Need someone to talk to. Petrified!

[MuffinSx]

Need someone to talk to. Not thyroid related. A while ago I went to a&e for fast heart, palps & chest pain. I got a 24hr ECG done and got a letter saying my heart goes fast but they want a specialist opinion before they discard me. Now I have an appt to see the cardiologist for 15/12 and I'm scared if something's wrong 😥. I'm 6mnths pregnant and was at the hosp on wed coz the baby wasn't moving as much. I'm so stressed right now. Everything seems to be wrong with my health.. I don't think I can wait till then to find out what's wrong. It's torture having to wait..

[Ricky007]

Not a doctor or a medical practitioner but it sounds like you had a possible anxiety attack. The problem with an anxiety attack is it stays with you for a while and you are more prone to having more because you are in such an alert state all the time. Your fast hear rate was probably due to the adrenaline released as it felt like a fight or flight situation but obviously there was no real danger so you can't just switch off. If they were willing to let you go then I am sure you are fine. Is your heart rate still fast when you go to bed or wake up in the morning? If not then it sounds like a psychological issue more than a physical health issue. Good luck.

[MuffinSx in reply to Ricky007]

I've had this for over a year. I get really bad chest pain which has made me go to a&e twice because it's that sore it's scary, also tightening in the chest. I also had bad palpitations and shortness of breath! I still get these everyday for most of the day! I think I do have anxiety and put it down to that and forgot about it but now that I have to go back my mind is wild with what could be wrongs? So scared and stressed out I can't focus since I got the letter

[Ricky007 in reply to MuffinSx]

It does sound like anxiety with various anxiety attacks. Being stressed out obviously doesn't help. My advice would be to just relax and take something for the anxiety if you can considering you are pregnant.

[thyr01d in reply to MuffinSx]

It could be worth looking into vitamin B12 deficiency an cause pains in the chest and shortness of breath (don't now about palpitations but it seems likely). Seems a real possibility because you are preganant and presumably supplementing with folate which can mask B12 deficiency.

[MuffinSx in reply to thyr01d]

My b12 is low 212 (200-900) but they won't treat so gonna supplement myself

[thyr01d in reply to MuffinSx]

That's shocking that your medics are not treating your low B12.

So glad you are looking after yourself and your baby

xx

[shaws Administrator]

Try not to worry too much and I know that's easy to say but I know your priority will be for your baby. I was forever in and out of A&E with bad palpitations sometimes past 150 bpm. My husband was up all night with me many a time whilst I did my own first aid with soaked ice-cold water towel wrapped round neck while I sipped ice-cold water. I was given thorough tests and heart monitors (one for 4 days) but haven't had any problems for a while now.

Why do you think it's not thyroid related?

Best wishes

[MuffinSx in reply to shaws]

I meant the post wasn't exactly about thyroid but I guess the prob could be the levo. The second time I was in a&e was when I increased my levo and my heart went crazy. I get really bad chest pain also tightening in the chest. I also had bad palpitations and shortness of breath! I still get these everyday for most of the day!

[shaws Administrator in reply to MuffinSx]

I deliberately left out that levothyroxine was causing my palps and extreme heartbeat and it has resolved now I'm taking T3 only.

Maybe your doctor will be very kind (or your Endo if you've been referred) and ask if some T3 can be prescribed on a trial basis as it can calmed down my palpitations. I was in and out of the A&E like a yo-yo. I could be on a bus, at work, anywhere at any time and heart just exploded into activity without warning. Sometimes its the fillers/binders which cause problems for us (not thyroxine or liothyronine as they are hormones compatible with us).

[MuffinSx in reply to shaws]

Did u have an ECG done also?

It was way worse when I increased my levo but then it had kind of calmed down although still pretty bad. I can't decrease my levo because I need to keep my levels stables

[shaws Administrator in reply to MuffinSx]

Yes I did have ECGs. If you take an antihistamine tablet 1 hour before your next increase of levothyroxine and if you don't have a reaction you will have to change the levo to another one. Ask pharmacist. If the palps continue your doctor will have to prescribe some other thyroid hormone which doesn't set your heart off.

[thyr01d in reply to MuffinSx]

When I had Levo increased I too had those symptoms and they went when new GP lowered my dose. Still would check B12 though

[Rose54]

Hi

Please try to stay calm as worrying will not do you or the baby any good I can understand all that you have gone through and you are bound to be concerned. But what you are experiencing is normal my daughter in-law has just had their first baby second try of IVF she worried all the time but things turned out fine.

I have a underactive thyroid and had chest pains and paps like you had various tests but nothing showed up a decrease of levothyroxine sorted it out .

I expect with your pregnancy they are just want to make sure all is ok I would have thought if they had any serious concerns they would have wanted to see you earlier than the 15th Dec .

Good luck and try to relax

let us know how you get on

Best Wishes Rose

[MuffinSx in reply to Rose54]

I won't be able to crease my levo because I need my levels stable during the pregnancy. If anything I may need to increase it again. I know everyone worried when pregnant for the first time especially when you've had trouble to conceive. I already have anxiety which I was starting to feel better and now that letter has yanked me back again and I'm terrified Incase they tell me something awful.

[Clutter]

Muffinsx, I had dreadful palpitations and ectopic beats on Levothyroxine only. ECGs showed nothing requiring treatment. Eventually determined low FT3 and Levothyroxine was the problem and adding T3 calmed everything down. I don't think you'll be given T3 while you're pregnant but it is worth considering T4+T3 after delivery if you still have the problem. In the meantime, the demands of pregnancy may also be causing palpitations. It's unlikely there's anything wrong with your heart, so don't worry about the cardio appt which is really to check you over and make sure all is well.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[humanbean]

I'm not a medical professional, so this is all from my own experience :

Could you be iron-deficient? I had palpitations, chronic chest pain, and tachycardia (heart rate of 150+) that gradually went away when I got my iron levels up. I did use a low dose of prescribed beta blockers to slow my heart rate down when it went too fast, but I only took them when necessary, not all the time.

I should stress that I know nothing about the safety of supplements or beta blockers for pregnant women. And nobody should supplement iron unless they know they are low in iron.

[greygoose in reply to humanbean]

I was thinking the same thing, sounds like there could be nutritional issues. Do they not automatically give iron pills to pregnant women, anymore? I was given them with each of my pregnancies, even without a blood test being done first.

But, like HB, I know nothing about how these things affect you and the baby in pregnancy. I just know that low iron and magnesium can have really bad affects on the heart.

[MuffinSx in reply to humanbean]

I had my iron done a month ago and that was fine.

[phoenix23002]

You might google/search magnesium rapid heart beat and see what comes up. Magnesium can be important for heart health. A moderator on one of the blogs I am on just holds a tsp/tbs of milk of magnesium in her mouth for a few minutes, then spits it out... lol. A rather unique way of getting magnesium into her system, huh? I would ck with your doctor but I think magnesium, especially in relatively small dosages, shouldn't be a problem. Again... ck with your doctor.