Based on these results I don’t understand why I have heart palpitations constantly. I’m supplementing with iron, magnesium, B12, vit d

[doreenrj56]

Heart palpitations

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Palpitations can be due to being UNDER medicated

TSH is too high for someone on levothyroxine

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Was this test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Ft4 is only 50% through range

Ft3 is only 23.3% through range

So probably on inadequate dose and very poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

High TPO antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease

Are you on absolutely strictly gluten free diet

Ferritin is too low

You need to test vitamin D, folate and B12

[doreenrj56 in reply to SlowDragon]

The test was in the afternoon and I wasn’t fasting. I’m currently taking 50 mcg levothyroxine and 5 mcg liothyronine. In August my B12 was around 780 and my vit D was 56. I’ve never had my folate tested. Also my ferritin was 7 in August so it’s slightly improved. I didn’t know low iron could cause heart palpitations.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to doreenrj56]

Request 2nd 5mcg dose T3

Retest in 6-8 weeks

Likely to need further increase in levothyroxine or T3 after next test

Meanwhile working on improving low vitamin levels

[Marz in reply to doreenrj56]

Iron is transported around the body by the red blood cells. Oxygen adheres to the iron for delivery to all organs. When iron is low so is the oxygen. The heart senses this and beats faster in order to speed up circulation to obtain more oxygen ! Low iron = low oxygen = symptoms. Simplistically put !

[radd]

doreenrj56,

50mcg Levothyroxine & 5 mcg Liothyronine isn’t enough because results are showing you to be under-medicated, and requiring a dose raise of Levothyroxine (not T3).

‘Total’ T4 is just 50% through range, meaning there isn’t adequate to allow enough ‘free’ T4, and FT3 is just 26%.

Your ferritin is just 14% through range meaning you are most likely iron deficient. Both low iron & low thyroid hormone levels are classic causes of heart palps.

Ask your GP for a Levothyroxine (T4) dose raise, an iron panel to diagnose possible anemia, and to test Vit B12, folate and Vit D, all commonly deficient with low thyroid hormone.

Thyroid antibodies are elevated and can inhibit good workings of thyroid meds but optimising iron/nutrients will help a higher dose of Levo convert more to T3 so highering both FT4 & FT3 levels.

[mourneadventurer]

Perhaps consider Taurine if your stomach acid is low and pancreatic enzymes are not sufficient then proteins are not broken down effectively?

Taurine is also needed for bile so if it’s in short supply then gall bladder / bile becomes sluggish. Inevitably leading to undesirables and build up downstream. This in turn will affect the absorption of oil based vitamins ADEK.

Microbe Formulas have a supplement called Tudca plus (ProActive Healthcare) and BioActive Carbon binders which can remove toxin build up gently.

By the way always check ferritin to baseline it as it can be depleted in some folk and building up in others both contributing to heart palpitations. This would have an impact on whether or not you should include supplemental iron.

[thyreoidea]

Hi doreenrj66,

I too suffered from palpitations and still do at times even though my thyroid levels were OK, one thing I did notice that when checking blood tests my potassium was always at the low end of the range when having problems, do you have access or any blood test to check, this may be a reason but do not take it for gospel. Low or high potassium can cause palpitations, mine hung around for months and came on every time I got up from seated or in bed and took a few minutes to settle down, mine were the missing heartbeat type and not the pounding heart variety. At the start I even avoided bananas until I saw my results. I hope this helps, do not feel you are alone.

[saritadelmar]

This reply is not to counter any of the good advice you've been given here, just to add to it. Aside from the need for a higher dose, there are other possibilities to explore. Using my own experience as an example, I have had an irregular heartbeat for ten years. I've been to three cardiologists and it is the latest that put me through all kinds of tests that I didn't think were necessary but thankful for in the end. He ordered a sleep test because I told him that three times a year I wake up in the middle of the night with a jolt accompanied by an extremely irregular heartbeat which would last for an hour or two. Long story short, the sleep test showed I have sleep apnea which is known to cause palpitations of all sorts.

Another interesting thing that occurred recently in my habits was that the market where I was purchasing yogurt cheese for years stopped selling it. So not having my almost daily dose of this particular cheese synchronized with a reduction of my daily palpitations by 90%.

Conclusion: The cause of palpitations may not always relate to thyroid or dosage as possible in your case, and it may be necessary to think outside the box as to the origin of problems.