Resting heart 170bpm

[katyfow]

Hi Everyone,

I posted last week about having an increased heart rate and palpitations - I had bloods done on 8th Jan (attached) T3 was a bit low, vits and minerals weren't good (Dosage, 150mcg Levo, 300mcg Thyrogold - for last 6 months). I started taking desiccated liver, Vit D spray and Igennus Super B. Over the last 7 days my heart has been going crazy, 90+ at rest, I took my dog for a walk on Weds and I'd only got around the block and it was 157bpm, feeling hot and shaky etc. I spoke to a doctor on Wed who made an appointment for yesterday and told me not to move about too much until I could get to appointment - he advised me if it went above 120bpm to call an ambulance. I stopped taking my thyroid meds 5 days ago because I was concerned about taking them when my heart was so erratic. I had a medichecks test which I was saving because I'd bough it on offer and took it yesterday morning. Then at about 10am yesterday morning sitting on the sofa it spiked to 170bpm, I felt really hot and shaky, chest pain/pressure etc. My husband called NHS111 who told me they would send an ambulance or go to a&e immediately.

I showed A&E docs my results from 8th Jan and explained that my TSH is always low but the FT's were ok/low in range. A&E ran bloods (which they said included Thyroid but was TSH only) and concluded that I was overmedicated. I explained that I haven't had any medication for 5 days but they said TSH blah, blah, blah. I said to the doc about T3 levels, he said only TSH counts, I argued and asked why after all this time would I suddenly be overmedicated? He said TSH can only tell when your body is low in hormones not high?!?! I've had my second bloods back (also attached), TSH is very low, T3 is only slightly higher, and T4 is lower. I assumed I was having a hyper swing, or that taking iron/Vit D had caused T4 that had pooled because of low ferritin to suddenly be utilised - but I'm confused by latest results. Hospital doctors discharged me after a full day in hospital saying I had to reduce medication to 100mcg, and take 1.25 Bisapropol. Heart is less erratic but still high pulse. I'm very worried and confused about what move to make next. I was planning to try T3 only because 8th Jan T3 blood results were poor, but I'm now going to be locked into a cycle of thyroid testing with GP even though he doesn't know anything about thyroid.

29th Jan:

Inflammation

CRP HS 3.27 mg/L (Range: < 5)

Iron Status

Ferritin 28.10 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

Vitamins

Folate - Serum 6.69 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 90.300 pmol/L (Range: > 37.5)

Vitamin D 111.00 nmol/L (Range: 50 - 175)

Thyroid Hormones

TSH X 0.01 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 5.10 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 13.600 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

Autoimmunity

Thyroglobulin Antibodies 12.300 kIU/L (Range: < 115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <9.0 kIU/L (Range: < 34)

8th Jan:

Inflammation

CRP HS 1.84 mg/L (Range: < 5)

Iron Status

Ferritin 16.00 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

Vitamins

Folate - Serum 5.41 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 91.700 pmol/L (Range: > 37.5)

Vitamin D X 46.90 nmol/L (Range: 50 - 175)

Thyroid Hormones

TSH X 0.21 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 3.90 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 17.800 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

Autoimmunity

Thyroglobulin Antibodies 11.100 kIU/L (Range: < 115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <9.0 kIU/L (Range: < 34)

[katyfow]

No nothing other than iron and vitamin supplements.

[katyfow]

Yes I do space them all out. I have always taken my thyroid meds immediately before bed, so I space the rest out between morning and tea time.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Dosage, 150mcg Levo, 300mcg Thyrogold - for last 6 months).

It takes minimum of 6-8 weeks for TSH to respond to changes in medication

Thyrogold contains T3 so obviously TSH is almost bound to always suppressed on any dose of T3

How long since last dose levothyroxine when you did this test?

Suggest you go back to just taking levothyroxine.

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Is it always same brand

For levothyroxine (or T3 or Thyrogold) to work you need GOOD vitamin levels

The advice on here is ALWAYS to get vitamin levels optimal BEFORE considering adding any T3

Folate is far too low

Vitamin D insufficient

Ferritin absolutely dire

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Heavy periods?

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon thank you. I'm currently taking Vit D spray, magnesium, ingennus B, dessicated liver tablets for iron(which naturally contains K2). My periods are heavy.

I have been taking Thryogold for 6 months so I'm surprised that it would suddenly cause overmedication after this length of time. Interestingly since the bloods on 8th Jan, to bloods taken yesterday there has been an increase in T3 and decrease TSH (despite stopping all meds 5 days ago) - that's the part I'm finding most difficult to understand.

Would you advise starting to take Levo again even though I'm still experiencing a racing heart (the betablockers have slowed it down slightly).

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

Which beta blocker?

How much vitamin D are you currently taking

Clearly dose needs to increase

Are you taking one Igennus B complex per day or two

Did you stop vitamin B complex a week before test?

Personally I then take a separate folate supplement during that week

I haven’t heard anyone say they get good results with desiccated liver tablets

Racing heart can be due to low Ft3 as heart needs Ft3

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

They've prescribed bisoprolol. I'm not sure that my post is clear that there are 2 sets of results, one from 8th Jan (pre-heart problems) and one from 29th Jan. The T3 has increased since I stopped taking the medication, which is the odd part.

The vitamin D has came up from 46 to 111 in those 2 weeks. The iron has increased however, I didn't stop taking any supplements because I just wanted to use that to see what FT's were doing (so I'm not sure that's reliable in terms of vitamin levels).

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

8th Jan

Ferritin 16.00 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

Folate - Serum 5.41 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 91.700 pmol/L (Range: > 37.5)

Vitamin D X 46.90 nmol/L (Range: 50 - 175)

29th Jan

Ferritin 28.10 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

Folate - Serum 6.69 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 90.300 pmol/L (Range: > 37.5)

Vitamin D 111.00 nmol/L (Range: 50 - 175)

So the difference between two tests

Obviously vitamin D has improved a lot and now optimal 🙂

Ferritin has long way to go

Folate barely moved at all

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

In future stop any vitamin B complex or any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS

You might want to add separate folate supplement to improve folate

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

Apologies Slowdragon I forgot to say it's 5 days since I've taken any meds at all for the 29th Jan results. The 8th Jan results was usual 12 hour gap.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

8th jan

TSH X 0.21 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 3.90 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 17.800 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

Ft4 is 58% through range

Ft3 only 22% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Suggests slightly under medicated and extremely poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

29th jan

TSH X 0.01 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 5.10 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 13.600 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

Ft4 is 15% through range

Ft3 is 54% through range

Common to see improvement in conversion initially when you stop levothyroxine.....probably why people often feel better when first stop levothyroxine....it doesn’t last

The low Ft4 means there will soon be drop in Ft3 as well

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for the percentage calculator that’s really helpful. So 8th Jan I’d been taking Levo & Thyrogold for 6 months - despite that T3 was low. Then all of a sudden I had these heart symptoms - so I stopped meds for last 5/6 days. Do you think that starting the vit D and extra iron would boost conversion and cause overmedication? I’m not gluten free anymore, I was strictly gf for 12 months a few years ago but it didn’t appear to make any difference.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

I would say that going back to eating gluten is likely to have contributed significantly to issues, reducing conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 and might have made vitamin levels worse too

Before considering adding any medication that contains T3 we need all four vitamins optimal and stable at optimal levels

Frequently necessary to be absolutely strictly gluten free too

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok thank you I’ll go back to Levo only and bring up the other vitamins thank you for all of your help!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to katyfow]

Personally I couldn’t tolerate any T3 until well over a year being absolutely strictly gluten free, all four vitamins at very good ranges for well over a year too

[katyfow in reply to SlowDragon]

PS: I used the Vit D calculator you linked me to last time to work our cut D loading dose and it appears to have worked within 10 days to bring it up - so thank you very much!

[mb008 in reply to katyfow]

Please can you share the link for the calculator please.

[katyfow in reply to mb008]

Hi mb008 this is the calculator SlowDragon shared with me earlier in the month grassrootshealth.net/projec...