Does anyone know if there’s a correlation between hypothyroidism and high blood pressure? And what effect blood pressure meds might have if you are hypothyroid ?
My thyroid levels have been pretty stable and I’ve felt well for several years now. Apart from taking it upon myself to up my Levothyroxine dosage to 100 mcg per day instead of 75 one day 100 the next, ( as prescribed by my consultant who has now discharged me ) nothing else has changed but my blood pressure seems to be creeping up into the worrying zone. (I only know because my partner checks his on a machine following a heart attack.)
I know I should go and be checked out but I don’t particularly want to go to be put on the standard medication without checking out the whys and wherefores. My GP, lovely though he is, is pretty inexpert on thyroid matters.
Written by
walden53
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Remember to stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before all blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results….so that includes vitamin B complex
Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested together
Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis. Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
You can't really take one BP measurement in isolation. That is a high systolic reading but your diastolic reading isn't really high.
High blood pressure is considered to be over 140/90 although the older we are the higher it usually is.
I had high readings at the surgery but because I get white coat syndrome I was asked to do a series of readings at home.
Sit and relax for 10 minutes before taking BP. Discard first reading then take 3 more and take the average of those 3. Do it 2 or 3 times a day for a week. If your BP is high you should see your GP.
I was on BP meds for a few years and had no problems. I took BP meds at bedtime, Thyroid meds a few hours later when I regularly need the bathroom during the early hours of the morning. BP meds were stopped when I was put on betablockers as they can lower BP too.
walden53 i’d like to jump in and add to Susie’s recommendations, when you sit and relax for 10 minutes don’t cross your legs. No, seriously, it makes a huge difference. I went to the nurse at work and got her to take my bp, the first thing she did was to tell me to uncross my legs.
Thank you. I always find your responses helpful and this one is no exception. I’ve booked an appointment to see my GP hoping I can go into the appointment better informed than I was before I posted the question on here. Thinking I may ask to be re referred to my consultant (though I doubt he’ll prescribe T3 as I asked before and he said his hands were tied)
Thank you. Most enlightening and confirms that I’m doing the right thing in thinking things through before rushing headlong into going to the doctors and being made to take stuff I don’t want to take.
Advice from the nhs was take 2 readings, 2 minutes apart, and make a note every day for a week. Mine has gone up and stayed up since booster jab, no idea if coincidence or not. Mine between 147/85. Perfect according to nurse. 156/95. 163/82??? Weeks up tomorrow.
Hi, I'm underactive and on medication. Have been for 20 years, 10 years ago put on BP meds as BP far too high. Had all the usual tests to see if it was diet related, too much salt etc. But no, I'm not over weight, I exercise and eat a good diet. My immediate family all under active thyroid and on BP meds too. I would like to stop taking BP meds but when I stop for a while my BP just creeps up too high.
Mine was 120/60 all my life, including 3 pregnancies, divorce, moving house etc. Suddenly shot up to 190/100 after the second vax. 6 months later it has slowly dropped to 160/89, and the calcium channel pills do not seem to do anything. GP says the two are not related.
Hmm....
Recently in the waiting room at the GP, I got chatting and others joined in - 70% were there for blood pressure problems for the first time in their lives. All ages and sexes, about 20 of us. OK, not a proper sample as we were all there for something, but I found it interesting.
Untreated or grossly under treated hypothyroidism can indeed raise your blood pressure. It certainly raised mine.....which settled back down once on optimum treatment. So you're wise to check your thyroid hormones first.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
'Chance' diagnosis of Hypothyroidism
So what is causing these symptoms?
Understanding Hypothyroidism - newbie
Hypothyroidism
