Ergh! Cause of Leg cramps with Hashi's?

[medicmommy]

Ergh! Does anyone know what causes the leg and foot muscle spasms associated with Hashi's? I'd thought the thyroid support supplements that I've been taking for the last 6 weeks had relieved them, but now the spasms are back -even during the day when I'm not sleeping -and while I'm driving!...Tonic water (quinine) helps for a few hours, but they keep coming back! According to recent labs, my electrolyte levels are okay, and I take a quality multivitamin and a calcium/magnesium supplement so cal/mag depletion is unlikely. Anyone? ~MM

[stella5349]

absolutely. Always speak to your doctor.

[Lori707]

Too much potassium is dangerous and also when its too low. I'm seeing my doctor this week and will ask. That's a good question.

[telynn]

don't you need to be care of to much potassium? or to low.
to much can cause a heart attack. Or is it the other way around?

So i would think before taking any thing you should get it tested.

[stella5349]

You need RBC magnesium test

also  - potassium supplements

[HessyKat]

Thanks LazyMoose. I appreciate the info.

[LazyMoose]

There is a product , tablet, called ' Leg Cramps" by Hylands available at walmart and vitamin stores. Works wonders, but its not a permanent solution. Blood Glucose testing is also good to check with extremity issues. Its only $4  !

[HessyKat]

I have Hashi and my legs are killing me. They hurt so bad sometimes I cant stand it. I also am having some swelling which I didnt use to have. I do believe it is Potassium related. I have been eating banana everyday. So far, it seems to be helping some.

[d_p_s]

you might try some potassium (salt substitute3) along with your regular diet and salt intake. Just a suggestion. I take, but unfortunately still have leg & foot cramps (have Hashimotos...don't know correlation)

[gimel]

Cramps like yours are frequently a  symptom of being hypothyroid.   With Hashi's your autoimmune system erroneously identifies that thyroid gland as foreign to the body and produces antibodies to attack and eventually destroy the gland.     Aa the destruction proceeds, the output of thyroid hormone from the gland is diminished, causing the pituitary to produce more TSH in an attempt to stimulate more output of thyroid hormone.    

Hypothyroidism is best defined as insufficient T3 effect in tissue throughout the body due to inadequate supply of, or response to, thyroid hormone.      Symptoms are the best indicator of a person's thyroid status, supported by tests for Free T4 and Free T3 (not Total T4 and Total T3), TSH,  initially cortisol and  Reverse T3, Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin.    

If you are still having leg cramping I would be suspicious that you are still hypothyroid.  So please tell us about all your symptoms, and post your test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report for any of the tests listed above.  Also, assuming you are being treated, what is your med and daily dosage?

[LazyMoose]

Ive had it with endos and their looking at ranges..

I'm trying to 'train in' a GP, on my required thyroid med dose. Wish me luck.

[medicmommy]

You know, I have no idea why he'd order the RT3 test and then just blow off the results. sometimes I wonder if he is the one reading them...~MM
P.S. New endo visit next Friday! Hopefully this one will be more helpful...

[LazyMoose]

99% of endos wont even do a reverse T3 test. They either dont believe it happens or they dont know how to treat it, so they refuse to test.  

How did this endo decide to test RT3 if he or she does not know how to treat it?

There is some math involved after with the values given for an RT3 test. I do not know the details. Only a few hear do. I suggest you submit a new post on your RT3 with all the info you have on it.

google:

custommedicine. com. au/health-articles/reverse-t3-dominance/

Yahoo RT3 -  

thyroid-rt3.com/

[medicmommy]

Hmmm..No, mag level never was tested...and, no, the high RT-3 has not been addressed because my endo looked at the labs and said everything was "fine". Puh. Thus, another reason for an endo switch. How exactly is the RT3 determined? ~MM

[LazyMoose]

Did you ever get Magnesium tested?. Guessing dose not work to well LOL.

I had to 'pull teeth' to get my doc to test what is called "Blood Cell Magnesium" from Quest labs. Tells how much Mag is absorbed in your cells. A regular mag test just measures whats floating around.

Your messed up FT3 levels are also responsible for your cramps and foot pain. FT3 at the low end is not right.

But-.....you have high reverse T3? Were the proper calculations performed? I've never met a doc that will test RT3, much less one that understands how its treated - by using T3 med only till RT3 'fushes out' and normalizes. Is this high RT3being addressed?

[artfemme]

I got leg cramps and foot cramps and disturbed sleep when my meds were too low. It was amazing how fast the cramps came back when the last stoopid endo lowered my meds because my TSH was too low to suit him ( he thought I shouldn't be on meds at all) ! Seems like both your FREE's are too low, doesn't it ? Now that I've increased my thyroid meds again, the leg cramps are gone and the foot cramps are almost gone. My feet would go into spasm every time I would stretch my legs out on the couch. Still having sleep trouble though, night sweats came back w/ lowered meds and it really messed w/ my period...my FREE t-4 is still too low, adjusting again for that. Good luck, mm !

[medicmommy]

Sun? -You mean that bright, shiny thing in the sky that makes it's appearance somewhere around the end of July? And I have to have bare skin exposed for that to work?!? LOL (I live in Western Washington near the Olympic rain forest...Ever see the movie Twilight in Forks, WA? Yah, that's my weather too for about 10 months of the year...) Other than running about starkers and scaring the wildlife, I'm not sure I'd have enough skin exposed to make a difference...-Probably explains the low D...We can tell when the seasons change though...The clouds get brighter and the rain gets warmer!

As to the low levels and symptoms, -I'm still symptomatic but better than I was when the level was 15. It'll be interesting to see if more of the hypothyroid symptoms go away when the level gets higher...I guess time will tell...Patience...I need patience...

I'm adding a potassium supplement (LM's suggestion) and increasing my water intake to see if that helps with the muscle cramps. Thanks for your input! ~MM

[Lori575]

Hmm.  Well, if you can get in the sun somehow, that's the best way to absorb vitamin D...even if it's snowing, supposively you should try to get out for a bit daily.  Easier said than done, I know.  Do you feel fine at these levels, other than the cramping?  Everyone feels optimal at different levels.
Good luck!

[medicmommy]

Hi Lori,
My thyroid levels were tested 2 weeks ago -FT-3 was in the lower end of the scale/ reverse T-3 was high/ FT-4 was mid-range, TSH 1.58 and Vit D was 45 (down from 54 in Nov). I'm now on 10,000 units of vit D (upped from 5,000 a week ago). So, maybe the D is the culprit...I don't suppose there is a way to get it to came up faster? It took me 3 months to get it from 15 to 54 at 10,000 units...(Dr was concerned about potential calcium issues so he dropped me to 5,000 in November). Thanks~ MM

[Lori575]

The only times I seem to get the cramping is when my Vitamin D was severely low, or when my thyroid levels were going low again.  When were your levels tested last?

[medicmommy]

I hear you...Hmmm...It seems the insomnia is trying to return too -a connection?..This must be the "roller coaster" I've been reading so much about...Puh. ~MM

[telynn]

Hi, when you find something that's works let me know I have all of the above and bad shin pains like shin splints. When I lay down the pains gets so bad I have to sit up -- Hard to sleep sitting up. LOL  

But, as you know I also have back issues and Fibro, So who know's what's causing my leg pain.. as you are most likely also-- SICK and Tired of PAIN!!.

[LazyMoose]

Magnessium oxide is the one that does nothing for muscles.

Mag Glycinate and Citrate are great muscle and brain 'food' - you can tell.

If you still get cramps -you might think about trying potassium too - the recommended max is only 100mg per day.

[FTB4]

I still get that on and off, but it used to be real bad prior to being advised here to take Vitamin D (At least 2000 units per day, and at least 400mg of Magnesium Glyconate (Take with a meal) There is another type of Magnesium, I know does nothing for absorption, but the Glyconate does.
Good Luck FTB4