Is it true that being Hypo lowers your blood pressure and resting heart rate.?

[TraceyLE]

I've just had my results back for my five yearly check up at the doctors. It appears I'm very healthy in regard to not leaning towards heart disease, kidney disease, stroke or diabetes however, they enter the resting heart rate, blood pressue etc., which I'm sure I read somewhere is lower in hypo people.

If that is so, why is it lower if you are hypo and surely it would be a false reading?

I hope that makes sense, however, not sure lol.

Tracey

[helvella Administrator]

Resting heart rate tends to be lower in hypo.

Blood pressure can be high, low or "normal".

You may care to look at one of my recent blogs:

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

(Ignore that the paper is about sub-clinical, the same basic observations are widespread in "clinical" hypothyroid patients as well.)

Your point about being low because you are ill is entirely valid and appropriate. If sensible, I'd be very tempted to put it to the people who were involved in doing the assessment to see if they have factored it in. (My guess is that would dismiss the question and suggest you must be optimally treated so hypothyroidism isn't having any effect at all.)

You didn't really expect it to be that simple? Nothing ever is in this mad, mad world of thyroid disorder.

Rod

[TraceyLE in reply to helvella]

I see your point Rod and now realise it was a complete waste of my time and theirs.

I'm clearly not as healthy as they think and I know. My endo requested other tests which they did including Lupis and ANA whatever that is and they didn't even give me those. I will have to go yet again to get a print out - more wasted time.

As you say nothing is simple :O)

[tegz]

This may seem odd- but I've struggled with BP meds and HypoT with rampant High BP for years. I'm on half doses now and suspect the stress of the meds was affecting kidneys & probably adrenals, too.

Since I started on Levo today, I expected BP to ramp up instead it's the lowest ever@ 116/63@56bpm

Whether this will continue is an open question- but I think the medical profession are causing more distress than they realise with their heavy handed approach to figure chasing drug regimes and forgetting the patient.

The devils own job to stop the meds, many times when not helping.

I just felt it was all 'out of kilter' -and it was!

Everywhere you read that Hypo=Low BP and I think this is an over simplified view.

In my case looking more wrong by the minute.

[Thyroidmeg in reply to tegz]

I've had a total thyroidectomy I have symptoms of hypo but my blood pressure is high. Not on pills yet but think doc wants me to

[PinkNinja in reply to tegz]

Although, in the early stages of hypothyroidism, low blood pressure is fairly common it can later develop into high blood pressure, particularly in someone who has been untreated for a long time or has been inadequately treated.

Blood pressure usually rectifies itself to some degree once on adequate thyroid medication provided there are no other underlying causes.

Hypo=low BP is definitely an over-simplified view!

[tegz]

Well,Meg- I spoke too soon. After reading your post I took my BP -as I was feeling crabby and swollen tongue too, on waking.

I thought my BP was maybe too low- but on taking it found it had ramped up to 180/100 since yesterdays 116/63.

This makes me even more suspicious that an adrenal [cortisol] problem lies at the root of my troubles.

I would go for the BP meds if GP wants you to- but if you do, be aware that sometimes they can cause strange results, as well as many unwanted co-effects [notably the more effective ones].