My 23 year old daughter has a long list of symptoms that could suggest Hypothyroidism (I am her dad and was diagnosed in my 20s). Fatigue, thinning hair, tinnitus, cold intolerance, sore joints etc. But she has a high resting heart rate - sits between 90 - 135. Is it possible to have a high heart rate if you have hypothyroidism? Or would you say that it rules it out? She has just had a ANA blood test for lupus - awaiting the results. We have fingers and toes crossed it's not lupus - it appears a lot harder to treat than Hypothyroidism.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
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DadandDaughter
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Yes, it is possible to have a high heart rate with hypothyroidism, although many doctors (wrongly) assume it is only related to hyperthyroidism.
I'm hypothyroid. A few years ago my own heart rate was up around 150 and I ended up in hospital being checked out for heart problems. This problem happened several times over a period of 2 or 3 years but nobody could find the cause.
In the end I fixed my own problem by optimising my ferritin (iron stores) - my iron levels were in my boots and doctors were of little use in fixing it so I fixed it myself. So, perhaps your daughter has low iron?
Low nutrients are extremely common in hypothyroidism, partly because the condition reduces stomach acid production as one of its effects. Without sufficient stomach acid food is broken down poorly, digested poorly, and nutrients are absorbed poorly.
I have also discovered that my heart rate goes uncomfortably high if I eat lots of carbs and lots of sugar. I know I'm not diabetic or pre-diabetic, but I suspect I'm insulin resistant. I suspect your daughter is unlikely to have this at her age, but its something to keep in mind.
Obviously having the wrong levels of thyroid hormones (too much or too little) can cause heart problems of various kinds.
And another possibility... Does your daughter eat a good diet? Eating a poor diet, with or without thyroid problems, can have lots of effects on nutrients and energy levels, and this can then lead to heart rate issues and even chest pain.
Avocados have 20 different vitamins and minerals in and spinach 13. Being veggie is fine as long as you also have good supplements! Make sure they check her vitamin D. Hashimoto’s patients often have low vitamin D which can cause strange symptoms that mimic thyroid systems.
Thank you, that explains some of my symptoms too! Sometimes I wake up feeling quite unwell with the pulse pounding in my ears and maybe a slight headache. One time it was so loud that, for a few seconds, I couldn't hear external sounds.
The feeling goes off quickly after I get up and move around, but my resting pulse remains quite high, usually in the mid 80s. That may not be very accurate as I just take the wrist pulse with my fingers, but gives some idea. Sometimes when I lie down the pulse also feels much stronger than when upright - especially if I'm "Hypo-tired" which is nothing like normal tiredness.
She was tested for low B12 which was low and has been put on 6 weekly injections. No improvement on symptoms. Her hands and wrists are especially painful.
Should be able to they test instrinic factor for antibodies, usually this test is carried out straight away if low b12 found to test for Pernicious Anemia, as my daughter had this done but im in Aus so not sure where you are, but i would ask gp to do this.
Also sounds like she has some sort of auto immune going on as i see your reffered to rheumatologist, people on b12 injections often feel worse before better and after loading doses are then put on a maintenance dose every 2-3 months, being vegetarian it could well be just diet related but i would still ask for instrinic factor test.
Doctors never seem to think outside the box sadly. Ask them to test Vit D, B12, folate and Ferritin as those are the four that are recommended to help the Thyroid work better. She then needs to supplement to get them optimal, not just in range. When I tested I was extremely low in Ferritin and VIT D. In fact it took me nearly a year to raise Ferritin but I got there and have never looked back. If your daughter needs to supplement though it’s usually for life as being thyroid patients we easily lose these levels so need to keep topping up but she may, once optimal, , find a maintenance dose to keep them there. But it was a life changer for me as I felt so much better. At first I could only find low doses of Ferritin but I remember being in a cruise and taking about 15 tablets of it every day so once home I went to a well know shop which also dealt with prescriptions and said did they sell a higher dose over the counter. Yes they did but I could’ve find them. I had never thought as a white haired elderly lady to look in the pregnancy area! But start one at a time in case one upsets and then she can tell which is the problem. Many of us are Vit D deficient in the Yk but if she needs to supplement that she needs the co factors of K2 and magnesium. When we take Vit D it also increases our calcium levels in the blood. It’s not good to increase that as we can then be more likely to get either kidney stones, gall stones and calcified muscle. My calcium went over range quite quickly but once o knew about the co factors it dropped very quickly to mid range where it had been before. The K2 takes the calcium out of the blood and sends it to the bone and teeth and the magnesium locks it in there. K2 is more expensive than the others and it’s unlikely to be given on prescription but it’s necessary and no one wants to develop stones. Remember as well the heart is muscle so we don’t want to compromise that. May well be you would benefit by looking into these vitsetc yourself.
What develops stones? I am taking vitamins D, K2, magnesium and zinc. My magnesium tablet includes some soya, I guess it’s alright. I usually avoid taking soya products as I have Hashimoto thyroid.
Yes I got under active thyroids and I got heart palpitation very fast not all the time in the morning when I first get up but is she on thyroxin Tablets if not go and get a blood test done for thyroids ok it will be wise to do that good luck I noticed that it is hard for me to lose weight since I got diagnosed
more is known about thyroid now by some drs but most don't look for the cause.... and many things can throw it off, not having the right nutrients from food or vitamins in body to support it such as low iron, or estrogen dominance throwing it off, poor sleep, viruses like epv, etc , eating too much processed food, check ferritin, iron, d3, b12, selenium, zinc, thyroid, her hormones etc......this happened to a friend and theirs was off but came back in line....amazing how much poor diet and nutrients effects the entire body...even low d3 alone can make you ache, tired, fatigue etc
Before I was (finally!) diagnosed as hypothyroid, doctors were checking this that and the other thing to explain my classic hypothyroid symptoms. On a 24-hour urine collection, I was diagnosed as having a "male-pattern output of cortisol." I assume that means that mine was higher than is considered normal for females, but no treatment was offered.
Over the years I began smoking more and more and drinking more and more coffee and diet coke. I'd drink about 6 cups of coffee and had 2 Big Gulps starting around noon. I'm fairly sure these things combined to make my heart rate fast.
Now that I'm being treated for hypothyroidism, I have completely stopped smoking (although I still chew 3 pieces of 4 mg. nicotine gum per day) and drink about 3 cups of coffee. I am down to one 12-ounce can of diet coke. 7-11 says that a Big Gulp cup holds 30 ounces.
I expect she has adrenal issues as well or possibly an issue with the vagus nerve (look this up) or Mitral valve ... all possible with hypo....
Heart palps have occurred in me and my daughter... In fact, my daughter was hospitalised for tachycardia. They thought it could be heart failure, P.o.T.S or Addison's (look these up).
Best thing is to get fully tested (and have an ECG) and look into getting electrolyte levels good with a good balance of minerals (such as iron**) and vitamin C which is what I have done. Magnesium serum levels are generally good in most of us, but our cellular levels can be dire, but frustratingly, a blood test will not show a deficiency. Low cellular magnesium, very often correlated with low vitamin D*, can cause heart issues as magnesium brings muscles out of spasm. Dr Carolyn Dean talks about it in her blogs and her books (she is a Magnesium expert who worked in cardiology).
*Magnesium raises vitamin D levels... if we have low vitamin D despite sunshine and supplementing it is likely we have low Magnesium.
** Always test iron before supplementing. Some people with hypo have excess iron.
Yes definitely possible to have higher heart rate. As you are aware, even 90 is too high a resting heart rate in someone so young. There maybe many things causing it such as a temperature (even slight can raise) infection, inflammation, deficiency of vitamins etc. A blood test is needed & most importantly first of all an ecg. The heart needs to be checked to see if any cardiac abnormalities, once that’s checked & found to be good then it’s blood tests for answers. Good luck. Ps: if she exercises, be really careful to keep an eye on heart rate. Any pain or severe shortness of breath whilst exercising is a massive red flag & needs investigating immediately.
Thanks for this. She is a very keen netball player, but has struggled through sessions lately, she said that she finds it very hard to take a full breath and finds it very painful. So worrying!
Find out exactly what GP has tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet
For full Thyroid evaluation your daughter needs TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if she has autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Presumably you have hashimoto’s? If so there’s a strong genetic link
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
Tinnitus often low B12
Sore joints low vitamin D
Thinning hair low ferritin
Heavy periods are common when hypothyroid....obviously can make low iron and ferritin worse
You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
When on levothyroxine.....Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose 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)
Is this how you and your daughter do your tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies
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
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )
Your daughter is legally entitled to printed copies of her blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
I dont know what sort of thyroid problem I have - I just take the table the doctor gives to me and I seem fine. I was diagnosed in my 20s, but didn't realised till years later what the tablet was for. I was seriously ill at the time with a portal vein blood clot (now have a stent) - so my thyroid was never mentioned, I was just put on meds.
My daughter is really suffering at the moment - especially as the doctor seems to think its in her head!
She is B12 deficient and has injections (but she is a strict vegetarian which may explain deficiency).
She is a netball player and profession coach - and is really struggling at the moment due to her symptoms. Especially her hands at the moment which seem to have bone spurs (very tender and they swell up) - she is on the waiting list with the NHS to see a RA consultant.
She has heavy, long and painful periods which you mentioned.
The problem we have at the moment is getting a diagnosis - she has been checked for Thyroid disease by the doctor but they came back normal?
If we have the test privately that you mention - do you think our doctor would analyse them for us?
When supplementing B12 important to also supplement vitamin B complex too
But get folate tested first
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results
Mine pre-medication was 84-88. It’s the same rate now, but my pulse is easy to feel whilst previously I had to lie very still to feel my pulse in my carotid artery.
Hi , I have an under active thyroid and my heart rate is high , it’s usually just over 100 bpm but can go as high as 160 but I also have svt , so no the fast heart rate does not rule out an under active thyroid as even with svt my normal rate is high
I’ve always had a fast heartbeat since long before hypothyroidism, so for 30-40 years. I had loads of tests a few years ago and was told my hear is healthy, just fast. But just recently it was becoming uncomfortable because it was around 150 so I’ve started beta blockers.
I expect that low iron is quite likely then, but test first; low zinc is also possible when vegetarian - both are needed for healthy thyroid and adrenal function.
Hi I am not sure about heartrate However I tested positive for ANA and rheumatologist said it was more likely that I had thyroid problems than lupus as ANA is also a test for autoimmune conditions Good luck with getting the correct dagnosis
Same here, Rheumy says he doesn’t know what’s going on, but I’ve got ongoing inflammation of autoimmune origin, I have positive TPO and TGab, high IgM , and ESR, but negative ANA
My resting heart rate was always 80bpm. After Hashimoto's and going on thyroid medication, it increased. At one point it was running 150. It now hovers around 100 or higher. It seems to worsen when my blood pressure decreases. Last night it was 131 and bp was 83/67. I have a balance disorder which affects all of this too.
Hr in adult 60-100 bpm. Anything over 100 at rest needs investigating. Bp in adult 140/80 is important that bottom figure is not raised to much. Over 90 GP check, over 100 hospital.
Remember that also low ferritin causes heavy menses and vice versa. Low ferritin causes air hunger, difficulties to breath deep but also hypo causes it too. Good luck!
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Slow heart rate - is this normal?
is a low heart rate cause to be concerned?
Blood test results, I have lots of symptoms of hypothyroidism, but doctor says within range! 
Low Iron and ferritin levels is this a problem when suffering hypothyroidism ?
