Is your intuition telling you that your hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s is causing your chronic pain?
I’ve got news for you:
Your intuition may be right.
Low thyroid hormone can potentiate musculoskeletal pain that can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia.
Even more important than that is many providers (and patients) don’t understand how to correctly diagnose, treat, or manage pain and fibromyalgia related to hypothyroidism.
In this post, I’m going to talk about how hypothyroidism causes chronic pain and fibromyalgia, how to correctly diagnose the condition, and other treatments that may help or benefit patients who suffer from this debilitating condition.
To understand how this works you really need to understand the concept of Tissue Level Hypothyroidism…
The Connection Between Hypothyroidism, Chronic Pain, and Fibromyalgia
You probably know that your thyroid helps to control the metabolism of your entire body but did you know that it also has many more functions than just that?
It’s common for patients who are hypothyroid to gain weight, but one of the other (many symptoms) of hypothyroidism includes chronic musculoskeletal pain.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for hypothyroid patients to present with back pain, joint pain, or multiple tender points deep in their muscular tissue (1).
While hypothyroidism can cause chronic pain and a fibromyalgia-like syndrome this doesn’t mean that ALL cases of fibromyalgia and chronic pain are due to hypothyroidism.
That being said…
If you have either condition (chronic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome) you absolutely should have your thyroid checked out.
And I don’t mean a cursory glance at your TSH, I mean a complete thyroid panel and thorough workup that includes ALL thyroid lab tests including markers for autoimmune thyroiditis.
I hear patients all the time respond that their thyroid is “fine” only to find out upon closer look it’s anything but fine.
Before we talk about how to correctly diagnose thyroid issues we need to talk about how thyroid hormone can cause chronic pain and fibromyalgia.
Bottom line: Hypothyroidism can certainly cause and potentiate chronic pain and fibromyalgia. Standard blood tests and standard “interpretation” of thyroid lab studies are insufficient to correctly diagnose the problem. To properly evaluate for this condition you need a complete set of lab tests and proper workup.
Tissue Level Hypothyroidism Explained
So what can cause “normal” thyroid lab tests but all the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
This condition is known as tissue-level hypothyroidism (2).
Tissue-level hypothyroidism may explain why there is widespread dissatisfaction with standard thyroid treatment and standard thyroid replacement therapy with Levothyroxine or Synthroid.
It turns out that there are many patients currently being treated with thyroid hormone and yet they still have all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, including chronic pain, hair loss, weight gain, and weight loss resistance.
So what is tissue-level hypothyroidism and how does it cause these symptoms?
Tissue level hypothyroidism is the idea that you as the patient might have “normal” blood levels of thyroid hormone but due to a number of factors (including inflammation, weight gain, medications, chronic illness, etc.), that thyroid hormone can’t get into the cells to do its job.
So it remains outside of the cell in the bloodstream making it look like your thyroid function is fine but in reality that thyroid hormone is almost inactive.
This is also known as thyroid resistance and it is probably one of the most commonly missed thyroid conditions due to how thyroid diseases are diagnosed.
Standard laboratory tests can only measure what is happening in the bloodstream.
But…
When it comes to thyroid hormone, we don’t care what’s happening in the bloodstream because thyroid hormone has to get into cells to do its job.
Thyroid hormone is active when it travels through the cell membrane and directly attaches to the nucleus to what’s known as a nuclear receptor (3).
From there it directly changes your DNA, in a process called genetic transcription, and causes an increase in metabolism, changes in proteins, and an increase in oxygen consumption (4).
Pretty cool, right?
This means that in order to properly check if thyroid hormone is working, we really need to look at both the blood levels of thyroid hormone and markers to see if it is actually working in the cell.
One of the best ways to do this is by looking at the complete thyroid blood panel.
Bottom line: It’s possible for you to have “normal” levels of thyroid hormone floating around in your blood but that hormone is only active IF it can get inside your cells and turn on genetic transcription and change your DNA. Some patients have “normal” blood levels but that hormone can’t get into the cells to do its job – this is known as tissue-level hypothyroidism.
The Link Between Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, and Hypothyroidism
Chronic pain and Fibromyalgia frequently accompany each other, however, no one seems to understand the exact connection.
But, if you look at the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Hypothyroidism side by side you begin to see something very interesting:
Fibromyalgia and Hypothyroidism present with almost the exact same symptoms…
There are several studies to show this (which we will go over below) but first I want to talk about a researcher named Dr. Lowe who put this all together for us.
He linked tissue-level hypothyroidism as one of the main causes of Fibromyalgia. And he did this through a concept known as ‘deductively formulated theory‘.
This method of problem-solving takes all of the competing theories that cause disease and, by the use of mathematical analysis, pumps out the hypothesis that is most likely to be correct (this is the same logic that Albert Einstein used to come up with his hypotheses, like the theory of relativity (5)).
Not only did he link the two conditions together he also showed us how to effectively treat and even reverse Fibromyalgia and chronic pain symptoms through various research studies and even case studies.
Through his research, he found that the majority of patients who have fibromyalgia either have undiagnosed hypothyroidism or are inadequately treated with LT4-containing medications.
His research showed that in order for patients to have complete remission of their pain most of them needed the active form of thyroid hormone known as T3.
This can be assessed through routine blood work but it is not often ordered by most physicians.
For this reason, you may need to specifically ask your doctor to check your free T3, total T3, and reverse T3 levels in order to accurately assess if your body has sufficient cellular thyroid hormone available.
As a quick primer:
T4 is the inactive thyroid hormone that must be converted to T3 to become active <—- This is what most Doctors prescribe for patients
T3 is the active thyroid hormone that turns on genetic transcription, increases metabolism, and helps thyroid patients feel better <—- Most Doctors do not prescribe this medication but many patients with chronic pain and fibromyalgia may need it
Dr. Lowe’s data showed that approximately 2/3 of patients improved on Natural Desiccated Thyroid Hormone (Medications like Armour thyroid and NP Thyroid) and another 1/3 required higher doses of T3-only therapy (Liothyronine or sustained release T3) to get symptomatic improvement.
While thyroid hormone that contains T3 (triiodothyronine) was very important to treating and reversing fibromyalgia, it wasn’t the only therapy required to get complete remission.
We will go over the rest of the treatment below, but first, let’s talk about some of the symptoms you might be experiencing if you have tissue-level hypothyroidism.
Symptoms of Tissue-level Hypothyroidism & Fibromyalgia
As I mentioned previously blood tests are not 100% accurate in diagnosing hypothyroidism which leads to many undiagnosed and/or mismanaged patients.
It turns out that using the combination of symptoms in combination with blood tests makes diagnosis much more reliable.
Before the widespread use of TSH testing most patients were diagnosed by symptoms alone and their medication was also titrated based on their symptoms.
While there are hundreds of symptoms of hypothyroidism there are a few that remain very constant among patients who share both fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism which we will go over below:
#1. Chronic Fatigue
This is the kind of fatigue that is debilitating. The kind of fatigue that keeps you from doing normal activities like household chores or going out.
Patients frequently tell me that after they go out to do something simple like shopping they are almost bed-bound for 1-2 days.
Chronic fatigue is both a symptom of hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia, but how are they connected?
2 ways:
Thyroid hormone is involved in the production of Dopamine.
Dopamine helps your body to determine how much energy it is going to use and low levels have been associated with obesity (6).
If you have low levels of thyroid hormone you will have low levels of Dopamine which will result in the symptom of Chronic Fatigue.
Thyroid hormone helps your body convert Tyrosine to Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Epinephrine.
You may know some of these hormones as adrenaline (7) which helps to set the metabolism of your body and is required for the “fight or flight” response.
The second way hypothyroidism causes fatigue is through decreased consumption of oxygen and thus decreased production of ATP.
ATP is created in the mitochondria of your cells, if you have low production of ATP you will have the subjective symptom of fatigue.
Thyroid hormone is involved in the metabolism of oxygen and oxygen consumption is required for proper ATP production.
#2. Weight Gain, Weight Loss Resistance & Inability to Lose Weight
Does it feel like you are constantly gaining weight, despite eating healthy or even exercising?
Many hypothyroid patients and fibromyalgia patients have difficulty with weight loss even though many of them are already restricting calories and exercising frequently.
This isn’t a normal condition and it can be mediated through low levels of thyroid hormone in the body.
Under normal circumstances, thyroid hormone helps your body burn fat by increasing the effectiveness of lipolytic enzymes (8)(enzymes that break down fat).
When thyroid hormone is low, these enzymes are also low resulting in the inability to break down fat molecules – making it almost impossible to lose weight.
(Thyroid hormone increases enzymes that help you burn fat and when thyroid levels are low your cholesterol increases and your metabolism will slow down)
In addition, thyroid hormone is involved in mediating your basal metabolic rate or resting energy expenditure (9).
In other words, thyroid hormone helps regulate your metabolism.
Patients with hypothyroidism frequently feel like their metabolism is damaged and may gain weight even when eating 1200-1500 calories per day (sometimes even less).
In order to fix this metabolic damage thyroid hormone must be replaced.
#3. Hair Loss
Many patients with fibromyalgia have symptoms of hair loss and/or hair thinning.
It is well known that thyroid hormone is required for both hair growth and proper pigmentation (10).
Now hypothyroidism isn’t the only cause of hair loss but it is definitely one of the more common causes.
Chronic stress itself can lead to hair loss and let’s face it: having fibromyalgia is stressful.
But hypothyroidism is still a leading cause.
Not only that but low thyroid hormone leads to low stomach acid which leads to nutrient deficiencies that make hair growth even more difficult.
Deficiencies in zinc, B12, and iron cause both hair loss and are made worse by hypothyroidism.
(Low thyroid hormone leads to hair loss by itself but also leads to deficiencies of nutrients required for hair growth – it’s a double whammy)
Just realize that replacing these nutrient deficiencies is a necessary and important part of reducing symptoms of both fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism.
#4. Muscle Tension, Trigger Points & Muscular Pain
Tender points in the muscles are common in fibromyalgia.
These tender points are caused by abnormal contractions in the muscular tissue that stays contracted over long periods of time causing changes in the fascia and potentiating pain.
In order to relieve the pain, the tissue MUST relax, and in order for muscular tissue to contract, there must be enough energy in the form of ATP.
Remember that thyroid hormone is required for proper ATP production?
In order for muscles to relax your body must produce ATP (11)(the energy currency in your body).
What you may not realize is that contracting your muscles does not use energy, it’s the relaxation portion that requires energy.
Consider this as an example:
When someone dies all of their muscles contract and they become “stiff”, this is known as rigor mortis (12).
The reason for this contraction is a lack of energy production.
The same thing is happening (to a smaller degree) in certain muscles in patients with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and hypothyroidism.
This inability to relax your muscles results in trigger point formation and muscle tension/pain (13).
Treating these trigger points and tender points is required for the relief of pain and we will go over that below.
#5. Delayed Relaxation Phase of Deep Tendon Reflexes
This symptom you may not even realize you have, but it can be a VERY sensitive marker for diagnosing tissue-level hypothyroidism.
When tissue levels of thyroid are low it results in the inability of your muscles to relax quickly which causes a slow relaxation phase when checking deep tendon reflexes (14).
Your reflexes have been tested whether you realize it or not:
Testing of the deep tendon reflexes happens when your Doctor hits your knee with his reflex hammer and your knee automatically “jumps”.
Patients with a low amount of thyroid hormone in their tissues have a slower response to the relaxation portion when this reflex is tested (15).
This can be easily tested and there are even machines to help with the diagnosis.
How to Treat & Reverse Fibromyalgia & Hypothyroidism:
These recommendations come from treating many patients with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and hypothyroidism.
You can see an example of a case study in a patient with chronic pain who had a complete resolution in her symptoms, lost 40+ pounds, and reversed her diabetes here.
This treatment works (provided your symptoms are due to hypothyroidism) and has the potential to help many patients if done correctly.
For the best results make sure to follow each of the recommendations below – doing just one or two of them will not lead to long-lasting, significant results.
Step #1: Get on the right type and dose of thyroid medication
For most patients, this means using some form of T3 thyroid medication.
The majority of patients are already on T4-only medication (such as Synthroid, levothyroxine, or Tirosint) but in order to ensure that tissues are getting enough thyroid hormone, you will need T3 added to your regimen.
If you have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism you can follow these steps:
- Add T3 (in the form of liothyronine or cytomel) to your existing medication – you can ask your provider for this medication (this is probably the easiest way to get T3)
- Switch from levothyroxine to NDT —> This may be difficult but some providers are willing to do it. Make sure you follow this dosing guide if switching.
- Temporarily (or permanently) switch to T3-only medication <— This will be the most difficult to get but probably the most effective
If you don’t have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism then I recommend these steps:
- Check a complete thyroid blood panel
- Check your symptoms using this complete list of hypothyroid symptoms
- Consider checking your basal body temperature and resting heart rate (low body temp and low resting pulse may indicate hypothyroidism)
- Find a provider willing to order these tests and treat them appropriately (see medications above)
Step #2: Exercise to tolerance
The important part of this step is to find the maximum that you can tolerate and exercise to that point.
This will vary depending on your energy level, your weight, and your metabolism.
If you can only exercise for 5-10 minutes once per week, then that’s fine. On the other hand, if you can tolerate 20-30 minutes several times per week then you should do that.
Focus on taking your body to its limits and exhausting the targeted muscle group of both glycogen and energy.
This can be done most efficiently by utilizing the idea of high-intensity interval training or high-intensity strength training (16).
Both exercises provide benefits over the traditional “cardio” type workouts where you sit on the treadmill for 45-60 minutes a few times per week.
The more intense your workout the better it is for muscular tissue, energy levels, and hormones.
It also provides a boost to weight loss.
Step #3: Eat a real, whole food, nutritious diet
Diet is an important part of treatment and the basics should include real, whole, and nutritious food.
The macromolecule breakdown of your diet should be tailored to your body, your activity level, and other specific medical problems you may have.
Real whole food diets include diets like whole30, the paleo diet, and even nutritional ketosis.
You can find more information about how to pick your diet in these posts:
If you are new to the idea of changing up your diet take it slow but use the recommendations in the articles above to help get you started.
Changing your diet will be required for optimal health.
Step #4: Manage muscular tension with these recommendations
As we discussed previously treating and “releasing” the tender points seen in fibromyalgia and chronic pain are required to reduce symptoms.
Treating these tender points involves several therapies but universally some sort of mechanical force will be required to get rid of them.
I recommend and have used all of the following therapies for patients with fibromyalgia:
- Manual massage (17) <—- This can be a deep tissue massage or medical massage.
- Vibration therapy including handheld vibratory devices designed for musculoskeletal tension or whole-body vibration machines (18).
- Trigger point injection therapy <— studies have shown (19) injection therapy to provide significant relief to pressure and pain points.
- Myofascial release (20) and other soft tissue techniques.
Studies have shown (21) that various types of massages improve the quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.
Whatever you decide to do just make sure you remain consistent with the therapy while doing the other treatment recommendations.
Step #5: Replace nutritional deficiencies
Most people nowadays have some vitamin and nutrient deficiencies as a result of chronic stress and poor nutritional diet.
Replacing these nutrient deficiencies is a vital part of the healing process and in most cases is required to thrive.
Hypothyroid patients (and fibromyalgia) are susceptible to certain nutrient deficiencies that may potentiate chronic pain and fatigue.
For instance, studies have shown (22) that fibromyalgia patients tend to have a low mineral content via hair analysis.
You can read more about the list of nutrients that hypothyroid patients need to function optimally here.
Below I will also go over the most important nutrients required for energy and to reduce pain & inflammation:
- B complex vitamins <—- B vitamins (specifically B6 and B12) are required for proper energy production and replacing them may improve energy levels and reduce fatigue. When replacing vitamin B12 make sure to consider B12 shots if you have issues with absorption.
- Zinc & Selenium <—- Zinc reduces inflammation and is required for proper immunity, it also helps boost T4 to T3 conversion and helps the thyroid function optimally.
- Iron <—- Iron deficiency leads to hair loss, decreased energy, and even shortness of breath. Low levels are seen in patients with hypothyroidism, but be careful when supplementing not to get “too much”. You can follow iron storage in your body by assessing your ferritin level.
Bottom line: Replacing nutrient deficiencies is a necessary part of recovering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia. Make sure to target your nutrient replacement to targeted deficiencies based on lab tests.
Conclusion
What’s the main takeaway here?
If you are suffering from chronic pain or fibromyalgia, and you also have hypothyroidism, then there may be a connection between the two.
Due to how hypothyroidism is managed, however, your physician may not be aware of this connection and you may not receive adequate treatment.
It appears that chronic pain can be made worse by low levels of circulating thyroid hormone.
The treatment for this condition is to use thyroid medications that contain both the active T3 and the inactive T4 hormones.
To ensure that you are getting enough thyroid hormone you need to get a full thyroid lab panel and look specifically at the concentrations of free thyroid hormone in your blood.
Once you have this data you can then determine how to proceed with treatment!
In addition to using thyroid medication, you’ll also want to focus on repleting any lost nutrients, using a proper exercise routine and on eating a healthy and nutritious diet.
All of these things, when combined, may help to relieve your pain.
Now I want to hear from you:
Are you suffering from chronic pain and/or fibromyalgia?
Have you been able to overcome your symptoms?
Do you also have hypothyroidism?
Let us know what worked (and what didn’t work) for you so we can further the cause and help as many people as possible.
Leave your comments or questions below!
Scientific References
#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24435355
#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169863/
#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC329808/
#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC329808/?page=1
#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/365000
#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22833718
#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28077337
#8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3335609
#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9100583
#10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18728176
#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3360099/
#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1393748/
#13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3440564/
#14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2492977/
#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2466474/?page=1
#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991639/
#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25457196
#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553315/
#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16454721
#20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25603749
#21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25457196
#22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3192333/
Hi this has been great information for me as I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue 8 years ago I hardly eat I’m constantly on the go and in exhausted and never lose any weight so going to get myself tested thank you
Hey Susan,
I’m glad you found it helpful! Make sure you get the right tests, but more importantly make sure they are interpreted correctly. Thyroid resistance is behind the scenes in many patients with these symptoms and can be easily missed if the reverse T3 isn’t ordered.
I have been sick for many yrs. The Dr’s I have seen in the past have not been much help. They just say I have chronic pain, fibro or to take vitamins B12 & D3. They say I probably have fibro, but when I get copies of my medical records they have never put it in my records. I have been told for years that I have hypoglycemia, but when I check with a glucose meter my levels are always normal. I have a tumor on my thyroid that measures 5.8 and they only did an ultrasound, they just tell me not to worry about it, they have never biopsied it and don’t tell me to come back to have it checked again. I feel so bad I feel like I am dying. I have no energy and have all the symptoms of having a thyroid issue. How do I get a Dr to listen to me? I have found a lab that I can pay cash to have the test done without a Dr ordering them. What test do I need? It is expensive so I don’t want to have test done that are not needed. I feel so desperate to find help. Ilene
Hey Ilene,
You’re in a tough spot. I wouldn’t even recommend that you spend your own money on expensive lab tests because your doctors aren’t going to change their treatment. If the doctors knew how to interpret and treat those lab values they would have ordered them to begin with. The fact that they didn’t is very telling.
Your best bet is to look outside of the insurance model and find a doctor that is aware of the conditions you have and knows how to treat them. I only know of a handful of people (out of thousands) that have been able to find a doctor in the insurance model that has been of any help.
Bottom line: don’t waste your money on expensive labs hoping that your doctor will somehow see the “light” and start treating you correctly. It won’t happen.
Hi thanks for your advice. How do you find this doctor you speak of I have tryed several doctor. All seem to not hear what I’m saying. I live in North Carolina. I have weight problems fog brain, fatigue, muscle aches. No one listens. Being sent to neurophysiology. So frustrated.
Hi Phyllis,
Unfortunately I don’t have any recommendations to give you. The only way a physician knows this information is if they study it on their own, it’s not standard knowledge.
Go see Dr. J. Flechas in Hendersonville, NC. He is phenomenal and will help you.
If you haven’t found a doctor yet, I can recommend Beverly Goode in Raleigh. She is an osteopath and hypothyroid herself — and very thorough. However, be forewarned she will be urging you to make lifestyle changes including supplements 🙂
I also have had a life time of weight battle had many thyroid test dr always says in normal range I had gastric bypass loss only 50 lbs while always eating rt only to go back to diet dr put me on phentrimene and loss another20 lbs seems abnormal to me to have to do this
Ilene,
If you cannot find a doctor to take you seriously, you need to take your health into your own hands. This is what I did and I feel so much better for it.
Have them do test RBI. That’s the only test it would show up my thyroid problem. Tumor and thyroid removed. Take 300 m daily. It goes crazy a couple times a year and dose is increased.
What is the RBI test?
Please change your Endo! For 7+ years Kaiser was tracking a nodule on my thyroid, they did do 2 biopsies that came back negative (if you don’t hit the right spot it will be negative and my dr. Was the one to do it, not a dr. That this is all they do) I changed insurance and seen a new Endo, had ultrasound and biopsy. Came back positive for rare thyroid cancer, Medullary, it’s incurable and my doctors believe I’ve had cancer 7+ years. There is a simple blood test to find this cancer, Calcitonin and CEA. KAISER never did this even though I had the only symptoms for it (diaherrea and flushing). With a nodule that big you must biopsy it!
Hi Colleen ~ Thank you for sharing. I also had a nodule that was being tracked for 10yrs. After 2 FNA, they both came back negative but also said that they don’t know what’s around the biopsy site and suggested I have a thyroidectomy (which I regret). So you had 2 biopsies by your first doctor but then you went to an endo and they also did a biopsy and they found cancer, what was different between the biopsies your first doc did versus the new endo?
The first was done by my regular Endocronologist the one where I was diagnosed was done by a pathology lab in Pasadena, CA where the dr. Only performs these biopsies. I forgot what they are called but this is his only job.
PLEASE see another dr. For your nodule, you need a biopsy! Several years they were (Kaiser Permenente) watching mine and even had a biopsy done by my Endocronologist (you should have it done by a dr. Who only does biopsies, they have experience and know how to do it) my biopsy (2 of them ) were negative. I got new insurance and seen a new Endo, I had new ultrasound that led to getting biopsy which was positive for a very rare form of thyroid cancer, Medullary Thyroid Cancer. When I found out they only had to do 2 blood tests (calcitonin and CEA) to know this I was extremely upset. This has been growing for 7 years. I had to have thyroidectomy and a central and left neck dissection. This was 2 years ago. It’s incurable. I am stable for now but had a suspicious lymph node on my ultrasound. Need a biopsy. Listen to your intuition you sense something is not right go find a dr. To do the right testing.
Wow this is where I am. Kaiser biopsy done twice now and ultrasounds. Diagnosed with multiple thyroid nodules being benign. My TSH is at the high end…yet I have no energy, extremely dry skin, Fibromyalgia.
Not sure I trust what they are telling me.
Hello,
When I read your post it sounded just like ME, last year. I am not a doctor but the past 4 years I felt as if I was. You could possibly have a parathyroid tumor In your neck. You can be tested for this but you need to STOP taking vitamin D for 3 or more days, it will suppress your PTH. I was tested when I was taking Vit D and it came back normal, a false test result. Then I found Dr. Norman’s site, I stopped my Vit D and it came back high and my calcium was 11. You also need a bone density test. Please go to parathyroid.com this is were I figured out my lump in my neck was and I had my surgery there, they are the best. If you have high calcium, low vitamin and a lump in your neck, you need to test your PTH. BUT STOP taking your vitamin D. I hope this post will find you.
For the folks with nodules, have your thyroglobulin (Tg is what it will say on test). The higher the number means your body has made antibodies against some type of thyroid cancer. I’ve had each lobe removed five years apart followed by radioactive iodine. Been good for 7 years, but boy has my life changed by having that gland removed. Best wishes to you all.
Hi Pattie,
Just a correction here for anyone who reads this, the presence of thyroglobulin antibodies does not mean you have thyroid cancer. They just mean your body is creating antibodies to a specific part of your thyroid gland.
Omg I’m in that same situation! I have all the symptoms and have told my doctor and nothings being done simply because an ultrasound was performed and showed nothing but I’m still suffering with symptoms! The pain is excruciating and I’ve nowhere to turn I literally feel like I’m dying. I’m a cancer survivor and my struggle to remission was a hard battle but nothing compared to what I’m going thru now! Theres got to be someone who will listen and help me!
I then researched Selenium and decided to give it a try. I have only been taking it for a few days and will have to wait to see if this proves my hypothyroidism and associated aches and pains.
Hey Barrett,
Tons of good research out there on selenium. Give it a shot and let me know if it works for you!
Very informative. I have fibromyalgia chronic pain disorder soft tissue disorder. I am always fatigue. Low energu. Mu doctor keeps telling me there’s nothong wrong with my thyroid. What do I do?
Hey Rene,
I would recommend you seek out another provider who is willing to work with you.
A friend sent me this link through Facebook. Question: I had my thyroid removed several years ago due to it being three times the normal size and Hasimoto’s disease. I am of course on thyroid replacement, bus still ha e chronic pain and exhaustion that comes on without warning. Will these things that you mention and write about help some one without a thyroid gland?
Hey Lissa,
Absolutely. If you are on a T4 only medication then your body will still have to convert that hormone into the active T3, and in the setting of any of the problems I talk about you may ultimately turn that right into reverse T3. Bottom line is that these recommendations will definitely help even without a thyroid gland.
I found this article interesting. Is it possible to only have pain in one area?] I take Armour 120 mg and 15 mg and have disabling calf pain that comes on suddenly. The pain can last from a day to months, which renders me unable to stand or walk. Arthritis, blood clot, vein diease, etc are negative. I am unable to lose weight and gaining since 15 mg was added. My rheumy wants necular muscle doctor to run tests to see if calf muscle is resisting magnesium. I refused since I feel problem is thyroid related. Unfortunately doctors in my area do not test R-T 3.
Hey Tee,
It is possible, but unlikely. I have a number of patients that I have successfully treated with conditions similar to yours. In some cases it’s been post herpetic neuralgia, in others it’s been related to venous stasis or arterial disease. Bottom line is you need further evaluation by a good doctor.
Thanks for responding. My calf pain comes and goes. I can have it for several months one year and not again for several years. MS tests were negative, but vitamin D level low. My D is 50 now. I was told I had measles, but not chicken pox. I didn’t get chicken pox or shingles when my children had them for a month or afterwards. However, the chicken pox blood test my doctor ordered was positive. I don’t know whether to believe the results since I tested positive for Sojourn a year ago and negative this year. This blood test can show a false positive, which is why a lip biopsy is recommended. I was researching NatureThroid and came across a consumer site where hundreds of patients taking Armour complained of leg etc. pain like mine and reported their symptoms to drug manufacturer. Their pain subsided when switched to WP or NT. My doctor switched me to 130 mg of NatureThroid last month and said she may need to adjust dose. I was taking 150 mg of Armour prior to switching. I felt wonderful the three days I took NT. Probably due to Armour still in my body, and took nose dive after 5 days. After falling asleep while eating celery with greek yogurt on Easter, I decided to increase NT. I started by adding 1/4 tablet of 130 mg NT to my daily dose. I was better in the morning and wiped out by afternoon. The calf pain returned too. Today I took 130 mg plus 1/4 tablet of NT in the morning and 1/4 of tablet at 1 pm. No calf pain even after swimming laps for an hour. ( I have been a lap swimmer for over 20 years.) I am glad my calf pain is gone, but unhappy that I gained 7 lbs in a week. I have been taking thyroid medication for 50 years and told my thyroid no longer exists. I go for blood tests next week. My doctor only does TSH and Free T 3 and 4, vitamin D, adrenals, cbc. I haven’t found a doctor in my state that does R T 3 tests. I took it upon myself to take 100 mg of B 6. I already take a multivitamin with minerals, D and magnesium. I get selenium from Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. and C from veggies and fruits. My zinc and iron levels are good. I was raised eating fresh foods and continue to eat this way. My exercise, sleep and relaxation are fine. I didn’t start gaining weight, develop fatigue, etc. until doctors changed my thyroid meds. I am tired of gaining weight, fatigue, pain, and looking like an old woman instead of thin, energetic, etc. self I use to be. I looked for NP in my area. The one listed is so far away, I would need to move to see her. I don’t know what type of doctor to look for, but seeing another endo is out.
Hey Tee,
It can be tough finding someone who understands the thyroid, but keep looking! I would also recommend that you check out your other hormone levels as well. They could definitely be contributing to your overall health. Generally speaking, doctors that practice functional medicine can be helpful – as long as they can prescribe medication.
Hi Dr. Childs:
I wanted to update you on my condition. I began taking selenium and zinc with NT. My calf pain subsided, mobility and energy increased. I even lost a few pounds. It is a relief to be able to move without walker. My physical therapist is floored by the change.
Hey Tee,
That is great news! I’m happy for you 🙂 Most doctors don’t know what’s possible because they don’t even try!
My dr. Won’t do RT3 either but she did do a Reverse to T4 (better than TSH,it shows what your body is actually taking in. it showed I’m normal 1.2 where the TSH showed I was hyper .32)
I am in the same boat as Lissa I had my thyroid removed two operations. Now I have fibromyalgia. I am exhausted after doing the slightest thing I struggle to keep weight on and most days my pain is unbearable.Most days I feel like I have done 10 rounds in a boxing ring and then hit by a bus. Night times I dread as the pain increases and insomnia. I take 125 mg a day of Levothyroxine 120 mg of MST and 2700 of Gabapentin
Hey Tracie,
Most post thyroidectomy patients feel terrible. Your thyroid naturally pumps out T4 and T3 in about an 80/20 ratio. When doctors give you back replacement hormone they almost always leave out the T3 – which usually makes patient feel terrible, gain weight and develop symptoms of hypothyroidism.
For fibromyalgia if you are not on opioids then ask your dr. About trying Low Dose Naltrexone, if you are on opioids then ask about ULTRA Low dose Naltrexone (helps with fibromyalgia pain and doesn’t block your opioid sensors). Google about it you will find a lot of positive info. There is also a new blood test (most rhumatologists don’t believe in it but the science backs it up). Fm/a you can contact the research company directly and have it done https://thefibromyalgiatest.com
I take Naltrexone 4.5mg 2x a day for fibromyalgia. I feel it saved me because I was in so much pain & I was surely taking too much pain medication. I still have pain but not like without Naltrexone and lyrica together.
I am very interested in this article and I will be looking into it more but I am not sure my gp will go for the idea and depth that she will have to look. Im my best advocate and I will get a definite answer. Thanks for the information!
No problem, I’m glad you found it helpful! I have many patients who have had significant improvement on LDN. Not everyone does, but when it works it tends to work well.
Hi,i had hypo after my son Was born,then years later went hyper due to a Multi nodule Toxic goilter,so had meds for two years then had 500 of radio iodine theapy,then Was in loads of pain,3 yrs later they said i had fibro,ive Seen 4 endos to date all say no thyrod issues,so when my neck swells up and goes hot Just before a flare up,Also if i take vit d (Im low at 53) my joint pain Is through the roof and Im weeing all the time ,they said no parathyroid Prob,Im not On Amy thyroid meds,i did take ndt i got up to two grains but It didnt make a diff,Also weight gain through the roof 3 stone why does Mo one belive me,Also tested positive for hla b27 Gene too,esr,rhemo factor 10,crp eleivated,i Just want my Life Back,ive had to give Up two Jobs,i cant Do even 1/3of what i used too,if i Do too much i pay for It the next day,Sometimes two days,this Is not living this Is Just exsisting
Hey Sue,
All endocrinologists practice medicine the exact same way, so no matter how many you go to you will always hear the same thing. I wrote a post about it here so you can get an idea of what you’re facing: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
The truth is that you aren’t likely to ever find help in the insurance model of medicine (that means through your GP, PCP or endo’s).
Endos do not even want to talk about treating with T3. They look at you like you’re an idiot. “I’ve never heard of that,” was the last response I got. The one doctor, that did treat the way you described, left the area.
That tends to be the case, if you want to get the help I am talking about here you will generally have to look outside of the insurance model.
Hi my daughter 17 has hypopituritsm undiagnosed for 14 years. She is now on levroxine 100ml a day but has chronic pain and is now in a wheel chair they have said it’s cfs but I’d really like to know what you think regarding her thyroid
Many thanks
Rachel
Hey Rachel,
She could be suffering from persistent tissue level hypothyroidism, but I would have no way to know for sure unless I saw her as a patient. I take a very comprehensive history and do extensive lab work with each patient to get to the root cause of their problem, but it can take some time and digging to get there.
I find most hypo pit patients (like post thyroidectomy patients) are usually under treated and feel terrible.
Very informative, I have a 5cm complex cyst (goiter on my Thyroid)…all standard test reveal my levels are normal, however in recent months i have patches of Vitiligo under my arms and on my stomach, I am wondering if this is maybe all tied into Hashimotos and that maybe one day, one of my GPS will actually do a test for me, I have mentioned it but my GP says they arent connected.
Any thoughts
Hey Dawn,
Lots of thoughts! 🙂 It’s not about ordering the right tests it’s about interpreting them correctly. I would take a look at this post here so you can get a better idea: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
I see this in a lot of patients who try to ask for the “right” tests, and when they get them they are told they are all “normal”. Asking for the right tests is just the first part, interpreting and taking action is 90% of the puzzle.
To answer your question, yes, hashimoto’s and vitiligo are most likely related and signs that you have an underlying immune issue because both of these conditions are autoimmune based.
I have had hashimoto hypothyroid for 30 years and been on levo for all that time but have still had all symptons, 3 years ago insisted on referal to endo and lots of tests and mri scan was diagnosed with hypopituitarism with adrenal insufficiency ( now steroid dependant) growth hormone deficiency (now inject daily) meds are 100mg levo and 10mg T3, 25mg hydrocortisone daily, 0.3 growth hormone, adcal and self bought vitamins as recommended by ‘Stop the Thyroid Madness’ book. I still have chronic fatigue and take Tramadol for my chronic aching joints. My life is now a daily struggle as having to rest most of the time and constantly have low iron store or anemia. I have bought NDT from Canada but nothing changed have no idea what to do next. Oh and also struggle with weight despit having no appetite at all as have no smell or taste for last 10 years.
Hey Linda,
Medication is only one piece to a much larger puzzle. When I treat patients (and in order to get them better) you really have to look at EVERY body system and hormonal system. This includes nutrient deficiencies, gut health, detox capacity, inflamamtory levels, hormone levels, etc.
Just taking NDT is not likely enough to help your entire condition.
My best recommendation is to find a functional medicine doctor near you for further help, if you don’t have one close you may need to drive to see one.
My comment is awaiting moderation ? What do this mean.
All comments are moderated before they are public to ensure that no one is spamming or being inflammatory to other people 🙂
Hi I sent a message but it is not here. It said my message was waiting moderation? what do this mean please and why it has not been answered?
Hey Linda,
It takes some time for me to see and reply on all of the comments. Your comment does have an answer now 🙂
Thanks for an interesting and easy to understand article. I wish more doctors understood this!
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism end of 2011. Due to one reason or another, it was about 4 months before I started taking Levo. During this time my lifestyle changed a lot and I think I “crashed”. I thought I had fibromyalgia but was still in denial about being hypo. Eventually I realised I needed help and started taking Levo. The pain reduced, but didn’t disappear. In fact, I think I crashed again a couple of years later, going from a gym junkie to someone who barely left the house.
Then I discovered Natural Dessicated Thyroid, a gluten free diet, and I learned about the inflammatory effect of night shades (esp tomatoes and potatoes).
Now I feel like I have a life again. There’s still a way to go, but making these changes changed my life!
Hey Kris,
Thanks for your comments! I’m glad that you were able to identify and target the triggers of your pain! It really can be that easy once you know what to look for – though I’m sure the journey was a difficult one.
This article was enlightening. I was seen by an endocrinologist, she did an ultrasound, blood work and 2 biopsies. I have multple nodules on my thyroid, which are visable. The bloodwork came back normal and the biopsies were non-cancerous. So, I was not treated at all. I have 9 out of 10 hypothyroidism symptoms. I have no insurance and can’t financially push for more testing/answers. This article explains that some of the other issues I have been having are most likely linked to the thyroid issue.
Hey Kelly,
I’m glad you found it enlightening! There are many things you can still take action on including: diet, supplements, exercise, stress reduction and improved sleep. I would start with these until your situation allows for more advanced testing. Good luck!
Thank you for this article. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism years ago and was put on Levo but then taken off by my primary care doctor because my blood work was normal. As of today I am completely desperate in so much pain, mental fog, muscle fluttering I can’t take it. I will be headed back to my Dr. as soon as possible after reading this.
Hey Eric,
You are welcome! Thyroid resistance and tissue level hypothyroidism are some of the most frequently missed conditions by untrained Doctors. Don’t settle for “normal” lab tests. You can find more info here: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
Good luck!
I have EDS and am hypo w hashi. A few years ago I lost 80 lbs (clean eating – getting chemicals and processing out of my diet and exercise) and felt so much better. It use to take me 10 minutes just to get out of bed because of the pain. Now I spring out 🙂 Lately I have not been fitting in my workouts (still maintaining a healthy weight) and have noticed my over-all pain returning. I feel like I’ve aged 30 years in the last 2 months.
Hey Heidi,
EDS is a tough one. In general the same rule applies (regardless of the disease): remove processed foods and chemicals from the diet, eat whole and nutritious foods, replace nutrient deficiencies (some diseases exacerbate underlying deficiencies), exercise to tolerance based on your fitness level, remove stress and improve coping mechanisms, continue to detox!
The one thing I would trial is physical work – this could be in the form of accupuncture, massage therapy, vibration therapy, etc. I’ve seen good results with these modalities when used in conjunction with the above.
Keep up the good work!
I HAVE HAD HYPOTHYROID FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.RECENTLY DX WITH SJURDRENS SYNDROME.CHRONIC PAIN DUE TO OSTEOARTHRITIS AND ? RA., HAS TAKEN ME AWAY FROM EVERY THING.DOC,S ARE AFRAID TO INCREASE MY MED BECAUSE I WILL BECOME ADDICITED.MY T3 LEVEL GOES UP AND DOWN AND IT SEEMS TO BE HIGHER WHEN THE PAIN IS THE WORST.CAN YOU HAVE RA AND YOUR RH FACTOR BE NORMAL?WHEN ONE MD DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO,THEY SEND ME TO ANOTHER MD.MEAN WHILE I AM STILL IN THE WORST PAIN AND HAVE TO WAIT FOR MONTHS TO SEE THE NEW MD.I WENT TO THE ER ON EVENING BECAUSE MY FOOD WAS SWELLED AND VERY PAINFUL.THE MD TOLD ME THAT I COULD NOT GET PAIN RELIEF DUE TO MY ALLERGIES AND WA ALREADY ON MS CONTIN.MY FOOT IS BROKE AND I CAN NOT GET MEDICATED.I GUESS THEY THINK I AM DRUG SEEKING.I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS AND GETTING DEPRESSED.ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Hey Alice,
Persistent hypothyroidism can cause and potentiate chronic pain, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is the cause of all chronic pain. Your T3 levels can go up when you are in worse pain due to elevated reverse T3 levels – this combination of lab values usually points to thyroid resistance.
The first place to start is with a complete and full thyroid evaluation (plus other functional chemistry tests) to evaluate where you stand. I would caution against staying in the conventional system, however. You are not likely to find a Doctor who will agree with what you are reading here in that model.
You can see an article I wrote about here which goes over how to actually test for hypothyroidism: https://www.restartmed.com/68-of-the-most-commonly-reported-signs-and-symptoms-of-hypothyroidism/
My doctor finally put me on 5mg of Cytomel 3 times a day along with my Synthroid and it made a huge difference! I am also a huge advocate of probiotics!!! My life has improved tremendously since making these changes.
Hey Lori,
That’s great news! I’m glad you were able to find a doctor to work with you. And I agree with you on the probiotic point. Sometimes small changes like that can make a HUGE different on your overall health.
I’m 43 and lost my thyroid due to cancer 21 yes ago.thr pain I feel daily makes me hate my life. I’ve begged for help and begged for consults. Instead he runs a TSH on me and then just prescribed me 50 mcg of levo. Mind you I have no thyroid and have been taking 200mcg for 15 years. Won’t address my pain my fatigue or concerns. I’m 208 lbs. Only 5’5″. And gaining. I can’t afford to pay for things out of pocket. So my reality is pain and suffering everyday until I die. Which will be soon I fear. I’m glad some patients have you and feel better! Thanks for trying to help so many of us that suffer!
Hey Melissa,
I’m sorry to hear about your situation! I wish that this type of medicine was more widespread, but unfortunately it is not. You may want to look for a new doctor who is more willing to work with you.
Can this also contribute to getting plantar fasciitis
Hey Toni,
I don’t know of any data suggesting that thyroid plays a role in plantar fasciitis. In my experience it’s usually a consequence of degeneration and/or inflammation caused by insulin resistance – or at least I should say most pain goes away completely when we treat insulin resistance.
I have had hypothyroidism since age 4. I have been treated on and off most of my life with either synthroid or levothyroxine and a few times with armour. I had surgery in January of this year on my knee, a arthoscopy for arthritis and torn meniscus and it seems to be taking so long to heal. I keep hearing lose weight to ease the pain. I have tried to lose weight most of my life and my endo’s just do not listen to me when I tell them I have no energy, can’t lose weight, pretty much have at lesst 150+ symptoms associated with this disease. I have been ignored or discouraged into presenting information I’ve found that could help me and I’m getting really ticked off. There are few specialists in my area and I have state insurance so going to another state for treatment is out of the question. I’m 55 and tired of being tired! My doctor poo poo’s my request for testing for leaky gut, told me probiotics are not necessary, etc. I don’t want to live the rest of my life miserable, and unable to enjoy what I can do.
Hey Annette,
I’m sorry to hear about your situation. It can be difficult to find a doctor who takes insurance and also understands how to actually treat the thyroid, but keep on looking! Most functional medicine doctors do not take insurance, but some do. You may have some luck by searching out friends who have had successful treatment.
I was curious to know whether my healing is being hindered by my thyroid condition. How would I ask my current doctor to test for deep tissue thyroid probllems?
Hey Annette,
You will need to have them use the tests outlined in the article. If you’re talking about musculoskeletal issues then they can find them via palpation (just feeling the muscles for trigger points).
For more info on thyroid testing check out this article: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
Hello, I had my thyroid out last year. I am on levothyroxine only. Doctor says I do not need a T3 med because the Levo will convert. Does that sound right? If someone doesn’t have a thyroid do they need both T3 and T4 meds? thx!
Hey Lisah,
T4 doesn’t necessarily convert to T3 the way most doctors think it does. Beta blockers, anti depressants, inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance (just to name a few) all reduce the conversion of T4 to T3. You can read more on how to increase free T3 levels here: https://www.restartmed.com/increase-free-t3-naturally/
Most people do feel much better on a combination of T4 and T3.
Hi, I had half of my thyroid and the isthmus removed July 2015 due to a large hurthle cell nodule which thankfully turned out to be benign. Pathology did reveal a smaller papillary carcinoma elsewhere in the lobe. It was considered low risk with no further treatment. My TSH was 1.4 in 2014 and since the surgery has risen to 3.8. I am sure I am experiencing symptoms of being hypo. The t4 and t3 were also reported within normal reference ranges. I am extremely fatigued and am in pain. Sometimes I’m not sure if it is joint or muscular. My hair is dry and brittle. I have had ongoing weight issues for the last couple of years. Lately I have gained a few kilos really quickly.I am glad I stumbled over your article and am going to investigate further. I really feel I need some hormone replacement.
Hey Debh,
I definitely think it’s worth further evaluation! Just make sure you find the right doctor who is willing to order all of the tests.
My son is 21 and for last 5years have all symptoms you’ve listed except weight gain he had thyroid tested and came back ok I have celiac so he got tested did not show he had it but he does feel a little better avoiding gluten I was wondering if you think he could have thyroid issues his uncle and other realities have thyroid problems my son also has some excema.
Hey Katrina,
It’s tough to say for sure, I would recommend you take a look at this article here for further information on how to diagnose thyroid problems and why most lab tests are not in fact “normal”: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
How do you make sure it is going to your cells, I never imagined it would tear my world upside down, so complicated and impossible . So frustrated, I take 65 mg of nature thyroid and 44 of synthroid once per day. I don’t know how to k ow if it is getting to your cells. I take Adrenotone plus and DHEA every day for high cortisol levels along with vit d, b12 and iron , a progesterone cream. I was DX with hosimotos thyroiditis which is an autoimmune disease , all my levels can never get optimal, my TSH is low while my T3 is normal but T4 is low, my reverse t3 is around 10. How do you get a perfect world??? Just want my hair back. Any help you could give I would be over joyed!! I can’t lose weight!! Imy body aches , I just want my hair back. My scalp seems inflamed on top where losing the most hair? Help, I pray God puts me in the hands if someone who can cure me. Thanks again!!
Hey Robin,
There are a few ways to check: basal body temperature attempts to measure your metabolism which is influenced by thyroid hormone, you can check sex hormone binding globulin which can give you an idea of tissue levels in the liver, and/or you can check delayed deep tendon reflexes with specialized computer techniques. These should be used with blood tests to get to a diagnosis and help guide treatment.
I have not overcome fatigue or pain. Will you please help me?
Hey Linda,
I’m not seeing patients right now but I will send out an email if that ever changes!
I have had a hyperthyroid for 12 years 2 years ago I got diagnosed with hypothyroid my weight flushuatse up and down I take my med. I want it taking out the Dr I seen said it’s to late for that my hair falls out so much I’m always cold and tired can u please tell me what I can do to take some of the pain away if I can’t have it removed please
Hey Cecilia,
I would check out these articles for more info:
https://www.restartmed.com/increase-free-t3-naturally/
https://www.restartmed.com/diet-low-carbohydrate-high-fat/
This is very interesting, thank you for the help you give! I was just talking today about hashimoto’s and fibromyalgia. I wonder if I really have fibro or if the pain is thyroid related. I’m on synthroid and cytomel. I had sinus surgery in November then a rare bacterial infection then viral infections, and I think all the antibiotics and prednisone threw things out of whack. Afterwards I developed severe pain in the front area of my left hip which makes it hard to even stand up by night time. Also pain in my back in right rib area, and swollen hard upper abdomin. I have costochondritis for many years in sternum, so I wonder if it’s in other areas too causing the pain, but with all the prednisone I’ve been on it seems that would’ve helped if so. I was seeing a functional medicine dr prior to surgery and was doing ok then. I’d love to know any thoughts or suggestions. I’m getting concerned that it’s still getting worse. Plus my glucose, A1C and insulin is suddenly high, pre diabetic range. I could go on forever, sorry!
Hey Audra,
Make sure your doctors aren’t missing avascular necrosis of the femoral head from prednisone use: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480825/
And, yes, your other pain and issues may be related to thyroid but you also have a suppressed immune system which needs to be worked on as well!
Hi,I am wanting to know if there is a link between hypothryoid and nuropithy. Have been diagnosed with it and I am not diabetic. Thanks Kathleen
Hey Kathleen,
There is an association – you can read more here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19214379
Thank you for writing and sharing. I spent years with a “normal” tsh despite waxing and waining hypo and hyper symptoms. Endocrinologists, Rheumatologists, and GPs diagnosed and treated many thyroid-related ailments, but insisted my thyroid was fine and never tried thyroid replacement. After a serious trauma, a pain management doctor suggested giving Armour a try. He felt, despite normal labs, that the fibro pain was actually hypothyroidism in the tissues. It worked! Within weeks, there was surprising improvement. He incorporated supplements, encouraged yoga, and helped me more than any other specialist ever has. I went into remission, but was ultimately diagnosed with Graves years later. I’ve since had a total thyroidectomy and have struggled with finding appropriate care. I spent three years unsuccessfully begging multiple doctors to prescribe NDT instead of Levothyroxine, all while fibromyalgia symptoms returned with a vengence. Ultimately, I did something completely out of character and decided to self medicate with Nature-Throid. Once again, NDT worked. I’m healthy, active, and happy! Now, not only are my labs normal, but so am I. I pray your shared knowledge will help others suffering needlessly, just as the pain management doctor helped me. Physicians, like you, are giving many much needed hope. You’re changing lives! Bless you!
Hey Elle,
Thank you for the encouraging words and thank you for sharing your story. Unfortunately many other patients are in a similar position but they may never get to the bottom of their issues because the “standard of care” is actually standing in their way. Good for you for finding what works and doing it!
Hi Doc,
I posted yesterday and my story is similar to Elle’s. I love your response–SO spot on: “standard of care” is actually standing in the way!
I just read a previous post (after posting a question of my own to you on basal temp testing. Since I started very recently, I have intuitively and simultaneously increased my Armour from 1 grain to 1 1/2 grains. I’ve had enough tests and experience with functional and non-functional doctors to become familiar with the facts of what I and everyone NEEDS, no matter what level of autoimmunity we’re at: clean, gluten-free & grain-free, ORGANIC autoimmune Paleo style food choices, exercise and stretching to tolerance, keeping toxins out of your body, mind and lifestyle as much as humanly possible, plus endless unable to mention in this post details relating to all of our individual nuances. Thanks Doc for exercising your positive passion for listening to folks like me. Compassion put to action is therapeutic in and of itself!
No problem, I hope it helps!
Was diagnosed 2 years ago with Hashimoto take T3 and T4. Still have fatigue, joint and muscle pain and 100 pds in weight gain. So discouraged!!!
Hey Christine,
I hear ya, many people believe T4 and T3 combinations to be miracle medications but they aren’t. You still need to do some digging to get to the root cause of the problem. Check your leptin and insulin levels (and sex hormones if you are menopausal).
Very well written information. It will be helpful to everyone who utilizes it, including myself. Keep doing what you are doing – looking forward to more posts.
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hey there I suffer a great deal with muscle tension assumed it was stress then a friend introduced me to a hypothyroid group on face book a lot of people suffer from different things
I feel like I suffer everything: (. I only c my thyroid dr once a year and showed her things she should check as far as levels go she said all that wasn’t necessary I’ve actually been having issues with my menstruale cycle she says that it’s not thyroid related what do you think? Any body clomplain about that? Thoughts, suggestions???
Hey Kim,
Yes your thyroid does influence your menstrual cycle. Your doctor knows this, as one of the most common causes of infertility is hypothyroidism. There are tons of resources on this blog to help you balance your thyroid like this article: https://www.restartmed.com/increase-free-t3-naturally/
I have a question I had my thyroid removed back in 2005 and I being in synthroid since then I started with chronic pain muscle joints hair loss weight gain fatigue depression anxiety all kinds of stuff so anyway I asked my Dr if I could try armour so she did some blood work to make sure she will give me the right dose she had recently adjust my synthroid but I still didn’t feel good at all even my lab work came back normal so I asked what if I had hoshimotos she tested me and said it was negative so my question is what or how do I know if my pain is not frybromilagia? Or how ever its spelled how do they test for that? My pain comes and goes but when it stays is bad and I notice I feel a Lil better eating gluten free or no cokes or junk food so ive try to help myself not sure what else to do
Hey Faby,
You need someone who actually knows how to test and treat your thyroid issue to figure it out. If your doctor is basing your dosing off of your lab tests they are doing it wrong.
You also need a full workup to figure out the cause of your issues including comprehensive blood chemistry panel, hormone levels, gut evaluation, inflammatory markers and nutritional status. Unfortunately, it’s never as easy as just changing one medication and feeling 100% better.
Good afternoon, this has been a great article for me, as I recently attributed a knee problem to my thyroid, since recently requesting that I truly need T3 added,and finally got it, in 5 days I have lost 4 1/2 lbs adding the t3 and cutting out gluten.
I have regular manipulation visits and have been diagnosed with fibermialga as well as I have hashimotos and hypothryroidism. I have been attributing the joint and muscle pain to my thyroid for sometime and when my knee MRI came back with just inflammation, that told me, this is my thyroid. I am working on healing my gut and diet change as well as the new t3, hoping for success as this is a long road.
I am really glad to be following your information now. If you have other suggestions, I would love to hear.
Hey Regina,
Keep up the good work! It sounds like you are on the right track 🙂
How can I get my primary care physician to read this article and do these tests? He thinks that I make up the pain I am in. I have had my thyroid take out with papillary cancer and Hashimoto. Do I still have Hashimoto if I no longer have a thyroid? I currently take 200 mcg levothyroxine.
Hey Peggy,
Ordering the tests is just the beginning, most doctors don’t order the tests because they don’t know how to interpret them. So even if you can convince them to order the tests it may not mean anything unless they are willing to treat you!
Yes, you can still have hashimoto’s after thyroidectomy as this procedure never completely removes 100% of the thyroid.
I’ve been hypo for 13 years, taking Levo for the first 12. 3 years ago I was under enormous stress of a parent’s death and subsequent estate. I became I’ll with pneumonia, shingles and depression and anxiety. My body soon began to ache. My muscles and joint pain accompanied my fatigue and exhaustion. To make a long story short…after 1 1/2 years I finally found a care giver who would listen. After research, I began on Nature throid, low dose naltrexone, gluten free diet, proper supplements and Flourish probiotic. My lab numbers are optimal, my pain is gone, my life has returned and I’ve lost 40 lbs. My hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue and fibermyialga are under control. I educated my NP with STTM book and tons of info on LDN and thyroid labs. One piece of advice…educate yourself. READ
Hey Jolene,
Thanks for your story! It’s great to have that kind of perspective, and your experience is similar to most of my current patients.
I suffer from Fibromyalgia,and Sjogrens disease..my fatigue is horrible..but I also have a stomach condition that doesn’t allow me to have any raw fruit or vegtables..I have hair loss and just about every symptom you listed..I take b12 injection monthly and my Vitamin D level is low so I supplement.. How do I get my doctor to test me for this..
Hey Jodi,
If your doctor hasn’t tested for it by now there’s a good chance he/she probably never will. It’s likely easier to find a new doctor than it is to try and force an old doctor to learn new tricks.
I had my thyroid taken out in 2007 because of cancer have done iodine twice and have been to to many Drs to count they have never been able to get my Ths lower that 100 right now it is at 437 on 300 mg of lyvo in the last year my arms have gone numb and now my legs are also doing it I even went to the mayo and they just told me that it must be cause I’m not taking my lyvo lol!!! That is just funny to me that someone would willingly put themselves in as much pain as I am in daily!!! So what are your thoughts will trying some t3 help even though my Ths is not any where near normal ?
Hey Kandace,
Adding T3 should help to lower your TSH, but as always you will need to monitor it closely if you or your doctor choose that route. I have found that it provides relief to many patients in a similar condition as yourself.
Hi Dr. Childs, I have been trying to get help for years, the past 4 years have been life changing for me. I have all these symptoms, extreme fatigue, severe pain, joint inflammation,gained over 30 pounds this past year an I eat pretty healthy, am cold all the time, moody, depression,etc…… My mom,sister, and brother all have hypothyroidism. I have had all kinds of thyroid blood work over the years and they always come back within normal range. I really believe that is the source of my problems but I can’t get anyone to listen to me. Is there anyway that all my problems are due to my thyroid even tho my labs always come back normal? Would love to hear back from you. Please help!!!
Hey Donna,
Yes, that’s actually very common. You can read more info here: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-lab-tests/
I have been on synthroid for 46 yrs. Current dose 225 mcg daily. Have had fibromyalgia and cronic pain for 25 year and ssd since 2002. Nothing gives me much relief. Used to get tp injections every 2 mos til developed type 2 diabetes in 2003. Can I take these supplements with synthroid
Hey Marsha,
Yes you can.
Almost everyone that I know that has FS has thyroid problems too. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid at age 17, and FS around 19 I’m almost 65. I had to have a parathyroid gland removed in 2004 and I’ve been tired since, tired and in pain. Nothing helps. I made this connection myself about 15 years ago. I ask my doctor to take me off synthroid and try armor and he said no. When I ask why all he would say is it’s pig it’s unclean. Not fair it’s my body what’s wrong with giving it a try?
Hey Yvonne,
Good question, I would look for a doctor willing to prescribe it because it can make a big difference for certain people.
I was diagnosed 20years ago. I have low iron, chronic low blood pressure, fatigue, headaches ect.. Had an issue w my cortisol and it was very complicated but the endo said everything was fine but I don’t believe that. How do I get the specific tests done right because I know regular doctors tests arent accurate from what I’ve been reading.
Thanks
Hey Stephanie,
Don’t waste your time trying to get your doctors to run the tests you need, if they didn’t order them to begin with they aren’t going to know what to do with the results anyway. And you need cortisol binding globulin to tell the whole story about your serum cortisol levels, if you didn’t get that you can’t say for sure what is going on with your cortisol levels.
Try the Hotze Health and Wellness Center in Katy, TX. (It’s near Houston.) I have Hashimoto’s and several other health issues. They don’t just treat the bloodwork. They treat the symptoms. In other words, even if your thyroid numbers are “normal,” if you are tired, losing hair, ect., they will adjust your medications and supplements until you feel better. I’m still in the “adjustment” phase, but I’m already feeling better with cortisol and hormone supplements, in addition to Armour thyroid, vitamins, etc. Unfortunately, they don’t take insurance; but they do have a monthly payment plan.
Hey Cindy,
I’m glad it’s working for you! It can definitely take a while to adjust medications and supplements.
I was diagnosed with Fibro about 3yrs before I got the Hashimoto diagnosis. Until I started seeing a Naturopath I always felt tired, in pain, migraines, and the pain meds that the Rheumatologist put me on weren’t working. I decided to take my Heath more seriously and found a Naturopath I had a 3hr initial consult with Naturopath and extensive lab work. With all that info I found out there was a lot going on inside of me. The 1 thing I’d ask my GP about every year was “do I have a thyroid problem.” turns-out i was correct, I had Hashimoto disease . The test that the GP did always showed me on the HIGH SIDE of normal for thyroid. So cut to 1 1/2 years later my Hashimoto is in remission, I am on 1 pain med instead of 4 and except for a few flares of Fibro through out the year I feel great and finally losing weight!! The fist full of supplements I take did the trick, i have been religious about taking them 3 time a day!! Here’s my list of supplements I can’t live without. Thyrosol and Thyroid Support, 2xday, D3 1xday, B12 2x, Magnesium Malate 3x, and 1000mg of Fish Oil 2 of those 3x (6 all together). I’m not without pain any day but I can get through my day not feeling like I want to go right back to bed, I excerise by walking, yoga, or swimming. I was in to much pain to do any excerise before. I am a Flight Attendant so my hours of work are messed up but I can manage it without total collapse. Thanks for this article and all the comments people write. So very HELPFUL!!!
Hey Jodi,
Thanks for sharing your story! I’m glad you were able to find what worked for you.
I too suspected a thyroid problem, but all doctors who tested my blood said no. I’ve had Fibro over 20 years now, but got lucky 7 years into it and discovered a supplement which is nothing but plant sterols and sterolins. Within a month most of the pain was gone and I could sleep again. 2 years of regular trigger point work plus massage and my trigger points finally calmed down to only an occasional flare of the trigger points. I was also diagnosed about that time (by bone marrow) that I was totally lacking iron, so I sometimes have difficulty telling whether my lack of energy is from the fibro or lack of iron, or laziness. Or age. But I don’t hurt anymore and my endurance is SO much better, no more days after of not being able to move after exertion that I am nothing but grateful. I so wish tho that regular doctors didn’t rely solely on standard bloodwork and gave credence to their patient’s intuition.
Hey Beca,
I’m glad you found something that worked for you!
Thank you. I’d really like to follow up with your thyroid recommendations tho, hopefully sooner than later. And I’m really impressed with your trigger point observations. After I got better I became a Massage Therapist, and from my experience and observing my clients who have fibro, I totally agree with you. I do wish that more fibro people, who are in the pain phase, knew that deep tissue massage is NOT what they should get. It’s what we think we want, but it does more harm than good. My suspicion is that deep tissue massage causes the muscles to produce/use ATP, which is much more beneficial being used for movement, rather than being used up getting a Massage. I’m so glad that there are some medical professionals like you actually taking this seriously and getting fibro sufferers real answers now. Thank you!
You are most welcome and definitely get that thyroid checked out sooner rather than later!
This info was so intresting. My Dr. Has done lab work n tests have come bk negative for thyroid,but I do have fibromyalgia n am in so much pain. Have gained weight, hair thinning,cnt sleep,etc. So I ll b sure to talk to her some more. N any suggestions n ino u can send me would b appreciated.
Hey Rose,
Just make sure that she is ordering all of the thyroid lab tests. That means: TSH, free t3, free t4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies and sex hormone binding globulin.
Hello,
I have had chronic back pain since age 21. But since I got pregnant with my second child at 30 I started having ” pain attacks”. After birth
I was sent to a rheumatologist and they found no explanation. I was inflamed everywhere but no arthritis or genetic markers for autoimmune even though family members do. That Doctor quickly dropped me as a patient saying to see a oncologist and he couldn’t help. I have been taking cybalta which masks it but still have attacks. Also he said that he was no comfortable with how my thyroid looked. No one seems to want to help. What do I do?
Hey Joelle,
You will need to look for a local Doctor who can help sort out your thyroid. I don’t know if it is causing your issues but it is most likely contributing. Specialists like rheumatologists and endocrinologists are not likely to be of much help, unfortunately.
Ive been diagnosed with fibromyaligia its been 6 yrs and the pain is horrible i take lyrica trazadone and naproxin ive tried so many pills im tired i need to find a way to get relief plz help plus always tired and no energy i want a life where i can do thibgs and go places but with this its impossible
Hey Stacy,
Unfortunately I’m unable to help unless you are a patient of mine. You might have luck searching for someone local who practices similarly, however.
Hi Dr. Childs,
I have been hypothyroid for the past 35 years. For 32 of those years I was on .112 mcg of synthyroid. Through the the years I developed chronic pain in joints, and trigger point areas, tight muscles, head fog, exhaustion from the start of the day. After struggling for all these years I changed to a natural doctor and she put me on 90mg of Armour thyroid. My symptoms all stayed the same except for the head fog. It went away and I felt like me again, just with all the pain. My levels were all over the place over the next to years, ranging from 1.0 to 8.5 and never once did she change the dose. Now I decided to see an endocrinologist and she switched me back to .125mcg of Synthyroid. And added 5mcg of Liothyronine. now, my pain level is 50% better but my energy is at its lowest. I’m struggling to get up in the morning and really having to push myself to do anything. It doesn’t get better through the day either. Just got blood work back T4 Free 1.5 ng/dL, TSH 0.054. Any suggestions?
Thank you, Wendie
Hey Wendie,
Unfortunately you probably won’t get to the dose you need seeing an endocrinologist or naturopaths. You’re heading in the right direction but it sounds like your body needs more T3.
Hi
Thank you for this. Very interesting. I have chronic pain. (Nerve damage in jaw due to bad infection and chronic migraines ) I have been put on liothyronin to help but still in pain what ever medication specialist put me on. I do not know what to do next.I tried every thing to vitamins/ Hypnosis/ deep tissue massage and acupuncture. I am waiting for the results of my brain scan to decide what nerve damage there is to decide treatment. I knew there was a link but no medical profession knew it. Thank you
Hey Anne,
No problem, typically when I say patients need T3 I mean they need up to 50-75mcg per day type of doses. Most doctors give patients in the 5-10mcg range.
My doctor will not order Reverse T3 tests what do I do to find out what my levels are?
Hey Tracy,
Find another doctor willing to order the test 🙂
I have had hypothyroidism for 22 yrs and on levothyroxine. I have had severe fibromyalgia for 18 years. Recent lab tests show my THS at 0.8, but T- 4 is normal. Dr doesn’t think I need to adjust meds. Would natural thyroid meds be better to bring up my numbers and ease up on the pain, spasms and hair loss?
I am about to lose my job due to being unable to function enough to be there. I have difficulty walking and have been extremely dizzy and hurting in places not normal for me. It is affecting my connective tissue really bad. Help please!
Hey Tami,
Unfortunately for chronic pain and issues like you have you will most likely need the prescription strength thyroid medication, supplements are not likely to significantly boost your thyroid function by themselves.