Could all these weird symptoms be thyroid related?

[igotdemons]

I’ve been suffering with various issues over the past months and every time I consult Dr.Google, it throws up thyroid issues. Could all these symptoms be linked?

Earlier in the year I woke up and my lower legs and feet were tingly. I’ve since had nerve conduction tests but they were inconclusive. I also had my vitamin levels checked but these were within the NHS ranges.

A few weeks ago I started to get issues with my eyes - grittiness and pain above my right brow. Saw an ophthalmologist and he said I have severe dry eye, blepharitis and chalazion! Apparently it’s rare to have so many issues all at the same time (seems to be the story of my life at the moment!) and also weird that I’ve never had these issues before and I used to wear contact lenses! I’ve been treating aggressively with eye drops, heat masks and eye wipes but they seem to be getting worse.

I also recently started getting pain in my hands, numbness and tingling, especially at night and am having to wear splints when I sleep. Some nights the pain is so bad it wakes me up! When I had the nerve conduction tests, she also did my hands and said I have carpal tunnel syndrome.

I’ve also been feeling the cold when I am usually always too warm and my hair has thinned.

I have a parent, 2 siblings and a niece who have hypothyroidism and also a parent and 2 siblings who had carpal tunnel (now all successfully treated). I myself already have 2 other autoimmune diseases. Could all these symptoms just mean I’m unlucky or could they be related to my thyroid?

I last had my thyroid checked in February (NHS) and in April (privately).

NHS- Serum TSH level 3.22 mu/L (range 0.35-3.50 mu/L)
Serum Free T4 Level 11.9 pmol/L (range 7.50-21.10 pmol/L)

Private- TSH 3.89 mu/L (range 0.270-4.2 mu/L)
Free Thyroxine (FT4) 16.7 pmol/L (range 12-22)

I have previously had a ‘borderline’ thyroid but no idea what that was based on numbers wise as it was a few years ago now and I don’t have a copy of the blood results.

I expect I will just be dismissed by my GP as my thyroid isn’t over the NHS range but is it possible all these symptoms could be related to my thyroid or am I just clutching at straws? It seems so close to the end range? I’m fed up with having all these issues and feeling like crap but no answers! 😣

Many of those were early symptoms of Hashimoto's for me. With the eyes etc - is one of your autoimmune conditions hayfever and allergies? When my thyroid packed up it went downhill very quickly.

@Sparkletastic

Many of those were early symptoms of Hashimoto's for me. With the eyes etc - is one of your autoimmune conditions hayfever and allergies? When my thyroid packed up it went downhill very quickly.

Thank you @Sparkletastic! Maybe I’m not going mad after all 😕

No, no hay fever or allergies. Ophthalmologist asked if I had a change in lifestyle etc. but literally everything is the same! I used to wear contact lenses for 12 hours a day and never had a single issue with my eyes. It’s so weird! I don’t even really wear make up these days either.

If your previous tests were nhs you should be able to get your results history on the NHS app.

Post this on healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk and you should get some experienced ‘expert patients’ respond. The NHS does not address hypothyroidism, especially borederline adequately ime.

If you have other auto immune issues you may well have hashis, your TSH is a bit high too.
Either ask your GP for tests for antibodies or get them done yourself via Medichecks.
thyroiduk.org/

Wow, I've had all of these symptoms coming and going over the last 5 years or so. Had a year of recurrent chalazion which was awful. Have had a couple of normal thyroid function tests and 2 ultrasound scans when a goitre has appeared (subsided both times without treatment) - scans normal. I have previously posted asking about presence of goitre with normal thyroid function tests. I'm perimenopausal too which I feel may be related.

@Freeekedout

If your previous tests were nhs you should be able to get your results history on the NHS app.

Thanks @Freeekedout, I wasn’t aware of this! I have my surgery app but it doesn’t allow me to see my medical record etc. According to the NHS app I have to ask my surgery to allow me to see my record? 😕

@Elisandra

Post this on healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk and you should get some experienced ‘expert patients’ respond. The NHS does not address hypothyroidism, especially borederline adequately ime.

Thank you @Elisandra, I will do! 🙂

[quote trickyex]If you have other auto immune issues you may well have hashis, your TSH is a bit high too.
Either ask your GP for tests for antibodies or get them done yourself via Medichecks.
thyroiduk.org/[/quote]
Thanks @trickyex, I will consider that (I hate finger prick blood tests 😣) as I don’t think my GP will do it, she just dismisses everything I say (yes, I do need a new/different GP, thankfully she is leaving my surgery soon).

@LakeFlyPie

Wow, I've had all of these symptoms coming and going over the last 5 years or so. Had a year of recurrent chalazion which was awful. Have had a couple of normal thyroid function tests and 2 ultrasound scans when a goitre has appeared (subsided both times without treatment) - scans normal. I have previously posted asking about presence of goitre with normal thyroid function tests. I'm perimenopausal too which I feel may be related.

I really sympathise with you on that score! 😣 My experience of the NHS over the past year is that they just want to give you drugs and not actually try and find out the root cause of your issues.

Weird question I know, but when you look at your face in the mirror, how does it look? Have there been any changes you've noticed recently?

This is relevant, I promise.

Given that your TSH went up quite quickly from February to April, I'd be tempted to get it tested again now, another two months on, to see if it's still increasing. I think you have probably got hypothyroid, it's just a waiting game to get to the stage where they start thyroxine. I was borderline for years too. I had terrible carpal tunnel until I got my thyroid under control.

Have you had your b12 levels checked? Pins and needles and odd sensations in hands/feet/face can all be signs of b12 deficiency too.

@ScrambledSmegs

Weird question I know, but when you look at your face in the mirror, how does it look? Have there been any changes you've noticed recently?

This is relevant, I promise.

Ha, I know what you’re referring to, the moon face symptoms! 😄 To be honest, no changes but I’ve always had a chipmunk look about me! 😂

@fedupandfiredup

Given that your TSH went up quite quickly from February to April, I'd be tempted to get it tested again now, another two months on, to see if it's still increasing. I think you have probably got hypothyroid, it's just a waiting game to get to the stage where they start thyroxine. I was borderline for years too. I had terrible carpal tunnel until I got my thyroid under control.

Thank you, yes I think so too, not just with the symptoms but also with having so many hypothyroid close relatives and having already got 2 other autoimmune diseases, I think it’s inevitable unfortunately. It’s just getting my GP interested that is going to be the problem!

That’s really interesting about the carpal tunnel, I only realised that today it was linked to thyroid issues. Glad you got it under control, I really don’t want the operation if I can avoid it.

@DaxtheDestroyer

Have you had your b12 levels checked? Pins and needles and odd sensations in hands/feet/face can all be signs of b12 deficiency too.

Yes, that was my first thought as I have a sibling with pernicious anaemia and that was her first symptom. All my vitamin levels were in range so no further action on my GP’s behalf.

I thought B12 as well. Folate levels OK?

I've had all these with hashimotos. Ask doc to check your antibodies as others have said

Ah, it wasn't quite the moon face thing I was referring to but I see you know what I mean! My facial features just got more indistinct, if you see what I mean? It was hard to put my finger on but it just didn't feel like my face anymore.

Thyroid sounds like a distinct possibility. Good luck

@thebattleofschrutefarms

I thought B12 as well. Folate levels OK?

Apparently so!

B12 was in the middle of the range but folate was right at the top range (14, the top range was 15). I do take numerous supplements though, including B12 and folate so they probably skewed the results somewhat.

I don’t know anything about thyroid issues except I was tested due to family history but I wanted to comment on the blepharitis.

A few years ago I suffered with severe blepharitis and dry eye (apparently caused by the blepharitis) I was using heat masks and cleaning my eyelids every day and nothing shifted it until one day I woke up looking like I been punched in the eye, it was so sore and I could barely open it. I went to the GP who referred me to the eye hospital and they have me steroid drops which eventually cleared it all, I have since been using Blephasol (from Boots) to clean my eyelids every day and thankfully, haven’t had a reoccurrence

I had a lot of those symptoms and they cleared up after high dose vitamin B12. I had blood levels checked in US though and ranges are probably different. Has to be a high dose not the dose you get in a multivitamin.

All my vitamin levels were in range so no further action on my GP’s behalf
Ha, the good old levels in range so not deficient....OP, the majority of GPs have no clue about b12 deficiencies. The standard test for b12 is not reliable to ascertain a B12 deficiency. It even says so on the NHS website!

B12 deficiency/PA is difficult to diagnosed as no test is 100%, not even 90%. When there is indication of deficiency dye to symptoms, and yours are standard, you should start loading injections and continue to do so until symptoms subside or there is no improvement in which case b12 deficiency can be ruled out.

I had a level of 445 and therefore told couldn't be deficient despite ticking do many boxes. I decided to get my own b12 and started self injecting. I got worse before I started to feel better. It took 3 loading doses and about 3 months. I've been self injecting for 3 years now and 90% of the symptoms have gone. They start to come back though as I'm due my next injection so I definitely know there is a deficiency.

The fact you gave asking with PA says it all. Ask for an active b12 tests. There are also other tests to determine PA. Do not take any supplement before.

Come and join the Facebook PA page. It's ran by a very active and knowledgeable GP. You'll get all the answers there.