Thyrotoxicosis and Levo

[Donutlight]

Hi, just had a small concern as on 75mg of Levo and TSH now under 1 (0.3). Haven't mentioned this before, but 6 years ago I was in the cardiac care unit for a week with Afib and heart rate of 180 - took ages to come down. I was a fit 44 year old and took a while to identify my thyroid- before that they were suggesting stopping my heart with electric shock to try and slow it/get it back in rhythm. They diagnosed thyrotoxicosis, borderline hypothyroidism and possible graves. Was treated with C and something beginning with P. They offered to remove my thyroid but I said no thanks and stopped the drugs within weeks after getting home. 3 years later the hypo symptoms really kicked in. In hospital my TSH was 0.01, T4 22, and T3 8.7. They were slightly amazed that such mild results had such an effect on my heart and the Endo said the blood tests were obviously extreme for me while not for others. Two days before going in to hospital I had the weirdest feeling in what I thought was my throat but really the thyroid- felt like hundreds of ants with poker hot feet running all over it. I don't know if it was a one off, but as I try to get my T3 up from 4, I'm just wondering if I could risk the same event happening again - don't want that! Anyone had similar?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms....as thyroid is attacked and cells breakdown high levels of thyroid hormones are released ...it’s not really hyperthyroid...just temporary

Are you regularly testing vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 ...these are often low with Hashimoto’s

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase in levothyroxine

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip,)

Add most recent results and ranges if you have any

[greygoose]

They diagnosed thyrotoxicosis, borderline hypothyroidism and possible graves.

I think you mean 'borderline hyperthyroidism', don't you? Do you know if they tested any antibodies? Those results don't look like Grave's at all. They look more like Hashi's.

I had the weirdest feeling in what I thought was my throat but really the thyroid- felt like hundreds of ants with poker hot feet running all over it. I don't know if it was a one off, but as I try to get my T3 up from 4, I'm just wondering if I could risk the same event happening again

I've never heard of anyone complaining of anything similar, so I don't think it's a recognised hyper symptom. And, I very much doubt that just taking levo, you'd get your FT3 up to the same level again. So, probably no need to worry on that score.

But, if you do have Hashi's, then there's every possibility that you may have another 'hyper' swing causing your FT3 to rise quite sharply. So you do need to watch out for that.

You need to ask your doctor to test TPO antibodies, to see if you do have Hashi's.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to greygoose]

Definitely Hashimoto’s.....previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[greygoose in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh! Typical! Doctors see a low TSH and alarm bells start ringing in their brain - Grave's! Grave's! Grave's! And they do nothing to find out why the TSH is low. They don't even know what Grave's results look like!

My apologies, I should have checked past posts.