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Original poster

Pins and needles in bed at night in hands and thighs

18 replies

LizziePizzie · 24/02/2012 10:03

Has anyone else suffered from pins and needles in their hands (or other body parts) at night? I have a stiff back in between my shoulder blades too and wake up to turn over in the middle of the night. I do have a doctors appointment next week to talk about it but wondered if I am just stiff from picking up DD (20 moths) and should just do some yoga!

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5babyangels · 24/02/2012 23:40

i have pins and needles with numbness...could draw a line down my hand and part it on 2 where it goes numb in night if a lay on it. I believe it's carpal tunnel, which can be treated with steriod injections. I also find it does the same in my leg a bit. I just haven't got around to going to the dr yet. (5 years of not getting arounf to it). Get round it by laying on the other side. I sew for a living and type a lot so sort of nerve damage i think.

TapirBackRider · 27/02/2012 00:16

Yes! Numbness, pins & needles down my wrists, across my palms, and up my fingers, with extremely swollen forearms, wrists etc at night, but it's not because I've been laying on them.

It's been steadily getting worse for some time, and is currently bad enough that I'm waking up at night in a lot of pain. It feels like I've shoved both hands into boiling hot water, but that is the only thing I can feel (IYSWIM)
I end up laying flat on my back with my arms raised above my head on the pillow, so that the swelling will go back down.

I think it's linked to both my hypothyroidism, and my job, but I'm at the dr's on Friday - and am really hoping that they can do something.

I do know that there are some conditions, like hypothyroidism, that means that fluid can collect in the extremities during sleep.

LadyDamerel · 27/02/2012 00:22

I get it if I don't take my thyroid meds properly and my levels drop. It goes away once they stabilise again.

Are you more tired than usual, extra sensitive to cold or heat, losing more hair than normal? They're the main symptoms of an underactive thyroid so if you have any/all of those as well, it might be worth asking the GP to run some blood tests.

TapirBackRider · 27/02/2012 02:31

I do have to make sure that I don't take my meds with coffee or dairy, but AFAIK my levels are ok. I have found that taking a B12 supplement helps some.

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 27/02/2012 10:17

The Dr has always thought i have an inactive thyroid, but it has never shown up in blood tests.

LadyDamerel I am not more tired than usual - although always put tiredness down to my DD not always sleeping though, always sensitive to the cold, still got lots of hair!

Hope all who have says they are ick too get it sorted soon - i'll post when i have seen the docs on Wednesday.

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5babyangels · 27/02/2012 10:47

Hello again, that is very interesting about thyroid and sounds very likely. I have an underactive thyroid and have done for 17 years. I am on high dose thyroxine. I has always got worse when i was pregnant and have needed more thyroxine. I have had a bbay 5 months ago and my dose never seems stable. I didn't actually know it was linked. I think i may have carpal on top as i sew and nerves are skrunched up.

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 27/02/2012 12:42

Hi Baby angles, i will post again when i get feedback from the doc, but you should go to, if you can! :)

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Original poster
LizziePizzie · 27/02/2012 12:42

angels even! :o

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TapirBackRider · 27/02/2012 13:55

Lizzie do you find that you lose lots of eyelashes though? I've never had a problem with my hair, but my eyelashes are sparse, and eyebrows too, come to think of it.

It may be worth asking your dr what the testing range for hypothyroidism is; some pct's have different minimum levels for it. What is actually low for you, may not be covered under their 'guidelines', and it's worth discussing that with your gp.

It's worth having a look on the wiki page for paresthesia - it does mention that hypothyroidism is a cause.

Babyangels Sounds like you really need to go back to your dr, and get your levels tested.

Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone. Smile

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 27/02/2012 16:24

sometimes - but usually because i have left my mascara on at night! Blush

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TapirBackRider · 27/02/2012 17:06
5babyangels · 27/02/2012 17:19

I quite like "angles" that's quite funny! TBH im totally bored with my thyroid. I was diagnosed at 15 and its never been stable. I've had 5 children and that hasn't helped. The last pregnancy my thyroid was horrendous TSH was something like 80. The consultant put the fear of god in me and told me that the baby would have brain development issues and also that I would have to have fetal heart monitoring on the babys head throughout labour. I refused all intervention and had to sign to say i wouldn't su if all went wrong. He was born at home and was and is perfectly healthy. I refused all testing for him and his prick in the heel at 6 days came back perfectly clear. I haven't been tested since I had him, but the usual signs I'm really poorly are that I'm cold and tired. Nothing more than usual there. I have to keep a closer eye on my feratin level (iron store) which is directly linked to my thyroid. If this is low I really strat to fell poorly. Strange, never thought the pins and needl;es was related but there you go! Blush

Sittinginthesun · 27/02/2012 17:24

Hi all. I had a similar problem when I had an over active thyroid when Ds2 was born. My levels are now stable and fine, but the pubs and needles continued for years afterwards.

I started taking a Vit D supplement last spring - I don't know if it's a coincidence, but my wrists are completely better.

Worth getting your bloods checked, though.

janmoomoo · 27/02/2012 18:28

I went to the docs with the same problem a few weeks ago - pain across back of hands, in wrists, and pins and needles in hands and feet. Guess what - low thyroid! Never had thyroid problems before. She said the aches and pains should go once my thyroid levels are back to normal.

TapirBackRider · 01/03/2012 03:32

I had my thyroxine dose increased when I first saw the dr about pins & needles in my hands - just before xmas I think, but it's slowly got worse.

I do think they'll increase the dose again, but I'm not holding out much hope that it will improve my hands. My vit B12 dose is currently at 400mg a day, which has helped, but I'm obviously lacking something for it to be quite so painful.

Roll on friday! Smile

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 02/03/2012 10:38

Well I am being sent for a spinal xray! Nothing sinister I hope, just checking there is nothing wrong.

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TapirBackRider · 02/03/2012 13:52

That's interesting! I would have thought that they're looking for wear and tear that can cause the problems.

TapirBackRider · 02/03/2012 17:00

Oh well - just back from the dr's.

Definite diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel. Apparently it is very common in people who have hypothyroidism.

I get a steroid injection in both wrists, but have to wait 3 weeks.

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