Every night when I go to bed & turn everything off to go to sleep , I'm experiencing rapid heart beats. & a sensation of being wound up like a coiled spring
It doesn't matter that two seconds before I'm yawning my head off. & my eyes are so tired they don't want to focus!
So even though I'm going to bed at a reasonable hour I'm not getting to sleep until after midnight
This is leaving me feeling extremely tired when I get up
Even taking 2 sleeping pills doesn't help
Anyone have any suggestions ?
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Hi This sounds exactly like Atrial Fibrillation ( . A.F ) It is common but needs treating, especially with anti co -agulation taken to prevent clot. Therefore important to get a diagnosis, intermittent so no easy. It is well known that thyroid disease can cause an early onset of A.F
The only way to first diagnose it you need to do ourself. Take your Heart rate ( pulse) must be manually for accuracy. Take it 3 times a day especially to include these times. You should clearly feel the heart swinging. Take the 2 weeks readings to the GP.
Ask for a 7 day heart monitor at home. They well give you just a 24 hour one, sometimes taht is not enough. If it proves to be A.F Then be sure to see a cardiologist who specialises in heart rhythms , not a normal one, needs to be in a large teaching hospital.
It is common, nothing to worry about but does needs diagnosing and treating.
problem but still have the correct diagnosis, this is very important.
Hi You do not need to panic but if HR gets to 150 and stays there, most unlikely then 999., so long as it swings, not a panic. Much better s described for a "proper" diagnosis and the correct referral.
Hi - just reading this with my 7 day monitor on my chest! Wondering if you know if medication has to be taken all the time if the AFs are only periodic? Thanks
Hi i suffer with the same thing but it happens during the day too, i am under an electrophysiologist who deals with all things related to heart palps.
He diagnosed Atrail tacyhcardia but i do have a leaky heart valve that can contribute to this, he did comment that the menopause can add to this and also thyroid medication. Since been placed on mercury pharma after the eltroxin shortage things flared up big style.
So i have took matters into my own hands and have now changed my tablets to a different brand, thanks to one of the members on here pointing me in the right direction.
I have been prescribed beta blockers but i am waiting to see if things settle down with the new tablets, if i was you i would get myself reffered to a specialist.
The main thing is try not freak out and i am the biggest worry wort ever, panic makes it worse i have woke my partner up during the night convinced i was about to die, so i know how you feel its bloody rotten.
Marylyn just read your post, thats interesting even though my thyroid results are all normal i take a small amount of levo 75mcgs, i do feel very,very hyper at times, will have serious words with my endo as he keeps trying to blame everything on the menopause.
Hi Yes, Only to well! The most important thing is Warfarin, which is vital. If you have A.F do not do not be fobbed off any ignorant docs and told you only need asperin, many years out of date! Make sure you see a specialist arrythymia cardio at a large hospital. Warfarin has to be an INR of 2.5 for AF.. Just to prevent clots, mostly brain ones. That is the most important thing with A.F. itself, some people find digoxin OK, but a blockers there are many.Bisoperim usually the first choice,it can put on weight, I cannot take that and have Nebivolol.Also. last resort is Amiordeone which lowers the thyroid. Nasty drug but brilliant. Often all 3. I take these and more as I have had A.F life long but have also much more serious arythymias, VT`s and another one.
It is important to have regular electrolyte tests, Potassium, sodium ( U`s and E`s), calcium ( corrected) and magnesium.Always take Beta Blockers after thyroid tests or it gives a false result.
If the drugs do not control the A.F normal people can have first try a cardioversion. A tiny shock under anaethetic. Does not usually work. If in A.F all the time an oblation, various sorts. A catheter to the heart giving a shock. Not as bad as it sounds, with a GA. Often works for some years. However, still essential to stay on the Warfarin in case it suddenly returns, it does.
There is a better new anticoagulation but expensive, GP`s will not give it.
You are not warned but if to start to have TIA`s, then the Warfarin needs to be higher and the INR 3, this is unusual fro A.f.
I hope this is not too much info. I like to know everything! Forgive the spelling, not too good at the moment and no spell check.
After my diagnosis I am now on Warfarin for life but if it has saved me having a stroke who's bothered ... and my surgery takes very good care of me!!!
It might be that you are over medicated. I find that if I am I get heart palps and when trying to relax for sleep my heart races. Have bloods done and go from there.
I had heart palpitations at nighttime. I used to waken in the night sweatimg and my heart racing. I was so tired but could not sleep. I had gone over active. Do you have hashimos? Endo told me its difficult to control if you have hashimos. Swings and roundabouts over and underactive.
I have noticed I get night sweats if I eat later than 8pm. I guess its to do with digestion etc.
I have palpitations normally but these get worse if I am overdosed, over tired or stressed. Your TSH looks OK. I need to be under 1 to be well, normally around 0.1 which is regarded as low but seems necessary for me to be well.
It would not seem to be overdose then, though the symptoms are similar. Do you remember the previous dose on which you were too tired? You say you get hungry - do you think you have you lost any weight?
I have found this only happens to me when I try to go to sleep on my right side (comfy) so have had to make sure I actually go to sleep on my left, then it doesn't seem to happen when i roll over later! Rest of the time its fine ☺
as for other symptoms : I get this weird crawling feeling in my ears ............sounds funny but makes me think that something is in there!!
I have also had the feeling that some one is flicking the on/ off switch in my head off and on really quick..............cant say that its a dizzy feeling but it is scary as I never know if Im going to hit the deck
My dr found I had poor adrenal function,B12 deficiency,gut & liver inflammation.I started Melantonin 1mg amazing results.I was taking thyroxine 50mcgs ceased it as pharmacist said I had all symptons of overmedication despite my thyroid tests were in normal range & are still 8mths later.I am now taking methyl B 12 levels 400 need to be > 600.i sleep well now thank God for drs who listen.
I think I will have to save up & get a monitor for home
I do know that my headaches are often a sign of my BP being elevated
Ta
Do you drink a lot of tea? Endo told me tea can give you heart palpitations. I was surprised at this because I love coffee and I was asking about coffee implications and he brought up tea.
I thought it could be too much medication initially but through a process of elimination I realised that two things were causing it. Firstly eating too much chocolate/sweet things in the evening a couple of hours before trying to sleep (easy to do when you're trying to get more energy) and secondly drinking diet drinks with Sucralose.
I worked out that Sucralose was a problem for me because my heart was fine in the evening. I was knackered and had already cut down on medication in case that was the problem. I lay down on the floor, heart fine. I drank some diet ginger beer and later sitting on the sofa my heart did wrong beats. I lay down on the floor and yes, my heart was going strongly and had wrong beats. The only thing I'd done in that time was drink the diet ginger beer. It had sucralose in it. I googled it and found out that others had problems with it, one article I read had loads of comments on it, including one from an A & E nurse who had heart problems when she drank it.
So I stopped drinking it and that solved my problem. Sometimes I forget about eating too much sweet things before bed (also too much alcohol can be a problem) but then remember that I've got to be careful.
I had the same thing and it is the reason I changed my doctor. I was told there was nothing I could do about it except take pills to slow it down.
I went on holiday for two weeks and while there I got out of routine with my pills and realised suddenly my heart had stopped racing...I had forgotten to take my pills! Needless to say I didn't take them again (the relief of the normal heart beat was incredible) and went to a different doctor when I got back. He said I had been over medicated and gradually (it took a while as I had stopped my medication for two weeks) he sorted me out. This was when I realised I had to look after myself and know what was going on with my health. I joined this site and with a good doctor a lot of experienced knowledge from people on here I am now as fit and happy as I have ever been. I have hashimotos and things can still play up but I know now why.
I still look at the letters though as often I can tell of my experience and perhaps help people such as yourself, therefore giving a little back of the enormous help I have had from here.
I had this problem when I was on some tablets which didn't suit me. In my case it was amlopidine, a blood pressure medication, but it has also happened (in a lesser way) with certain brands of generic thyroxine.
Had the racing pulse plus many more probs when I was on thyroxine. GP & thyroid clinic treated me as if I was lying. Started to think I was mad! Dr S rescued me eventually, fantastic man.
...am more aware of my heart when I have forgotten my dose of T3. About 20 minutes later all is well.... Just wondered what your FT3 test result is ? Lots of things are connected to Low T3 syndrome - including hearts. There is quite a bit written about Low T3 and research has been done.... on PubMed....
Please try adding magnesium to your diet or try a supplement. Adrenals use up your magnesium and contributes to this. Try a 500 mg. magnesium glycinate at bedtime or even mag oxide if you can't find the other. Often time a simple measure will work.
If it is adrenal then I would expect this to wake you up in the early hours and not before you go to bed. It may be that you have the onset of a heart condition of a fast heart beat.. It could be too much T4 that would cause it and too much t3.. It could also be insulin resistance but again this will wake you up in the early hours with a fast heart beat. i would get it checked out with a holter for your heart rate and a blood test for your TSH.
Good luck
John
I was just about to reply when I saw '40 replies' ... and the very first Jackie has suggested just what I was going to ...AF... I too experienced the racing heart etc., and I went to see my doctor the very next day ... I am now on Warfarin for life but I was a stroke waiting to happen ... so sincerely hope you have done something about it!!!
I've only been on Warfarin since August last year but so far so good. My husband has been on it about 15 years and thinking how he was back then I'm sure we've enjoyed many more happy years together than the future looked then ... and no side effects noticed!!!
Reading other replies our thyroids seem to be an issue and I too had my thyroid gland out about 10 years ago and I eventually stabilised on 100mcg ...I'm also Diabetic (27 months) and have also had Benign Positional Vertigo several times if anyone can associate with that?!!!
Sorry havent read all the replies. When I was on low dose Thyroxine I had exactly the same symptoms. The docter put me on levo and then kept me on 75mg. I went up to 120mg and felt better though symptoms did not completely disappear. When I switched to armour all that stopped. It's horrible and frightening, I know. What is your TSH, FT4 and FT3 and what dose/meds are you on? again sorry if this has already been said. x
Hi my name is shubham I am 22 when I try to sleep after taking dinner my head starts little painting it feels like fainting and my heart beat goes fast I have a blood pressure too I don't know what to do
This same thing happends to me too and I really don’t know what it is it’s like what you said it won’t happen until I turn everything off and try to go to bed my heart will start racing and I have had panic attacks in the past and I have really bad car anxiety from an accident but this one just showed up recently within a year it started and now it’s almost every night but I don’t know what it is
This happens me too.I am 31, female, 147 lb weight,a post graduate student. I don't drink any stimulants. I eat fruits and vegetables.No coffee, No smoking, No alcohol,No stresses.But, I am curious why this happen to me. My heartbeat fast after a meal or when I lay down on bed. My chest pains a little. I went to the school hospital and tested with 24 hr ECG test. The doctor found arrhythmia. The average beat is 78. The doctor said no need to be worried. No medication is provided.But I think I am not so okay. My heat beat fast when I lay down, especially this happen in the afternoon. Should I go and see another doctor? I don't really know how to do.
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I have to sit up for awhile before I can lay down but thanks for your input 
seems like its now on my to get done list 
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