Hypothyroidism a Factor?

[webslave]

From a Reader of the ICN board:

Dear Mark,

Thank you for your post on Pelvic Myoneuropathy. I have had IC symptoms since I was a child. When in mid 30's I was told I had IC. My symptoms were so bad that I considered bladder removal.

Then a relative called to tell me that I had a disease called "Hypothyroidism" I now take 3 1/2 grains of Armour thyroid Hormone daily. My Drs. have changed my diagnosis from Interstitial Cystitis to "Hypothyroid Neuropathy" Millions of people in the US and untold amount are suffering now of undiagnosed Hypothyroidism and incorrectly treated Hypothyroidism. It has been my belief that many patients are told that they have a painful bladder disease when they really have symptoms of Hypothyroidism, like myself. Other symptoms of Hypothyroidism are constipation, fibromyalgia pains, neuropathy pains in distal nerves hands, feet, bladder, dry eyes, lack of saliva, Joint pain and stiffness, migraine headaches, feeling very sensitive to cold, dry skin, depression, menstrual problems bloating and fluid retention. I mention these as they seem so very similar to the symptoms that many patients with IC suffer with.

To read more on Neuropathy go to http://www.neuropathy.org and http://www.neuropathymd.org and be sure to read the paper on "Treatment of Autonomic Dysfunction of the Urinary Bladder" by Roy Freeman, MD of Harvard Medical School also please read about Hypothyroid Neuropathy and treatment with Thyroid Hormone and pain meds. Also on the ICA site there is research paper called "Intercurrent autoimmune conditions in classic and non-ulcer interstitial cystitis" by Peeker R, Atanasiu L, Logadottir Y. in the Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology. 2003;37(1):60-3. In this paper they mention diseases associated with IC and they list autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland (Hypothyroid) I read this on the Cafe ICA Volume 3, Number 5 (this is the new newsletter)! It has long been known that Hypothyroidism can cause severe autonomic nerve damage causing retention and sensory nerve damage causing painful frequency.

Not long ago a person at a pharmaceutical firm in the Netherlands contacted me saying that they had noticed that all of the women in their OAB drug study were Hypothyroid. They were guessing that these women were incorrectly treated and undertreated for their thyroid disease. I have held IC support groups and I also noticed this many times. Could this be a cause of IC? For me it was.

http://www.thyroid.about.com by Mary Shomon is a good place to learn about thyroid disease She has a book called "How to live well With Hypothyroidism and what your Dr. won't tell you about it."

Another brand new book is called "The Healthy Thyroid" by Patsy Westcott UK Thorsons Publishers 2003 (this is a new edition)

I haven't read it but another book is "The Great Thyroid Scandal and How to Survive it" by Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield.

"Hypothyroidism the Unsuspected Illness" by Broda Barnes (old but very good)

Now my Dr. says that I should not say that all IC or pelvic Pain patients have Hypothyroidism, but I believe that many do.

Thank you Mark for the work you are doing and I wish you the very best! Mark I would love to hear your comments on this!

I am not a Dr. and I have no medical training this is what happened to me.

Thank you
Silverfox
Alabama

Does anyone have any comments on this?

[Richard.N]

I wouldn't dismiss anything I know next to nothing about but from the little reading I've just done, I'd say the general symptoms are so vague that nearly anyone could worry about having this condition.

I keep seeing articles like "Do You Have A Thyroid Problem?", "Are You Depressed?" or "Diabetes: A Symptom Checklist" and I could probably subscribe to all of them some of the time. To be honest I don't read them any more. They just worry me.

I guess the great thing about it is that if anyone is worried, diagnosis is a simple endocrinological blood test

[Gabriel]

I've had a lot of blood taken to test for hypo and hyper thyroidism, as well as diabetes. Nothing found... as per usual :)

[Richard.N]

Before me condition started improving my GP was going to test for Malaria

[J Dimitrakov]

I had a patient whose remissions and exacerbations correlated with his thyroid hormone levels.

JD

[Gabriel]

How would you treat someone like that JD? Did their problems abate completey once they got treatment for their thyroid issue? (If this was possible).

[J Dimitrakov]

How would you treat someone like that JD? Did their problems abate completey once they got treatment for their thyroid issue? (If this was possible).

Well, I cannot discuss the specific treatment here since it is under review for publication but the symptoms were controlled using thyroid-specific medications. Interestingly, thyroid hormones have been shown to have proinflammatory and pain-exacerbating effects.

[Richard.N]

I had a patient whose remissions and exacerbations correlated with his thyroid hormone levels.

Maybe a thyroid test should be added to the 'dream team' of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome diagnostics along with the Stamey-Meares test and PFD assessment?