Levothyroxine and palpitations

[Mirabela956]

Hello

I have been overmedicated for @ 3 months and developed thyrotoxicosis(T4 28 and TSH 0.01). I have been twice in A&E in the last 2 months with heart palpitations(@150bpm). I have been on 100mcg levothyroxine while pregnant and they didn’t adjust the dosage afterwards. I stopped levo for about 1 month, and then started slowly on 25mcg, and increased to 50mcg. My blood tests now show T4 13 and TSH 5.1. The thing is that I am aware of my heart beats now. They are under 100bpm, but I am aware of it.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

I don’t know what to do now. I was thinking to stop levothyroxine. ☹️

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

After stopping levothyroxine you are likely to have low Vitamin levels

Important to get vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

Low iron can be responsible for being aware of heart beat

[Mirabela956 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you! I will do that. I also felt extremely tired and they gave me some iron and b supplements over the counter. I am not tired anymore, but the heart beats are annoying.

[greygoose]

Sounds like you have Hashi's. Have you had your antibodies tested?

[Mirabela956 in reply to greygoose]

Hi. Yes I have Hashimotos, they tested last year.

[greygoose in reply to Mirabela956]

OK, so that's probably why your FT4 went up to 28, rather than being over-medicated. 100 mcg levo is only a small dose.

You are now under-medicated, and need an increase in dose. You certainly cannot stop the levo. Hashi's doesn't go away, it continues to attack your thyroid until it is completely dead. You need to bring your TSH down to 1 or under to feel well. So, ask your doctor for a 25 mcg increase in dose.

[Mirabela956 in reply to greygoose]

My GP will call me until midday and I will mention about this. Hopefully I can get it sorted. I will attach the letter from the endocrinologist.

[greygoose in reply to Mirabela956]

The majority of doctors know nothing about Hashi's, nor how it works. So, you might have to explain it to him/her!

[Mirabela956 in reply to greygoose]

That’s terrible. ☹️

[greygoose in reply to Mirabela956]

I know. But, they just get very little training in thyroid in med school.

[JAmanda]

Not a doctor but... Lots of evidence and experience on here, including my own, that palpitations go once tsh is down to around 1. Why would you think stopping levo would help? If you were OK while pregnant on 100, wouldn't you be ok on 75 now? Your t4 could certainly go higher.

[Mirabela956 in reply to JAmanda]

I just took 75mcg today. For any reason Endo thought I was taking 25mcg and recommended to increase to 50.

[Mirabela956]

My TSH is now 5, so the palpitations should go away.

I just heard a lot of women going in remission while pregnant, and I was one of those not having any symptoms while pregnant.

I was thinking it is maybe because of levo. 🤦‍♀️

[magsyh in reply to Mirabela956]

Why would the palpitations go away with a TSH of 5? You are very under medicated. I can sympathize with you because I have had palpitations too and I know I'm under medicated and I am paranoid now about my heart rate. I only get palpitations during the night and I was at the stage I was scared to go to bed. I wasn't getting sleep and the less sleep I got the worse the palpitations became. It got to stage of 4-5 times a night. I'm now on 10mg of propranolol before bed and now I'm sleeping. I don't want to stay on beta blockers but all my GP will offer me is antidepressants and I'm not going down that route. My hormones are all messed up and much too low. I'm waiting for an appointment with a private hormone specialist and I hope it will get fixed. Just having a baby may have effected your hormonal balance and your hashimotos. The only real way to control that is to suppress your TSH. I don't have hashimotos. Maybe check your adrenals as I discovered I had low cortisol and raising levo with low cortisol is not easy so many things could be causing the difficulties

[Mirabela956 in reply to magsyh]

Thank you for your reply. That’s what the endocrine nurse told me, that I shouldn’t get palpitations anymore. For some reason the Endocrinologist thought I was on 25mcg and recommended to go up to 50, but if I feel fine with 25 I can continue with this dosage.

I am planning to see a functional doctor. I sick of all this. ☹️

[Mirabela956 in reply to Mirabela956]

I also have Propranolol and I take it when I feel that my heart is jumping, but I don’t have many tablets left.

[MamaMay33]

Hi Mirabela, just wanted to say you are not alone.. i did the medichecks test with vitamins like others have suggested and it flagged up low ferritin which they'd never checked, i had a repeat NHS test which was under range and was prescribed iron 3 weeks ago i don't want to jinx it but I'm feeling a little better but also now take the ingennus B complex, selenium, zinc, vitamin d, vitamin e and magnesium so it could be any of those which may have helped me feel slightly more human?? It's hard to find the energy with a little one but i felt amazing throughout my pregnancy and crashed after the birth and have never been right since.. I can't comment about your medication because I'm desperately waiting for a trial. Could your doctor maybe prescribe a emergency medicine to help when your heart rate is crazy?? They prescribed me propranolol for emergencies and that saved a few trips to a & e but made my circulation even worse and i felt as if i had hypothermia, i now take a daily calcium channel blocker but obviously my Hashimoto's is not medicated so I'm unsure about medicine interactions but i hope you feel better soon x

[Mirabela956]

Thank you so much for your comment. I used to feel like very tired too, and a pharmacist recommended me some iron tablets with b complex from floradix and actually feel better with my energy levels. I will mention to my GP to check my vitamins levels.

[Mirabela956 in reply to Mirabela956]

I have propranolol too, just 8 tablets left. I didn’t use it in the past month.

[MamaMay33 in reply to Mirabela956]

I'm sure if it's helping and you need more you'll be able to have it on repeat?? I begged my doctor to check my iron levels due to extremely heavy cycles and they just said your rbc counts are fine so wouldn't agree to the test!! I'm very glad i paid for the medichecks test as the only vitamin check my doctor agreed to was Vitamin D which was also low.. I think it's worse because there is no real pattern to the crazy hr and if it were anxiety at least you could avoid possible triggers etc but when its spontaneous and relentless it's very scary.. Mine is usually worse in the early hours and wakes me up it's so bad but its usually around ovulation or right before my period and i usually have trouble with a horrendous sore throat and problems regulating my temperature and painful joints especially my fingers which gives me a heads up! I'm guessing it's a flare linked to my hormones?? for me personally the calcium channel blocker has really helped but it doesn't suit everybody. If they won't check your vitamins you might have to pay for the private testing, it's like getting blood from a stone if you're like me and not strict enough with the gp but worth a try 😊

[Mirabela956 in reply to MamaMay33]

I am very lucky that we go in my husbands country where everything is cheaper. I was planning to get an endoscopy and zonulin test, and now I will do vitamins check as well if GP is refusing. Still waiting for the phone call.🤦‍♀️

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mirabela956]

Propranolol slows down the rate and uptake of levothyroxine

It’s used to treat hyperthyroid patients

Your very under medicated and need dose increase in levothyroxine

Likely very low vitamin levels as direct result

Vitamin levels need to be optimal on levothyroxine, we frequently need to supplement to improve

Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

[MamaMay33 in reply to SlowDragon]

I didn't know that SlowDragon but explains why i felt so terrible on propranolol! Maybe your doctor could recommend something more suitable Mirabela, fingers crossed x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MamaMay33]

I was stuck on propranolol for almost 20 years!

More on my profile

Getting thyroid levels improved, all four vitamins optimal and often strictly gluten free diet

For me ....gluten was huge hidden issue

Obviously Mirabela956 is currently very under medicated and hypo. Palpitations are common hypothyroid symptom.

[Mirabela956 in reply to SlowDragon]

Just had a chat with the GP. Absolutely awful, second time this Doctor making my heart harder. He prescribed 75mcg of Levo and Propranolol just in case. Also, said that they don’t do referrals to cardiologist for palpitations, but can refer me for an EKG for 24h and I asked if he meant Holter and he said Yes, because of previous incident with him I called back Reception to re-confirm and he didn’t do that referral. I honestly don’t know what to do! Due to COVID NHS put the complains on pause.

[Mirabela956 in reply to Mirabela956]

He even asked me what I wanna to in regards to this. He has no clue what is doing and why. 🤦‍♀️

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mirabela956]

At moment you just need to get levothyroxine dose increased

So increasing Levo up to 75mcg is correct

Retesting full thyroid in 6-8 weeks

Make sure to always get same brand of levothyroxine at each prescription

BUT get GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Or test privately now

Medichecks - JUST vitamin testing including folate - DIY finger prick test

medichecks.com/products/nut...

Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays

[Mirabela956 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much! I just ordered them, the test is £55 now. Is finger prick, hopefully is accurate. 🙏😢

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mirabela956]

Yes

Thousands of members on here use private blood test companies

Are you currently taking any vitamin supplements?

Examples of posts discussing private test results

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

[Mirabela956 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for your support.

I do take vitamin D 1600iu as I am most of the time deficient, magnesium as I found out it helps me. I used to have a skipping heart beat, and never had it again. I started taking some iron supplements from floralix as well a few days ago on a pharmacist’s advice as I was absolutely exhausted. I didn’t mention but I am currently breastfeeding too, so I cannot experiment a lot at the moment. 🙈

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mirabela956]

Come back with new post once you get results and members can advise on next steps

Good that you are supplementing vitamin D while breastfeeding

unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/...

[Angel_of_the_North]

You get palpitations from low T3 as well as from being overmedicated. You don't give a free T3 results but your TSH and FT4 suggest that you are undermedicated now. Palpitations are very common and usually annoying rather than life threatening - mine get better when my T3 rises. If I get upset my heart rate often rises to over 160, when it's usually in the 70s. Ask for a referral to cardiology for 24 hours Holter monitor and, possibly, echocardiogram.

[Mirabela956 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thank you 😊

They don’t check my T3. I will ask for referral. However, my EKG was fine when they discharged me from the hospital. I had a few EKGs in May which were showing only sinus tachycardia which was disappearing with Propranolol, but they said it was due to over medication.