Numbness in toes

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know if this is a result of being hypothyroid? At night, although

wearing socks my feet are cold, and recently they feel tingly with numb toes.

This numbness does not wear off much during the day.

I would be glad to hear from anyone who knows the cause of this as I am afraid

that it will spread.

(On thyroxine for 15 years without noticeable improvement, tests 'normal' and

still have all the symptoms.

Thanks

[Guest guest]

, this could be due to a number of things, so do go and

see your GP about this. The first thing that springs to mind - is there any

chance you could be suffering with diabetes. This will be easy to check out

with your doctor. Low vitamin B12 also comes to mind, but I think you would be

feeling numbness and tingling elsewhere in the body. Read here: http://www.numbnessintoes.org/ Ask

your GP to test all of these vitamins and minerals: ferritin, vitamin B12,

vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc. If any of these are low in the

reference range, this could be a reason why you are not feeling as well as you

should be on levothyroxine-only as low levels stop the thyroid hormone from

being fully utilised at the cellular level. In case your GP tries to tell you

that there is no connection between these vits/mins and hypothyroidism, ask her/him

to read the following papers to show that there is:

Low iron/ferritin: Iron deficiency is shown to

significantly reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase reverse T3 levels, and block

the thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties of thyroid hormone (1-4).

Thus, iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron saturation below 25 or a

ferritin below 70, will result in diminished intracellular T3 levels.

Additionally, T4 should not be considered adequate thyroid replacement if iron

deficiency is present (1-4)).

1.

Dillman E, Gale C, Green W, et al.

Hypothermia in iron deficiency due to altered triiodithyroidine metabolism.

Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 1980;239(5):377-R381.

2.

SM, PE, Lukaski HC. In

vitro hepatic thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of

dietary fat. Life Sci 1993;53(8):603-9.

3.

Zimmermann MB, Köhrle J. The Impact of

Iron and Selenium Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry

and Relevance to Public Health. Thyroid 2002;12(10): 867-78.

4.

Beard J, tobin B, Green W. Evidence for

Thyroid Hormone Deficiency in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats. J. Nutr.

1989;119:772-778.

Low

vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

Low

vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329

and http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

Low

magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

Low

folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738

and http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

Low  copper/zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf

and http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

Hope this helps

Luv - Sheila

Does anyone know if this is a result of being

hypothyroid? At night, although wearing socks my feet are cold, and recently

they feel tingly with numb toes. This numbness does not wear off much during

the day.

I would be glad to hear from anyone who knows the cause of this as I am afraid

that it will spread.

(On thyroxine for 15 years without noticeable improvement, tests 'normal' and

still have all the symptoms.

Thanks

1 of 1 File(s)

MINERALS AND VIT. TESTING.doc

[Guest guest]

>> , this could be due to a number of things, so do go and see your GP> about this. The first thing that springs to mind - is there any chance you> could be suffering with diabetes. This will be easy to check out with your> doctor. Low vitamin B12 also comes to mind, but I think you would be feeling> numbness and tingling elsewhere in the body. Read here:> http://www.numbnessintoes.org

Thanks Sheila

This forum and your dedication is invaluable in giving people support and hope.

I don't think it can be diabetes as I don't have any other symptoms, ie losing weight ( I wish) and no constant trips to the loo.

After my recent blood tests my 'doc' said "You are fine"! She could not elaborate on why I feel so ill though and I asked for a referral to an endo. Know now that thats probably a waste of time and I should have specified one from your list. Is it ok to cancel that referral and choose another endo?

I did find this from the Mayo clinic

Hypothyroidism: Can it cause peripheral neuropathy?

from Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.

Hypothyroidism — a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone — is an uncommon cause of peripheral neuropathy, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to your peripheral nerves — the nerves that carry information between your brain and spinal cord and the rest of your body, such as your arms and legs. Peripheral neuropathy may be caused by severe, long-term, untreated hypothyroidism. Although the association between hypothyroidism and peripheral neuropathy isn't fully understood, it's known that hypothyroidism can cause fluid retention resulting in swollen tissues that exert pressure on peripheral nerves.

Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include pain, a burning sensation, or numbness and tingling in the area affected by the nerve damage. It may also cause muscle weakness or loss of muscle control.

See your doctor if:

You know or suspect you have hypothyroidism and you're having troubling or painful symptoms in your limbs. He does go on to say that thyroxine is the answer!!

I have already been diagnosed with carpal tunnel in both hands so this seems to make sense. (I have refused operations as I suspect it is HT). Seeing my doc would be a waste of time as she is a TCAB (thyroxine cures all believer) and must swap her when my energy permits.

Thanks again -

[Guest guest]

You

may well have hit the nail on the head

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1171051-overview#a0104

Little is known

about thyroid neuropathy, but studies have shown microvascular and endoneurial

ischemic involvement like that in diabetes. In rats with hypothyroidism, no

significant changes of NCVs occurred 5 months after onset, but alterations in

latencies in brainstem evoked potentials have been demonstrated. The earliest

observation was the deposit of mucopolysaccharide-protein complexes within the

endoneurium and perineurium, but these studies await confirmation. Reductions

in myelinated fibers, mostly of large diameter, and Renaut bodies have been

noted; other studies have shown axonal degeneration.

Rarely,

hyperthyroidism may be associated with polyneuropathy.

Here's some light reading:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1438714/

http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200812/1228773545.html

http://www.aafp.org/afp/980215ap/poncelet.html

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lB6oVJ50oL4C & pg=PA363 & lpg=PA363 & dq=peripheral+neuropathy+hypothyroid & source=vrt & ots=8bZAZMXSV0 & sig=9RPTz-lFQg1iV9GM77szwtvpF8M & hl=en & ei=2DWrTaO9BdCbhQe0wLjGCQ & sa=X & oi=book_result & ct=result & resnum=11 & ved=0CHYQ6AEwCg#v=onepage & q=peripheral%20neuropathy%20hypothyroid & f=false

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pnnlX3v0Y-4C & pg=PA1084 & lpg=PA1084 & dq=peripheral+neuropathy+hypothyroid & source=vrt & ots=j0cOdzYY_k & sig=L2HRYH-DBBdQ4S9bvJVa52yujWo & hl=en & ei=2DWrTaO9BdCbhQe0wLjGCQ & sa=X & oi=book_result & ct=result & resnum=12 & ved=0CHkQ6AEwCw#v=onepage & q=peripheral%20neuropathy%20hypothyroid & f=false

Luv - Sheila

This forum and your dedication is invaluable in giving

people support and hope.

I don't think it can be diabetes as I don't have any other symptoms,

ie losing weight ( I wish) and no constant trips to the loo.

After my recent blood tests my 'doc' said " You are

fine " ! She could not elaborate on why I feel so ill though and I

asked for a referral to an endo. Know now that thats probably a waste of time

and I should have specified one from your list. Is it ok

to cancel that referral and choose another endo?

I did find this from the Mayo clinic

Hypothyroidism: Can it cause

peripheral neuropathy?

from Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.

Hypothyroidism — a condition in which

your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone — is an

uncommon cause of peripheral neuropathy, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to your

peripheral nerves — the nerves that carry information between your brain

and spinal cord and the rest of your body, such as your arms and legs.