Does anyone have AF and is suffering from thyroid problems as well?

[Grundy77]

I was diagnosed with PAF last August, at a time when I was on the waiting list for thyroid surgery. Since then I had several episodes of AF (lasting for six to twelve hours on average). Been taking flecainide for a while and recently also Dilzem. Waiting for catheter ablation and warfarin clinic to commence.

In the meantime I had the thyroid glands removed completely and am taking levothyroxine (hormone replacement). If my PAF was caused by thyroid problems in theory the trigger should now have vanished, no? But I still got one (light) episode of AF over Easter, two months after thyroidectomy.

I wonder if there are other people who are suffering from both conditions and how they experience the link between thyroid problems and AF.

[MammaCass]

Hi Grundy, I had my thyroid removed 25 years ago and I've been on 150mg levothyroxine ever since. However, my PAF was only diagnosed last year, but looking back I have had it for the last 10 years. I'm not sure my conditions are linked but I'd be interested in what others think about the possiblity. Cass

[Mamamarilyn]

Hi there Grundy! Like MammaCass I had a total thyroidectomy 28 years ago and have taken thyroxine ever since. I was 36 at the time. I was told that long term use of thyroxine can affect the heart. After the op it took absolutely ages (well, about 8 months) to get the right dose of thyroxine for me and I reckon that was the really difficult part as I felt either buzzy or zonked! I settled on 150mcg and was on that dose for years without any major blips. If I felt out of synch with it, I learned to miss a day or take a little extra. However, in the last 10 years my dose has been lowered twice by my GP as she says it is beneficia for the heart to be on the lowest dose possible. I now take 100mcg day. That seems to work well but of course last year I was diagnosed with paroxysmal AF which I now think had been happening for a good few years before that.

I hope you are recovering well from your surgery and that you find your ideal dose of thyroxine well before I found mine! Marilyn x

[Hidden]

I have had PAF since 2005, with no "known cause". I have jus been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I was to have an ablation at the end of this month but have had to put it off so that I can have the thyroid removed. My point is the cancer is new the PAF is not. I guess it is just pot luck.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Hidden]

Soozie - I'm so sorry to hear about your thyroid cancer, what a blow for you! If it's any comfort I know of someone who had the same, had their thyroid removed (quite a few years ago) and now says she has never felt better. X

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jeanie - that is only a part of the battle I also have breast changes / lumps which have turned up after 12 months. I have had lung cancer and survived and because I am vigilant I know that I can be lucky enough to get another 5 years out of this I was responding above to Grundy to let her know there may be a link but not in all cases, thank you for your supportive words, my 3 daughters have also had varying degrees of cancer in the thyroid and they are still around anoying me