This might explain why I've been struggling with increased ectopics heartbeats, feeling tired and rough as a bears bum at times. My levo was reduced 22nd December to 75mcg Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 50mcg on other days with 5mcg T3 twice a day to try to reduce the ectopics. Today's results below.
FT3 - 4.2 (3.1-6.8) 29.73% through range, was 5.2.
FT4 - 11.5 (12-22) -5% through range, was14.6.
TSH 0.66 (0.27-4.2) 9.92% through range, was 0.08.
I'm self funding to have these results, I thought I would be improving not deteriorating by now, I started T3 last September. I understand he is trying to settle my ectopics but stupidly I expected him to help not make me worse. I know it's hard to fine tune but I don't feel listened too. My gp puts it all down to anxiety too, offers me antidepressants and is declining to refer me to a cardiologist as the consultant requested.
I am so glad I found this group and have learned from other members experiences and expertise. I really would value your opinions on my results and also any suggestions I can put to the consultant please.
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Baggiesfan
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Did your GP test your Free T3 before offering you.
Re taking T3. One of Thyroiduk's Advisers (deceased through an accident) would never, ever prescribe levothyroxine. He only prescribed NDTs or T3 to his patients who were 'resistant' to thyroid hormones.
When I took levothyroxine I had severe palpitations - during the night mainly - and Cardiologist was contemplating putting an implant in my heart 'to see what was going on'. Just about the same time I had T3 added to T4 and I immediately felt an improvement and then went onto T3 alone and haven't looked back since.
Obviously we are all different and what suits one person may not suit another.
Thank you Shaws, no the gp will only test tsh, last time was jan 21 I think. All blood tests since, consultations and T3 have been private. The ectopics have increased unfortunately, I did initially feel better when T3 added but ectopics never went away. I really don't know what to do next, maybe it is anxiety but they come on out of nowhere. Usually worse evenings and at bedtime but I guess that's because I am more aware then. Sometimes though they just happen when I'm busy, really affecting my life now so hopefully can get better soon. Strangely they're worse on the days I take 75mcg levo, I must tell him that. Maybe he can increase T3 and drop levo, if not I think I'll just try myself x
Thank you shaws, I can see me having to try at this rate, I'm as bad as ever again unfortunately. I'll see what he says next week then try and decide what next.
Is Teva known for causing ectopic beats? I am about to be changed to Teva via private consultant to GP. GP is prescribing,I was previously buying from abroad Merck. Dreading changing as heard not such good things about Teva . It is lactose free and I found I am lactose intolerant.
My heart went nuts when medicating T4 mono-therapy, waking me in the night & making me wobbly in the day with huge ‘bangs’ and irregular heart beat, but all settled with the addition of T3.
I think your problem is you are under-medicated in both T4 & T3, and a glance at previous posts indicates you also were then and had ‘optimal’ in range cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone and we strive for middle-range.
Presuming you have tested and have/are addressing deficiencies in iron, Vit B12, Vit D and folate. Is there any chance you can raise thyroid hormones meds?
Thank you radd, I think they need raising too. Last vit D and B12 at gp's was in range though vit D had dropped. I take vit D3, k2 and magnesium supplements and have since last summer. Your irregular heart sounds like mine but it hasn't settled unfortunately. I do wonder about my consultant but he is on the TUK site and others consult with him too. Must just be me unfortunately. I'll see what he says next week but I'm getting close to giving up on him as I really expected better. I really don't want to self medicate but I can understand why many do.
Thank you for replying. Do you mean my Hb? This was 136 (115-165) so no problem there thankfully. Maybe it is just me and anxiety but I really think it's related to my thyroid. I'm really tired of all this now and fed up of getting nowhere, I just want me back x
No, I don’t mean Hb as that is refers to your haemoglobin level, which is relevant in diagnosing aenemia but paradoxically because of the way iron works you can have low iron levels with adequate Hb.
Your profile says RIA as your cause of hypo. It also says you you raised T3 too quickly. Have you had cortisol levels checked? Low cortisol and T3 can make your heart jump about.
As you state FT4 is under range and FT3 just 29% through range meaning you are woefully under-medicated. If looks like your endo is dosing by TSH which remains within range, whereas many members require TSH to remain below-range to allow adequate levels of thyroid hormones.
Diogenes wrote an explanatory reply this morning …. 'It is simply because when the thyroid is lost, its significant and direct contribution of T3 is also lost. If you have then to take say T4 only, you have to take more T4 than is normally produced by the healthy thyroid, because the body's T4-T3 conversion has now to take the whole strain to achieve the FT3 which is optimal for you in health. With this the TSH from the pituitary is partly suppressed. It's the same for T3 only, but this has a big effect in suppressing TSH.’
If I was you I would be looking to raise thyroid hormone levels (by what ever means) and meanwhile asking GP for an iron panel to get a complete evaluation of iron status because palps are a common symptom of low iron levels.
Thank you radd, apart from the thyroid bloods I checked with monitor my health the others were by the g.p. in January this year. I can't see anything specific to iron, except ferritin which is at the top end, this has previously been raised. I am a retired practice nurse so I feel really thick that I can't sort this out. I did a saliva cortisol test in December and all was normal, I thought it might be that too. I can't see my gp doing anything else as they think I'm an anxious hyperchondriac as it is. I have a zoom meeting with private endo next week but I am losing faith. I think he feels the ectopics are over medication hence lowering levo again. I'm losing the will to live it's so hard and frustrating and definitely not like me to sit here crying over it all. Sorry, must put my big girl pants on and sort it out as no one else will. X
But they don't or won't listen will they? They just want to write a happy pill script over the phone. I know that's not the answer for me. Thank you for your support x
You should ask your doctor “do you specialize in heart conditions”? If he/she says NO then tell him/her your not qualified to tell me I have or don’t have a heart issue and demand a referral to a heart doctor…Healthcare Doctors have really lost their freaking minds!
You know that's a good plan, I always try to please them like a good patient but at the end it's me that's losing out isn't it? They're not keen that I'm seeing someone else as it is so obviously are just saying we'll do what we want not what you ask to the consultant. Thank you for giving me a bit of spirit back, I need it x
Yes, every time you keep quiet or agree with doctors even though you feel like something sinister is happening to you all you do is allow them to keep doing what they do ignore your issues until you crash and burn …. Its a sickness with some doctors.
I had this issue 6 years ago with my GP who had been my GP for 15 years I never questioned anything she said or did 100% trust until I suffered with severe panic attacks that almost killed me a couple of times and the quick weight gain …. when I would ask her about possible thyroid issues she would do the standard TSH and nothing else tell me I was a worry wart and weight paranoid… after numerous issues with panic attacks she did a scan on thyroid told all was normal just a Benign nodules and told me to go see ENT who couldn’t do a FNB to save their freaking lives (awful experience) only to have episode were my eye popped out of socket to finally being able to see Endocrinologist who said “ ENT should have referred you here” they aren’t qualified because you have Thyroid cancer!!! I was pissed I told my GP she better retire or this isn’t going to end well and that only and ignorant monster would ignore their patients plea for help … 2 weeks after my surgery she had retired….
I don’t let myself feel bad for to long anymore I speak up …. You have to live in your body they don’t and because they say its not possible doesn’t mean its not!
Wow what a journey for you and thank goodness you're sorted now. No wonder she retired, had to before she was struck off.I'm going to give the private endo a chance next week and hopefully I'll improve. I really am at the end of my tether being ignored or saying it's anxiety is ruining my life, marriage break up so yes a bit of stress but it really is not me. I was a trauma nurse for years, then a practice nurse prescrber so not a lot I couldn't cope with. The ectopics are the worst, I know they won't kill me but unless you've had them it's hard to explain how unsettling they are. I honestly want to go to A&E but I know it's a waste of their time.
Thanks for sharing your journey, I really should be grateful mine isn't as bad x
You would probably would feel relieved if a heart doctor would tell you its not your heart causing your issues. I hopeYou find a solution to your issue.
Thank you, they have definitely increased since reducing levo but surprisingly they're worse on the higher dose days. I too think I'm under medicated and was a bit alarmed that my ft4 is now below range. Last consultation he did say tsh was suppressed and said it maybe needs to be less so but I did say isn't that expected on T3? He asked gp to refer me to a cardiologist as I can't afford to keep going private but they won't until I've had a 24 hrs monitor. I've bought a mobile ecg and sent the gp copies but nothing been said. I just feel they're not listening just going on numbers not symptoms but I guess that's usual isn't it?Last bloods at gp 5th Jan 2022 at my request Vit D 79.9 (>50)
folate 13.6 (3-20)
Ferritin 155 (28-200) previously high.
B12 600 (189-640) had only stopped b complex 5 days before though.
Wouldn't check thyroid as only changed dose 22nd December which was fair enough. Yes I'm talking 2,000 vit D3, magnesium, K2 supplements, stopped the b complex for now. Thanks again for your time x
Just to give a counterpoint to the posters above, I think I get palpitations when my T3 is too high with respect to my T4 (even if they are both in range).
I think that's what the consultant was going on but at least with worse results it shows it might be it's too low. I'm sick of it, the ectopics are driving me mad again at the moment. Thanks for replying x
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