Thyroid issue

[theflowers]

Will having a thyroid disorder cause your muscles to twitch or feel stiff? For instance like in your leg. My leg tends to feel stiff and my heart sometimes beats fast.

Also is having an ultrasound on your thyroid better than having a blood test? Can it detect if something is wrong

[theflowers]

About 4 years ago, doctors suspected that i had a thyroid problem because my heart was racing fast but they said it was anxiety. I was experiencing a racing heart, twitching/stiff muscles, numbness, cloudy vision, i couldnt sleep at night the list goes on all of my blood work came back normal...now im getting tested again this time with blood work and an ultra sound...im starting to think that i do have  a thyroid problem and its not just anxiety so im glad that my doc is getting this ultra sound done 4 me..my symptoms now is my leg is constantly stiff and heart tends to race fast from time 2 time

[theflowers]

Im actually getting blood work as well but in the past ive been tested but ive never had an ultra sound so both go hand in hand i see. All of this is good info. Thanks

[bobbiepruett]

Yes!
You may consider having your doc check to see if your thyroid has gone OVERACTIVE or Hyperthyroidism.  This is what I'm facing after 15+ yrs of having Hypothyroidism.  I was diagnosed w/ Hashimoto's, but my thyroid was fluctuating slightly up and down.  Now, my thyroid is still really low (TSH=12.2, taking 150 mcg Synthroid, doc hasn't up'd it yet ugh), and I am having totally different symptoms, such as:  super tight muscles, to the point of being "frozen" in some spots in my neck/back (this muscle tension gets so bad, that I can hear my muscles vibrating...so painful 12/4), losing weight, always starving (even pack a sandwich in a baggie for the middle of the night, when I wake starving), bad headaches, tingling/numbness in arms/legs/hands/feet sometimes other places (scalp, etc), nausea, vomitting if I don't eat in time (low-blood sugar?), bad anxiety, heart racing/palpitations!  I'm sure I left something out, but this is something to consider, as my symptoms are very similar.  Hope this helps a little.  Hang in there...  :-)

[Barb135]

Blood tests done "in the past" are not relevant now, because things can change drastically in a short period.  An ultrasound will tell if you have a goiter, which is swelling/inflammation of the thyroid and is typical of thyroiditis.  It will also tell if you have nodules, which are typical of Hashimoto's and Graves Disease, but you need blood tests to confirm, the actual diseases.  An ultrasound will "not" tell you if you have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism as these are measures of thyroid function and require blood tests.  You can have a malfunctioning thyroid and still have blood tests within the so-called "normal" ranges, if your results happen to fall at the bottom or top of the range.

The blood tests and ultrasound work in conjunction with each other to give your doctor the information s/he needs to make a diagnosis.

[theflowers]

Good info. My blood work always come back normal but I didn't know that you could have thyroid issues with a healthy thyroid so I'm assuming that's why my doctor ordered an ultra sound too

[theflowers]

Hello, I've already had blood test in the past and it came back normal. should a ultra sound be able to detect if I really do have this condition?

[Barb135]

You probably need, both, blood tests and ultrasound to pinpoint actual issues with your thyroid.  

Blood tests, such as Free T3, Free T4 and TSH will determine actual thyroid function.  Additional blood tests will tell you if have an autoimmune disease or if you have certain vitamin/mineral deficiencies.  Ultrasound will tell you the size, shape and characteristics (swollen/inflamed, etc) of your thyroid, as well as whether or not there are nodules on it.

Muscle aches/pains and rapid heart rate often go with thyroid conditions.  

Blood tests are, typically, the starting point, with Free T3, Free T4 and TSH, the first ones to be done...

[Red_Star]

I didn't have stiff muscles personally from hypothyroidism.  I did have all your symptoms and many more from magnesium deficiency though.  An ultrasound can show up possible issues with the thyroid gland itself but you can have hypothyroid symptoms with a healthy thyroid gland (eg: secondary hypothyroidism).

Excerpt from Dr Hyman's article: Magnesium: Meet the Most Powerful Relaxation Mineral Available...

"Think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff — whether it is a body part or an even a mood — is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues — but mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax.

When was the last time you had a good dose of seaweed, nuts, greens, and beans? If you are like most Americans, your nut consumption mostly comes from peanut butter.

That is why the list of conditions that are found related to magnesium deficiency is so long. In fact, there are over 3,500 medical references on magnesium deficiency!

Even so, this mineral is mostly ignored because it is not a drug, even though it is MORE powerful than drugs in many cases. That’s why we use it in the hospital for life-threatening and emergency situations like seizures and heart failure.

You might be magnesium deficient if you have any of the following symptoms:

Muscle cramps or twitches
Insomnia
Irritability
Sensitivity to loud noises
Anxiety
Autism
ADD
Palpitations
Angina
Constipation
Anal spasms
Headaches
Migraines
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Asthma
Kidney stones
Diabetes
Obesity
Osteoporosis
High blood pressure
PMS
Menstrual cramps
Irritable bladder
Irritable bowel syndrome
Reflux
Trouble swallowing"