Thyroid meds & beta blockers: Found out here... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid meds & beta blockers

Jefner profile image
19 Replies

Found out here recently that the beta blockers i am taking interfere with t4/t3 but i need them because of the debilitating anxiety.

Am wondering whether to take my levo at bedtime because i mainly need the beta blockers from morning to late afternoon when my symptoms subside and then i can just cope with the diazepam.

If i take my levo at night then it will have a good 8hrs or so in my system before i need my beta blockers.

What do you think?

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Jefner profile image
Jefner
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19 Replies
adin profile image
adin

Maybe the mix dose is to high for you if have anxiety in the morning and then subside. I know the betablokers cut the conversion. Wath is your levo dose and t3?

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to adin

Upped levo to 125 12 dys ago cus of undermedicating. T3 is under range now but my endo said it was cus of the anxiety and stress. This hashis is a nightmare

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

I have Hashi and was stuck on propranolol as well as my Levo for many years. (See profile for more)

I am now finally improving since giving up gluten and supplementing magnesium.

Are you gluten free? Have you tried it or considered it?

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to SlowDragon

Gluten free since jan and now dairy free as taking advice from dr david clark in the US.

How much mag do you take?

Em_Lou profile image
Em_Lou in reply to SlowDragon

Hi, I read your profile. Has you anxiety gone completely or just reduced? I was on propranolol for many years approx 10. I've not taken any for the last free months...being gluten and grain free plus supplementing b12 has helped. I still have anxiety, albeit reduced compared to previously. Every day is a struggle - I'm considering introducing magnesium.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Em_Lou

My anxiety had improved over time - I think because I absolutely stick to same dose of Levo. I started reducing propranolol VERY slowly (just by 5mg daily and staying on that reduced dose about 10 days before lowering by another 5mg again)

But reducing the propranolol was very tough, until I started taking magnesium. It seemed to be easier then. Read "the magnesium miracle" book there is a chapter about anxiety and how propranolol apparently lowers magnesium, making things worse. Also see lab tests online - propranolol lowers parathyroid hormone.

But still wasn't able to drop last low dose of propranolol (10mg) until a few days after I went gluten free. Stopping gluten seems to reduce my stress levels.

I use natural calm magnesium powder - (widely available) started very slowly on low dose.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Try taking your Levo at night, see how it goes, there's nothing to lose. I take mine in the early hours of the morning when I need the loo. Hasn't made any difference other than it's so much easier for timing with supplements.

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to SeasideSusie

So took my levo this morning around 8-9am. Whats a safe time tonight to take my next dose? Shall i set alarm for around 4am tonight and then the following night it can be around midnight.

Still feel so poorly seaside and just dont have much fight left in me, its 9 months now and i cant fight for much longer :( :( i am so alone and very few replies to my posts these dys. Everyone seems to be sick of me

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Jefner

Awww @Jefner (((hugs))) - no-one is sick of you. We're all here to ask questions and learn, hopefully to feel better, but it is a long, hard slog and sometimes we despair.

Sometimes I think it's timing whether you get replies to posts. There are times when there are lots of members around and times when it's very quiet. When the weather is lovely I expect people are making the most of it and maybe getting out for some fresh air and sunshine, weekends I expect can be family time, some people have early bedtimes. Lots of reasons. I don't have a routine for coming on here. I'm not an early riser so the first time I look at the forum would be over breakfast around 10am-ish, then I stay on too long! I might pop on again later in the day, then in the evening if there's not much on TV. I live alone so I only have to take the dog a walk, that's my only real commitment.

Also, if people don't know what to say to help they might not reply. I tend to only reply to posts where I can offer something positive. There are quite a few things I have no knowledge of so I can't really say anything helpful.

I know you have Hashi's but I have no idea what that is like, I just know that symptoms will fluctuate and I can't imagine what it's like coping with that. It must be like being on a see-saw. I've no idea how you even manage your meds when things change with the antibody attacks. I'm grateful I have some kind of bog standard hypo only.

Now, if it was me I wouldn't be setting the alarm, my sleep is so rubbish I wouldn't want to disturb the precious bit I do get 😁. Do you need the loo during the night? If so you could take your meds then - I leave mine out on the bedside table with a glass of water and it's automatic now to pop them in my mouth as I get out of bed for the bathroom - then take them at bedtime from then onwards. If you don't get up for the loo (lucky thing!) then just take at bedtime tonight and carry on that way. I can't see what difference a few hours will make.

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank u hunny you always have a kind word for me. I normally enjoy living alone but not when i am ill and no one around me offers encouraging words or support cus they dont understand. My only real friend is male and he is making himself ill with the responsibilities he has cus his mum has alzheimers. He is also worried about me but doesnt know what to say or how to help. He just snaps at me most of the time

adin profile image
adin

Wath is your values ft4, ft3?

Jefner profile image
Jefner

He is plastered all over the net hun, just good dr david clark thyroid. He is in the States. Only had one skype consultation with him. Had to complete 14 page questionnaire and sent him all my test results.

Have been gf since jan but he now wants me off dairy. Am pretty sure i have leaky gut although a test i had done was negative.

There is 3 particular tests he wants me have done then i mail him resultd and start an initial 30 dy plan.

I have just started doing my own bone broth which is supposed to be excellent for gut and digestion

Jefner profile image
Jefner

Havent had antibiotics in yrs

Jefner profile image
Jefner

My tsh shot up to 15.70 (0.27-4.20) beginning of this month so i have increased my levo from alternate days of 75/100 to 125mcg. Been on that dose 12dys now. Current t3 is low at 2.41 (3.1-6.8), has been getting lower each month. Ft4 14.77 (12-22). Went mega over range to 28 in dec and tweaking levo ever since. Damn this hashis!!!!

Naomi8 profile image
Naomi8

Have you tried reducing T4 & adding T3?Apols if you have already posted re this.When I was acutely depressed & anxious,raising T4 meds made me more toxic.Adding T3 & reducing T4 has been a huge help to me.

High doses of vit C apparently cortisol-lowering.I take 1 gram a day,in a non-acidic form.Holy Basil,Rhodiola,Siberian Ginseng-tried them all for months.Didn't notice any change.Only SAMe & T3 have helped me,alongside the Bs & D3.

SAMe I bought on Ebay.It needs to be taken with B6,B12 & methyl folate

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to Naomi8

Everyone mentioned adfing some t3 cus my rt3 is high but my endo said no cus he says all just stress related and if i get my levels down my t3 will go up. He says if i add t3 it might make my anxiety worse.

So much conflicting stuff i dont know where i am anymore

When were you at your worst then? How do u mean upping your t4 made you more toxic?

Jefner profile image
Jefner

Shed loads of recipes on net, u really need a slow cooker though, its safer to leave on all night.

Yes i had those tests done and both negative but dr clark wants me to have the pylori one done again. I am sure i have leaky gut anyway as i have undigested food in my stools

Jefner profile image
Jefner

Thats wot i haf

Naomi8 profile image
Naomi8

Hi jefner

Sorry for the delay in replying.I was off-colour yesterday(headachey)& not functioning much upstairs.

I have suffered from anxiety all my life-always worst in the mornings.I always went for the psychological/trauma explanation-ie dysfunctional family-of-origin stuff,but since crashing into depression in 2011 & being in that mind state for 2 years,I have come to see my anxiety & depression as in all probability more of a genetic thing.

I have a highly strung hyper-sensitive disposition,and my family-of-origin did not provide me with the security & positive regard I needed.However...

Fast forward to January 2011.After 18 years on thyroxine,with plenty of mood swings,anxiety,panic etc,I entered this 2 year altered state where depression took over.I started to pull out of this after 2 years,with the help of SAMe(S-Adenosyl-Methionine)I now believe this depression was as a result of years of a hypo state caused by my body's increasing inability to convert T4 to T3,probably due to stress overload impacting on my temperement.

After SAMe pulled me slowly out of my mental illness,there followed 2 years of fatigue that I believe was chronic fatigue syndrome.

That's when I went to my new GP practise & asked them to check if I was having a conversion problem.Luckily the endo was clued up & could tell from my FT3 & FT4 that there was a conversion issue.I didn't feel enough improvement on T4 with T3,so went on to the T3-only protocol for healing the adrenals,recommended by Paul Robinson.This led to further improvements in mental & physical energy/well being.I still have mood slumps & periods of anxiety,but I rarely feel I've "had enough"extreme stress episodes brings that on,and it passes.

Your endo's attitude to T3 makes me think of the expression"which comes first,the chicken or the egg"but as you have been on anti depressives etc for a long time,I cannot comment on whether he/she is arse over tit or correct.

During my 2 years of depression with acute anxiety,I used an anonymous 12 step weekly meeting to help me cope.I found it really supportive.I'd still be going now if I hadn't relocated to an area devoid of 12 step groups apart from AA & Alanon.

Onwards and upwards

best wishes

Naomi

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