Hypothyroid - weird symptoms heart or anxiety attack?

[ak_83]

I'm a 35 year old male 6" tall and 72 kg (skinny). I have been hypothyroid (with some hashimoto's antibodies detected years ago) for more than a decade that I know of, and most likely for most of my life.

What has been particularly bothering me for the last 3 years is on and off heart attack type of feelings. This is where I feel tight or pain in my chest together with dizziness as if I don't have enough blood supply to my brain. Sometimes I go to bed feeling fine but wake up in the morning with these feelings. I can still operate, but it's definitely scary.

I never had this before 3 years ago, when this suddenly happened at the gym in the middle of an intense workout.

I have been doing research and tests and so far have been characterising this as anxiety attacks. I've had a brain MRI, heart ECG, heart echocardiogram. All these were fine albeit ECG showed slow heart rate. However, lately someone at work had a heart attack and a quadruple bypass found by a test called heart angiogram. So I have started to wonder if I need that or similar to evaluate my heart artery state. Could it be that I have a partial blockage now? I know I have elevated cholesterol due to hypothyroidism (and I do know there can be a connection).

Any advice on this? Has anyone had similar experiences? Has anyone got angiogram or similar?

[Heloise]

Have you ever looked it up? Harvard Health says

Hypothyroidism: The cardiac connection. Hypothyroidism can affect the heart and circulatory system in a number of ways. Insufficient thyroid hormone slows your heart rate. ... Elevated cholesterol levels, which contribute to narrowed, hardened arteries, are another possible consequence of low thyroid levels."

I have also read that on your ecg there would possibly be a lag in the r wave and enlarged left ventricle. This is why we urge each other to be optimally in range and work on the root cause which could be gluten or as you said a viral infection. I personally felt the effects when I could not get my levels up. It was usually when lying down.

Have you taken your temperature? Leave the thermometer in for ten minutes unless you use an electronic one and see how close to normal you are.

[ak_83 in reply to Heloise]

Yes, I realise that there is a connection. However, it's unlikely as there is no family history of heart related diseases at all. Basically I'm wondering if these other heart tests are necessary or it's pretty much 100% anxiety related.

[Heloise in reply to ak_83]

I posted some research about T3 and it's effect on the heart in the past. It is more related to heart failure than heart disease. There may be pubmed articles about it.

[eeng]

Have you ever had your iron and ferritin levels checked? People with hypothyroidism often have trouble absorbing nutrients from their food. Also you may be under-medicated. Have you had a thyroid blood test recently> Do you have the results?

If you have autoimmune thyroid disease (which it sounds as though your have, because you have had raised levels of antibodies in the past) then you should have had a blood test at least once a year, with probably an increased dose of Thyroxine prescribed as the antibodies gradually degrade your thyroid. If you haven't been having blood tests or dose increases then it's quite likely that over the years you have become under-medicated.

[ak_83 in reply to eeng]

Yes, I'm having some regular testing and yes I'm struggling to get my mineral and thyroid levels optimal. This post is about the particular symptoms and outcomes. I know that ultimately I need to reach optimal levels and feel better and all will be well. However, given that I haven't been able to do it in a decade I'm trying to prevent some potentially fatal symptoms e.g. artery block/heart attack.

[ling]

Hi ak_83, how have things been?

Did you find the cause for those heart attack type feelings?

Thank you

I'm hyper and experience these so called "anxiety" attacks.

[ak_83 in reply to ling]

Hi,

If you are hyper, then the cause is likely something different from me as I've been hypO for many years.

I've decided that my symptoms were really adrenaline rushes, where adrenal glands were trying to compensate for the lack thyroid function.

I've now got onto higher levels of NDT and the heart attack symptoms at least have gone away almost entirely.

I hope this helps.

[ling in reply to ak_83]

Thank you very much for your reply.

Did u notice any triggers for the attacks?

Did u have the angiogram done?

I might finally have to get an RAI and become hypothyroid.

Thank you

[ak_83 in reply to ling]

No triggers, that was the perplexing thing. Some patterns, but there were a lot of them. I think many years being hypo had finally caught up with me.

I did a stress test, which showed that my cardiovascular health is in top shape.

Good luck!

[ling in reply to ak_83]

Many thanks!

I am very happy to hear your symptoms are resolved and you are well : )

God bless you with good health!