Hi, has anyone taken Propranolol while taking levothyroxine and if so what are thee effects, good or bad? I have been prescribed this for anxiety as and when required and have resisted so far although I've been told it's quite safe to take. I've only been prescribed 10mg but still have concerns.
Many thanks.
Propranolol is not recommended for hypothyroid folks. It can reduce the conversion of T4 to T3.
Anxiety is a symptom of over and under medication.
I was on citalopram for many years for anxiety and panic attacks. What I lacked in thyroid hormones my body made up for with adrenalin hence the anxiety.
Have you had recent blood results? Please don't accept the doctor saying that they are normal. They need to be where you are feeling well within the normal range. It could be you are needing your levo dose adjusted.
Hi, many thanks for this. These have been prescribed by the GP who is aware of my condition. Most of the time I am ok but certain events increase my anxiety and at the moment it is very high and I am struggling to cope so have been considering taking them to see how I go?
I have requested copy of my last meds and on advice on here I am going to have them all done again anyway as it has been my concern that it could be I'm not being correctly medicated.
However, I need something to help me cope while I wait to get the results done etc. It is affecting my work and am now behind and being chased which isn't helping the anxiety.
Ok thank you, I appreciate your input. I haven't started taking them but will hold off until I can get the bloods done. I usually go and exercise when I get anxious but have a knee injury that is preventing that as well!
It's a shame as my son takes them for anxiety and they work a treat for him but then he doesn't have a thyroid condition.
I was stuck on propranolol for almost 20 years.....more on my profile
Getting vitamin levels optimal can significantly improve symptoms
Strictly gluten free diet often essential, can lower anxiety levels
Anxiety is common symptom of being under medicated
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine
On plus side..before I was started on propranolol I was extremely unwell....presumably due to adrenal insufficiency. Propranolol allowed adrenals to recover....but propranolol will slow conversion of Ft4 to Ft3. It’s also slow process to ween off propranolol
I've just received the bloods that my GP requested recently as part of a wellwomens check up. She also requested TSH, FT4 and FT3 but no vitamins. I shall request those seperately.
TSH is 0.09 mlU/L 0.35 - 4.94 mlU/L and Serum FT4 13.7 pmol/L 9.01 -19.05 pmol/L
No FT3 and I am presuming that you need the FT3 as well? I am in the process of placing an order for the Private NHS tests but am having problems registering so am waiting for them to come back to me.
Apart from a slightly raised liver enzyme (I don't drink!) which has been the case for a few years everything else, cholesterol etc was normal but unfortunately no vitamins done.
Are there any other tests apart from Vit D, Folate, Ferratin and B12 you recommend I get tested?
Yes, I am usually given the same brand though it can occasionally change. I did buy some from a chemist in Spain when mine were lost on the journey last year, which I have also used occasionally, mainly to see if I noticed any difference!
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
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)
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...
Medichecks - JUST vitamin testing including folate - DIY finger prick test
medichecks.com/products/nut...
Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays
Did you get full thyroid tests done?
TSH is 0.09 mlU/L 0.35 - 4.94 mlU/L
Serum FT4 13.7 pmol/L 9.01 -19.05 pmol/L
Ft4 is likely too low at only 46% through range
Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range
Most people on just levothyroxine need Ft4 at least 60-70% through range
Low vitamin levels likely when under medicated
Anxiety is common hypothyroid symptom
Hi, I suffered terribly with anxiety & saw a Psychotherapist / bought endless books to help me ‘overcome’ it. Joining this forum really helped as I realised that it was the Hashimotos causing the anxiety, I did not have a general anxiety disorder (as GP thought!) Higher doses of Levo and optimal vitamins really helped (B Complex especially). Propranolol made things worse for me. Mindfulness CDs also helps me cope with anxiety flare ups. Remember to post if you require support; we are here to help one another!
Thanks Buddy, really great to know that you are there to support when needed. I am waiting for results of recent blood tests and lets see what they say. I have always said that I haven't felt the same since they reduced the dose about 10 years or so ago but am always told am in range and although requested by my GP the labs usually won't do the FT4 and FT3.
Have just started to take B complex anyway and Magnesium as I am almost but not quite vegetarian and have read that you can get low in these vitamins and this can be the cause of anxiety. Like everyone just want to feel well again.
Horrible experience from taking propranolol. Caused a lot of joint pain quite likely from reduced thyroid hormone as it affects how levothyroxine works. Also passes blood brain barrier so causes confusion. If it were me I'd check vitamin levels and ensure optimal vitamin D, B12, folate, ferritin and enough calcium rich foods. Lack of calcium from not enough vitamin D causes anxiety. Also check enough magnesium and K2-MK7 in diet and supplement those if taking vitamin D3. Also include probiotic foods in your diet to ensure efficient absorption of levothyroxine and good gut function for absorption of vitamins from food. It can take 6 months or so to get all those sorted out and find out if it eliminates or reduces anxiety levels. You'll likely sort it more quickly if you don't resort to more medicines as they often have side effects.
A totally different experience with propranolol for me. I took it for years in my thirties and forties for migraines, and it was an absolute lifesaver. When my migraines virtually disappeared later in life, I continued with propranolol when needed for anxiety, and again, it was a lifesaver. Diagnosed hypo in my sixties, I have continued to use it occasionally. Recently needing a new prescription, my GP gave me only 10mg, whereas my previous dosage was 80mg, which was not very helpful! I understand completely your need for such a prescription, and for me, there is nothing else that is effective in the situations that I rely on it for. Personally, it did not affect my thyroid levels in the years before diagnosis, nor in the years since. I think we are all different, and I know of others with hypothyroidism who have found no issues with taking propranolol. I will certainly continue to make sure I have a stash put by for when needed, but ultimately, the choice is yours.
Thank you do appreciate your message . I realise we can all react differently but just to be on the safe side I am getting my bloods tested so that I get a better picture and if all ok then will definitely try them if needed. I do have a lot on at the moment and Covid isn't helping with this but hey ho, I'm not the only one having to deal with this so trying to muddle through as best I can.
Testing now is a good idea to give you your current thyroid status, then, if you decide to go ahead and take your prescribed propranolol, you can be tested again after a few weeks to compare your levels. We are all different , and what works for one will not necessarily work for another, and vice versa. Hopefully you will find something that suits you, and helps you face those stress-inducing situations for which coping strategies are simply not enough. Good luck!
Thank you, while I find Mindfullness helpful, I can end up with being in a perpetual sleep /trance which while nice while it helps with coping and distracting, doesn't help when you have work etc to get on with!
I was told propranolol is for heart and body conditions to control rapid heart and bodily shakes. It does help yes. Bisoprol is for just heart issues.
Thought I’d reply on this post re blood tests .....keep the vaccination post simple
Can I also ask? I am just about to order blood tests as I cannot get F3 done with my GP. I've was diagnosed a long time ago but feel I may not be on the correct dose as I have not felt the same since it was reduced considerably a few years ago and now suffer with several problems that I wonder could be related. I have all my vitamin results and TSH and FT4 but do I need to get a test for TPO and TG as has been suggested, if I have been treated for Hypothyroidism for over 45 years and apparently in an MRI scan during a medical, I was told there was no sign of my thyroid? I apologise if this seems a stupid question! I was happily medicated until this so didn't question anything until recently and am still trying to get my head round it all! Many thanks.
Vast majority of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease (approx 90%). Either Hashimoto’s (goitre) or Ord’s thyroiditis (thyroid shrinks and shrivels up to nothing)
ada.com/conditions/thyroidi...
Majority of autoimmune patients have raised antibodies at some point .....you may still have high antibodies
About 20% of Hashimoto’s/Ord’s patients never have high thyroid antibodies
There are two sorts of antibodies involved with autoimmune hypothyroid disease.
TPO and TG antibodies. They aren’t the attackers......they are the cleaners, cleaning up after the attacks
I have Ord’s and, when diagnosed (in 1993) both TPO and TG antibodies were “off the scale “, highest they’d seen according to several endocrinologists I saw
When I joined the forum here in 2015 I got FULL thyroid and vitamin testing including thyroid antibodies (also showed low Ft3 and vitamin D but that’s another story....more on my profile)
Even after 26 years both antibodies were still extremely high .......until I got correctly treated.
Discovered that, despite zero gut symptoms, like thousands of autoimmune thyroid patients, I was severely gluten intolerant. Zero gut symptoms
Going strictly gluten free has subsequently slowly reduced TPO antibodies.
Getting dose levothyroxine fine tuned AND adding T3 (on NHS prescription) has lowered TSH right down and, now TG antibodies are also lower.
Nether are yet within range.....but both are significantly lower than 2015
So yes......I would say it’s ALWAYS worth testing antibodies alongside FULL Thyroid and vitamins once a year via Medichecks, Thriva or Blue Horizon
Any testing in between times, I use Monitor My Health, just to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 as cheapest
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
What were most recent vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results
should I take Propranolol with an overactive thyroid?
Levothyroxine and Propranolol 
propranolol 
Propranolol and aches & pains
