Chest Tightness & laboured breathing - what to do?

[Kitten-whiskers]

Hello everyone,

I started the trial of liquid T4 and had been on it 9 days (only improvements, no sign of being toxic, which has always happened with tablet forms of Thyroid meds) then I started to feel a tightness around my chest (just put it down to my adrenal fatique) and carried on with the meds for another 3 days - had to stop because pulse was 109bpm - did raise to 114 and the tightness around the chest and laboured breathing, along with burning up on my back and sweating. Was given betablockers (10mg Propanolol 3 times daily)

they did slow the pulse but never touched the tightness or helped with the breathing - went 8 days with no meds - That caused a hugh amount of stress - my body clicks and creaks everywhere and I can not turn my head to the left - will have to brave having a massage to rectify this ( always extremely painful coz of Fibro)

Leaving the meds of did not improve things and things got worse, so had to go back on, tiny dose every other day, pulse is still rising and pain getting worse (this was happening before I went back on the meds), back to the doc - doubled my dose of betablockers but these are not helping............ any thoughts on what is causing this, or what I can do to ease things.

Thank you

[Heloise]

Why would liquid t4 be any different than tablets? It still seems it will pool in the blood or cause reverse t3 if you cannot utilize it.

Have you tried NDT or T3.?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Heloise]

Hello Heloise,

I have had T3 and NDT - they make me feel dreadful.

Liquid is absorbed easier and doesn't contain any Fillers

[shaws]

Kitten-whiskers

I am sorry you are not feeling so good when you've been hoping that the liquid thyroxine would do the trick.

Beta-blockers unfortunately interfere with the uptake of levothyroxine (tablets) so am not sure if it's the same with liquid levo.

You shouldn't be breathless or have pain. You have to go back to GP. You could be sensitive to levothyroxine and they will have to try and alternative or an Endo (although that will take too much time unless your GP phones the Endo Dept for an urgent appointment). Breathing problems, you definitely shouldn't have. Ask GP if he will trial T3 for you.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Hello Shaws,

In other ways the liquid is making me feel better than any other form of thyroid meds. If I could control this breathing/chest pain then I would be on the road to recovery. Do you think it will settle when my body gets used to the meds, or maybe could it be just a ~Thyroid/adrenal symptom?

I have had T3 and two differen't types of NDT and they barely help but cause endless problems.

My endo only has t3 or T4, won't entertain NDT, so it's looking pretty bleak :<

[shaws in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

It's very difficult to say what's best for you but I don't think any medication should interfere with breathing or gives chest pain.

I have just looked at this link of a study done on oral liquid levothyroxine which may helpful as it says it can be put in beverages without a problem. Maybe if you tried yours with a cup of warm tea, milk, orange juice (room temp) etc. it may work better for you:

According to preliminary clinical study reports, administration of T4 oral solution appears to be less sensitive to the effect of breakfast beverages on oral bioavailability. In the present study, stability of T4 oral solution added to breakfast beverages was investigated. A 1 mL ampoule of single-dose Tirosint® oral solution (IBSA Farmaceutici Italia, Lodi, Italy) was poured into defined volumes of milk, tea, coffee, and coffee with milk warmed at 50 °C, as well as in orange juice at room temperature. Samples were sequentially collected up to 20 min and analyzed by validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. The results of the study demonstrated that T4 is stable in all beverages after 20 min incubation. Demonstration of T4 stability is a prerequisite for a thorough evaluation of the effect of breakfast beverages on the bioavailability of T4 given as oral solution and for a better understanding of the reasons underlying a decreased T4 bioavailability administered as solid formulations.

mdpi.com/1999-4923/5/4/621

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Good morning Shaws,

This is very interesting - thank you very much. I have printed off the 13 page PDF and will read that tonight.

I have had an horrendous night - It all seemed to flare up after I had my supper (hot meals often seem to make things worse) but last night was awful, my pulse shot up (despite having 6 betablockers a day) and my back and face were sweating but legs were freezing cold, I felt even worse than normal (also seemed to cause a bit of stress) - and my breathing laboured and chest feeling tighter - this went on all night, has calmed a bit now.

Also straight after I took the T4 this morning I had to run to the loo, is it possible that something I eat is causing the immune system to flare up?

[shaws in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

It is good to keep a diary to try to figure out if something, not necessarily disagrees with you, but affects you a short time afterwards. Also make a record of your pulse and temp. 1st before you get out of bed and several times throughout the day. Do you have a pulse monitor as I find that most helpful and accurate and it records pulse and blood pressure.

Are you affected more during the night, or during the day.

Do betablockers calm your pulse down? Do you take the betablockers even if you don't have palpitations? When I had severe palpitations I only took 1 a day but everyone is different.

As you think hot food affected you, you will have to try warm rather than hot. Take note of your body and you will sense if something makes you feel worse. You may not react right away but a little while later.

Where your palpitations worse on generic levothyroxine? I assume so as you say you feel better with the liquid.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Hello Shaws,

I do have a pulse monitor - the same as the ones the GP's use - it is very useful, my pulse on average is now 68 (on the betablockers) and my temperature has been lowering and this morning was 35.7.

The betablockers have helped lower the pulse but haven't done anything for the chest Issues or laboured breathing. I really do feel the pressure even just walking say from the Kitchen to the living room, so I have had to stop my evening walks.

I am always worse of an evening and especially the night, I do have some Betaine that I take when eating a meal but as yet haven't noticed a change.

The liquid T4 for the first nine days was fantastic - I had felt better than I had done in years but then I started getting what felt like chest tightness - I continued on the T4 until day 13 when my breathing got bad and my pulse was 114bpm - I stopped the medication (for too long) which was very stressful on my body.

Could it be possible that what feels like tightness around the chest is just because my whole body is so sore (due to the Fibro) as I am so under medicated and it just feels like tightness? The T4 is causing problems - like my burning and sweating back and my high pulse but if I persist will the body just get used to the medication and calm down.

All the tablets have never worked and have caused toxicous on such tiny amounts but this liquid doesn't feel like it isn't going in - this is why I want to continue with it

[shaws in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Do you take Betaine with every meal? It could be from your stomach that the problems stem. It still doesn't answer your breathlessness but could it still be stomach, maybe pressure building (just a guess).

webmd.com/digestive-disorde...

mindbodygreen.com/0-10908/9...

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Shaws this is brillant - I do have leaky gut and these links are going to help me, I am sure. I have thought for a long time that the stomach problem is causing lots of issues and damaging the cells which causes the problem of the medication uptake, I guess the breathing is a combination of food intolerance, medication not going in properly and the struggling Thyroid & Adrenals

Thank you so much : > - this has made my day (their is still hope)

[shaws in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

I had a problem last year and was on meds that suit then I began to feel unwell (particularly during the night) and couldn't figure it out. (I didn't have acid reflux although it is on my records when a ENT person diagnosed me with AR but I was actually undiagnosed hypo) Gradually, over few months I thought it may be my stomach and GP gave me gaviscon - well that made me even more unwell with awful pain in stomach that I stopped. I read up on the link I sent and tried Betaine and ACV and it has worked, thankfully.

I hope, when you get your stomach calmed down that your palps will also calm.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Morning Shaws,

We seem to have similar problems, I was also told I had acid reflux (years ago) they put me on tablets that never done anything - I think the truth was they didn't know what my stomach problems were.

This medication seems to be causing a lot of stress and my pulse is rising despite having all those betablockers.

I am so glad to hear you are well - it must have been awful for you.

I will have to take my Betaine more regularly I think - I tend to just take them with the evening meal. What is ACV?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Morning Shaws,

We seem to have similar problems, I was also told I had acid reflux (years ago) they put me on tablets that never done anything - I think the truth was they didn't know what my stomach problems were.

This medication seems to be causing a lot of stress and my pulse is rising despite having all those betablockers.

I am so glad to hear you are well - it must have been awful for you.

I will have to take my Betaine more regularly I think - I tend to just take them with the evening meal. What is ACV?

[shaws in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

This is a full explanation and I take betaine with meals and AVC in between meals. If you add honey or put in orange juice it is more palatable. I only use about a teaspoon. Use whatever suits you.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to shaws]

Thank you Shaws - very helpful indeed

[Pig4u]

Hope you sort things out .This thyroid business is rotten .

I am getting on better with Liquid Thyroxine touch wood! Do you mind me asking if you are having to pay a huge amount for it and if not how did you get it on the NHS?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Pig4u]

Hello Pig4u,

I do find Liquid T4 a hugh improvement to the tablets, if only I could get these chest pains to go, I would get on ok (I think)

I have been given a trial and did not pay for it.

It took me a long time to get anything other than levo tablets, changed surgeries and had some strong words a long the way.

When I saw the 2nd endo - she could only offer T3 or T4 - which I had both (and they made me very ill) so I asked her about the liquid T4 - she was reluctant and mentioned how expensive it was but said if the docs didn't mind then she would be ok for me to trial it, mind you it had to be signed off by the surgery manager.

I am glad you are getting better on it though : >

[Pig4u]

Thank you KW .I have in the last fortnight been put on T3 tablets to increase my levels a bit but am about to stop them as they are making me feel I'll just like T4tabs and Armour .As far as I am an concerned the liquid may not be perfect but no more tabs for me ! Hope you go on OK and do not have to pay for getting better!I am continuing my battle to get mine onNHS.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Pig4u]

Sorry you have to pay Pig4u, it isn't right. I spent a lot on Thyroid meds before changing surgeries.

I agree no more tablets, They call it medicine, but isn't medicine supposed to make you feel better not worse.

Keep battling, have you changed your surgery? - whats the point of issuing us with exemption cards when they won't prescribe the medicine ......... so frustrating

[shaws]

Re the connection of 'food' I wonder if you are having symptoms of low acid which hypo can get quite frequently. You can get palpitations with low stomach acid. This is an link.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...