Heart rate has slowed

[AliF]

My heart rate is normally around 59 bpm. At the moment it’s down around 45. Is this what is giving me mild chest pain/ pressure and making me light headed ? Been like this off and on for a few weeks. Flying to the US tomorrow don’t really want to keel over.

[bantam12]

That's quite low, below 60 is defined as Bradycardia, you should really get checked out.

[AliF]

It is always below 60

[bantam12 in reply to AliF]

But 45 is quite a bit lower. My husband collapsed with low heart rate and needed a pacemaker.

Of course if you are athletic and very fit a low rate is common.

[AliF]

Not athletic ! Have Hashimoto’s! Normally it is around 53bpm when I have taken it but expect it goes up and down a bit - so is a bit lower. Tricky to get it checked though before my 11am flight from Gatwick. Back in 3 days so could see a doc then.

[rosserk]

I have the same problem mine drops into the 40s too. It did increase slightly when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and was put on levothyroxine but it’s dropping again now. I hoping a further increase in dose will increase it again. I’ve read bradycardia is common in hypothyroidism and usually resolves when medication is optimal. I had chest pains and severe drops in blood pressure as well. Have you recently been diagnosed?

[AliF]

Nope. About 4 years ago. Think it is normally mid 50s. Has been for years before I was diagnosed and I am no athlete !At the moment it is low 40s. Having very bad light headed ness and the pressure/weight on chest sensation that I get and lasts for months. I am about to try some T3 next week. Maybe it will help !

My blood pressure is good. Just hadn’t realised my pulse had become so low.

[tcanno]

Mine was in the low 30's but when I got it checked out it was ok. I would go and get it checked to be on the safe side

[AliF in reply to tcanno]

Thanks tcanno

[jamesal0]

You're probably just low thyroid. Do you bleed more than normal from minor cuts, like from paper cuts etc, is your skin fragile. I'm pretty rough on myself (sailing and dirt bikes, tools etc) but when I was badly under medicated (T4 Levo) I seemed always be bleeding on things. You don't mention if you're taking a thyroid supplement, but if you are, maybe try increasing by 20% for a week or two and see if it helps the low heart beat.

[AliF in reply to jamesal0]

Yes I take 100 levo. Never feel well though. Seem to add more and more symptoms. Have been dizzy with the weight on the chest thing before but this seems worse. This morning my rate was back up — still feeling very though. Currently sat on a plane waiting to take off! I’m not a nervous flyer but hoping i’ll feel better once we get going.

[jamesal0 in reply to AliF]

Im fine on NDT now. All side effects of 5 years of Levo and low thyroid have disappeared.

[AliF in reply to jamesal0]

That is brilliant and gives me hope. Do you have Hashimoto’s?

[jamesal0 in reply to AliF]

Yes Hashimoto’s caused by coeliacs disease

[AliF in reply to jamesal0]

I read somewhere that NDT doesn’t usually work for Hashi patients so glad it works for you! More hope!

[helvella Administrator in reply to AliF]

There are many Hashimoto's suffers who take desiccated thyroid.

There is a suggestion that, in some circumstances, the animal proteins of the desiccated thyroid can get into the bloodstream and cause the immune system to react against them. There has been little proper research into these possible issues.

But it isn't a case of not working as such - but of additional unwanted impacts.

[TSH110 in reply to AliF]

That isn’t true! It was the only treatment for a very long time and was very well tolerated. Doseage was done in how the person felt so of course they felt well on it because symptoms were quelled before long term dosage was set Then levothyroxine came along and TSH testing and a big bag of problems as symptoms have been relegated to irrelevant we are seen as a bunch of numbers and if we still feel ill after the numbers supposedly “fit” (many doctors do not even understand the basics of optimisation, thinking anything in range - also a matter of considerable debate - or even out of range will do) we are labelled as mentally unwell. I can assure you that NDT has proven a far superior treatment to Levothyroxine for my hypothyroidism, which is atropic autoimmune thyroiditis. Some would call it Hashimotos.

[jamesal0 in reply to AliF]

I stumbled on this Youtube article discussing the topic drchristianson.com/the-top-...

[AliF in reply to jamesal0]

Interesting - v clear explanation too. Thanks

[AliF]

Yep 56 now. Still feel dizzy with a corking pressure headache . Blood tests recently posted show T4 and T3 are within range. Trying some T3 from an endo next week.

[SueHG]

I have just about every symptom mentioned in the last posts. I have been on T3 for two years but when I was taking T4 I became very ill as I wasn't converting. My HR dropped to the 40s last year and wouldn't rise even trying to adjust the meds and in November had a pacemaker fitted. I am now very much better and the thyroid meds are working fine with some adjustment following the CT3M regime. I have done some research and discovered that the lack of T3 can damage the electrical impulses in the heart. I cannot prove that but it does seem very feasible.

[AliF]

Glad you recovered. What’s the CT3M regime ?