Palpitations

[jencat]

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone on here has palpitations due to thyroid problems, or with taking Levo

[Kalicocat]

I do. Had them pretty bad before levo and worse if I increase levothyroxine even by 25 mcg. I'm taking it up by 12.5 mcg each increase and am getting much less palps. I would get a run of them, even wondered if they might actually be afib. I'm 55 years old.

[Hidden in reply to Kalicocat]

Had them pre-medication but none since levo

[dollymixtures2 in reply to Kalicocat]

a f get your heart checked out i felt really ill for months went to the Dr's i saw a stand in doc, asked me how i felt he checked out bp heart did a ecg now being treated for A.F. great but in the mean time i suffered a T.I.A. bummer but at least he listened to me and now feeling a bit better

[shaws Administrator]

I, too, had both. Before being diagnosed and worse when on levothyroxine. When I added T3 they reduced and on T3 only they've stopped. I don't think that happens for everyone.

[puncturedbicycle]

I had them when hypo.

[dotti]

Yes i have them they started when i was put on Levo for under active thyriod, had them on and off for 16 years, when they get really bad i take a low dose beta blocker which really helps.

Dotti

[shaws Administrator in reply to dotti]

Dotti,

All of these medicines suppress thyroid activity, so that the level of T4 in the blood is low, even if the gland is perfectly healthy. Sometimes, particularly with lithium, Hashimoto Disease develops. Excerpt from TUK:

Excerpt from TUK

All of these medicines suppress thyroid activity, so that the level of T4 in the blood is low, even if the gland is perfectly healthy. Sometimes, particularly with lithium, Hashimoto Disease develops.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

[dotti in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws i had thought that it would interact, i take the lowest amount 1.25 and usually if i have to take one its a bedtime as that is when my palpitations seem to play up at the moment.

I do have a good Electrophysiologist who said to take it on a as needed basis so i am not on them all the time.

To be honest though i guess like all of us on here you get fed up of researching and trying to be healthy, i would just love to be able to get on with life and enjoy it instead of feeling crap nearly everyday.

Am on a bit of a downer today so feeling sorry for myself

Dotti x

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to dotti]

Dotti how low do you take it? I'm only taking 2.5 Methimazole and Specialist said I don't need heart medicine, but I do cause my heart raced up today and I pop a quarter of beta blocker and it went down. I'm wondering if there's something wrong with my heart or is it still from Thyroid. I told the Specialist but she said first worry about Thyroid then the heart....hmm heart is very most important.

[marram in reply to sarajuarez2912]

If the thyroid continues to be overactive, heart medication will not always help except short term. It may slow the heart down but does nothing to reduce the amount of thyroid hormones racing around the body, which can cause osteoporosis and mitral valve damage among other things.

I have been overactive to the point of thyroid storm, and had to be revived and intravenously rehydrated in hospital. Thanks to the speedy response of a wonderful locum after being ignored by my own DP, my life was saved. I was already on beta blockers at that point, given by my own GP who refused to believe my thyroid was overactive due to an earlier sub total thyroidectomy.

So, while I understand how you feel re the heart, the thyroid must be controlled and the heart will settle down.

If the specialist did not give you heart meds, how come you have a beta blocker? Was that given before you were diagnosed overactive?

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to marram]

Thanks for your respond. I was under another heart medication given to me by the ER doctor who found out I had Hashimoto he said I did not have Graves disease because of my physical symptoms. The medication The Er Prescribe me was Methimazole 20 mg twice a day and heart pill called something with a P, I left them at home and don't use them since I would get bad side effects from it, I was referred to a Specialist who is a diabetes doctor and a Encrogoligist. She gave me free samples of bystolic beta blocker and I did not react will to it since I would get low blood pressure. Oh I forgot this Specialist ran a BLOOD work on me and said I had hashimoto and graves disease. Well my last reading on my TSH I forgot to ask her since she called me and said I would take 2.5 of Methimazole once in the morning. I asked her about my heart and she said I shouldn't be having problems with my heart, and if I should to take a beta blocker. Weird cause say I take a 2.5 of beta blocker, I won't need to take one the next day till the following day cause that's when my heart starts up with the racing. And yes I've thought about that Thyroid storm. Last time I went to ER I asked the Doctor to check me for that and she said she did, and that I didn't have it, that was like 3 weeks ago. But she did say she felt like my heart has something to do with my ardeline because the way my heart would spike up then go back down. That happened 5 times there at hospital, she tried to have me admitted so I can get better checked by an end but the Doctor on admits did not feel it was an emergency, she argued with him but she could not admit me. Well she thinks it has to do with electrolytes, she also said to ask Dr for heart monotitors and they both refused, saying it was a Thyroid issue.. Thanks so much for your time.

[marram in reply to sarajuarez2912]

Sometimes eating a banana can help, I have found. I have been told that sudden palpitations could be low potassium, and they gave me potassium drink in hospital. However, I could not drink it, it made me vomit, so I started eating a banana and it helped. Even though I now have had my thyroid removed, I still get palpitations sometimes.

If you don't like bananas, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is also high in potassium, or dried fruit such as sultanas, or dates also are good.

On the matter of thyroid storm, you would not be able to ask a doctor if you had it, it causes unconsciousness and extreme dehydration, and very high temperature. It is a medical emergency. xxxx

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to marram]

Funny cause I've been eating a lot of bananas but stopped cause my gums have been swollen and its been hurting, might have to see a dentist, was thinking it was the Methimazole at first but was decreased and my gums still hurt. Thanks for your time, you've been a lot of help.

[marram in reply to sarajuarez2912]

I edited my reply to add other sources of potassium.

Gum problems are very common in thyroid disorders. I have Graves' and I used to get a lot of mouth ulcers and gum swelling, but since my thyroid was removed, though I still do have Graves' my gum problems are reduced, though not entirely gone.

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to marram]

Oh my cousin has graves also and she had that radiation pill done. But she goes without her meds for a year, and she barely went back to see her Endo. That is dangerous isn't it ?

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to marram]

Marram one more question, my Endo thinks I will be off the Methimazole and things will go back to normal. Is that even possible as some go into remission. But graves and hashimoto will be in their system? Even if they go into remission. Oh since I'm anemia what kind of iron pill is good to take, doctor said it shouldn't interfere with my thyroid pill. Thanks

[marram in reply to sarajuarez2912]

Both Graves' and Hashi"s are autoimmune diseases. They CAN go into remission, unfortunately.ybI was one of those who did not go into remission, and ended up have two operations. I was firs,t diagnosed with Graves' at age 13, and I am now 71 and still have the antibodies in my system. I also still have Graves' Eye Disease which is not getting any worse, but which requires constant eye care and I am also taking Selenium prescribed by the Ophthalmologist.

It is complicated for you by having both Graves' and Hashi's, but there is a chance that you will go into remission after a certain time.

I do not really know if iron tablets will interfere with methimazole, I do know that they should not be taken at the same time as thyroxine for hypothyroidism, but hopefully if your own GP cannot prescribe iron for you, someone else here can make a suggestion. Sorry that I cannot help in this area, it is outside my experience.

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to marram]

Thanks so much. Very important information you sent me. I haven't seen a eye doctor, but will request it. One of my eyes get teary. But been told by other doctors in the Er that they don't think I have graves since my hands are steady and my eyes are not protruding, but test says otherwise I have both. One nurse at the ER has had graves as a teen also and she says I don't look like I have graves because I don't have symptoms as brittle nails and my eyes look normal and my hands don't shake...I don't know since I was diagnosed 2 months ago. The ER doctor who diagnosed me said Hashimoto and my Specialist said Hashimoto, and I said is that all? And then she said, and graves. Well I haven't took a heart pill in going on 4 days, I'm praying the racing heart has stopped. I was taking a quarter of beta blocker, and the Specialist kept saying I didn't need to take them, but she was wrong before, she said those were just spikes...still was scary...but so far I've been doing okay without heart pill. The highest my heart has gone up is 105 then started to drop to its regular heart beats. I'm taking 2.5 of Methimazole once in the morning. I don't see Specialist till next month on 10th.

[Gardenofeden in reply to marram]

I apoligize if you have had the following question asked to you already but after a total thyroidectomy, one MUST take BOTH t4 and t3 meds correct?...not just t3 only?

Thx

[marram in reply to Gardenofeden]

For nearly 30 years After my thyroidectomy I was given Levithyroxine only, and whenever I complained about my increasingly poor quality of life, was told " what do you expect? You will never be normal again when you have no thyroid."

Then, when I was almost bedridden, asthmatic, having TIAs, almost hairless, five stones overweight, in constant pain, and struggling to stay awake at work, I started looking for answers. I had retired before I found the solution. Thyroid UK!

I have been on T3 for about two years now, after seeing Dr Peatfield. I have tried a combination, and I have also tried NDT. Every time, I would go back to suffering. So, the advice given to me by Dr Peatfield proved correct. He told me I can convert T4 to the T3 we need, only imperfectly, and as a result I suffered a buildup of T4 which caused toxicity.

So, the simple answer to your question is, some people thrive on Levo (T4), because they have no trouble converting it to T3. Some people are OK for a time, but then the Levo appears to stop working and they develop conversion problems. They benefit from a combined T4/T3. Some like me cannot use the T4 and end up on T3 only. But whatever, the crucial factor is T3.

[Gardenofeden in reply to marram]

Oh wow...when your t4 levels were climbing in the blood and not converting, were your free t4 results on your blood lab results, way above range?

[marram in reply to Gardenofeden]

Yes, they were, and I was being told I was overdosing. Which was true, in a way, but it was not reaching my tissues because of not being converted to T3. So I still felt hypothyroid.

[dotti in reply to sarajuarez2912]

I take the lowest one 1.25 have had endless heart tests and am awaiting another one to see if my arteries are blocked as have been having left sided chest pain for nearly 2 months, have had several trips to A and E where they tested for heart attack i wasnt having one thank god.

But my cholesterol is raised at 6.2 infact i have always had raised cholesterol since been on Levo.

Dotti x

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to dotti]

Hope you get better and everything comes out clear on arteries. Wow your doing good on Thyroid medication being that low. Desire a speedy recovery for you. Thank God.

[dotti in reply to sarajuarez2912]

Thank you, but sadly am not doing good on my thyroid meds and never have been, seen so many consultants, gps endos nhs and private.

Spent soooo much money looking for answers and apart from the lovely doctor Peatfield they where all totally crap.

But you just keep battling on and hopefully one day i will be a hell of a lot better.

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to dotti]

Oh sorry to hear that, I didn't know you were going through a lot. I assumed because of the low dosage on your Thyroid medication. I'm new to this on Thyroids. And its just crazy.

[dotti in reply to sarajuarez2912]

Yes there is so much to learn even after 16 years on the bloody stuff, i just took my tablets and never questioned anything at the start. My G.P dreads my visits to the surgery i am sure, but i dont care i will keep badgering away until i get to feel better.

Dotti x

[Ari3 in reply to dotti]

How to find dr peatfield?

[jamesal0]

just a levo side effect - drugs.com/sfx/levothyroxine...

[SewingBee]

yes, and worse when I'm under pressure or worried about things.

[dotti in reply to SewingBee]

Totally agree with you Sewing Bee i am the same and at the moment am worried about my up and coming heart test.

Dotti x

[SewingBee in reply to dotti]

Yes dotti. That would be a good reason but look at it this way... We are checked more regularly than most and if something crops up we will be on it early.

[jencat]

Thankyou everyone, very interesting reading.

[SewingBee]

I forgot to say that I suffer with something that resembles a heart attack, apparently, and I think they've concluded that since it comes at the end of the year everytime that it is in some way anxiety related. I have been told what it is but I never remember the names of these things. The pain is excruciating and my limbs are paralysed for a while.

It can not be controlled and sometimes I feel as if my anxiety isn't present. Only drinking decaf can help.

[McLaughlin]

Hi jencat I had heart palpitations when I was hyperthyroid. I'm hypothyroid due to radiation abolation for Grave's Disease.(hyperthyroidism) I had palpitations as well as irregular heart beat. For some known and unknown reasons there may be a need to change the dose of your medication. See your Doctor. Get thyroid checked. Make sure it isn't something else. Those palpitations use to make me crazy. I was always afraid it was my heart going haywire! Good luck!