Tingling and lightheaded

[Dressagelovr]

Anyone experience tingling and lightheadedness when hyperthyroid7?

[Greekchick]

Yes - my body used to buzz as if someone was holding a taser to it and I would feel like I would pass out.

[Dressagelovr in reply to Greekchick]

And you were hyper not hypo?

Thanks for your reply.

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

Hi there,

I have Graves’ disease and had a toxic multinodular goiter until my TT 4 months ago. The symptoms I described to you happened to me about 6 months before my surgery and continued until the thyroid was removed. I did not realize at the time they were from my thyroid disease.

I am now going through the process of adjusting my meds post surgery - and when I was given too much Synthroid about 3 weeks post surgery, I experienced the exact same symptoms again.

I am now on a regimen of Synthroid plus Cytomel and will need to keep adding Cytomel to get to where I will be OK. I can’t handle higher dosages if Synthroid as it gives me hyper symptoms. I have not since experienced these hyper symptoms again now that I am on a lower dose of Synthroid with the Cytomel added.

I hope this information helps you. Wishing you all the best. I empathize with you - these symptoms are really uncomfortable and affected my ability to function back then.

[jgelliss in reply to Greekchick]

My personal experiences with high doses of T4 post my TT I had what felt like electricity running through my hands besides many other symptoms . I can have symptoms with high doses of T3/NDT as well . It's not one size fits all when it comes to thyroid dosing and meds . Journaling symptoms with BW helps one find their very own *Optimal*.

[Greekchick in reply to jgelliss]

Thanks for sharing. I journal every day and also prepare a spread sheet of dosing and corresponding side effects - and good effects as well. I then bring the spreadsheet to my endo who reviews it and we discuss next steps. He is really good about letting me experiment with my dosing because I am so systematic about it and puts my sheets into my medical file.

By the way, I am so sorry you are experiencing these effects - I couldn’t stand them - and I have a very high tolerance for discomfort- but that taser buzzing was unlike anything I have experienced.

Hope you are doing better and wishing you well!

[jgelliss in reply to Greekchick]

Thank You for your very kind wishes . I since have lowered my T4 dose significantly and added a very low dose NDT for my T3 mix .

I was on high dose T4 for suppression purposes . It has made a *Huge* difference lowering my dose . I feel myself again . High T4 doses for some comes with many symptoms . From my experiences with high T4 I had palpitations high BP weight issues , anxiety , headaches , insomnia , panic attacks , sweating , feeling cold or very hot , not motivated , aches/pain feeling out of breath climbing stairs or with slightest exertion , a buzzing feeling in my arms , dizziness , constipated, thirsty all the time , dry eyes , jaundice .

I'm sure many can relate to some of the symptoms I experienced with high T4 doses . If I would have known then what I know now I would have asked my Dr to lower my T4 and instead add some T3/NDT to my T4 dose for suppression purposes . T3/NDT is a much better suppresser with less side affects .

With all that said I would also suggest to pay attention to the fillers/dyes in the thyroid meds . They can also give us many symptoms too .

I must add that Nutrients are so very vital for our thyroid meds to work better for us . Going gluten dairy free is another *Great* added benefit that I found to be so beneficial for me .

SeasideSusie has *EXCELLENT * posts on the nutrients that are so very important for us thyroid patients .

SlowDragon has *Excellent* posts on benefits going Gluten Free .

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

Graves is autoimmune hyperthyroidism.

[Dressagelovr in reply to Greekchick]

This helps enormously. I am on synthroid and cytomel and think my dosr may be a bit high. Also having periodic anxiety to boot.

Thanks again. Best wishes getting stabilized.

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

Thanks so much for your kind wishes - and I wish you the best as well. It will take some tinkering to figure out the balance between the Synthroid and Cytomel. I would not have known it was the Synthroid if I had not been on monotherapy. And it is confusing as well to figure out if your symptoms are from too high a dose or the hypothyroidism post surgery. Good luck - it’s certainly a process!

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

I should mention also I still have some anxiety too - but I had that on just the Synthroid - and I think in my case I am under dosed as I have other hypo symptoms so I am adding 1.25 Cytomel every week to find the sweet spot. It’s slow but I don’t want to go hyper again . Hope this also helps with your dosing issues.

[Dressagelovr in reply to Greekchick]

Yes it sounds like you're underdosed if you're having other symptoms of hypo thyroidism. I myself don't tolerate cytomel well after giving it a year and a half along with synthroid. I still have my thyroid, and that could be a factor. I am planning to talk to my dr.about synthroid monotherapy.

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

Yes, you are right - I need more Cytomel and I am due to increase it tomorrow - so hopefully - I will feel better. I just can’t stand that hyper feeling - it was so debilitating - I’m also experimenting with timing the dose - I am planning to move my Cytomel to the morning with my Synthroid instead of splitting it up 3/4 in am and 1/4 in pm. The pm Cytomel dose doesn’t seem to help much. I will increase the am dose and in a few days just move it all to the morning. Trial and error .... but slow and steady wins the race so they say ...

Good luck with your Synthroid monotherapy - I hope it works out for you. Wishing you all the best and thanks for your response.

[Dressagelovr in reply to Greekchick]

I"ve read in more than one fairly reputable place that the desireable levo to cytomel ratio is from 10:1 to 20:1.

[Greekchick in reply to Dressagelovr]

Me too - I am right at the 10:1 ratio and it’s not enough - and I can’t take any more Synthroid - so I am upping Cytomel instead. Fingers crossed ...

[Dressagelovr in reply to Greekchick]

I'll cross them for you and me.

[jgelliss in reply to Greekchick]

It's so very true that *Slow and Steady Wins The Race* . We have to respect our bodies to acclimate to new changes each time . Little tweaks can make huge differences . Like timing of dosing . Some who have higher Cortisol levels in the AM may not need as much or at all T3 dosing in the AM but instead need more in the afternoon when the cortisol levels start tapering off . One needs to pay careful attention what the body communicates to find our *Optimal* .

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Dressagelovr

But you're not hypERthyroid, you are on Armour according to your previous post so you are hypOthyroid.

Tingling and light-headedness can be low B12.

[Dressagelovr in reply to SeasideSusie]

Actually I returned to my previous regimen of levo + lio six weeks ago.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dressagelovr]

Important to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

[Dressagelovr in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for input

[jgelliss in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hello SeadideSusie , It's always *Great* to read your very informative posts . I must say that in my case I was experiencing buzzing and light-headedness with my B-12 being over range and had to cut back /omit . But that might just be my own experiences .

[Greekchick in reply to jgelliss]

That’s interesting - my B12 levels were very high too ... it’s so hard to tell what is causing what! Ah well ... it’s a process of elimination

[jgelliss in reply to Greekchick]

Sometimes some inflammation can be going on like gut issues and can cause high B-12 . Fatty liver can cause inflammation too . Have you checked your liver enzymes too ? It might be beneficial .

[Greekchick in reply to jgelliss]

Yes - my doctor left me on B12 supplements too long ! Thankfully I am very healthy other than thyroid . Great idea though!

[Dressagelovr]

Thanks so much!

[Everdean]

I have had those symptoms for years and I'm never hyperthyroid . Tried b12 but made no difference.

I hope you find an answer.

[Dressagelovr in reply to Everdean]

I know that symptoms are more consistent with hypothyroid states

[HLAB35]

B12 deficiency definitely can cause neurological issues and fainting. It'd be worth getting blood work done for this and for folate and iron as well - anything below 400 (for b12) in my experience can give symptoms, but the bottom of the range is set around 200.. which is too low. 'In range' does not equate to 'good' or 'optimal'; make sure you get a print out of your results! (Here in the UK some GP receptionists can be pretty obtuse about it, but we have a legal right to view medical records.)

Also, once you know your levels, be aware that some B12 tablets will not bring about an improvement... they seem to be getting away with prescribing 100mcg cyanocobalamin to elderly people with levels of below 150 (in the UK) if they don't have enlarged red blood cells... which is ridiculous as this is just a maintenance dose for healthy vegetarians. So, if you find that you have low b12 please post levels on the forum and the admin team will advise.

[Dressagelovr in reply to HLAB35]

Thanks HLAB35

[twinkleyt in reply to HLAB35]

I am in the "elderly" category, and interested in your comments regarding "enlarged red blood corpusles". I have had this for years but GP never commented on it. The only time was at the dentists who advised me to take Zinc supplements. Can you tell me more about the effects of this, please?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to twinkleyt]

Enlarged red blood cells, also called macrocytosis, is a symptom of low vitamin B12. In fact, it is a symptom that does not always occur for various reasons. For example, if you are also iron deficient (which is quite common).

One cause of low B12 is Pernicious Anaemia where the body is unable to absorb B12 from the gut. That is why I very often recommend anyone with low B12 to visit the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum, and post about it there:

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

Do you have any blood test results?

There are other possible causes, including low folate levels.

[JGBH in reply to helvella]

I have microcytosis (small red blood cells) and gastritis plus have been taking PPIs for nearly 30 years so have absorption problems despite a good diet, so am B12 deficient and have problems with my iron levels. Being hypothyroid plus having RA do not help either, so I inject B12 regularly which helps but I also needed an iron infusion last year and I feel I am ready for another one. The fact i do not convert T4 tonT3 means my thyroidism is not treated adequately either. Unfortunately the B12 levels accepted as low are much too low in the UK. I was fainting even while sitting down before I had B12 injections. Yet I had to fight very hard with my GP to be prescribed these!

Indeed the Pernicious Anaemia Society has been incredibly helpful in supporting me to get B12.

They are brilliant.

[HLAB35 in reply to twinkleyt]

Absolutely yes to helvella - you really should check your b12, folate and iron levels. If you have symptoms all the more reason to. The problem is that often b12 deficiency symptoms are missed as they are attributed to 'old age' which means nothing, or to another condition e.g. hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, a lot of GPs have become 'normalised' to cognitive and neurological decline which is shocking really. There was once a time when people considered morbidity in childbirth quite normal, these days it would be considered a huge medical failure. It would be nice if GPs were equally diligent about caring for the elderly.