Breathing trouble

[Bobbobby]

Does anyone have breathing trouble associated with hypothyroidism. I went to a pulmonologist and They couldn't find anything wrong with my lungs. I was untreated for a few years and started tirosint a couple months ago. The doctor gave me spiriva and it helps but he has no idea why having trouble breathing. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Heloise]

Try some magnesium glycinate if you haven't already. If you have just been diagnosed you

have some deficiencies and magnesium is exceedingly important.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also test iron, ferritin, vitamin D, folate and B12

Low iron / ferritin often causes breathlessness

But being hypothyroid can also be a cause itself

[MichelleHarris]

Yes I am very breathless still. I dont know why and medics dont care. If I bend down or crouch I’m terribly breathless which worries my partner. I take all the supplements suggested too x

[Marz]

How much are you taking ? How are your levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD ?

[martinpatrick]

Is this recent.

[martinpatrick]

Not related to corona virus I assume you have had for a long time

[alderney]

I had this also and when Dr checked my Iron it was down to 10 and should be about 140 after taking Iron tablets it has cleared up no further breathing problems worth a try.

Best wishes

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bobbobby

They couldn't find anything wrong with my lungs.

The doctor gave me spiriva and it helps but he has no idea why having trouble breathing

Good grief! That's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Spiriva is medication for asthma and COPD (I take Spiriva as I have COPD and Bronchiectasis). If lungs have shown there is nothing wrong - presumably you have had proper lung function tests and chest x-ray - then your doctor is missing something.

I think the first things to be looked at are iron and ferritin, also whether you are optimally medicated for your hypothyroidism.

[Bobbobby]

This has been going on since early December before the covid struck. The spiriva helps but I don't want it if I don't need it. Plus it's expensive too. I do have slightly low iron. Just under accepted levels My endocrinologist says he's not familiar with breathing trouble from a thyroid though I read it happens. So magnesium ferritin and iron might help?

[humanbean in reply to Bobbobby]

Do you have the results for iron and ferritin (iron stores) that were considered "acceptable"? There is a huge difference between "acceptable to doctors" and optimal.

I always get breathless when my iron and ferritin start to drop.

Do you live in the UK?

[Bobbobby in reply to humanbean]

No im in the USA. They didn't check iron specifically. My hemotacrite levels and something else were low I have to find the paper for exact results . My a/b creatine levels are high also. I feel like I'm not getting in oxygen and my throats feels swollen sometimes as well and it's awful.

[Bobbobby in reply to Bobbobby]

Hemoglobin 13.4 and hematocrit is 38.5. I know I need further testing for a diagnosis of anemia. My bun creatine 25 And ag ratio is 2.4. Though my hemoglobin and hematocrit were both normal the month before. None of the doctors seem to take the breathing seriously and I have other issues so it's hard to get through them all especially with the quarantine going on.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bobbobby]

Bobbobby

So magnesium ferritin and iron might help

You can't just take iron tablets. First of all you need to know if you need them, so you need a complete iron panel which tests serum iron, TIBC, Transferrin Saturation percentage and ferritin (all done at the same time). That test needs to be done after a 12 hour fast so the most convenient time is first thing in the morning. This will tell you if you have iron deficiency.

It would also be useful to have a full blood count at the same time then this will tell you if you have iron deficiency anaemia.

If you only have low ferritin and the rest of your iron results are good, then iron tablets are not a good idea because they could take your serum iron too high. You would have to try and raise ferritin another way.

These tests will just show if you have an iron problem (or ferritin problem) that is causing your breathlessness.

Signs and symptoms of Hypothyroidism, breathlessness is listed in the "General" section:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

Signs and symptoms of low ferritin, shortness of breath is listed:

◾Weakness

◾Fatigue

◾Difficulty concentrating

◾Poor work productivity

◾Cold hands and feet

◾Poor short-term memory

◾Difficulty remembering names

◾Dizziness

◾Pounding in the ears

◾Shortness of breath

◾Brittle nails

◾Headaches

◾Restless legs

[Bobbobby in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for the reply. It's crazy how much stuff the thyroid affects! I need to get further testing but it's difficult now with everything going on. What does it feel like? For me it's like there's not enough oxygen and sometimes like my throats is closing as well. It's an awful feeling. None of the doctors are taking it seriously. The spiriva helps but I don't want it especially if I don't need it. He gave it to me as an after thought. I'm hoping when my levels get normal I'll feel better. I'm dead tired all the time and so sore and can't think straight. It's miserable

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bobbobby]

What does it feel like?

What does what feel like?

I expect my COPD and Bronchiectasis feel very different from someone with asthma and again very different from someone who is breathless from low ferritin, but I can't say I'm afraid.

Normally blue Ventolin inhaler would be the first choice when breathlessness is due to lungs, then try others if you don't get on with it, but you would have a lung function test/spirometry first. I think I tried about 3 inhalers before I was prescribed Spiriva, here in the UK Spiriva is more expensive and they don't like spending the money on it, hence blue Ventolin is first choice.

I think what you need is a full thyroid and vitamin panel

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

[Evie7851]

I had problems with breathing when I was over medicated

[Bobbobby in reply to Evie7851]

I thought that might be possible and cut down on some. Does you're hypothyroidism cause issues with your finger? Mine feel cold and stiff a lot

[Evie7851 in reply to Bobbobby]

I have a lot of allergies so I started on tirosint 150 and 20 of t3 which I got breathlessness swollen ankles very tired hard to move even hard to lift my leg to get into my car gained weight all from being over medicated I’m still not 100% but much better I’m taking 125 of tirosint and 10 of t3 I think for me the tirosint is good but I have to watch how much I take because it absorbs better I’ve been lowering the t3 because of sweating I don’t have problems with my fingers and now my legs are much better and the breathlessness is much better

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Evie7851]

Did your sweating go away?

[Evie7851 in reply to Meanbeannyc]

No it didn’t it is sometimes worse than others

[Meanbeannyc in reply to Evie7851]

It is worse?!?! I was on T3 a while back and was sweating , now off T3, still sweating