw the endo today who thinks it might be some kind of neuropathy, but says it isn't his field..... I thought it might be a reaction to the PTU I've been taking for about 2 months, but he says it isn't. Headaches began about a week before the leg pains and they've been a regular addition to each day.... The PTU was reduced 3 weeks ago because I had gone into the hypo range. (I had a reaction to methimazole after taking it for 2 weeks, that's why I take PTU).


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

I could barely walk pre-RAI. I don't know if it was the anti-thyroid med or not. It has been so long ago for me but I clearly remember my feet feeling like they were broken.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Have you checked your Ferritin levels? Low iron causes RLS and I believe leg pain as I had both with low Ferritin.

Hypo will also cause muscle aches.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

On my worst day "thyroid speaking" my thyroid was hugely inflamed and my legs had the strangest pains that I have never EVER had before and have NEVER ever had since that one day. I am hypo. I cannot help but wonder what in the world happened on that one day. The pains were just above my knees on both legs on the inside of my legs -- it was truly the S T R A N G E S T leg pain I have ever felt, both legs, same time.

So... During this time the sides of my neck would heat up as well. I think I was probably having what is incorrectly called a hypo - thyroid storm - on that one day.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Swimmer said:


> On my worst day "thyroid speaking" my thyroid was hugely inflamed and my legs had the strangest pains that I have never EVER had before and have NEVER ever had since that one day. I am hypo. I cannot help but wonder what in the world happened on that one day. The pains were just above my knees on both legs on the inside of my legs -- it was truly the S T R A N G E S T leg pain I have ever felt, both legs, same time.
> 
> So... During this time the sides of my neck would heat up as well. I think I was probably having what is incorrectly called a hypo - thyroid storm - on that one day.


I'll tell you; hypo or hyper..........................this is one scary disease!!

{{{{{Swimmer}}}}}


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Lovlkn said:


> Have you checked your Ferritin levels? Low iron causes RLS and I believe leg pain as I had both with low Ferritin.
> 
> Hypo will also cause muscle aches.


Surprisingly my ferritin levels are at their highest ever. I usually run at 76-78, but now are at 120 since becoming hyper (and I didn't change anything -I'm not taking iron).

I've had fibromyalgia for twenty plus years and the last five years have not had the pains (which were always worse in the winter for me) since we adjusted our diet to almost exclusively fresh, organic fruits and vegetables - occasional grass fed meat or organic chicken, no gluten, no sugar, etc. These pains are not like fibro pains, though. It literally feels like someone is just randomly stabbing me in the legs. So far there is no correlation to heat or cold, to sitting, standing, legs up or down.... I read on another site that others had terrible legs pains when taking PTU but the doctor said that isn't one of the side effects.....


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

I saw my endo and he says the pain sounds like neuropathy, but not a kind that he deals with..... I didn't know there were any kind that endos don't deal with. This is so frustrating. He ran some labs. The CBC that came back all normal, but the TSH is 15.1 and the FT4 is 0.8. I don't know what the other labs are yet. Maybe it's just the hypo causing the pains? Whatever the cause, they can quit at any time..... Has anyone had these that resolved without a TT?


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Thumper: Leg and feet pain has horrible when I went hypo. Your labs look hypo to me.

http://thyroidboards.com/forums/topic/7627-soles-of-my-feet-are-on-fire/?hl=%2Bsoles+%2Bfeet

Antibodies are on the attack and attack muscle in addition to the thyroid like the eyes, heart and etc. Muscles love Magnesium, so I take mega doses of Magnesium Citrate like 1,200mg per day. Took several months but it did help. Also from sweating persons that were hyper are deficient in Potassium. You could ask your doctor to prescribe you prescription strength Potassium.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

HotGrandma said:


> Thumper: Leg and feet pain has horrible when I went hypo. Your labs look hypo to me.
> http://thyroidboards.com/forums/topic/7627-soles-of-my-feet-are-on-fire/?hl=%2Bsoles+%2Bfeet
> 
> Antibodies are on the attack and attack muscle in addition to the thyroid like the eyes, heart and etc. Muscles love Magnesium, so I take mega doses of Magnesium Citrate like 1,200mg per day. Took several months but it did help. Also from sweating persons that were hyper are deficient in Potassium. You could ask your doctor to prescribe you prescription strength Potassium.


Is it beneficial to take the magnesium and the potassium even if the blood levels are in range?


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

My leg pains are getting worse and my husband has said I am now shouting out in pain in my sleep. I read in two places on drugs.com web site that neuritis/neuropathy is a side effect and an overdose symptom of PTU. I've also been dealing with a sore throat ( another possible side effect) and now hives, not bad, but in various places on my body. I am only taking 25mg PTU in the am and pm, have noticed the hot spells have returned and are, as usual, worse when I lay down to sleep at night. Labs of 11/27/13 were very hypo so that's why the low dose (was at 100mg am and 50mg pm). I would think I could quit altogether except that the hot spells usually indicate I'm hyper and I don't want to go back to how I felt when first diagnosed in August. I am due to get new labs next week so the endo has them for the Jan appointment. But what do you think? Am I at a low enough dose to risk quitting the PTU? Does neuropathy remain even after quitting the PTU? CBC was done and liver panel - both normal ranges. (The MCHC is barely in the range (low) and the RDW is barely in the range (high)). Help please!


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Thumper. Yes the magnesium citrate can be taken when the levels are either in or out of range. I continue to take it cause of "restless leg syndrome" and I feel graves did a number on my heart. I had the night sweats when hypo too. Symptoms can and do cross over.

As far as quitting PTU goes statistics are to be on ATD's (anti tyroid drugs for 18 months or longer and the antibodies to be calmed in order to acheive successful remission.


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

Has surgery or RAI been mentioned? Unfortunately, it sounds like like your body can't tolerate anti-thyroid medications, and either of those might be a wise next step.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Any advice on how to get out of the hypo hole? The PTU was reduced from 150mg daily to 50mg daily. New labs were taken with these results:

TSH 11.7 (was 15.1) range 0.27-4.2

FT4 0.9 (was 0.8) range 0.7-1.7

I stopped taking the PTU altogether on the 23rd. The leg pains have reduced considerably. At the present the only hypo symptom I notice is feeling cold, but that is intermittent with hot spells. If I'm supposed to continue taking the PTU for 18 months, what amount do I take? Do I just take it every other day or ?

Any idea if glucose levels are affected by being hypo? My were at 63 (random, not fasting). Usually they are high 90's.... Also, my RDW is still high, but everything else is "in range."


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

Being a type 1 diabetic, I noticed my blood sugars dipping low here and there as well-I was used to them being very low when I was hyper, but now as hypo I was confused. It was explained to me that since hypo slows down metabolism and also digestion, my stomach was taking longer to digest food, so my insulin would kick in and work before the food I ate had a chance to fully be digested, often sending me low a couple hours after a meal. The problem was I would need something quick like juice to raise it up, and then about an hour later, the rest of my meal would fully be absorbed, so I'd often have a high blood sugar and then would have to go back and tweak insulin again.


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