Blood pressure

[misschris]

Hi,

I was wondering if having high blood pressure can be due to taking thyroid meds. I have no thyroid and take 1 grain of Armour and 50mcg of levothyroxine, I have raised cholesterol and I had my BP taken 4 weeks ago 152 over 80, I had to go back in 2weeks time and it was still raised, the nurse wanted me on a 24 HR monitor as she feels I should be on medication for it, I have had that done and now I have to see my GP for the results. I don't want to go on meds for BP if it can be down to either to much or too little thyroid meds. I am going on holiday next Sunday and I think they want to put me on meds before I go but am a bit apprehensive as I don't want to be taking meds if I don't need to.

If anyone who has experienced the same problem, I would appreciate it if you could share your take on this.

Kind Regards

Chris

[Jazzw]

I would suspect you're undermedicated actually.

My other half's blood pressure only dropped to normal levels after raising the dose of Liothyronine to get FT3 just a little over the top of the range. Doctors tend to be terrified of overrange results but so far we've successfully played the argument that we'd rather have 10 good years than 15 of feeling terrible and zombified on beta blockers.

High blood pressure is a symptom of undermedication. They'll try to persuade you of the opposite - that you're on too much - but that's unlikely. See if you can get them to test FT3 before agreeing to blood pressure medication - that's if you don't already have any results to share?

[misschris in reply to Jazzw]

Hi Jazzw,

I have got to make an app with my GP this week regarding the results. I will ask them for the results from the 24hr monitor test. I will also be seeing my endo in October and will be mentioning the High BP to her.

I know they will try and persuade me, they already are but I've refused to take any meds for the high cholesterol 6.5 and have also mentioned to them about my thyroid meds can have an effect on my BP but they were not interested in that, they just want to put me on meds.

Chris

[Jazzw in reply to misschris]

Mad, isn't it?

Do you self source your Armour, or is it prescribed? Are you in a position to raise it a little?

[misschris in reply to Jazzw]

I get a prescription for it but when I started taking it I was on 1 1/2 grains but my ft3 was high and I was feeling anxious and having lots of water retention, so my endo put me on 1 grain of armour and 50 levothyroxine.

[Jazzw in reply to misschris]

Right, yes. Some do find that T3 makes them feel that way, often because ferritin is low, or their adrenal function is a little off after years of being under par.

Do you take your medication on the day of your blood test? It's unusual for 18mcg of Lio to send FT3 over range - unless it was fresh in your blood stream, so to speak.

[misschris]

I had my meds before I had bloods taken on that particular occasion but I have read on here not to take them until after your bloods have been taken.

I had my bloods done with my GP recently and they come back fine but they don't check the ft3 as the labs will only check the tsh, which I think is absolutely wrong because once my endo discharges me am left with the GP who can't test other than the tsh....what a disgrace.

[Jazzw in reply to misschris]

It is a disgrace, no doubt about that. Are you able to afford a private blood test to see what's happening with FT3?

[misschris in reply to Jazzw]

Morning Jazzw, I would happily pay for private blood test, how would I go about that and do you have any idea what a test would cost?

[Jazzw in reply to misschris]

Start here: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

I use homebloodtests.co.uk (it's a Blue Horizon site) which uses blood collected via fingertip pricking - no phlebotomist needed.

Cost varies between about £70 - £120, depending on the thyroid profile you order. I can highly recommend them.

[Lucky14]

This would interest me, as this year my blood pressure has been really high. Before my dose of Levo was upped. I'm now on 100mg Ramipril for the high blood pressure. I hate having to take more meds, but when i stop taking it, my blood pressure shoots right up. My levo upped to 200 in May and i thought that might have made a difference, but sadly not. My brother in law had a stroke last year as his blood pressure was too high and he wasn't taking his meds, so i don't want to risk that. Been feeling so tired again recently, hardly keep my eyes open, regardless of the 8 plus hours sleep i get every night.

[misschris in reply to Lucky14]

Sorry to hear about your brother, it is scary! This is what worries me if I don't take the meds that am sure they will prescribe for me but I wanted to wait to see my endo in October as she will be more attentive to this and will prob try altering my meds before deciding I need to go on meds for BP. As for the GP there not interested in that there could be another cause for it going high, they just want to medicate me.

I also read if your BP is under 160 that the meds can do more harm and that people with a reading of 160 and more would benefit with meds...mine was 152.

[Glynisrose]

High blood pressure is a SYMPTOM of hypothyroid !

[misschris in reply to Glynisrose]

I think It maybe to do with the armour because when I was on just Levo my BP was fine, I did get bouts of feeling anxious taking armour and when my t3 was checked it was a bit high so my endo reduced my armour to 1 grain and 50 Levo. So complicated all this, it does my head in grrrr!

[Lucky14]

I feel like you misschris, Usually docs not happy giving any prescription. But they couldn't throw this one at me fast enough. Need to research more, as my Mum, Dad and Older sister all on Levo and we are all on high blood pressure meds too. Im not over weight, i run 3 times a week, and walk every where. Dont smoke, or eat rubbish. And im not stressed either. All of which are supposed to cause HB.

[misschris in reply to Lucky14]

Sounds like you may need to look at your meds as you may be under or over medicated, both can raise your blood pressure...so I believe!

[penny]

Hmm - high cholesterol - do read The Great Cholesterol Con before taking any statins. Doctors love statins.

[misschris in reply to penny]

I have read about the statins and have refused to take them, I have said that I will change my diet and let's see where we go from there, I do eat lots of the wrong foods, mostly quick fixes due to my job and the shifts I do. I am trying to eat healthier and I am into my 4th week, not lost a thing but am hoping when I go for my blood test for cholesterol that it will have come down and if it has am eating a big fat cake to celebrate, then back to the porridge, benecol and all the bland food that I've been eating.....healthy diet sucks.

[faith63 in reply to misschris]

Your diet is not good, but regardless, high cholesterol will not change with hypo and undermedicated and you won't be able to lose weight either. If you have Hashimotos, you need to know that food sensitivities are huge with that.

[misschris in reply to faith63]

How would I know if I had hashmitos? I had a TT in 2009 and been up and down with increasing-decreasing my meds, I will give my endo her due, she has never discharged me and has been good enough to try me on armour but still not right. It really is hard getting the right balance.

[faith63 in reply to misschris]

Why did you have your thyroid removed?

I don't know at this point, if the antibodies would still be there, with thyroid removal, but possible, because they cant remove every last cell of it. Do you get rashes and skin issues? I am swollen and i have hashi's. Some days worse than the others. I am just very inflamed and get brain fogged, swelling around eyes.

[misschris in reply to faith63]

I had a retrosternal goitre growing downwards into the chest cavity.

lessons4medicos.blogspot.co...

I hope the link has worked because not allot of people know about the Pemberton sign, which I had due to the obstruction, so I had no choice but to have it removed.

[faith63 in reply to misschris]

Yes, i have heard of it, but why did you have the goiter? What caused it? Is it autoimmune? Hashimotos can cause this huge growing of thyroid. In any case, abnormal growths, warrant a further look at your diet. I have had many abnormal growths, prior to developing hashimotos.

[misschris in reply to faith63]

I was never told why, I was told that some people just get goitres and my bloods always came back normal but I never felt normal so I just lived with it, until many years later I came across the Pemberton sign and I had it, hence it being removed.

[penny]

Have you looked at the 5:2 diet? It is claimed to have many health benefits and I did it a while ago and lost 24lbs. I do the odd day now and again and keep my weight steady and hope that this is good enough.

[misschris in reply to penny]

Penny, you have done great to have lost 24lb well done! I can't shift a thing....not even water and your suppose to loose that in the first week, uh uh not me 😢

[misschris]

Khoi penny,

I have never heard of the 5:2 diet, although I could do with the health benefits as I feel am on a bit of a slippery slope. I will google it and have a look at it. Thanks for the info.

[misschris]

I was reading somewhere exactly what you are saying about not medicating for slightly high blood pressure and I read when it reached 160 that's when they will give you meds, last time mine was checked was last week and it was reading 150 before they put 24hr monitor on me....going for my results on Wednesday. Am going on holiday Sunday and just want to make sure that am not in any immediate danger with this raised BP but don't want to go on meds either just Incase i have side effects while am away, I know my doc wants to give me meds but am very reluctant to take them. I want to hold out until I go and see my endo in October.

[faith63]

High bp can be caused by too much thyroid meds, but your dose is so tiny, that i would think you are undermmedicated..which also causes high bp. High cholesterol is also hypothyroid..you are undermedicated! You need a free t4 and free t3 testing, to get a look at your levels, because you may be not converting your t4 to t3. My quess is your t3 is too low.

[misschris]

Hi faith63

That makes sense and that why I want to hang out to see my endo. I don't want to take other meds to disguise the real problem. I think when am back off holiday I will order my own bloods and then at least I will have got the important ones done and I can take them with me when I go and see her.

[misschris]

Does your husband not take any meds for his BP?

[misschris]

Oh wow! Feel like am doing the right thing by avoiding taking tabs. I just think these GP's have no idea of what they are doing with thyroid patients. I need to change mine because they are seriously lacking.

Good on your hubby to stop the meds that were making him feel ill and doing it himself to monitor his BP. 👏🏻👏🏻