Recently diagnosed

[Jensensmummy]

Hi.

I recently made an appointment with gp as I'd had two episodes of my heart thumping like mad, then feeling like it stopped but only briefly, just as panick would start to creep in, the moment passed and I started to feel fine. The second time it happened, the thumping continued and I felt really dizzy and thought I was going to pass out. I've had palpitations for years, so never really thought anything of it until this happened. My gp took bloods and it came back as under active thyroid. My cholesterol level was 8. Something. I've been prescribed medcation which I haven't been able to collect yet due to our chemist nit having it in stock. After being told I have an under active thyroid, everything kind of fell into place, the tiredness, the mood swings, joints hurting like mad. highly emotional all the time, easily gettng upset over slightest things and worked up over minor issues. Everyone telling me it's my age, I'm 46. The only thing I can't seem to find information on is the hunger I feel, it seems over active this is normal, but not for under? I can eat for England, once I start eatng dinner for example I just want to carry on eating, I never feel full. Hence weight increase. I can lose weight if I diet, which also seems to contradict underactive. I'm also not cold, I get hot very quickly, when I get up and start moving around I get so hot, I swear like mad, something I never used to do, I could run for miles before and not a bead of sweat would fall. I also can get shaky and start to sweat, I normally have a banana and afetr half an hour I feel better. Dies anyone else have this with underactive thyroid? Everything I read, everyone says they are cold?

[Jensensmummy]

Sorry that was sweat like mad, not swear lol

[greygoose]

I'm not cold. I am heat-intolerent.

There are over 400 symptoms of Under-active thyroid, and you Don't have to have them all to qualify. A lot of hypos feel hot rather than cold. We're all different. Thyroid hormone is needed by every single cell in the body to function correctly. If there's not enough to go round, certain thyroid hormone receptors in certain cells are switched off, so you can have any sort of symptom anywhere in the body. There are no rules.

What is the medication you have been prescribed? Levothyroxin? How much?

Don't try dieting at the moment. Your hormones are all over the place, and your body needs the calories. Things will sort themselves out when your levels are more stable. And Don't worry about the cholesterol. High cholesterol like that is not a problem, it is a symptom of your low thyroid. Levels will decrease when you're optimally treated.

Do you have a copy of your blood test results? If so, post them here and it will give people a better idea of where you are. if not, ask for a print-out. It is your legal right to have one. And it is very necessary for you to keep track of your progress.

Hugs, Grey

[Jensensmummy in reply to greygoose]

Hi,

The dose was 50mg, she said she would start off with this first as it could make the palpitations worse. I've not taken note of the name of meds, levothyroxin does ring a bell, but will know tomorrow as it's due in. As long as my husband remembers to pick it up! Thank you about telling me you are heat intolerant. That makes me feel a little better knowing that is part of the problem. I literally moved desks at work to sit right under the air con unit, and turn it down on me all day, customers in front of me are freezing, and I'm like, don't even think about asking me to turn it down or off, get a cardi if your cold!

[greygoose in reply to Jensensmummy]

OK, so that's a normal starting dose. And you need to be tested again in 6 weeks after you started it, and you will doubtless need an increase.

[Jensensmummy in reply to greygoose]

Thanks, I'll check the re testing date, I thought she said 8 weeks.

[greygoose in reply to Jensensmummy]

Yes, some of them do. Let's just say, you'll be ready for retesting in 6 weeks, but the doctor won't necessarily agree to test then. If she does, all well and good! If not, you'll have to wait an extra two weeks. Dépends how you feel whether you insist or not.

[Jensensmummy in reply to greygoose]

Thanks, sounds like I have to try and toughen up a bit and be a bit more persistent

[greygoose in reply to Jensensmummy]

Indeed!

[Jensensmummy in reply to greygoose]

Hi, I've checked and it's 8 weeks to retest. And I've checked my prescription and it's only 25mg. I asked what my readings were and the receptionist said 10.7, so I'm guessing I must be low end

[greygoose in reply to Jensensmummy]

Yes, as I said, some doctors say to test in 8 weeks, but normally, one can test after 6.

25 mcg (not mg!) is a baby dose and will possibly make you worse rather than better - so be prepared! 50 or 75 is a normal starting dose. Your palpitations are more than likely due to low thyroid.

What is 10.7? I imagine that's the TSH because that's often all they test. But that is high, not low. The range is usually something like 05 - 4.5. So, you are pretty hypo. TSH is not a thyroid hormone, it's a pituitary hormone. But they have this idea that it's all you need to test. Go figure.

[shaws]

Welcome to our forum,

I am a bit puzzled at the moment. You say you are underactive and GPs given you a prescription (are you in the UK) but the chemist doesn't have it in stock which seems strange to me as hypothyroidism is very common.

Get your GP to test your antibodies as if you do have antibodies you can swing between feeling hyper (hot and sweaty) and low, some of your other symptoms.

If you do have hashimotos it is an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease with an attack on your thyroid gland and you will become hypothyroid.

Always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges for your own records and so that you can post them if you have a query.

Blood Test: Have the earliest possible appointment . Leave 24 hours since last dose of levo and test as it may skew results and fast (you can drink water). Take levo after test.

Take thyroid hormones on wakening and wait approx 1 hour before eating. Some foods interfere with medication. Leave 4 hours between hormones and supplements. Some prefer bedtime dosing, in that case you must leave 2 hours after eating before taking hormones. If you've had a fatty meal it should be longer. Food can interfere with the uptake.

Ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be tested. They should be towards the upper range.

[Jensensmummy]

Yes, I'm uk, in a small village. Medication due in Monday. The chemist had an alternative med but apparently he rang surgery and my dr said no, she wanted me to have what she'd prescribed. The dr said something about b12 and re testing levels for that. She just handed me a leaflet she printed off, said the good news was I didn't need to pay for prescriptions anymore, gave me a form to post off. Said she was starting me off on 50 due to palpitations in case medication made it worse. Said to make an appointment in 8 weeks for blood tests again.

[Jensensmummy]

At least, by being on here I will be more armed to ask questions next time. To be fair to my gp she did ask if I had any questions, which at the time I didn't, I was trying to take it in. However, since reading more about it ive seen things come up that I need to find out more about. It's probably also given me the kick up the bum I needed to start looking at the foods if eat. Once you start taking medication, do you start to feel less tired, or is it a good couple of weeks before you feel any improvement?

[greygoose in reply to Jensensmummy]

I would say more like a good six weeks - well, everyone's different, so you might start to feel a bit better sooner.

[shelbydaws]

It is the thyroid that activates the body temperature so it can go both ways and it does for me. I can have a flushed face and take my BP and have no issue there then I knew it was my very underactive thyroid. Your eating issue is the same it is the underactive thyroid as it regulates all hormones know that your regulating system is all wonky now. Take it from me go to a Naturopath versus going on Synthroid to get your thyroid working again. Eating the proper foods, exercising which can mean walking after dinner every night may be all you need to get some circulation back in your thyroid gland. once on Thyroxin or Synthroid it will eventually get increased until it takes over your thyroid function leaving you medication in control with absolutely no circulation there. So don't let them do that to you, get on the Thyroid plan and work at getting your Thyroid functioning again because it is so life threatening to be left to drugs that may not work for you in the end, Like me. I feel quite screwed now and am waiting on an Endochrinologist to see if I can get any function back in it. Try eating a little seaweed (just a little at a time 'til you find your level of comfort) products every day and walk. Google for eating the right foods for thyroid function. For the thumping heart buy a very high dose live culture acidopholus out of the fridge at the Health Store, keep cold and keep in the fridge when you get home. One with many human strains in it, I take an 11 strain which is also at least 70 Billion - 100 Billion Units a day and I eat a good amount of PLAIN yogurt with each meal, 1/2 a large container a day. YBy doing this it coats your intestine and your food reactions settle down which is most likely the reason for rapid heart beat. Try this method and see if it helps. Try eating 4 eggs a day and try going on Sterols & Sterolins by New Roots 53mg or 250 depends on your weight. These are simply plant fats which will heal many issues especially cholesterol, immune function and a superb anti-inflammatory (takes care of a lot of bone/joint pain) You may need to also go on Digoxin for the rapid heart beat bc you are wearing out your heart muscle so please, do ask for a Cardiologist to assess. If he agrees you should be on Digoxin then you may have Atrial Fibrillation also which you can have fixed by having a Heart Ablation Procedure. It is quick and very effective and most of the time it works, if not have another one and maybe 3 but you need to save your heart. I've been through it all so I'm certain my info will help you. (Y)

Val Daws

[Jensensmummy in reply to shelbydaws]

Omg, poor you, and thank you for the advice. I guess I'm going to have toughen up with my gp, and ask for more things to be done rather than just accepting and going with the flow. I must admit I'm a little disappointed with the lack of information I was given, there was a few symptoms listed on the sheet she gave me and I was left thinking that my symptoms were just the opposite to these, apart from being tired and it also said forgetful ness in the elderly, well I forget most things or can't remember them, it's like a fog and I can't think or concentrate properly, but I've been like that for years. I feel like I've had this for years, yet previous routine blood tests as far as I know showed nothing.

[Heloise]

I wish I could remember the article on potassium but it stated that because food often has too much sodium that it ruins the potassium balance. Since the banana is not the best replacer since it has a high sugar content but if it may you feel better, perhaps that is why. I do recall now, it was in a column by Dr. Mercola. Do you read his website?

I hope you are not going to take a statin drug for cholesterol. Your adrenals need cholesterol to make progesterone, etc. This may be another part of the puzzle.

Please watch some of Dr. John Bergman's videos on youtube re adrenals.