Would low ferritin levels cause heart irregularities ?.

[Val-55]

Hello , I'm posting about my sister this time whom I'm getting increasingly concerned .She has been diagnosed hypothyroid since her early 20s after the birth of her 1st child.. She was fairly well for quite a long time ,taking 100 mcu Thyroxine . She is now in her late 40,s and has low ferritin levels but Iron ok , she has been taking tablets from Dr but can't seem to increase the level only very slightly ... this weekend her heart was bumping very strangely , she always has very low pulse around 60 ,,She went to casualty and they did a trace and said ok ,but then the irregularity had stopped. the hospital Dr said to get blood s done at GP ... since my sister has been diagnosed when she was under the hospital as she was so ill ,, her Dr has only checked TSH and said all ok!!!! Well she is not ok she is freezing cold most of the time , I can't believe what clothes she wears to bed ,,, she is very slim , about 8 .5 stone and is very tired ,I feel she is fading in front of me .... What other tests should she have apart from Iron, ferritin,foliate ,B12 Vit D. And Free T3 and T4 ,,, because she isn't absorbing the Throxine due to the ferritin problem ,, would you think a small amount of T3 might be appropriate and should we insist on seeing an Endo ?. I know they are not brilliant but I can't imagine her Dr would consider it ...I need to get her better than she is , and would appreciate your knowledgable thoughts ..Thanks Val

[shaws Administrator]

I think your sister may be very undermedicated. We need an optimum dose to run our whole system, in particular the heart. If not on sufficient we have a low pulse, low heart rate and low temp (thus the cold). Also we have to have good levels of iron, ferritin and folate and also B12 and Vit D. So GP should also do these. I have been in and out of A&E umpteen times when undiagnosed and when on levo

Change the doctor - he is incompetent. Most have no knowledge but to look at the TSH which doesn't correspond with how we feel and it varies throughout the day.

There is some info in this link re pregnancy/thyroid.

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

The doctor must request a T3 and Free T3 these are the most important as T3 runs our whole system, and we must have sufficient (either converting from levo or adding T3).

Your sister needs to start from scratch and I suggest a new GP but it might be difficult to find one who knows about the thyroid gland.

We have to take our own health into our own hands as we sense what our body needs. Getting a prescription is another matter.

If your sister has had a recent blood test, get a print-out with the ranges and post on a new question. If not request the blood tests above as well as TSH, T3, T4, Free T3 and Free T4 and post.

[Val-55 in reply to shaws]

yes I agree she is well under and has been for years ,, though her TSH has always been around 1 or lower.. she is on 75mcu and 100 alternatively and reduced a little while back as she was felt to be over ,, shaky anxious etc.... She went to see Dr P and he thought adrenal problem and suggested changing to alternative treatment ,,, she eats very little meat and the animal gland I think she found off putting .... But I feel her health is such that she must look a t getting better before the menopause kicks in !!! Then mor e problems with Thyroid .Is self medicating the only option with NDT ?? Drs won't entertain it I , believe ,but under the guidance of Dr P she could feel confident !!!! She has had the condition for so long she just sweeps it under the carpet and carrries on ,,, I do fairly well on t4 so I'm lucky ... The low ferritin thing is what has knocked her right down but from what I've read it's chicken and egg and each exacerbates the other is that right ? She has never had her T3, T4 antibodies tested ,,, what if the Dr refuses ,, are they obligated or could we ask to see an Endo , she saw one 20 years ago when she was first diagnosed and then her heart was so slow they said it was in danger ... I am so worried and I will go to the Dr with her I think .. thanks again for taking your time to advise .Regards Val

[shaws Administrator in reply to Val-55]

Unfortunately, doctors aren't trained today like Dr P and Dr Skinner

who could tell from 20 paces that the patient was hypo. Not like the doctors of today who only look at the TSH and decide how the patient feels by the computer print-out.

You can say to the doctor that you want a full thyroid MOT for your sister, particularly Free T4 and Free T3. If not she may have to have a private test. It may be the lab that refuses as some of them only go by the TSH as well.

I know that all vitamins/minerals should be at optimum but that iron has to be taken 4 hours apart from levo. I always leave 4 hours between supplements and/or medication just to be on the safe side.

I know lots of people find nutri products helpful but they gave me palpitations. I am sensitive to fillers/binders. I am well now on T3 only and feel normal health. I don't feel as if I have a hypo problem. It could change if something in the product does. I also did well on Naturethroid as it is hypoallergenic.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/thyroi...

You can tell your sister NDT isn't meat it is thyroid hormones from an animal but that may not make a difference. This is a good explanation of iron/ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Val-55]

Thankyou that was what I was worried about ,,need to look at other options I feel .

[Val-55]

Yes will see what the dr will test ,if not will have to go private and take it from there. Will post once we have any result .Thanks Again Val