Hi all, I’m wondering if anyone here suffers from vertigo with hypothyroidism? My thyroid function has been gradually getting worse since a hemithyroidectomy last November. I’m currently self treating with Metavive III which I started with 1 tablet and have increased to 2 tablets since my last blood test, so I’m hoping things will improve. I also take whole raft of vitamins: B12, B complex, Vit D3 and K2, DHEA for my adrenals and iron, and at my last test everything is optimal apart from ferritin which I can’t raise above 30 without high iron saturation and 25ish seems to suit me. However in the last 2 weeks I’ve developed vertigo. If it’s related to thyroid I won’t bother to see my GP because they refuse to accept I have a thyroid problem, but if it’s not related, I might go and see them. (Note: I’ve had labyrinthitis before and it’s different to that, it’s triggered visually, mainly looking at screens and my optician says my eyes are fine and not the cause). Below are my blood test results:
30/8/19
TSH 1.67 (range mu/L 0.27-4.2)
15/10/19
TSH 2.07
FT4 15.2 (range pmol/L 12-22)
FT3 4.5 (range pmol/L 3.2-6.8)
13/12/19
TSH 3.25
FT4 15.7
FT3 4.86
6/2/20
TSH 3.41
FT4 12.7
18/6/20
TSH 4.06
FT4 13.4
FT3 4.38
(Ranges are the same for each test)
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Julesboz
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I'm afraid that's a really bad way to lay out your results, because we need to consider the thre results together at any given date. The three are interlinked. But, just glancing through your FT3 results, they have never been quite mid-range, have they. Always just below. And, most hypos need it higher than that. So, that could be your problem.
And, I think, if you want more indepth opinions, it would be best to post your nutrient levels and ranges, too.
My apologies, I’ve amended the original post to put the results together. Sometimes it’s just TSH because it’s an NHS test sometimes it’s all hormones tested.
Last vitamin tests done in December 19:
Ferritin 21.4 ug/L (13-150) (as I said I can’t really go over 25 otherwise I get high iron saturation and my full blood count is very good - I get specific symptoms when I get too high or low so it’s pretty easy to identify)
Folate 8.76 ug/L (3.8-19.45)
Vitamin B12 active 144 pmol/L (37.5-187.5)
Vitamin D 65.4 nmol/L (59-175)
Since this test I’ve added a vitamin B complex to my regime (I was just taking B12) to up the folate level and I’ve also been taking Vitamin D3 and K2 drops since this test and I’m convinced that I’m fine with Vitamin D now because all my aches and pains that I’ve had for years have miraculously disappeared! It’s amazing.
OK, well, glad to hear you've added the B complex. But, did you know that you're supposed to stop taking it 1 week before a blood draw, because the biotin it contains can affect blood test results?
And, good that you're taking vit D and K2. But, you should also be taking magnesium because taking vit D will deplete your magnesium.
So, you're still under-medicated. Your TSH is still too high. It should be at least under 1, and would probably be suppressed if you were taking enough T3. So, that could very well be the cause of your vertigo. But, you'll only know for sure if you raise your FT3, and the veritgo goes away.
Vertigo is horrible because for one thing, doctors don't take it seriously. I have really serious dizzy spells after a slipped disc op. And my GP just kept giving me tablets that said 'for dizzy spells of unknown cause. Warning: may cause dizzy spells'!!! I kid you not! He made absolutely no attempt to find out why. It was me that had to arrange appointments with every possible specialist - I live in France and we can do that - to try and find out why. But, all I got where shrugged shoulders, and nobody cared! Finally turned out that I had very low B12, and that's what was causing it. When I raised my B12, it went away. But you say you're taking B12 already, so maybe it just needs time for the level to rise. Or, it's due to the low FT3. (Of course, there may be many other reasons, and you'd probably need a raft of tests to find out what, but my point was, it's very difficult to get that testing, so start with the obvious.)
And, you know, the thing that really go me was that I'd just has this op, under general anesthetic, and it's well known that general anesthetics reduce B12 levels (mine probably wasn't very high to begin with) yet nobody thought to test my B12. I think that is pathetic!
I sympathise! It’s a pain getting doctors to take you seriously isn’t it? My GP is still insisting my thyroid is fine despite having to have half of it removed... anyway, I’ve been taking 1000ug of methylcobalamin daily for several years and I’m sure B12 is fine as, again, I know what my symptoms are when B12 gets low. I don’t take magnesium but I do eat a lot of dark chocolate because it’s high in magnesium. I’m not sure if it’s enough (I did have a test several years ago and my levels were high in the range). And I did stop taking the b complex for a week before the test as I know about the biotin issue. I feel fairly sure that it’s thyroid, but I’m also equally sure that doctors will dismiss that theory so I’ll just have to keep on with the Metavive until I get within a reasonable range.
Doctors firmly believe that when you have half your thyroid removed, the other half works harder to make up for it. And, no amount of proof seems to dispell that belief!
I doubt you're getting enough magnesium just from chocolate. For one thing, just how much magnesium it contains depends on where the beans are grown. And, for another, how well you are able to absorb nutrients. And you probably don't absorb very well because hypos have low stomach acid. Most people are deficient in magnesium, anyway, because soils are depleted. And, the blood test is useless because the body will take magnesium from tissue and bone to keep levels steady in the blood. So, you could still be deficient even if your blood test says your level is high.
I started taking Metavive 1 just after Christmas and took it for a couple of months, but I ended up having palpitations after increasing it to 2 tablets. I see a private holistic GP who recommended changing to Metavive 111 as the composition is slightly different and that seems to have helped. So I was taking 1 tablet for 8 weeks up till end of August and then have upped it to 2 tablets since my last blood test results, with no palpitations. I intend to take another blood test mid October and then decide whether to up it again, which I think is likely.
Hi Jumesboz so sorry to hear you are suffering. I have had 3 awful bouts of vertigo since being diagnosed hypo. The only way to describe it was as if I was possessed and literally clinging to the headboard to stop the room
Spinning. My gp did something called Epley manoeuvre on my head which made me want to throw up but it worked. He also gave me some exercises to do you can have a look on you tube.The problem is caused by little crystals in the ear canal becoming dislodged . I go to bed with a pack of sturgeon travel sick tablets next to me as they help and you can buy over the counter. My gp is now retired but I have had a look to prepare me for next time and I believe chiropractors can help with vertigo. Good luck ☘️
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