Can I swing to hyper with Hashimotos: Since I was... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,156 members160,846 posts

Can I swing to hyper with Hashimotos

sobs1962 profile image
4 Replies

Since I was taken to hospital a week ago with palpitations and intermittent chest pain and heart is fine, I am still having palpitations and my heart rate is faster than normal but more worryingly I have physical shaking of mainly my hands and have read that you can have hyper swings with Hashimotos,is this true? It appears the doctors think I'm over medicated and I think I have a conversion problem.

Written by
sobs1962 profile image
sobs1962
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
4 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

sobs1962

have read that you can have hyper swings with Hashimotos,is this true?

Yes. Fluctuations in symptoms and test results are common with Hashi's.

When the immune system attacks the thyroid, the dying cells release a lot of thyroid hormone into the blood and this can cause TSH to become suppressed and Free T4 and Free T3 to be very high or over range. These are called 'Hashi's flares' or 'swings'. You may get symptoms of being overmedicated (hyper type symptoms) to go along with these results that look as though you are overmedicated. The hyper swings are temporary, and eventually things go back to normal. Test results settle back down and hypo symptoms may return. Thyroid meds can be adjusted slightly at these times if necessary, but will need readjusting when hypo symptoms return.

Unless a GP knows about Hashi's and these hyper type swings, then they panic and reduce or stop your thyroid meds.

Pioneerkat profile image
Pioneerkat

I was diagnosed with Hashi's in 2011, although I had been on thyroid medication for many years prior to this. In 2014 I went to the emergency room with a heart rate running 130-150 beats per minute continuously and utterly clueless as to why this was happening as I had always taken my thyroid med consistently every morning for many years. Blood work showed in was in very hyper range. Since this has not ever happened before I had a complete workup with cardiologist, including stress test on the treadmill and sonogram. The Doctor concluded I had normal wear of the heart and all valves were working properly. He strongly recommended additional workup with Endocrinologist and said it was most likely my thyroid. I was 55 at the time. The Endo reduced my Levo and I within a week or two I was exhausted with a pulse rate running between the mid 50s-low 60s. I thought I must be hypo again and had blood drawn, and sure enough, I was. My thyroid continued to swing back and forth at least twice a month. Because of the cost of going back to the doc again I decided to adjust my own Levo. This turned out to be a big problem for me as very small adjustments in the levo and trying to keep up with the dump my thyroid was doing was keeping me miserable. I thought I would not have any normalcy in my life. I was also beginning to have diabetic symptoms with blood sugars soaring after eating. This was highly unusual as there is no diabetes withing any immediate family members and I have always been health conscious with a better than average diet. With more research on this I began to suspect my amalgam fillings were contributing to my wild fluctuations with the thyroid as well as the crazy blood sugar fluctuations, high and low. I got a gaba 65 blood test, (hopefully I am remembering the exact name of it) It showed antibodies against my pancreas were high, meaning my body was attacking it as well as my thyroid gland. Endo doc told me I needed to get on insulin which scared me to death. I kept researching and read an excellent thyroid book that talked alot about keeping vitamin D levels up with Hashi's. I started on a very high quality vitamin D supplement, Bio-D-Mulsion Forte and my D level showed above average within a short time. I had had amalgams since the late 70s. I resolved to get them removed and got the last one out in July 2017. Within 6 or 7 months the blood sugar fluctuations lessened and my a1c was showing a much lower number.

I started feeling better and noticed I was having less fluctuations with my thyroid as well. Within a year my a1c was back to normal range, and although I still have mild fluctuations with my thyroid, it is nothing like it was. It is livable now. Thyroid gland is in really bad shape so don't expect perfection but I lead a pretty normal life with it at age 62. I am so thankful I understand how amalgams cause these autoimmune problems. I just wish I had known in my 30s or 40s, before my body destroyed a good part of my thyroid gland. Thankfully my pancreas has been working fine since. Hope this helps.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You may need to go back on low dose propranolol while you get dose levothyroxine high enough, vitamins optimal and Hashimoto’s stable

Perhaps GP would prescribe 10mg tablets ...to take as an when needed

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Have you had vitamin D tested?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You were on 160mg propranolol roughly a month. That was huge dose. Propranolol should be reduced very very slowly

Getting thyroid levels retested ASAP

You may also like...

Can you swing from Hashimotos to Graves?

be done but I have to wait until next week for the MRI These are my latest results, taken two...

Can a cold make you swing from Hypo to Hyper?

cold. I had my thyroid checked last Friday, and I have not heard back from my Endo regarding them...

Hypo hyper thyroid swing

in the search. How long does a hypo hyper swing last? when I have them it can vary between an...

Swinging between hyper and hypo

Does anyone else have this problem? My bloods are being taken fortnightly atm as I swing so...

Hashimotos swings and roundabouts

go onto Armour until T4 is under control. Is that true? Also if TSH is so low it is showing as...