Need advice. Thyroid up & down! 😑 heart palpitations, scared.

Hi guys.

I was googling this morning and came across this community, thank god there are others I can talk to.

I will start from the beginning, 8 months ago I had my daughter. My first baby, during pregnancy I was diagnosed with a under active thyroid t4 levels was around 4 so I was put on 50mcg of levothyroxine and I was fine. Thyroid went up to normal again and I had a very healthy pregnancy, I had my daughter in October 2014 and unfortunately the birth wasn't as straight forward and I had a massive bleed. Nearly 3 litres. So was anaemic for a good couple of months and put onto iron tablets. I continued to take 50mcg of levothyroxine.

In February 2015 my doctor called me to say I had now gone overactive and dropped my dose to 25mcg of levo.

Was fine for a little while then in April 2015 I started having severe palpitations to be specific PVCs during and after exercise, then one night I woke up from my sleep feeling very confused. Not knowing where I was or who I was and struggled to know who my partner was. It was very scary. This has happened a few times but then I started awakening and my heart rate was up. Panic attack maybe?

One night I woke from my sleep and my heart rate was 140 bpm

So I ended up in A&E!

I've had a echo, a ECG, a holter monitor and my heart is perfectly healthy so my cardiologist said he believes it to be my hormones, specifically my thyroid.

I was put on propranolol a beta blocker and suspected being over active but I didn't like how they made me feel even though they helped the heart skips so I weened off of them.

I then had my bloods and my doctor then calls and wants to see me about a week later. By the time this is happening I have been suffering with heart skips for 4 weeks.

She says my thyroid is now subclinical hypo

T4 was 9 and my TSH was 29!!!!

So they upped my to 50mcg of levo again.

Palpitations was not clearing up, I then started having anxiety and panic attacks and feeling very down

To the point of going back to A&E thinking I was having a breakdown

All said to be anxiety and thyroid issues

I went back to my GP and broke down.

With a 6 month old daughter and heart skips, fatigue, panic attacks, depression I couldn't feel myself and didnt feel I was coping very well and demanded answers. Another blood test was done and my TSH was then 18 so I was advised to stay on 50mcg

So after 8 weeks now of all this basically debilitating my life. I'm scared to go out alone or be at home alone I'm a anxious wreck and feel like I'm going to die of heart problems all because of this thyroid disorder

I went back to my GP and my TSH was now 7 so I was upped again to 75mcg of levo

The palpitations have stopped completely and I feel a lot better, I'm still so anxious. I googled high TSH and I've basically found so many articles stating subclinical hypo to cause heart failure and heart disease, heart attacks and all sorts.

I'm 31 years old, a new mum and engaged to be married yet I'm so scared of what's going on with my body that I don't know what to think, I mean what would of happened to me if my levothyroxine wasn't upped?

Am I googling nonsense

Will I get heart disease or have a heart attacks if I can't control my thyroid.

I've also now read that being hypo especially with high TSH increases fats in your blood and cholesterol

So now being quite over weight from baby I'm petrified to eat anything slightly bad for me and I'm determined to diet and eat healthy which is going well

But it just seems that all of us with thyroid conditions are just going to get one problem or another. Specifically heart related of cardiovascular and we have the short straws. I'm incredibly depressed.

I'm due to see a endocrinology doctor the end of June and I cannot wait. My cardiologist thinks this may all be linked to the big bleed and having a baby. I've been border line hypo in my teens but was never treated and was fine until I fell pregnant, I just want to enjoy being a new mum enjoy my life.

Google has made me a paranoid wreck. Reading about comas and heart problems and one thing after enough. Increased mortality.

Am I guaranteed to have all these problems with my health because of my thyroid?

It's so stressful.

I would love to talk to others going through this

Carley ☺️

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Oh I also need to state I don't have a auto immune disease. My thyroid immunities came back normal 😊

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You've been through an awful lot, no wonder you are anxious. And you have the baby to look after.

Don't panic. I know that's easy to say.

First, what is your latest serum ferritin level? when were your iron levels last checked? Or did they just give you iron supplements and everyone assumed you would be fine?

What is your vitamin D level?

Low iron - short of anemia - can in itself cause high anxiety and palpitations. You had a baby, which involved using a lot of iron in itself, and then lost a lot of blood.

Low iron can affect thyroid function.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

And by all means eat healthily, cut out sugar and junk food - but do not diet when you are sick by restricting calories. At this point you need to replenish the nutrients you have lost, you need good fats, protein, red meat, nuts, veg, etc. Forget about weight. Having a healthy baby and looking after it is Way More of an Achievement than being thin and looking good in pix a few months after a traumatic birth.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I had all my iron checked a few weeks ago and was all normal. That was my first thought in the palpitations but then realised it was all due to my high TSH I have a incredibly sensitive heart. Too much caffeine or anxiety and it's starts to skip. Especially if I'm on my period. But this was all day every day. Really really scary

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

What was your serum ferritin reading?

"Normal", ie, within the range, does not necessarily mean OK.

Do you have your readings, with the ranges, to hand? Or did they just take a FBC, a full blood count?

Your symptoms sound exactly like those of my son when he was iron deficient. Not anaemic - iron depleted.

But of course they could be that your medication was sending you into hyperthyroidism because it was at too high a level.

[Katherine123]

Awww! Carley that could have been me writing what you have written, apart from the just having a baby (although I did suffer badly after both my babies) my heart things did not come on until I was in my late 30's, same A&E runs as yourself! same anxiety (try and find a 6' man who would not be anxious if suffering the same things).

I am going to say it takes a while for everything to settle down darling, especially look up magnesium and the heart, calcium, B12, iron, iodine, selenium (a must) vitamin e, vitamin, amino acids, B vits C, Zinc and copper. Getting all your vitamins and minerals up to optimum levels should help, they helped me.

Your body has had a shock darling....

Katherine xX

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I bought a multi vitamin which can has all of the above some iron, calcium, magnesium. But I read that some supplements can stop the Levo from working so I may try taking it at night. I eat pretty healthy. Lots of fish lately and chicken with veggies. I'm not really concerned about weight. More so health and cholesterol. I just feel a bit lost. It also seems GPs do t really know too much about thyroid and I find it very odd they don't test for t3 in this country! Ridiculous. So I really am counting the days to see my endo

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Try to get your GP to do blood test for Vit D, B12, Ferratin and folate. All need to be at good levels and not just with in range for the thyroxine to work well.

Also when do you take your thyroid pills? Many people get better result if they take them at nighttime, just before bed. Endocrinologists often recommend trying that (Worked brilliantly for me)

See more info here

thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...

I had terrible anxiety when first on thyroxine. It seems to be pretty common.

I found that taking beta-blocker (propranolol - four times a day 10mg at 7am, noon, 6pm and bedtime) not only helped with anxiety and palpitations but gives me loads more energy. I still take beta-blocker over 20 years later. I can function without, but then have to pace myself extremely carefully otherwise I get less and less energy. So I just take both and then can do what I like physically and feel totally normal mentally 😃

it is quite common for Dr to recommend beta-blockers with thyroxine.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also did you lactate Ok, were you able to breast feed?

[humanbean]

The very first thing you will have to do is get copies of your blood tests for the last couple of years (including the reference ranges, they are very important) . It's a bit daunting having to do this if you've never done it before - but it does get easier with practice. Some surgeries can be nice as pie about giving patients copies, some surgeries are absolutely appalled that a patient has the temerity to ask. You are legally entitled (under the Data Protection Act 1998) to get copies of your blood test results, so don't be fobbed off. There may be a charge to cover the costs of paper and ink, perhaps a pound or two, but no more. If they are difficult about supplying your test results or they insist on charging a lot then let us know about it.

It would be worth your while to phone up your surgery rather than go in person to begin with. Plan what you are going to say beforehand. Do it in the afternoon, when they are less busy. Be polite, tell them what you want, ask about costs, and be aware that receptionists have to ask the doctor for permission to give you the results, so give them time to do this - it may be a day or two before you can go and collect the results. Tell them you would like to come to collect them in person the next day (or whenever).

Once you have your results, post them on a new question and ask for opinions. If your doctor has said your iron is normal but you are getting heart problems, your iron might be very low in range. Being hypothyroid and on the wrong dose of medication can cause heart problems too.

If it is any comfort, I'm a lot older than you, and I had heart problems, including tachycardia and severe chest pain, caused by iron deficiency and untreated hypothyroidism, both of which were denied by the medical profession. I was taken to hospital with blue lights because of the heart issues five times over a period of about 2 years. I was also taken by my husband a couple of times. I managed to make all these issues go away by taking high-dose iron supplements until my levels were optimal, and by treating my thyroid adequately. So don't despair, you aren't doomed to die young, and you can get better.

I'm totally gobsmacked that you were given iron pills to fix a 3 litre blood loss. I would have thought you should have had a blood transfusion at the very least!

If you are suffering from mineral and vitamin deficiencies a multi-vitamin isn't really going to fix anything very much. They might be useful for people who are basically healthy and just want to make sure they are covering all bases, but they are totally useless for repairing deficiencies. If you post your results we can suggest what you should be buying and what dosage you need.

Somebody above said that being iron-deficient can cause anxiety and panic. I would totally agree. Mine has reduced dramatically since getting my iron levels up. I've got beta-blockers and I only take half a pill once in a blue moon.

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Hi guys. I'm going to see my GO tomorrow and get my iron and everything checked again. My thyroid is just high TSH normal t4 level and I'm now on 75mcg of Levo and the palpitations are gone! Can high TSH cause palps? It must be as they just started to subside on the new Levo. I just had them in the morning for a couple of days and fingers crossed I've been free for a few days and I feel great. But the anxiety and depression they have left me with is ruining my life so I'm now booked to have some counselling.

Just really scared about my health lately and dying. Can't shake the feeling of dread. It's my own fault for bloody googling everything it's all stuck in my head.

Just want to be me again