Graves and blood pressure

[Alexkjones]

Hi. Anyone with graves suffer with blood pressure problems? I'm 3 years in and am now experiencing high blood pressure. More problems with the bottom figure around 90-100. So full readings look something like 129/97. Any tips? My tsh is probably around 1.9 at the mo. I never manage to stabilise it. I swing from tsh 0.7 -2.5 over a 2-3 month period as I switch from 5mg of carbo a day to 2.5mg a day when I reach tsh 2.5 ish and then back to 5mg a day when I start hitting 0.7 ish. Alex

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’m in remission with Graves. I was being treated for high blood pressure (I take lisinopril and diltiazem) before I developed Graves. I wouldn’t say Graves affected my blood pressure though.

My TSH didn’t fluctuate when I was being treated with block and replace although it has gradually crept up since stopping treatment.

Are you seeing an endocrinologist on a regular basis? What are your other blood test results like - thyroid, ferritin, folate, vitamins D and B12? It would be worth posting your test results along with their lab ranges. You want your results to be high in their ranges.

Make sure you take your blood pressure properly though. I realised when I became involved In a study which involved having all sorts of things tested that I hadn’t been doing that and neither had anyone else and I was amazed when I saw my BP results. They were the lowest I have ever seen. Normally I have ‘white coat’ syndrome.

The nurse apron the study fitted me up and started the machine off. She told me she was not going today speak to me while it was happening. Once that was done we waited a bit then the machine started. Took a reading. We carried on with all the other stuff for another five minutes, took another reading, repeated all that lot until three readings were taken. I never spoke while they were being done, I sat upright got in a comfortable chair with my feet flat on the floor throughout this. So how you take your blood pressure is really important. Doctors tend to talk while they are taking your blood pressure or if I say I don’t want to talk I can see them sitting there wanting to talk which doesn’t do much for keeping the blood pressure down.

Nowadays if I know I’m going to the doctor I would take my own blood pressure at home as above for a few days and take my readings along when I go and it is always low.

Does your GP want to treat your high blood pressure?

[Alexkjones in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Last time I had all my vitamins etc tested they were all well in range. I'm seeing my Endo next week for my 6mth appmt. I just don't seem to be achieving remission. Up and down like a yoyo. We keep trying for remission but then my tsh keeps diving and not stabilising. Did you change anything to achieve remission? Do you do gluten free? Any other tips? I've put 2 stone on in 3 years which maybe why my blood pressure maybe up and I'm still smoking. Yes I know I'm not helping myself with the smoking thing , just trying everything else first before I have to tackle that one. Thanks for your help in advance. Alex

[Alexkjones in reply to Alexkjones]

Ps. Dr put me on blood pressure tablets. Took them for 1 day and felt all kinds of weird so stopped them in agreement with the GP. I have Another GP appmt on Thursday this week. Have been monitoring bp at home for the last 2 weeks so will see what they say. Might get another full blue horizon test done to check all current vitamin levels etc.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Alexkjones]

When I started taking carbimazole the pharmacist came out and told me to take high strength vitamin C which I did.

I took 1000mgc slow release with zinc daily. That might help counteract the effect of your smoking until you can manage to stop. So I took that. I also boosted my B12 and took CoQ10 daily.

I cut out junk food - I used to love a McDonalds - I eat a lot of oily fish, I start every day with a two egg omelette with either blueberries, mushrooms or spinach, tend to eat chicken rather than red meat.

For the last few years I’ve eaten a low carb, high fat diet, the study I was on was for pre diabetes and while on that I was treated with steroids for inflammatory arthritis and the steroids gave me T2 diabetes which was how I discovered LCHF.

I also went totally gluten free (that was when I gave up on McDonalds!) about three years ago when I discovered the arthritis as that was yet another autoimmune condition to add to my grow8ng collection and I had read that cutting out gluten could reduce autoimmune antibodies.

Believe me it does! So it might be worth you trying that. You could do a Blue Horizons Thyroid 11 and see what all your thyroid bloods, your antibodies and vitamins etc are like.

If you think you could be Coeliac then get checked before you go gluten-free (I didn’t) because once you stop eating gluten that won't show up in a test. My thyroid antibodies have absolutely plummeted since I went GF. There are foods I miss but I just couldn't make myself eat them now.

I’d definitely give vitamin C a try. My husband has just made a great recovery from a major operation and I had him on vitamin C before and he is still taking it.

I also have an adult son living on the other side of the world who had a huge operation shortly before my husband’s (I know two at once, my worry levels were in overdrive ) and who started taking high strength vitamin c before his op and afterwards and he said his GP told him she had never seen anyone heal so fast - I think she probably meant ‘so fast for a smoker!’ Because alas, he’s a smoker too 🙁

Good luck with it all. If you haven’t already done so, go onto the thyroiduk.org.uk site and come on here to find out as much as you can about your thyroid. Get yourself a notebook and keep records of everything you are taking and how you feel on particular doses etc. Jot down any questions you want to ask and take it all with you to consultations, that way your doctors see you are going to be taking an active part in your recovery.

PS - sorry this is so long.

[Alexkjones in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thanks so much for your reply. I have an active note book running, just can't seem to see a pattern of why I feel good somedays and not others. Blood pressure maybe playing a part. Have all but stopped alcohol, reduced caffeine etc but I was tested coeliac and was not a coeliac so haven't gone gf as yet. I love bread. But I'll give it a go in the new year. I'll do a blue horizon before and after to keep an eye on antibodies. How long should I give it on gf before I repeat the blood test?

[Valarian]

I had high blood pressure diagnosed at the same time as Graves, and it’s proving difficult to get under control. I found Fruitandnutcase’s response interesting, as they always talk while taking it, one nurse in particular tends to purse her lips, tut tut and tell me how odd I am (I’ve had a wide pulse pressure), and until I stopped it, would also jab me with a needle for my blood test BEFORE taking my blood pressure !

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Valarian]

Honestly! You would think they might realise that that wasn’t the ideal way to get you at your best.

I suppose they are pushed for time. I mean the average consultation is ten minutes, well to get a good bp result for me takes 15. I’ve told doctors not to talk to me in the past but I get stressed anyway because I know they are in a hurry.

I’ve tried the machine in the surgery corridor and even though it’s a diy job my readings are still really high, well it’s a busy corridor and no privacy. Now they let me bring my own results and they accept them.

The nurse on the study I was on explained to me that when it was time to do my readings then she would NOT be talking to me and she didn’t. It was all so relaxed even though I gave bloods and every part of my body seemed to be getting measured.

It was only when I got my results a week later and though that couldn’t be my boood pressure - it was too normal - that I realised how blood pressure should be taken. So now I sit and read a book in between readings.

[Valarian in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

When the GP took it last time, she had three goes at it, and it came down every time. I think I’ll get myself a monitor, and keep an eye on it myself.

[ling]

Hi Alex, been reading through your posts. Your way of titrating your carbimazole is interesting.

How does your FT4 and FT3 respond to the titration?

Is there some reason you titrate using your TSH rather than your FT4 FT3?

You have blood tests done every 2-3 months?

Btw, does your doctor know you are titrating your carbimazole in this manner?

[ling]

Are you still on medication for your high BP?

[ling]

Btw, I read somewhere a high diastolic reading in BP is an indication of future high systolic BP. So it's kinda like a warning.

Also, there's no mention of cutting down on salt and sodium intake. This does help with lowering BP.

And I think the smoking is part of the reason for the high BP as well. Best to ditch the smoking. I think it has huge implications in Graves. And smokers tend to have it worse when thyroid eye disease develops.

[ling]

One more thing. My father, during the years he was smoking, developed high BP. His cholesterol was also very high. He was not overweight at first but on hindsight, I think he started to put on weight on his tummy when his heart disease progressed and he did not improve his diet or eat healthier and continued smoking.

[Alexkjones]

Blood pressure now back in check after I lost 3 stone last year. Bought a Fitbit and got moving. Alex ps. Still smoking though. Don’t seem to be able to shift that one !