Reduce HyperThyroid Side Effects : Body aches and cramps when stretches?

I applaud you for being so focussed on your body and what happens to it.  In my opinion, this leads to being an empowered patient.  It has been shown in research studies that when a person experiences thyroid storm or even is just hyperactive without storm, they lose a lot of vitamins, minerals and amino acids from their muscles through urination.  Replacing these with supplements helps the problem of muscle cramps a lot.  Some of the more prominent and necessary vitamins, etc that are lost are Carnitine, vitamin D3 (which is extremely important for good health and recovery) and Magnesium.  One study was focussed on Regular L-Carnitine and the benefits to hyperthyroid patients.  My story is that I had Graves disease diagnosed in 2007 and was put on treatment with 10 mg of Methimazole.  This immediately normalized my Free T3 and Free T4 levels but my TSH remained essentially at 0.  Then I read that study and first got my GP to test my Free Carnitine and Total Carnitine level and I was deficient.  I was in a research study that tested Vitamin D and was deficient in that.  And I asked my doc to check my Magnesium, though not deficient in that I was at the bottom of the range.  So I started taking these supplements and my TSH began to rise slightly.  My main reason for doing this was to find out how to normalize my TSH.  Then I experimented with adding Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 1,000 mg to my program and my TSH just shot right up.  I was stunned,  However over the ensuing months, it took a lot to keep me within range and regular because Acetyl-L-Carnitine when it is combined with even a low dose of Methimazole or Carbimazole will drastically alter thyroid levels.  I don't think it has this effect when used alone with no antithyroid meds.  I experimented with dosages and got blood testing often (like every 3 weeks) to remain stable.  I really think it was responsible for lowering my antibodies.  So though supplements usually are not a problem if you are taking prescribed meds, that is not true of Acetyl.  HOWEVER, while it did a lot for me, I caution anyone considering using it to be aware that it is so powerful that unless you have frequent testing and adjustments, you run the risk of becoming very hypoactive.  Other people on the Board took it and many added other things that caused them to go VERY hypoactive.  I even tried to get a company to research this to no avail.  The difference between Regular L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine is that Regular has a little bit of Acetyl in it and a lot of Carnitine and Acetyl is just the opposite - a little bit of Carnitine and a lot of Acetyl.  It is the Acetyl part that crosses the blood-brain barrier.  In my opinion because of this, this is getting the carnitine and Methimazole into the cell nucleus but I really wish they would do a valid research study on this product.  My disease was triggered by stress and I have been stable for many, many months on an extremely low dose of Methimazole (2.5 mg daily).  Then at my last visit, my endo asked me to take 2.5 mg every other day and I have been.  However, one day last week, I was experiencing symptoms again and took 5 mg for that day and then back on the regular program.  I stopped taking Acetyl-L-Carnitine 2 years ago because it was causing palpitations and my values were too low on the range.  People feel better when their values are at the middle or upper part of the range.  

John I would also say that in my journey, I took responsibility for taking the supplements and adjusting them while I worked with my Endo to adjust Methimazole doses and he took responsibility for that.  To be an empowered patient, I have always gotten copies of any lab tests done on me and asked for antibodies at least once a year to confirm my diagnosis and to see if they had reduced any and they were normal at my last test.  I would not discontinue Methimazole without normalization of my antibodies.

I didn't bother testing the Carnitine after I started the supplements.  I just wanted to make sure I was deficient before I started them.  Once you start on them, especially Acetyl-L-Carnitine you want to get and keep a copy of all your lab reports on thyroid tests (TSH, Free T3 and Free T4).  Some docs only test TSH and Free T4 but they should test both.  The Acetyl-L-Carnitine will raise your TSH and lower your Free T3 and Free T4 and you want to keep on top of that or you will go hypOactive very quickly.  So I am assuming he checked these when you saw him?  That's what you want to follow in your lab tests, not the amount of carnitine.  And if the TSH goes over 1.5, stop the Acetyl.  Depending on where your lab values are, you can always take the Regular L-Carnitine which helps  your muscles but doesn't alter your thyroid lab tests as much as Acetyl does.