I have just received a letter from the hospital telling me I have cerebrovascular disease. I went for tests because I developed neuro symptoms last year. These started (basically one leg shakes and a bit of balance lost and co-ordination) just before I was put on a trial of T3. I take 100mcg of levothyroxine and 20 mcg of liothyronine (although slightly upped this by 5 mcg in last few weeks as it dipped a little and got quite tired again).
The hospital letter says consider taking statins and aspirin. I'm 47, pretty fit and healthy, do lots of exercise, eat well. I possibly drink over the recommended weekly limit for women, and my sodium levels are good, no high blood pressure. Not sure where this has come from, really worried they'll make me go on statins and take away my T3 I have noticed a wee bit of angina recently - although I thought it was just chest tightness.
Anybody else in this position?
Thanks
Helen
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helen_m
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Hi, do you have relatives past of present with any history of autoimmune disease, (including Thyroid Disease), heart attacks and strokes at a young age or in the case of women multiple miscarriages? Also perhaps a history of migraines.
Please come back to me if that rings any bells. MaryF
My dad has Myasthenia gravis, plus heart issues - I think arrythmia. On my mum's side of the family, there are many women with endocrine disorders, including Hashimoto's but not my mum. Her dad, my maternal grandfather died young of a heart attack. My other grandfather died of a stroke - but not dreadfully young, around 70. No migraines, and my mum only had one miscarriage.
Hi, I have Hughes Syndrome/APS, otherwise known as Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Sticky Blood. There are three blood tests you need to do in the link below, be sure to do all three, your GP can order them, but do them at the hospital as the samples taken are time sensitive! I administrate another forum on here - Sticky Blood-Hughes Syndrome Support. The trio of disease often written about by Professor Hughes himself is Hughes Syndrome/APS a Thyroid condition and Sjogrens Disease.
Many of our members have a Thyroid disease, we always recommend they use the TUK charity pages and this forum. So an awful lot of us are on both forums.
Be aware that some neurologists are very dismissive of this disease, dangerously so. On our forum we have a list of recommended specialists across the UK.
Statins aren't recommended with hypothyroidism. Thankfully I see that MaryF has responded and I'd definitely take her advice.
It is surprising how many people are diagnosed wrongly and given medication for something they may not have. No-one diagnosed me with hypo and I had plenty of symptoms but was diagnosed with 'other' and given treatment.
and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
Folate is low but just above the bottom of the range - I haven't got exact number but it was around 4.0
B12 is around 645
I don't have a recent ferritin result. The last time I was over at about 120 - sorry don't have the correct measurements.
I do have hashimoto's with TPO antibodies of 450 (down from 1000) I have been fully gluten free for 2 years.
I had thought my thyroid blood tests were good, the endocrinologist was pleased with them and said I was stable - but they haven't and never have done free T3 (which I am getting tested myself), free T4 is low but not as low as it was. I need to get a printout of the recent blood test results.
Well, if you re on T3 you'd expect rock bottom TSH and low free T4. Really the important test is free T3 which hasn't been done. You really, really need to get that tested - it's also apparently one of the main predictors of the outcome of heart problems
I've got a free T3 test from Medichecks but have been slow about doing it. Can you tell me if I should stop taking T3 before it please? Or do the usual and leave 24 hours between last dose and the test? I can't believe it's been sitting on the couch for two weeks!
Thanks for your post. I saw other people commented on your thyroid, but can I ask more about the cerebrovascular disease diagnosis.
Did a neurologist diagnose you with this?
What tests did the hospital do to give you this diagnosis?
What recommendations do they have to address the neuro symptoms?
I have not experienced these myself, but have worked as a neuro physio for 10 years and hope that someone is looking into your neuro symptoms and not just focusing solely on a thyroid.
Yes, a neurologist diagnosed me, after three MRIs. The most recent one was of the head with contrast displays. Apparently that showed up cerebrovascular disease, which he called a common condition. He suggested I think about taking aspirin and a statin to reduce the risk of further progression. His letter was a wee bit off-hand.
I have a shaky jumpy leg when tired and have developed balance issues.I also have a slight tremor in hand I had TB/Meningitis14 years ago and put condition down to that or underactive thyroid condition I have now.My co-ordination is not brilliant and am slow nut is better than my typing .......sorry! Not sure why it started underlining?I also have not got angina
But interesting to know what I am to be eventually diagnosed with!
Have seen a neurosurgeon who advised a CT scan.............seems all normal except bloods which indicted underactive thyroid and am trying to tackle this. like you I probably go over National alcohol limits (not by much) I take 75 mcg of Levo Am over 60,have always been ok (misdiagnosed 14 years ago) and like you I have no idea what happened. Lost Mum recently and son died 11 Years ago.........thought maybe grief? But vitamin blood test tomorrow may show something.........and can compare to private blood test test I am waiting results of
That's what I thought it was, first of all. I've had a "normal" B12 test, which shows middle of the range and it's increased a bit as I've taken b12 supplements. My folate is always low however. I'll try and get a homocysteine test though.
I can't remember exact number or range but it was around 700.
Thanks, I am a member of a B12 facebook group and had thought the neuro symptoms might be B12 deficiency. I've only taken a few B12 tabs, perhaps I should stop now.
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