Has anyone suffered cardiac issues since having Thyroid troubles

[France1]

I am 4 years since TT and still struggling with pain, fatique, breathlessness.

I have now been referred to a cardiac specialist. I never thought that there was anything wrong with my heart, apart from it racing sometimes.

I struggle to do anything that requires strength - walking up hill, lifting, walking quickly without being breathless and needing recovery.

Anyway I am now to undergo a number of tests for heart disease etc.

Do you know if issues with the Thyroid can increase the chance of such problems. I don't think I have heard it mentioned.

Also, if it is not my heart then how does my inability to get the right medication for a comfortable life, give me the breathlessness. When I stop to think about it I cannot see how it is caused.

Any ideas?

[Clutter]

France1,

The results you posted in healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... show you are under medicated as TSH is high, FT4 and FT3 low. As Ruthi explained, most people need FT3 higher to feel well. Adding 25mcg Levothyroxine or 10mcg Liothyronine (T3) should help. Being undermedicated can cause slow heart rate which will make you breathless.

You should also ask for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate to be tested. These are commonly low or deficient in hypothyroid patients and can cause significant musculoskeletal pain, breathlessness and fatigue.

I have been optimally medicated for 3 years now but I don't have the strength or stamina I had prior to thyroidectomy 5 years ago and I have to pace myself when walking or exerting myself otherwise I become breathless and fatigued.

[France1 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you for your reply. I think one of the problems we have is that we forget what is normal .

[Clutter in reply to France1]

France1,

I haven't forgotten what my normal was before Hashimoto's reared it's ugly head in 2010

[shaws Administrator]

I really cannot comprehend that someone who has had aTT is given levothyroxine alone. I have my gland and levo did me know favours, in fact I was far worse that before being diagnosed. I was in and out of the A&E, heart played up terrible. I had umpteen ECGs, trips in ambulance etc but since being on T3 I haven't had any problems (thankfully). It has been proven that a combination of T3/T4 is beneficial to all people with hypothyroidism but also know that many who take levothyroxine appear to be fine - that's a conundrum to me.

Levothyroxine is inactive. It's job is to convert to T3. T3 is the only active hormone required in our receptor cells which enables our metabolism to to function.

The last time I saw a cardioligist he was puzzled and was considering putting something (don't know technical name) in my heart but I haven't been near an A&E or cardiac since being on T3. I am not saying it is a miracle hormone but that our body needs T3 and your doctors should have done a Free T3 and Free T4 test to see exactly how much is in your body.. I shall give you links and look down the page to see why we need to know FT3 and FT4.

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

The following is re breathlessness

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Pain is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism.

[humanbean]

As well as low thyroid hormones leaving people breathless and fatigued, low nutrients can do the same.

I got/get tachycardia and arrhythmia with

a) Low T3

b) High T3

c) Low iron

It has taken a long time to get T3 and iron where I need them to be, but I rarely have a racing heart any more.

Unfortunately, since the problem was triggered it continues to happen occasionally, and I do take the odd low dose of a beta blocker. A prescription for two months worth of a beta blocker will last me for a couple of years. I only take half a tablet when I need to.

The problem is that doctors don't recognise T3 as being important, and therefore almost never test it.

And for iron-related measurement they sometimes only do a ferritin (iron stores) test, or they might do only a Full Blood Count. Neither tells you all you need to know about iron. And even if they do a full iron panel and associated testing they only care whether results are in range, anywhere in range. They even think being a bit under the range is fine too.

To avoid heart problems I have to have my iron-related measures roughly mid-range. I pay for my own testing and buy my own supplements because I know I can't rely on my GP.

[Hypo101]

I was having major heart attack like symptoms and was up and down hosiptal like a loon. It went away when my dosage was upped but now having major neurological issues

[Treepie]

I had similar problems ,was found to have" irregular veins" and put on beta blockers which have helped but I think they reduce the effect of Levo so I need more T4.

Levo speeds up your metabolism and may expose blood flow problems.