Atrial Fibrillation after taking low dose thyroxine

[Caprice123]

A family member is on 75mcg of thyroxine daily, yet when he takes the medication first thing in the morning, more often than not, shortly after taking the medication, he gets atrial fibrillation. His three monthly thyroid blood tests are normal. Should he decrease his thyroxine? He is reluctant to see his GP, as the doctor has said he is not an expert on thyroid matters and to get to see a NHS endocrinologist involves a long waiting time. If this side effect a common occurrence?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Caprice123

What are these "normal" thyroid test results - can you post them with their reference ranges please. Normal doesn't mean anything other than somewhere in range, it's where in the range that matters.

Has your relative checked the side effects mentioned in the Patient Information Leaflet?

medicines.org.uk/emc/produc...

Listed as a side effect

"•chest pain (angina), pounding, irregular or fast heartbeat"

One article I've just found mentions as a side effect "pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest"

Maybe try a different brand? As they're on 75mcg, is that 50 + 25 and are they different brands? Did they get the AF when on a lower dose? If not what was that brand? If a different brand added, what's the new brand? Sometimes one brand may give side effects but another brand is fine.

[greygoose]

to get to see a NHS endocrinologist involves a long waiting time

Well, the sooner he asks for an appointment, the sooner he'll get seen! What a strange, stupid excuse. If the GP never refers him, then he'll never get to see an endo, will he? lol

Was your relative started on 75 mcg? Or did he work up to it? If he started lower, and was fine on the lower dose, perhaps he could try splitting his dose of levo, so that he takes two lower doses in the day.

[Naomi8]

I was on thyroxine for 16 years.During that time my episodes of heart arrhthymia was diagnosed twice as supraventricular tachycardia,by two different heart specialists.The first in 1998,the second in 2015.Both diagnoses involved a battery of tests in the heart specialist department at outpatients,including wearing a 24 hour monitor.

Who diagnosed AF?I would only accept a diagnosis of AF by a heart specialist.

I do not get heart arrhythmia on NDT or T3

[jgelliss in reply to Naomi8]

Naomi8 Your saying what many of us have been through on T4 Only . Just a minute of NDT for my T3 mix with T4 made a Huge difference . Thank you for sharing your experiences .

[Naomi8 in reply to jgelliss]

When I first started to add T3 to my T4,I only took 5mcgs,three times a day for three days & I had an episode of double heartbeat that was still going after 5 hours(I had previously been getting them to stop by lying flat with no pillow for up to an hour)I went to A&E & was kept in overnight for obs.It stopped without intervention after 9 hours.(Didn't tell them about the T3,I didn't want them to cancel my NHS scrip,which I later lost in the general withdrawal policy)Later on,after slowly increasing the T3, I was able to take up to 50mcgs of T3 in one dose.My body was starved of it.

Now I take NDT & a little T4.I need T3 & T4 but too high a proportion of T4 gives me ectopic beats & supraventricular tachycardia.

[jgelliss in reply to Naomi8]

Naomi8 I'm very excited for you that you sorted it out for yourself . It just shows that symptoms can be more valid than the paper your labs are printed on . Good for you for listening to your inner voice and trusting your guts . Thyroid patients need to empower themselves so that they can feel *Optimal* as well . It's a shame that we can not get Dr's/Endo on board as well .

[Naomi8 in reply to jgelliss]

Well,& I didn't mention in this reply that the cardiac department didn't link my supraventricular tachycardia to thyroid disease or thyroxine!I was told it was a birth defect that could be cured by ablation,warning me that if the op failed,I would be looking at a permanent pacemaker.Looking up that op.,I saw poor outcome statistics.

[jgelliss in reply to Naomi8]

Naomi8 Funny you mentioned ablation . When I experienced tachycardia with T4 only since my TT . I too went to a cardiologist for a thorough check up . Thankfully he found that all checked out fine . My GP then advised me to maybe consider ablation . I had heard and read that ablation does not work for many . This is another ploy from the Medical Academia to scare people into a procedure that just makes more M-O-N-E-Y for the very GREEDY Surgeons . They Never considered that it might just be some T3 the patient needs . The Heart has receptor sights for T3 . Once I dosed with low dose NDT for my T3 mix with my T4 . The T3 calmed my tachycardia .

It's a shame on our Health providers ,Health Insurance providers for opting to pay exuberant amount of payouts to Dr's /Surgeons Hospitals when a small pill like NDT/T3 is all that's needed .

[LMor in reply to Naomi8]

I have svt which I am having an ablation for tomorrow (scary). I’ve had svt since I was a little girl where my heart beats at 250 beats a minute. Was rushed into A & e twice last year and had to be given adenosine to stop my heart and put it back into rhythm. Mine has nothing to do with thyroid meds as I’ve had it all my life. If yours has come on since starting medication then yes there’s a good possibility it’s related. If not and you’ve had svt all your life, then yes it’s a birth defect.

[Naomi8 in reply to LMor]

Wishing you well for your proceedure.I would be having the proceedure if I was in your shoes.I have been able to manage my symptoms by avoiding thyroxine in large doses.However,on the three occasions when it wouldn't stop after a short time,it was very scary & I could only lie down flat until it passed,as I haven't the energy to do anything else.

After my admission to A&E & onto a ward for overnight obs in 2015,I was told not to come back next time!The lovely male admissions nurse told me to ignore that & come back if I needed to!

[Aurealis]

I wonder what happens if Levo is taken at night instead of morning

[jgelliss in reply to Aurealis]

Aurealis many find that dosing just before sleep works Great for them . They found that they slept so much better .

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

[Aurealis in reply to jgelliss]

Yes I know, that’s one reason I suggested it, but also if it’s the increase in heart rate on top of increased daytime activity, symptoms may resolve if resting at night after taking dose