irregular heartbeat

[Poblets]

Hi I have been experiencing some weird symptoms recently, I have a low basal temp and a resting heart rate of 55 bpm. recently I have been feeling as though my heart is skipping a beat and I feel as though I am breathing through a sponge. I have a diagnosed nodular goitre but I have had blood tests and they came back as within normal range. I mentioned these problems to my gp on the last visit and he just looked through me. I feel mostly tired and prior to the goitre my heart rate was about 70 bpm. How can a 60 year old who has done little exercise for the last ten years have the heart rate of a triathlete and still not get any response from the gp? I have 80% of the classic symptoms for Hypo, but my gp will not refer me or do anything other than the basic blood tests. Sorry for the rant but I have been fobbed off again and again and I am getting too tired to fight them anymore.

[Fruitandnutcase]

Hello piglets, I'm sorry to hear you are feeling so poorly.

Have you ever had your ferritin and folates, vitamin D and B12 tested, being low in any or all of those could make you feel quite ill.

Ask your doctor for a copy of your results along with their lab ranges. Even if they aren't keen to give you them you are entitled to have them, just say you want them for your records.

If you haven't had all or any of them done and can afford it you could always do what I do - I use the Blue Horzons home finger prick Thyroid 10 blood test and the City Assays home finger prick vitamin D blood test.

You can find details of both on the Thyroid UK website. Both sites are really quick and easy to deal with. You order the kit by phone or email - BH give a discount to TUK members - which has everything you need in it, send your samples back and a few days later the results arrive in your email inbox complete with comments.I started using them because I got fed up begging for tests to be done.

Once you have results of your blood tests you can post them on here and see what other people think.

[HLW32 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

How do you get the discount for the blue horizon thyroid test? Is there is a special discount code you need to use?

Thanks

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to HLW32]

Hi, this link should take you to the page thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/

From what I can remember there is a box somewhere and I think you type TUK10 or something like that into it - it's near the end of ordering.

If you can't find it I have ordered by phone too. There are lots of tests, just make sure you get the fingerpick test or else you will have to find someone to draw blood for you. The vitamin D place is listed there too.

There are other blood testing labs mentioned but I haven't tried any of them.

If you haven't read thyroid uk website it is well worth looking at - it's worth joining as a member too😊

[HLW32 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you very much 😊

[Poblets in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you so much, I will order both tests and post results who I have them.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Poblets]

At least it will give you a good starting point. Lots of great information on the Thyrd UK website isn't there 😊

I should add that the BH lab ranges were not the same as my hospital lab ranges but I just looked at where I was within the range.

I originally used by BH because even when it was requested by my endo the labs would never test my T3 or my vitamin D and I just got fed up begging.

Then I discovered I quite liked 'knowing' what my levels were like before I got to the endo, it was a good feeling to be a let go to see my endo knowing what I was going to be told.

PS - I always made sure to send my completed tests off at the beginning of the week so that there was no chance of them lying in a sorting office somewhere over the weekend.

[MikeR]

I am with you Poblet! I am 54 years old have a resting heart rate ~52 at night and ~65-70 in the morning.

I have been a triathlete, having become ill in June I have felt pretty awful. I have had for several years a documented TSH of 4+ however I now understand that I have Hashimotos. Until very recently I feared for my life as the pulse lowered to the 40's. It's not necessarily the beat per minute it is the 'soft weak pulse' that disturbs me.

I am taking NAX (Nutri Adrenal Extra) and that has helped a little, but that doesn't mean it will work for you. My adrenal glands are fatigued.

My TSH has cartwheeled all over the place recently but in range my T4 and T3 are bottom of the range, but seemingly if TSH is in 'window' we are deemed well.

A constant theme I get from reading these pages is that frankly why are we bothering with the Dr's none of them seem to practice compassionately. As a kid a doc would look down your throat, in your ears take your blood pressure and listen to your heart.

All these bright young things do is sit facing their computer screens looking to see if the computer says 'yes'.

Beyond that we are powerless to get better. I am it has to be said taking the self medicating route. I have a life to live and believing that doctor knows best isn't necessarily going to cut it with me.

Agreed it's not for everyone, but I've lost 4 months of my life I do not want to abandon what is left to the perilous state the TFT delivers to those unfortunate to have a thyroid condition.

[Poblets in reply to MikeR]

Thank you, I will give it one last go and then I am going to take matters into my own hands, if the GP refuses to refer me I shall research and try all other possible remedies as I have certainly lost more than months to this, just due to fatigue. Hope everything goes well for you too.

[shaws Administrator]

My own view is that if your heart is playing up a bit like yours that it might be due to undermedication. Our heart needs thyroid hormones at an optimal level (which means we feel well) to function 'normally'. If we take too much our heart will race along and if insufficient will struggle a bit. The goitre might be causing your breathing problems but I have no medical knowledge so insist to be referred to an Endocrinologist.

Please request a copy of your latest blood test results from the surgery with the ranges (we need these to comment) as labs differ in the ranges. If you don't have them at hand, post them on a new question. We are ENTITLED to all of our blood tests so don't be afraid of asking for them, even though we've never had the need before. Has your doctor tested for thyroid antibodies in case you an an Autoimmune Disease called Hashimoto's and antibodies confirm this.

Tick off the symptoms you have on the following links:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Unfortunately, many of us have discovered that doctors know little about diagnosing and treating people with a thyroid gland dysfunction. It seems to easy to them, diagnose by the TSH alone and ignore any clinical symptoms (of which they appear to have no knowledge in the first place).

If he's not tested your B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate ask for these to be done too.

[Poblets]

I think you have it right, they treat to simple test results and ignore blaring symptoms. I shall try to get in to have one more go at getting a referral.

thank you

[Jackie]

HI Ask GP for a 24 hour heart monitor, longer if possible. If heart it should show.

Jackie