Nose bleeds : I’ve had a few random nose bleeds... - Thyroid UK

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Nose bleeds

Delgirl82 profile image
39 Replies

I’ve had a few random nose bleeds over the last three months. Just sneeze and then whoosh don’t Nast long only about a minute. Anyone else suffer with this. Never happened before. A little worried it’s a sign of something wrong or might be nothing ?

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Delgirl82 profile image
Delgirl82
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39 Replies
Angel20 profile image
Angel20

Hello Delgirl82

First you may want to eliminate any underlying health conditions, or medications that may cause nose bleeds also check your blood pressure when its dangerously too high it can cause nose bleeds it is deemed to be an emergency.

To stop nose bleeds completely you will need to have your nose cauterized at the hospital under general anesthesia

Hope this is hlepful.

Delgirl82 profile image
Delgirl82 in reply to Angel20

Thanks. Oh dear doesn’t sound good. I have high blood pressure and take tablets. Hope it is under control it has been for years.

It hadn’t bled much but strange how it’s happened s few times recently. I’ll check blood pressure tomorrow morning.

Angel20 profile image
Angel20 in reply to Delgirl82

Best to check, to be on the safe side. Take care.

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply to Angel20

I didn't have a general for cauterisation. Just a spray. It was all over in moments.

Angel20 profile image
Angel20 in reply to FancyPants54

Perhaps they are doing things differently now. I had mine done few years ago, without anesthesia it will be very painful.

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply to Angel20

It was an anaesetic spray up the nose. Worked about the speed of a dental injection. Nose was totally numb for an hour or so. No pain at all.

Angel20 profile image
Angel20 in reply to FancyPants54

Great 😊 good to know

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Your blood pressure doesn't have to be dangerously high to cause nose bleeds. I used to get them from time to time when I was under-medicated for hypo, and had high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a hypo symptoms, so I would also check that you are adequately medicated, too. When did you last have a blood test? Do you have a copy of the results?

Carna profile image
Carna in reply to greygoose

Do you take blood pressure medication? I have highish BP and the GP has tried several medications but I react adversely to them and stopped. The least invasive drug I tried was a diuretic but I am not taking that right now. I always hoped I would lose more weight and the BP sort itself out but neither has happened. It may well be genetic based on family history. I just wondered if there is a medication that is less likely to have side effects.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Carna

No, I don't take blood pressure medication. I did for a while, when I was first diagnosed and the endo insisted. But it didn't do anything to reduce my blood pressure. Since I have been on T3 only, and am no-longer hypo, my blood pressure has come down by itself. :)

Carna profile image
Carna in reply to greygoose

I take 100mcg Levo and 20mcg T3. My BP has remained higher than my GP or me would like although I can bring it down with slow and deep breathing. It doesn't last though.

My Endo increased my Levo to 125mcg as although so much better now with the addition of T3 (since June 2019) I know I am not as I should be. Twice this has been done and several weeks down the line I get racing and thumping heart - the kind you can 'hear'. I dropped back to 100mcg Levo again and it has taken a few weeks but the racing and thumping has subsided but my pulse is still quite fast although better than it was.

I am waiting until I have another blood test before contacting my Endo again and I would like to suggest to her that maybe reducing the Levo further and upping the T3 would be beneficial for me.

What persuaded you/your endo that T3 only was best for you and what sort of dose would one expect to take of that alone please. Thank you.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Carna

What endo? lol I self-treat because I've never seen an endo that had a clue what s/he was talking about.

Why did I decide to try T3 only? Because I tried T4 only, T4+T3, NDT, and was very ill on all of them. T3 only was a last ressort.

But, probably the reason I was ill on the other types of hormone - well, one of the reasons, anyway - was that I wasn't getting enough T3. I need 75 mcg T3 to be well. But that's just me. We need what we need. Some people need more that that. A lot of people need less. You just have to keep raising your dose slowly until you find the dose you need.

Carna profile image
Carna in reply to greygoose

Thank you. That is really interesting. Especially re your BP. I have been down the same routes as you with only T4, NDT and T4 and T3. I did well on NDT to start with then there was a product problem and I crashed. Back to T4 and was so ill. Now T4 and T3 and best I have been for years but still tired, sleep badly, high BP and overweight. Still a bit foggy but not as bad. I do find I get so distracted, can't concentrate. Did you also have weight gain. I am probably two stone overweight. I can starve myself and exercise as much as I am able but apart from a half a stone up and down I can't shift it!

My next question.... do you get a prescription for T3 or are you sourcing it yourself? If so am I allowed to ask where you get a reliable source from? Thanks again.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Carna

Yes, I was well on Armour to begin with. Then they changed the formulation. But right from the start I put on weight with it. By the time I changed to T3 only, I was the size of a whale! But, it's water-weight, not fat. And that's probably why you can't lose your excess weight by starving yourself.

I did get my T3 prescribed at first but it was a battle every time I wanted an increase. GPs/endos don't like you taking as much as I need. So, I went back to self-treating. But, I don't have a reliable source that I would recommend at the moment.

Carna profile image
Carna in reply to greygoose

Thank you for your help. I will wait until I get my next results and then send to my endo with the suggestion as I can't seem to take more Levo would she agree to me having an increase in T3 instead. I might ask her about being on T3 only and see what she says. I know my mother in law was on T3 only and was really good but they have just changed her back to Levo. She seems ok and I have voiced concern to other family members but its not my call to interfere further. Perhaps if you do get a reliable source you could DM me please just in case I feel the need to go it alone.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Carna

Will do. :)

Carna profile image
Carna in reply to greygoose

Thank you.

I said to someone the other day that having to fight for what you need when you are really not fit enough to fight is the reality of trying to be well when you are hypo. I will get there!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Carna

Well, that's exactly it. And, I think doctors know it, and take advantage!

humanbean profile image
humanbean

I find that nose bleeds and gum bleeds are eliminated when I take Vitamin C. I take 1g (1000mg) tablets. I don't take them unless I have to because the acid irritates my stomach.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply to humanbean

Exactly right

T3sortedme profile image
T3sortedme

I had my nose cauterised a year ago because of regular nose bleeds and worse on blood thinner. The doctor used a nasal stick with silver nitrate and placed it carefully up my nose on the blood vessels. It makes a chemical ‘burn’ and seals off the surface blood vessels. Relatively painless and took 5 minutes. Inside my nose was sore for a few days after. Your GP may be able to do it. It’s not difficult. Very effective.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to T3sortedme

I had this done by a GP about 40 years ago, after I developed a persistent nose bleed after a heavy cold. Worked like a charm!

asidist profile image
asidist in reply to T3sortedme

Thanks Delgirl82 for asking and T3sortedme and others who have replied. What a godsend this forum is - I wish I had thought to ask about this here! Doctors can be absolutely useless sometimes. Ive been having almost daily nosebleeds - mentioned to two doctors a few months in and neither informed me about the option of cauterization. It’s been over a year and half now and I just figured there was no great solution! Have googled a few times as well and for some reason never come across cauterization, or perhaps just didn’t think it was an option for me if I did.

T3Sortedme, @humanbean, and/or others who have done this - did you notice any diminishing of your sense of smell or any other side effects?

T3sortedme profile image
T3sortedme in reply to asidist

I can’t say as I lost my sense of smell well before then. There is no reason it should affect smell that I know of.

asidist profile image
asidist in reply to T3sortedme

Sorry to hear :/. And thanks, I’ll look into it online to make sure.

Not sure I tagged humanbean properly the first time so trying again

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to asidist

I've had an excellent sense of smell for most of my life, so the cauterising of blood vessels in my nose had no effect on it.

My sense of smell actually started to seriously fade away when I gave up smoking (about 10 or 11 years ago), which was then followed by my hypothyroidism getting worse. This is quite common in many people who smoked, but I don't think it is common knowledge amongst smokers.

asidist profile image
asidist in reply to humanbean

phew, thanks!

it does seem odd that quitting smoking would affect smell negatively. is tobacco or nicotine thought to boost thyroid functioning?

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to asidist

I was actually referring to my hypothyroidism getting worse as a result of giving up smoking, I wasn't suggesting that my sense of smell got worse by giving up smoking. Sorry for being unclear.

The reasons for giving up smoking causing more people to start suffering from hypothyroidism (or for an existing case to get worse) are not understood, as far as I know.

asidist profile image
asidist in reply to humanbean

ah, gotcha. that's interesting though!

vocalEK profile image
vocalEK in reply to humanbean

My theory is that we were using nicotine (and in my case, also lots of caffeine) to keep up energy and alertness levels. When the nicotine went bye-bye, so did energy and alertness. I can't say how any of that relates to blood levels of thyroid hormones. Perhaps low thyroid hormones caused the problems which we covered up by the self-medicating with stimulants. Looking into this would be a good research project.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to vocalEK

Yes, I agree. I feel like I need a stimulant every day now!

On a more serious note, some years ago (quite a while after I stopped smoking) I bought some nicotine pills (used to help people give up smoking) as an experiment borne out of desperation. They made me feel dreadful so I don't think that taking up smoking again would work as a stimulant for me any more. :D

Margo profile image
Margo

I have had nose bleeds most of my life I don't have high blood pressure, but I have always had thyroid problems and now no thyroid. My nose has been cauterised several times to no avail. I find that if I am medicated sufficiently I get the bleeds rarely.

I don't know if it is anything to worry about. Any other symptoms? When I was in my teens quite a few people in my class had this - including me. After one of my friends had her nose cauterized to stop it I decided not to tell anyone and by the time I got married it had gone and never came back. Still no idea what caused it.

Rosebud1955 profile image
Rosebud1955

Hi Delgirl,

Thanks for posting. I have been suffering from occasional nose bleeds as well, they come on randomly and only for a short time. Never had them all my life, only started since I had my thyroids removed three years ago. I agree, doctors are useless, they down play everything when they don’t have a solution. A friend of mine who had her thyroid removed four years ago is also having the same problem. She ever had nose bleeds prior to thyroid disease. She had them cauterized at least three times, I feel it’s only putting bandaid on the wound, they need to do further investigation to get to the root of the problem. I must say that my levels have never been optimal since surgery. It’s such a travesty when we can’t even turn to our doctors for medical help, what good are they?????

It’s strange that all the G.Ps here in Canada went into hiding since COVED-19, yet the pharmacists, Nurses, Paramedics, Grocery store workers and many others are still out there doing their jobs. I’ve had to go to the emergency room twice for something that my GP could have addressed, waiting 4-6 hours on a chair in the E.R, putting myself at risk of contracting COVED. VERY SAD. I have lost all confidence in them.

Sorry you’re suffering with these nose bleeds, I think it might well be a thyroid issue, but sill get it investigated if you can.

Take care!

asidist profile image
asidist

hi Delgirl82, wanted to also follow up on your question and others' responses in case it helps. i personally have low blood pressure, but my thyroid hormone levels (T3 specifically) have long run low, so that could be a factor in my daily nosebleeds as others have noted it was for them. i too worry about the bleeding since for me its been so long, not to mention it's annoying to deal with every day. in any case, i supplement with iron to at least make sure I don't become anemic, and now def planning to look into the cauterization option since i'm not sure how long it will take to get my thyroid levels in order.

best of luck & hope the bleeding resolves for both of us

TSH110 profile image
TSH110

I had frequent nose bleeds before diagnosis but these went away once my hypothyroidism (atropic autoimmune) was brought under control with thyroid replacement therapy. I have high blood pressure now - it was very low previously (only systolic ie the higher one, the diastolic still low) but no nose bleeds so mine had something to do with lack of thyroxine not elevated blood pressure.

Boonie profile image
Boonie

I had sinusitis I do suffer at least once a year

From March until may this year I had horrific nose bleeds never suffered with them before, up and down the hospital everyday my nose was cauterised, packed several times then after a really bad bout I had the balloon put up my nostril sstayed overnight and touch wood they appear to have stopped

The hospital think that as I take thyroxine and the dr gave me a nose spray (never had before) as well as normal antibiotics something , prob the spray didn’t gel and weakened my nose blood vessels

Please let yr do know if u r taking something u don’t normally

Carna profile image
Carna

Is it the same nostril? I used to get and had a blood vessel cauterised three times and I still got them. The GP said three attempts was about it. I then read about the drying out of the blood vessel - especially where there is damage - can cause it to be more susceptible to bleeding. It suggested putting vaseline up the nostril and it absolutely worked for me. If I stop doing it for a while I get a nose bleed! Just a little every night sorts it for me.

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54

I never have nose bleeds. Never. Not as a child or at any other time. Then, one month near the start of my Levo journey, the pharmacist gave me Teva brand tablets. I took them on day one and the morning of day two and then literally poured with blood from my nose for an hour. It was terrifying.

My husband gets lots of nose bleeds so he was able to reassure me and keep mopping. It didn't help that I was getting washed in the morning when it happened so was naked and couldn't control it long enough to get clothes on. Eventually it slowed and stopped. I was shaken to the core. I saw my GP that afternoon. BP was fine. Over the course of the next week I had several more spontaneous bleeds but not as bad, bad enough mind. And then I thought about the Teva and stopped it, going back to Almus. No more nose bleeds. For a while I was prone to them if I blew hard or nocked my nose because the veins were damaged from the spontaneous bleeds.

No one believed it was the Teva but I filed a yellow card on it. My pharmacist has it on my records not to dispense it for me. I've not experienced anything like that since. I've since had the worst of the veins cauterised, a momentary job at the local hospital and I've been fine since. I have a little polyp inside one nostril now and that can bleed if I blow hard but even then, with me now having to take anticoagulation tablets for a heart arrhythmia, it will be tiny and stop in a couple of minutes. Never do I need more than 1 small tissue.

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