I have been on thyroid medication since I was in my 30's. I take Synthroid 75MCG. My doctor has me do blood work at least once a year to make sure the dosage does not need adjustment.

Roxie, did your doctor put you on this medication without a blood test? I guess I don't understand the correlation between thyroid (high/low) and PN. My arms and legs ache sometimes, but I just attributed it to working outside or just the PN condition.

I was only diagnosed about 7 years ago, so I don't believe my low thyroid played a part in my PN.

I DON'T SEE WHY ARE HOW THEY WOULD DO THAT WITHOUT BLOOD TEST.
I ALSO BEEN ON IT SINCE EARLY THIRTIES 61 NOW,MY ENDNDRO. HANDLES
THAT . mY SON SAID SAME THING INTERESTING. SUE

pain in my feet since before my son was born. It was like walking on broken glass shards, esp in the morning when I first got up.

30 yrs ago I did not think it was a thyroid issue..or even PN. I thought it was from standing on my feet all day for 13 hr shifts, etc.

After my son was born, my goiter grew. But my blood work was fairly normal.
Then I had an episode, resembling a heart attack, which was not the heart at all. But during all those tests, my doctor recommended an Endo. He was rude and said it was all in my head...but relented to a technicium scan because he felt the swelling. The rest is history... after being raised to 75mcg Synthroid, I stablized there. My feet went back to normal after about a year. In the beginning there was a lot of tingling--which was them waking up.
My carpal tunnel improved also.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/symptoms...s/a/carpal.htm
http://www.tsh.org/askthedoctor/carpaltunnel.html

The way it works is that hypothyroid people produce a tissue substance that clogs the tarsal and carpal ligaments. This creates the PN symptoms.

Even today if I have alot of edema, from overusing salt etc, I get some symptoms back. So I use a diuretic about twice a week to control that.

My last TSH was 1.24, down from 2.0 from a year previously. As long as it is below 2, I don't push for increase. I know the connection between over use of thyroid and osteoporosis.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
HOW HELPFUL YOU HAVE JUST BEEN TO ME. bLESS YOU ALL. sUE

I also thank you for the links. I have never had carpal tunnel and before I retired was a word processing specialist for over 30 years. I guess what I am saying is being diagnosed with low thyroid in early 30's and just being diagnosed with PN 7 years ago could this be related somehow? I guess I'll never know.

I never had the numbness/shooting pains in my feet when I was younger although in thinking back I always felt I had "weak" legs. So maybe there is a correlation - but 25+ years later??

Are any of you here on thyroid replacement and losing a LOT of hair? I see that this can be a side effect of Synthroid, although don't understand why. I thought that happened w/hypothyroidism...

Has everyone had their complete thyroid removed?

I don't know if the replacement hormone has anything to do with the pain level or not, I don't think I have been on it long enough to tell. I am only on Synthroid. I don't know anything about the other drug.


Cathie

No, not losing any hair other than the normal. I keep it short and it is thinner than when I was young. I remember having to have my hair thinned out! Wish I had some of that back.

This has all been interesting to me. I have some achiness in my ankles and arms. I have what my doc described as a mild case of hypothyroidism. He wanted to put me on Armour Thyroid, but it caused bloating. We tried Thyrolar, which worked well, but then there was some problem getting it. Now, I take Synthroid. He referred me to this website:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/
There is the possibility that I might take additional Iodine.
BTW, prior to taking the Synthroid, I had gained weight and had trouble with my hair falling out.
I switched to a mild shampoo (no detergents) and got on more and better vitamins. Also, exercised and ate healthier foods. This, combined with the Synthroid...seem to do the trick in terms of my hair and overall good health.
However, the entire thing has left me wondering about the Thyroid and its need to be monitored. IT seems if it is off, even just a little, it can cause a lot of problems.

HI All!
Thanks for all the great info about thyroid meds. I'll check out all the links you provided. I see my dr. on Tues and I'll be interested as to what he has to say about the thyroids meds helping with my severe achiness in my arms and legs. I still feel SO draggy, I'd love to have some med that helped with that!
I've had a full body scan so I know my bones are ok at this point and I've had MANY blood tests for T3 and T4 before that all showed my thyroid was ok.......as far at that can tell...tho he said that doesn't all prove anything! All this can really drives ya nuts!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend. It's almost 80 degrees, sunny and beautiful in Houston this weekend and I love it! Take care!!

that it's not all going downhill? Yes, 'draggy' is what both thyroid problems and low calcium/vit-d and magnesium felt with me. It's the feeling that you have to 'drive' or 'force' youself to just do basic normal things.

Yorkiemom/Cathie? Yes, that 'which part of worse' is a durn good way to describe it all. You had to go off the 'synthroid'? WOW! That's serious testing!

As for losing hair? Well, is it because of the original 'condition/symptom/problem', or the meds for each, or other additional 'conditions/symptoms/problems' and/or the meds for those? Or, all of the above? Just be the very bestest friend to your skin and scalp as you can be? You have had your body 'insulted/assaulted'-whatever- in many ways not normal, so you use the best lotions/potions/salves and/or supplements you can find to keep that part of your 'systems' supported. I have to tell you, I've a larger 'army' of the lotions, etc. than I do meds and painkillers!

's to all! - j

Let us know how it's going...good and bad.