I have been to my consultant today and he is referring me to a cardiologist as he detects an irregular heart beat. Is this something anyone else has experienced. He tells me it can be linked to the thyroid condition that I have. I really find it hard to believe that I now have another debilitating condition on top of everything else. Would love to hear of other’s experiences. Ann
Bit despondent : I have been to my consultant... - Thyroid UK
Bit despondent
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Ann-Simpson
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I have arrhythmia, heart block and microvascular angina and have just had a pacemaker implanted, whether it's thyroid related or not is anyone's guess.
Yes Ive been told there is a link too by my cardiologist. Its a difficult one, especially as current treatment regimes errs very much towards undertreatment ........not treating hypothyroidism optimally long termly does cause heart problems.....but thats a hot potato in the endo world!!!
I have developed P-Afib which simply means intermittant irregular heart beat. Mines likely to be due to cancer treatment in the past.
Its good you're going to be seen in cardiology. Though I know its a shock to find your body is playing up!! Lol....
I have started with odd heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation) and am treated for hypothyroidism. I'm 75. Medics suspect my High levo dose is causing the p roblem, so I am going to see an endo as well as a cardiologist and arrythmia nurse. Have to wait and see what the out come is. My health problems do not feel very severe. I feel very well. I don't have any obvious difficulties, I lead a healthy lifestyle, lots of exercise etc. but these factors don't seem to be taken into account by professionals.It's a tick box exercise which seems to decide action and dictate the need for more and more medication. Not happy.
Try popping magnesium 2 x tablets when it kicks off. Seems to do the trick for me
SlowDragonAdministrator
Are you supplementing magnesium?
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
Government recommends everyone supplement October to April
gov.uk/government/news/phe-...
Magnesium is important for heart and bones
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Bone pain
easy-immune-health.com/pain...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
intechopen.com/books/cell-s...
If vitamin D is low, B vitamins may be too. As explained by Dr Gominack
drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thank you and will look into the spray vit D and magnesium. I take vit B12 and vit D daily but in pill form.
I actually just had a 24hr holter monitor taken off yesterday, as my heart skips beats many times a day the past month or so and I am battling being very hypo atm. The doctors say that this test will help determine, with other bloods taken, wether it is from my thyroid, or hereditary heart disease than runs through my family.
Irregular heartbeat is common hypothyroid symptom
And Is this a serious problem and if so what outcome can I expect from the medics I wonder
You may find adding magnesium makes significant improvement
Getting vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested too
The thyroid and heart are of course connected. The T3 hormone is needed in every cell of the body and that includes cells of the heart.
Do you know your T3 level ? It is Low T3 that can cause symptoms.
There is a book on Amazon - Thyroid and Heart Failure - all research papers looking at the heart and thyroid. It is expensive but you can look inside on-line and read the contents. The book was written by an Endocrinologist and a Cardiologist - who came together for the purposes of research.
One of the problems in medicine today is that there are too many boxes - cardiologists - gastroenterologist- uroligist- ENT - Gynaecologists - endocrinologists and so on. Very rarely are we looked at as a WHOLE.
Search the internet for - Low T3 Syndrome and hearts PubMed - and read what appears.
EDIT: I see from earlier posts of yours you are taking T3 . 4 months ago you mentioned you would post test results - cannot see them. Did you go back on Tiromel ?
Ditto Marz . I had palpitations for years on T4 only . When low dose T3/NDT was added it calmed my palpitations. The heart has T3 receptor sights . T3 is very valuable especially for those of us that don't convert T4 to T3 well.
Hello my latest results are as follows
TSH 0.05 (0.2-5.5)
Free T4 18.2 (10.0-24.5)
Free T3 (5.3 (3.1-6.8)
With these results and the worry of the irregular heart beat the consultant has reduced my T 4 to 100mcgs daily and I remain on 18.5mcgs T3 daily.
I take vit D daily. But should look into the spray rather than pill form. Do not take magnesium but maybe should look into that too. I did return to the Timorel but can’t honestly notice any difference. Symptoms are extreme fatigue, and muscle weakness. Will look up the book you mention. I have had a heart murmur for some years now, but mostly the medics have not seen this as a problem. Will hopefully see a cardio soonish, It you are right the medics don’t seem good at joining up the dots. I have a son who is an A and E nurse and he has a different approach too!!! I do appreciate all the good advice from you all thank you
Mitral valve prolapse is more common with hashimoto’s
webmd.com/heart/news/199911...
verywellhealth.com/mitral-v...
Recommend you get vitamin D, folate ferritin and B12 levels tested
If your FT3 was over range then I could understand a reduction in dose. Low B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD - can cause cardio irregularities.
How much VitD are you taking and what was your result before supplementing ?
Did you look up the book on Amazon ?
I did and have ordered one recommended called common murmurs arrhythmia and myopathie of the heart by James Lawrence who says he specialises in thyroid related problems. The other book is very expensive!
Yes it is expensive - my suggestion was to Look Inside - and read the contents where you will see T3 is the star of the show ☆☆
Glad you have found something ☆
Thank you but don’t know how to look inside! But I am hoping that the book I have bought secondhand will be interesting.
I have an irregular heartbeat, and after ECGs and 24 hour ECG and an echocardiogram, they said mine were ectopic beats and maybe linked to Perimenopause. I am 48. I was offered pills but the specialist doctor said if he was me, he would not take them - but I cannot have HRT to help confirm if it is hormonal, as there is nothing available due to this unfair shortage.
Shortage of what??
Sorry, I should have said. HRT. I am not even sure if that will work but anything has to be worth a try.
Where do you live? I’m not aware of any shortage x
Ipswich in Suffolk. There is a shortage all over the UK and has been since late last year. No idea when it's ever coming back. According to the Menopause Society they have stocks but that is totally contradictory to other sites and what Doctors have told me.
Have you seen Zava, and UK Meds? They have it. I’ve just received 3 months of Tibolone from my local pharmacy in Manchester. I have just been in Auckland for a year so wasn’t aware there was any issue.
Glad you are ok but is this another thing the Doctors are lying about to me and not wanting me to get better? I know it sounds paranoid but they never seem interested in making me better. I hate going up there as I know there is no hope of help and get treated like I make it all up.
I know exactly how you feel. I don’t think you’re imagining this either! You could try changing GP but I think they’re all the same in this country. Try going abroad? Lol, desperate measures but I found much better GPS in Auckland. Although their policy on HRT is to only prescribe it for 3 months to treat “menopausal symptoms”. What they meant by that was the hot flushes. The won’t prescribe it long term to treat osteoporosis, even though that’s the gold standard treatment in this country.
Strange how approaches to medicine differ wherever you go!
I have never been abroad and not really well enough to! Also I am terrified about this coronavirus. I just wish I could be believed by doctors. All the tests I had last year confirmed I had slight gallstones and those ectopic beats but still that isn;t enough to convince them. I wish we had footage of how I am at home and how much pain and fear I am in.
Hi Ann-Simpson, apparently there is a connection between irregular heart beat and your Thyroid, I have had it 3 times over the last two years. Nothing to worries your self unless the cardiologist says so don't try and over think it. Hope all goes well at your appointment.
This may not be helpful in your case, but some years ago my GP sent me to a cardiologist as he heard an irregular heart beat & it was a sound he did not recognise. Big stress. I had a scan thing & the cardiologist laughed and said that 1/3 of the population had a heart beat like that. It did sound a bit weird, if you hadn’t come across it before & didn’t know what you were listening for. I was fine. The cardiologist told me to go away & get on with your life. I have.
Hello there,
Can I ask you the following questions before your questions can be answered ?
1) I understand that you have Hashimotos Thyroiditis causing Under-active thyroid and you are taking T4 and T3. What dose are you taking ?
2) What are your last thyroid function tests ?
3) If it is not too intrusive - What age/ age group are you ?
4) How was the irregular heart beat diagnosed ?
5) Did you have any symptoms ?
6) Do you have any previous heart problems, stroke, High BP, Cholesterol, Diabetes ?
Referral to cardiology is the best option if you do have irregular heart beat.
Hello. Have relies to amaze above and hopefully covered all your questions apart from my age! I am 75yrs old and have always been very fit and energetic up until this episode.
Yes. Cardiology were helpful. I find that my ectopic beats are worse when my FT3 is too low. Also said that it's not dangerous. Offered beta blocker but said that they would probably make me feel worse, so I didn't bother. What investigations did you have? 24 hour Holter monitor and echo?
i also have an irregular heart beat. this is due to a heart murmur i developed due to my ongoing hyperthyroidism before treatment. However, it is called an "innocent heart murmur" and as long as the heart itself is healthy and working properly, this causes no problems. I have now been rendered hypothyroid and on medication and the heartbeat is a lot better. A cardiologist will put your mind at ease hopefully about this. Its amazing how many things can go wrong when your thyroid ceases to work properly
Long term untreated thyroid conditions can lead to cardio problems. But you just need to wait and see about the results. Could be any number of different things. Try not to worry if you can. Cross each bridge once you’re there. How long ago were you diagnosed and were you untreated for a long period do you think?
Thank you I have been treated for thyroid problems for over 20 years. But was under treated as many others when the nhs removed T3 from the mix and it wa some time before I went back on it bought in from Turkey . That is when the gluten tolerance began about two years ago and now the heartbeat problem. Will have to take one step at a time as is suggested here.
Gluten free diet is very low in magnesium
Recommend ReMag liquid magnesium developed b6 Dr Carolyn Dean who wrote The Magnesium Miracle
ReMag doesn’t upset the gut
Not cheap, but a large bottle probably lasts 3-5 months
Available on Amazon
Thank you and am about to order what you suggest and hope for the best. Also want to check the manufacture of my medication and am I right in thinking mercury pharmacy is a good one to go for? I have to say changing back to Timorel has not improved things. But need to check the source of the T3 too
We are all different
Personally I wanted to avoid Mercury Pharma as they were the company responsible for vast price hike in T3
So as soon as alternative was available I changed to morningside healthcare T3
I find Morningside better, perhaps a bit stronger. Blister packed and long shelf life too
Thank you and will follow your advice
Is that for T3 and T4 you get Morningside?
T3 morningside healthcare
Levothyroxine I always take Mercury Pharma...
use to be always Eltroxin, By Goldshield until Mercury Pharma bought it up and discontinued Goldshield
Thank you all so much for your helpful replies. I will post my latest results later today. It was the Endo consultant who felt my pulse and said the heartbeat was not regular. I also have a stenosis in the aortic valve with a mild leakage there too. The main symptoms are extreme tiredness breathlessness on exertion and muscle weakness. But it is so reassuring to read your relies, so thank you very much.
Breathlessness can be low iron or ferritin
.....just seen humanbean already said similar
Just checked my iron and ferritin levels.
Taken on the 6th December 2019
Ferritin 50 (10.00-300.00)
Taken on 21th February 2020
Folate 9.00 (>4.0)
So ferritin may be too low.
nahypothyroidism.org/deiodi...
Iron deficiency is shown to significantly reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase reverse T3 levels, and block the thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties of thyroid hormone (238-242). Thus, iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron saturation below 25 or a ferritin below 70, will result in diminished intracellular T3 levels.
Ask GP or endo or heart specialist for full iron panel test
Folate probably ok
What about vitamin D and B12
You might do better with a good quality daily vitamin B complex rather than just B12
On T3 TSH is almost always suppressed. So they should only be looking at Ft3 and Ft4 levels
How do you take your T3?
As split dose, 3 x a day, twice a day or as single dose?
heart.bmj.com/content/84/4/...
Over replacement with thyroxine?
There is some concern that administering thyroxine in a dose which suppresses serum TSH may provoke significant cardiovascular problems, including abnormal ventricular diastolic relaxation, a reduced exercise capacity, an increase in mean basal heart rate, and atrial premature contractions.12 Apart from an increase in left ventricular mass index within the normal range, these observations have not been verified.13 Moreover, there is no evidence, despite the findings of the Framingham study, that a suppressed serum TSH concentration in a patient taking thyroxine in whom serum T3 is unequivocally normal is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation.
Low TSH no heart issues
academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...
In summary, patients on long-term T4 with either an increased serum TSH (>4 mU/liter) or a suppressed TSH (<0.03 mU/liter) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, dysrhythmias, and fractures when compared with patients with a TSH within the laboratory reference range. Patients with a low, but not suppressed, TSH (0.04–0.4 mU/liter) had no increased risk of these outcomes in this study.
Thank you and will certainly request this test when I see the GP or consultant. My B12 level is 302 (180-1000) taken on the 21st January 2020 but you have also suggested I take a vit Bcomplex rather than purely B12
Forgot to say I taketheT3 in two doses 12.5mcg in the morning and 6.25 mugs at lunch time
That’s a very Long time between lunch time dose and following morning
Personally I absolutely have to take as 3 doses
10mcg at 7am
5mcg at 3pm
5mcg at 11pm
Equal 8 hour gap between each dose
You could try 3 x 6.25mcg at 8 hour gap
Thank you and you are right. I will pay more attention as to the time gaps.
Doesn’t suit everyone....but worth a try
Others find single dose works best. I couldn’t tolerate that at all
You're checking it out ... good girl. The best thing you can do is stay calm. Know that as long as you are putting one foot in front of the other toward checking things out, then looking at the next thing as it comes up ..just one thing at a time, you are doing fine. Irregular heartbeat is very very common and usually not a concern. You will find out today what kind of irregularity it is, with some idea of what to do about it, if anything. If you don't even feel anything unusual in your chest, it's not an emergency. Breathe deeply and slowly until you can think rationally with no fear. This approach has gotten me through two heart ablations, and years of tachycardia due to non-absorption of potassium. Whatever you have to do, you can do without reducing the quality of your life by giving away the present moment to panic. Love yourself enough to take those deep slow breaths.
Personal anecdote ...
Low iron and/or low ferritin disturbs my heart rhythm. If I allow my levels to drop I get problems with my heart rhythm and also tachycardia (fast heart rate).
My iron and ferritin levels are usually reasonably good but they do drop rapidly if I let them, so I have to take a maintenance dose of iron to keep levels as close to optimal as I can.
I have also found that taking magnesium citrate and potassium gluconate supplements (at the dose specified on the bottle - I don't take huge amounts) also helps to smooth out any irregularity.
Thank you for your message am I allowed to ask you from where you get the vitamins
I don't have one particular brand or supplier - they vary. I buy what I can afford online having checked reviews on sites like Amazon.
The websites I use for most of my purchases are Amazon, Healthmonthly, and Ebay.
I forgot to say...
I buy my iron supplements (ferrous fumarate 210mg) from high street and supermarket pharmacies in the UK.
I have irregular heart beats. I have been fitted with a heart monitor for the third time. Turning it in tomorrow. And next week I will have the results from my cardio Dr. Went from 9 to 13. Exposures. Slippes alot to.
I have arrhythmia and wear 24 he heart .monitor. See cardiologist next week. So I will ask if its from my thyroid CANCER. Yrs ago. Or it is fairly history somewhere down the road.
Also, I’d like to just throw this into the mix. I’m not disputing the connection between thyroid disease and heart disease, as this is well documented.
However, there can be other causes of arrhythmia. For example, intolerance of salicylic acid and it’s derivatives. This chemical is in liquid soaps, shower gels, aspirin, ibuprofen, aloe vera, cleansers, face creams, antibacterial acne preparations, and many more.
So it is also worth considering if something else could be causing the irregular heart beat.
Thank you for your message and will think about that when buying different items, but mostly don’t use the items you mention but helpful advice.
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