High adrenaline and unsure what to do with medication?

[liaratsoni]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been having what I assume is high adrenaline this last week and I don’t know what to do as I’m incredibly uncomfortable and particularly concerned as I’m having very bad palpitations and adrenaline rushes . As well as bad palps and adrenaline rushes I’m having anxiety, nausea (like when you’re nervous), headaches, tremoring limbs and fatigue.

Last blood tests I was undermedicated with a ft3 just below mid range but I’ve been at that level for a while now and never had anything like this. I have been getting gradually more adrenaline symptoms (usually waking adrenaline rushes that hand intensified) the last few months as my ferritin has also been slowly decreasing and it was already under range for many months.

These latest symptoms all started at the end of my last period (which was a bit heavier than normal) so I think it might be my iron. I’ve started taking ferrous fumurate four days ago but I assume if iron is the problem these symptoms won’t get better for at least 2 weeks? In the meantime I don’t know what to do about my thyroid meds. I take t4 and t3 (only 7mcg) but I often feel particularly bad after a dose of t3. I don’t know whether to decrease until my iron builds up a bit but I’m unsure a) how much to decrease by b) because it took me months to slowly build my t3 up and b) whether it might also cause problems because I imagine less t3 means adrenaline compensating for lack of thyroid hormones.

My main concern is the palpitations as they are so uncomfortable and I’m worried about adrenaline’s effects on my body. I have observed though that the lower my iron my ft3 decreases regardless of t3 intake. Do you think I should decrease t3 for the moment? Thank you!

[Yeswithasmile]

Hi.

I don’t know what others will say but I would think you were under medicated rather than over. You mention your latest blood tests with t3 below mid range… when we’re they done? Do you know what your t4 was too?

The problem is that symptoms do seem to cross. So I get all the things you mention when under medicated. Particularly heavy bleeding seems to be associated more with under medication. The other problem with t3 is it can ‘peak and trough’ for me. I think this is why you get your medication right. Unfortunately this can take a long time so I have accepted that some symptoms are off and on until I get optimal.

[liaratsoni in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Hi thank you for the response! I’m definitely undermedicated - my problem is that I can’t raise my dose because of bad side effects when I try and I’ve also been becoming less able to tolerate my normal dose as my ferritin has decreased so I think iron is my big problem. My ft3 was 8 hours post dose and my ft4 was 24 hours post dose and was 69% through range. I also had a higher ft3 on a slightly lower dose when my ferritin was higher last year.

I also get similar symptoms when undermedicated but they are never this severe and often improve post dose - this is constant feeling of adrenaline and palps that often gets worse after dose and has only started this last few weeks since my ferritin dropped and has gotten very severe since my last period which ended 4 days ago. So I think it’s a lovely combination of undermedication and low ferritin that are both contributing to each other!

[Yeswithasmile in reply to liaratsoni]

Oh I see. You are really struggling aren’t you? Have you tried raising your levo instead? Do you find that just as hard? Have you considered NDT? There do seem to be a lot of people that find this much easier on the body being natural rather than synthetic. I haven’t tried it as yet but haven’t ruled it out.

I can say that I suffered with severely heavy periods and have fibroids but the last couple have been so much better. I can only think this is down to sticking it out but yes, I have found it very hard. I don’t think we are alone in those feelings either.

If it were me amd I was finding the side effects intolerable I may be inclined to give NDT a go but that’s just from what I have read and asked people not experience.

[liaratsoni in reply to Yeswithasmile]

I have the same problem with levo unfortunately I hadn’t tried ndt! Hopefully if I can improve my ferritin it shouldn’t be an issue as I’ve previously been absolutely fine raising when my ferritin was better!

My periods are also fairly heavy but I can’t imagine how hard it is having fibroids! My Nan and mum had them and had to have hysterectomies so I’m a bit nervous about them in the future! Glad to hear they’ve improved for you!!

Thank you for your help you’ve definitely given me food for thought with ndt! 😊

[Yeswithasmile in reply to liaratsoni]

I’ve had biopsies and they don’t tend to do hysterectomies like they used to. My mum had one, her sister had one,their friends seem to have them….

I can say that mine improve considerably when better medicated but I also struggle with ferritin, it is also far too low 🤷‍♀️

It my be very difficult for you if you struggle with levo amd lio. Maybe it is just the synthetic?

I hope you manage to sort out your ferritin and everything and feel better very soon x.

[liaratsoni in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Ah i had heard that too! I don’t know if I’m relieved about them not doing them anymore or not 😂very glad to hear they’ve improved when better medicated! I’m hoping for the same!

I think there’s always so many things that can go wrong it’s hard to work out what the cause is with hypothyroidism 😂

Thank you so much I hope you can find a way to get your ferritin up too 😊 x

[radd]

liaratsoni,

You have identified the likely cause yourself with your low iron levels.

Inadequate iron + T3 are notorious for causing hyper systems even when we are chronically hypo, and when you get into that vicious circle it can be hard to get out. You are only taking a tiny amount of T3 but I would split the dose into several a day.

Other members have had to do this, calling it the 'speck of dust' dose that they literally take from the end of their finger tip. Also look at supplementing Vit C, a little bit of salt, eating smaller more frequent meals & never allowing yourself to become hungry, trying to promote calming activities such as reading, yoga, etc. And keep trying to raise iron levels which can take months & months.

Other considerations are all the usual optimising other nutrients, addressing gut issues, etc. Once things have calmed maybe introducing an adaptogen to help support compromised adrenals for future but obviously only introduce one thing at a time & at the moment that is T3.

[liaratsoni in reply to radd]

Thank you for the detailed response! Yes that’s exactly it - stuck in a vicious circle! I’ve always taken my t3 in two doses but at the moment doing that even with reducing my dose is not going well. Splitting it further is a good idea!

Thank you all of those ideas are very helpful! I am currently taking vit c with my iron supplement and do eat smaller meals every few hours with salt for my blood sugar/adrenals!

Yes I try to keep them good - vit d and folate are very good and b12 is good although I know it’s a bit trickier with blood results not always reflecting actual b12 use! My gut is a big issues and is one of the main issues with my poor iron levels I think - I l have low stomach acid. I’m hoping taking the vit c with iron will help with that! Yeah definitely! I’m trying to get my body to calm and steady on a dose atm. Before I started feeling this ill I had tried a very small t3 increase which I think in combination with the iron deficiency mucked everything up a bit! So as you say I will be focusing on steadying on a t3 dose and getting my iron up for the time being!

[radd in reply to liaratsoni]

liaratsoni,

Yes, there’s a big connection between the gut & adrenals. Basically stress impairs or shuts down stomach acid production - think of ‘nervousness & tummy-butterflies’, or ‘high stress & loose stools’ and worse - ‘chronic stress & stomach ulcers’.

I found Betaine HCL + pepsin really helpful. It replaces stomach acid so improves all absorption, promotes gut flora that helps heal the gut linings, reduces inflammation and controls infection. It also encourages your own stomach acid secretion to start working, although I still use some after protein heavy meals.

Don't use if you are prescribed PPI's though as they do opposite jobs.