Headaches, tingling, achy - due to thyroid?

Hormones
1

Hi all,

Ironically the first time I posted here was when I was overmedicated on synthroid a few months ago. I stopped synthroid and my symptoms slowly got better, though now I think I’m back where I started.

I usually can tell when my levels are off - unexplained weight gain and fatigue are my big tells, and I have definitely noticed those lately. But I’ve had other symptoms that I’m worried about and am hoping can all be explained with my thyroid.

First, the biggest one I had when overmedicated was heart palpitations (all checked by a cardiologist: they were able to see the palps but said they were benign, echo was normal, etc). I still get them from time to time even after being off synthroid for quite awhile now, but they’re definitely not as bad. Then, over the last week or so, they’ve picked up and become quite bothersome, to the point where they just make me feel so ill. I’ve also noticed they seem to pick up right before i get my period, but the timing wasnt right for this particular week.

Then, one day last week I started noticing tingling in my arms and legs. Mostly on the right, but occasionally both, and I seem to be very prone to causing aches from sitting a certain way right now. If I put pressure on my legs or arms in the wrong place, i’m achy for quite awhile after.

Some of that has actually gotten a little better with time but it’s definitely still there. Throughout all of this I’ve also had an almost constant headache. It’s mild, so not enough to really make me miserable but I just notice it a lot. It seems to be localized to the front right, but I’ll also feel pain everywhere sometimes. And today for the first time I’ve noticed a strange tingling/tickling sensation on my head as well, almost as if my skin is crawling. It’s so weird.

A lot of this to me, I feel could be explained by poor circulation, which I know can be because of hypothyroidism, but some of the symptoms don’t really add up to that. Am I crazy, or could this all be because of my thyroid?

I tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac/have medical anxiety, so the tingling and such really freaked me out at first, being convinced I had an unruptured brain aneurysm. I haven’t had the big indicators of that though, like double vision etc., and I have had a normal MRA within the last 6 months (was done because of some pulsatile tinnitus I had) so it’s unlikely to be that. But there’s always that little niggling worry.

I went to a new PCP this week who is currently checking my labs, so hopefully within a few days I will know what my levels are. At this point I’m extremely hopeful it’s my thyroid, because if not I will be starting from scratch with these weird symptoms.

Thanks in advance for any response, even just some solidarity would help me feel better! <3

2

I’ve had all the symptoms you’ve described and more at different times. I’ve had some tests done over the past 5 years. I think it sounds like thyroid related. My problems have improved since med adjustment after being over medicated about a year ago now. Its takes a long time to get things straightened out. always feel like I never know what weird symptoms I will have.

3

It all sounds like thyroid to me.
it takes me a full 12 weeks to adjust to a new dose of synthroid, whether increasing or decreasing. if it’s to high I feel anxious, heart palpitations, hard time falling asleep, weight loss… to low and I have heart palpitations, fall right to sleep but wake up in an hour or so and can’t go back to sleep, weight gain…headaches with every adjustment, and I’m not a headache person..tingling mostly in left hand and arm with any adjustment…for me the hormones level has to be just right,

If you can get labs done and do your own adjustments ignoring your Tsh you will likely be ahead of the game. Good luck.

4

i’ve had similar symptoms to what you describe try taking a liquid gel Advil Your symptoms may be a bit of thyroiditis (inflammation) . An anti-inflam such as Advil can work wonders if that’s what it is

5

Hi Caitlin

know how miserable this can make you feel, like you i went through a period of around 12 months of all of these symptoms - convinced i had something more serious wrong with me. my TSH was pretty low @ 28 .
none the less youve done the right thing and got checked out but these are very much symptoms for some, with hypothyroidism try and relax a little as i found these to manifest the more i think about them. i ended up on anti anxiety meds which helped with palps and breathlessness.

in regards to the tingling, i had this too in my arms and feet and one side of my face, sometimes even my head - felt like i was going to have a stroke or something, please try and feel reassured that these are symptoms of our condition - as always dont be afraid to keep going to GP if you need your mind put to rest though

Matt

6

Thank you everyone for the responses!

My labs came back today and my TSH was 3.82, so definitely borderline in my opinion but of course was told it was normal. I asked if a low dose of synthroid might be beneficial.

7

@caitlin53530
i came across your message after googling due to having the same issues . i wonder if the medication resolved the issues, or did you find something else that was causing it?
hope you’re doing better
marianne

8

hi, i know this is old but did your symptoms like tingling get better when your levels were ok? i an wondering if its possible to get tingling in one or both legs - also goosebumps easily from slight touch? i get burning sometimes or a numb feeling in my leg. it all comes and goes. & wondering if anyone gets bad back pain at times from hypothyroid & hashimotos

9

do you get tingling?

10

oh gosh, ive been feeling anxious for six weeks, fatigued, heart palpitations, muscle aches, ears ringing/can hear pulse, feels like i cant breath!
i had a blood test which showed my TSH 0.6 out of 0.5 which is borderline hyper (was hyper with graves until rai), i am on 125 of levo and im starting to think im over medicated but my GP wont listen, they are doing a 24 ecg for the palps, but wont blame my thyroid, not sure to drop my dose to 100 and see how i get on?
my resting heart rate is around 50-55 which i thought would mean hypo so im very confused?

11

Unexplained weight gain can stem from taking mental health drugs.

12

i sent you a message. i have these exact symptoms! been 2 months with mostly bad days.. tingles, sensitivity/ goosebumps… mostly on my left side.
tingles on my scalp… butt cheek, my left foot almost constantly feels ticklish or sometimes even burning hot. its all so very off and i have had hashi and hypo for 8 years… never had symptoms like this before. my tsh is way off tho so im praying its all thyroid related . brain mri in. The next couple months as my doc seems to think neurological