Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Does anybody know what makes the tongue swell with hypothyroidism. I have always had a fairly thickish tongue, but felt mine has been fairly thick since I was a little girl. However, this past week, my tongue has swollen enormously, so much so that I keep biting it and it is becoming very, very sore. You can also see the teeth scallop indentations around the edge. I feel fine otherwise, no symptoms of hypothyroidism or anything different to normal, but this is causing me real problems, even affecting my speech. I would love to know the mechanisms behind this and why it should happen, and also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? I want to enjoy my Christmas turkey, but if my tongue carries on swelling up, I very much doubt it. Luv - Sheila Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Sorry to hear you are having this problem. This page says it is caused by oedema, but that only means " swelling " so we knew that already! http://thyroid.about.com/cs/testsforthyroid/a/isityourthyroid_2.htm It seems unlikely that you would get swelling caused by low thyroid in just one place. There are various causes of a swollen tongue, as it says on this page: http://www.medicinenet.com/swollen_tongue/symptoms.htm Could you be allergic to something you ate recently, for example? Here's another page about swollen tongues: http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/blog/swollen-tongue-causes.html Hope you are better soon. Best wishes, Miriam > I would love to know the mechanisms behind this and why it should happen, and also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Hi Sheila, Have you eaten or drunk anything different in the last few days or used a different toothpaste? It could be a sign of some sort of allergy – but whatever it is, I do hope that it soon settles down. Best Wishes. Hazel. www.oneagleswings.me.uk http://oneagleswingsme.blogspot.com/ > > Does anybody know what makes the tongue swell with hypothyroidism. I have > always had a fairly thickish tongue, but felt mine has been fairly thick > since I was a little girl. However, this past week, my tongue has swollen > enormously, so much so that I keep biting it and it is becoming very, very > sore. You can also see the teeth scallop indentations around the edge. I > feel fine otherwise, no symptoms of hypothyroidism or anything different to > normal, but this is causing me real problems, even affecting my speech. I > would love to know the mechanisms behind this and why it should happen, and > also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the > ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? > > I want to enjoy my Christmas turkey, but if my tongue carries on swelling > up, I very much doubt it. > > Luv - Sheila > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Hi Sheila have you been eating or drinking anything differently in the last week or so? >> also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the > ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? has this just come on? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 i seem to have pretty much wrote the same as Hazel... Chris > > Hi Sheila > > have you been eating or drinking anything differently in the last week or so? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Hi Sheila, The swollen tongue is low Vitamin B and also the indentations can be the same cause. Something you are doing is depleting B vitamins in your body. If you take too much Vitamin C it can deplete B. This is something I had when I was first ill with thyroid disease – it is most uncomfortable so hope it gets better soon. MOUTH pale fissured tongue - iron deficiency sore painful fissured tongue - vitamin B3 deficiency sore burning tongue and lips and peeling of lips - vitamin B2 deficiency swollen tongue with lateral teeth indentations - food intolerance painful sore tongue with a smooth appearance - folic acid deficiency cracked lips - vitamin B2 deficiency, thrush Best wishes for Christmas and New Year all Mandy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 It came on about 3 months ago. I woke one morning with the top of one of my ear lobes being quite lumpy and hard (not painful), a bit like a cauliflower ear, but not as bad. Also the perimeter of both ears are thicker than now than they used to be. Still look fine really, but it is something that both and I have noticed, but others might think are quite normal, apart from the left upper lobe. Not aware of eating anything different to usual though. I have increased my Erfa 'Thyroid' as I think I need it from today, so will see if that makes any difference. I have no other symptoms of hypothyroidism apart from very dry skin on arms and legs which I seem destined to have for ever. Luv - Sheila Hi Sheila have you been eating or drinking anything differently in the last week or so? >> also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the > ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? has this just come on? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Thanks for this , I am not taking ANY B vitamins. I used to take 1000mcgs B12 sublingually daily, but stopped that about 6 months ago. I will get a good brand B Complex in the hope this will take care of it. I have not been eating/drinking anything unusual and am not usually allergic to anything. This could be the answer. Luv - Sheila Hi Sheila, The swollen tongue is low Vitamin B and also the indentations can be the same cause. Something you are doing is depleting B vitamins in your body. If you take too much Vitamin C it can deplete B. This is something I had when I was first ill with thyroid disease – it is most uncomfortable so hope it gets better soon. MOUTH pale fissured tongue - iron deficiency sore painful fissured tongue - vitamin B3 deficiency sore burning tongue and lips and peeling of lips - vitamin B2 deficiency swollen tongue with lateral teeth indentations - food intolerance painful sore tongue with a smooth appearance - folic acid deficiency cracked lips - vitamin B2 deficiency, thrush Best wishes for Christmas and New Year all Mandy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Hello Sheila, Further to Mandy's excellent suggestions (thanks Mandy, I'll keep this useful info in my files) – one other thought..... I may be barking totally up the wrong tree, but my tongue swells when I take NDT sublingually. If I put it under my tongue, then after a few days of this my tongue feels thickened and so do the mucous tissues underneath the tongue. The same thing happens with me when I put the pill into the pouch between teeth and lower lip or upper lip... wherever I put it, the tissues will swell. Not immediately, but after a few days of doing it. – I take Thai Armour (Thiroyd), which, according to the STTM info can be taken sublingually, and it can... but it makes my tissues swell. Moreover, personally I do not feel any difference whether I take it sublingually or just swallow it – so I now just swallow the pill. I know that you have always been taking your Erfa sublingually .... but the thing with allergic reactions is that you can do or take things for years without problems, and eventually something happens and the body reacts to it. Whatever the cause, I don't know if the earlobe swelling is related, but I have a feeling that both reactions might be linked .... have you noticed any other swelling anywhere around the head? As I said, it's just a hunch, and it might have nothing whatsoever to do with taking Erfa sublingually, otoh it might be worth to `bite (to break down the fibers) and swallow' the pills for a few days to see if the swellings subside. Sorry if this is a bum steer, I am only taking a guess. Love, xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Hi Sheila I get this symptom too. I wear an ear piece at work and had noticed that it didn't seem to fit in my ear as well and popped out. I wondered the same as you and thought that my ears felt swollen. I increased my ERFA to 3 grains from 2 1/2 just over a week and a half ago and I have seen some improvements. Maybe the increase in your meds will help? Interesting also about doing ERFA sublingually as I have found I can't get on with that and prefer to swallow my ERFA. I get a strange feeling in my head - like a brick sitting on the top and squashing down! Also, do you clench your teeth in the night? I find that when hypo TMJ can be quite bad and clenching teeth can also cause a lot of pain and swelling. I wear a guard at night that the dentist made and that relieves the pressure - but I still get that scalloped edge on my tongue though. Hope you feel better soon so you can have a nice Christmas. Love and best wishes Kerry x > also, does anybody know whether hypothyroidism can cause thickening of the > ear lobes and the perimeter of the whole of the outer ear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hi 'glaswegian22' This is absolutely amazing, and I have just experienced one of those very, very weird moments in my life that is almost impossible to explain. I read your message, and on the right hand side of my computer I have a shelf with the 'main' books that I constantly refer to. I reached out and opened Dr Skinner's Book, and because you had not mentioned the Chapter or page Number, I thought I would check the Index, and then remembered that his book didn't have an Index. I still had the compliment slip in the book that Dr Skinner slipped in when he sent me a copy of his book, so naturally, opened it at that page. It was Page 162 - the very page where that particular chapter on swollen tongue was. WOW! Hope the snow has gone from Glasgow and the weather warms up, as we are driving up to Scotland from Yorkshire for Christmas and it has been touch and go as to whether we would be able to make it. Luv - Sheila In Dr Skinner's book The Diagnosis and Management of Hypothyroidism has a whole paragraph on Enlarged Tongue and the description therein sounds exactly as you have stated. Maybe you need an increase in meds. I had tongue problems before I was diagnosed and couldn't understand why it was awkward to speak. It resolved overtime with the thyroid meds. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hi Kerry, interesting about clenching your teeth at night. I don't believe I do this now, but when I was nursing, especially when I was on night duty, I used to grind my teeth very badly, so much so I was swallowing the enamel, and I ground an inverted V between my two front teeth. I used to have to take a tablet of Benzedrine before I went to bed, so that if I started to grind my teeth, it would wake me up and I would stop. Crazy! I don't grind them now though. Luv - Sheila Also, do you clench your teeth in the night? I find that when hypo TMJ can be quite bad and clenching teeth can also cause a lot of pain and swelling. I wear a guard at night that the dentist made and that relieves the pressure - but I still get that scalloped edge on my tongue though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I saw Dr P a few weeks ago and when he asked to see my tongue I mentioned that I had had a swollen tongue with a scalloped edge for over 4 yrs. I first noticed it when I started to feel really poorly after my last operation. I asked Dr P why it was like this and he said that it was due to being hypothyroid and that because body is sluggish this caused fluid retention and when the tongue swells up with the fluid it presses on the tongue causing the " scalloped edges " . A really good clue to having thyroid problems and not one other specialist/doctor over the years has ever noticed/commented on it. > > Does anybody know what makes the tongue swell with hypothyroidism. I have > always had a fairly thickish tongue, but felt mine has been fairly thick > since I was a little girl. However, this past week, my tongue has swollen > enormously, so much so that I keep biting it and it is becoming very, very > sore. You can also see the teeth scallop indentations around the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I wonder if we dont need more thyroid hormones over autumn/winter when there is less sunshine, light and warmth. Dr Peatfield says in his book that we need to monitor how we feel and sometimes we need to increase when the change of seasons cause our bodies to need more thyroid hormones and to adjust down again when summer comes. I am interested to know if Sheila identifies with what Dr Skinner has written in his book on swelling of the tongue and scalloped edges, and if he recommends anything to relieve this other than increase in thyroid hormones. > > I saw Dr P a few weeks ago and when he asked to see my tongue I mentioned that I had had a swollen tongue with a scalloped edge for over 4 yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 What Dr Skinner writes is " Enlargement of the tongue which again will relate to dosage, but it is unusual to note any dramatic change before sixteen weeks (although biology seems to be an endlessly variable subject, and I have noted decrease in the tongue size within eight weeks in certain patients) which I think relates largely to the length of time that patient has had an enlarged tongue. It is also apparent of course, that this is a structural feature, and it will clearly take some time to remove or decrease the deposited load of mucopolysaccharide in the tongue. It is however, a good prognostic feature and I cannot think of a patient whose tongue had returned to normal size and she herself was not in pretty good shape " . This is under the Chapter heading entitled 'Expected outcome of thyroid replacement'. I have increased my dose by another 60mcgs (1 grain) Erfa and will see what happens. Luv - Sheila I wonder if we dont need more thyroid hormones over autumn/winter when there is less sunshine, light and warmth. Dr Peatfield says in his book that we need to monitor how we feel and sometimes we need to increase when the change of seasons cause our bodies to need more thyroid hormones and to adjust down again when summer comes. I am interested to know if Sheila identifies with what Dr Skinner has written in his book on swelling of the tongue and scalloped edges, and if he recommends anything to relieve this other than increase in thyroid hormones. _,_._,___ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hi Sheila mine has swollen a bit as well and I keep biting it -must be this sudden cold weather -so I must up the dose. I don't feel too bad either but it is obviously not enough. . Have a Happy Christmas Sheila -Best wishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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