Hypothyroidism and palpitations

[Preed39]

Hi guys. I had a total thyroid removal in February of 2018. Lately I have been having palpitations which is weird because I thought that only happens with hyperthyroidism. I’ve had an ECG which was normal and my doctor is saying I have clinical anxiety. Could someone please give me some insight on this or tell me what I could tell my doctor to look out for.

[Heloise]

Are you taking any hormone? Palpitations can mean a magnesium deficiency. Your heart needs a good supply of thyroid hormone so I hope you are on something. Your heart also needs co-q-10 so I hope you are not taking a cholesterol lowering drug. Supplementing with the above may correct this. Your adrenals may also have something to do with this if your thyroid hormone levels are really low.

[Preed39 in reply to Heloise]

I’m on Levo 125 mg. I am on a cholesterol lowering drug.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Preed39]

One possible side effect of statins is heart problems (a reduction of B12 and CoQ10, and an increase in arterial calcification).

[Preed39 in reply to Heloise]

Thank you so much for your response. I don’t think my doctor is listening so I feel if I go with the right kind of questions it may help her to know what to look for.

[Heloise in reply to Heloise]

The trouble is that doctors have a pharmaceutical answer for every problem. If you are hypothyroid your cholesterol numbers will be high. This is due to the fact your adrenals are using cholesterol to make steroids such as cortisol and sex hormones like progesterone. Unless you have cholesterol over 275 perhaps, you should not lower it. When you are on the optimal amount of thyroid hormone it will come down.

You should get prints of your blood tests. We'll be able to help you.

Your doctor should have instructed you to be on co q 10 when they prescribed.

A functional doctor is much better with your condition than conventional....... even endocrinologists.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Heloise]

Very different measurements used for cholesterol in UK (your figure would be around 7 in the UK) and very few functional doctors, so I hope the OP is in the USA.

[humanbean]

I suffered from palpitations when my Free T3 level was too low and my iron and ferritin levels were too low.

Doctors love diagnosing patients with anxiety rather than accurately diagnosing actual problems and fixing them. It's lazy and incompetent doctoring.

[Preed39 in reply to humanbean]

I agree completely!

[Saya85 in reply to humanbean]

Me too.. anaemia caused my palpitations

Not that the doctor interpreted the results at all. I had to self treat and manage

[humanbean in reply to Saya85]

Yes, I've been managing and regularly testing my iron for nearly 6 years now. I've never seen my doctor about my iron since and I deal with it myself, and I wouldn't trust her (or any other doctor) on the subject at all.

[Feelinglike]

Me

I had thyroid completely removed and up to 3weeks after felt better but over last 2 weeks I have severe insomnia ie I have slept for a total of just under 3hrs in same timeline. I now cannot even attempt sleep without going into a complete mental collapse with the same feelings of crushing shadow coming up from where thyroid was and the same coming from over hair line bringing with it a complete cold form of pins and needles from neck (up) an head (down ) and within seconds I lose all control of my mind and body ( I physically and mentally collapse). I've spoke to both heart an cryno teams and they are struggling to explain what is happening to me,I have appointments with them in 12hrs and I'm frightened there admit me in a mental ward so if anyone has gone through this before ( if you've ever had a over active thyroid extreme storm then your understand what I mean as same symtoms as had when I had mine and yes there are mental hell) then let me know how they dealt with it so can be fully prepared. Cheers

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What was reason for thyroidectomy?

As you are on Levothyroxine essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

The fact you have high cholesterol suggests you are still hypothyroid

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

Low vitamins are common when incorrectly medicated

What were your most recent blood test results and ranges for TSH, FT3 and FT4 ?

TSH should be around one (some need it lower) and FT4 in top third of range, FT3 at least half way in range

After thyroidectomy for cancer TSH is oftenkept suppressed

Poor conversion of FT4 to FT3 is extremely common

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or vitamins

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

 please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many otherwise we need high FT4 and suppressed TSH in order to have high enough FT3. Note especially his comments on current inadequate treatment following thyroidectomy

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

[MaisieGray]

"because I thought that only happens with hyperthyroidism" - no not at all weird, those who are hypo and not optimally medicated can experience them too. It is best not to think in terms of there being one set of hypo- and a different set of hyper-symptoms, because there's so many that are experienced with either disorder; or that arise separately from, or only indirectly related to, thyroid functioning.

"I am on a cholesterol-lowering drug" - higher cholesterol is a function of being hypothyroid and levels should improve with optimal thyroid levels, but in any case there is much fear-mongering and misunderstanding about it. If you are taking a statin, there are good reasons not to.

"I'm on Levo 125 mcg" - but what are your thyroid hormone levels, are they optimal? Can you provide your most recent results and their ranges, together with any test results for associated vitamins and minerals.