Angina + Overmedicated?

[sklitch]

Hi all.

I have been having chest pains and intense nausea after any exertion (even just walking 1/2 a mile home from work) so I spoke to my Dr and he thinks it may be angina (I am booked for an ECG and blood test in the next couple of weeks).

Would it be possible this could be happening because I am slightly over-medicated. Though I feel fine on this dose and have been on it for 2 years now.

My last blood test results were as follows:

TSH: 0.008 (0.27-4.2

T4: 19.5 (9-19)

T3: 5.3 (2.9-4.9)

I take 125mcg Levo a day

My endo has always said that so long as the TSH is detectable then there is no problem being at this level, no risk to my heart or bones.

Do you think this could be connected to the Levo or just an unfortunate coincidence. I also have Psoriatic Arthritis (in remission mostly) and have just had my gallbladder removed.

TIA

Sarah

[Me1157]

Whenever my thyroid goes up the wall, my heart does some funny things too, more often than not I develop a heart murmour and I have experienced chest pains in the past and had suspected angina, so did the stress test and a few others. I would strongly suggest that you get both your heart and thyroid a full check up. It may or may not be connected. The last heart specialist I saw, said my heart issues at the time had nothing to do with my thyroid....So I told him.... there must be sooo many conicidences as it happen when my thyroid is up the wall and it's my body and perhaps it reacts differently than what you're used to seeing. Remember, it's your body and you know how it acts and reacts to different things.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Was test done early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

[sklitch in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon

I haven't had an updated test for Vit D etc for a long while so don't know where they stand. I presume they will be tested in 2 weeks time, hopefully anyway.

I don't seem to have any problem with different Levo brands. Mercury Pharma and Teva are the usuals and my pharmacy is fairly consistent, but, as I say, I've not noticed different brands make any difference anyway.

That last thyroid blood test was done late morning after I took my dose at 7am. Getting an early blood test is nigh on impossible at my surgery. I'm am having to wait 2 weeks for the test the GP just ordered!

I was really just wondering if angina was a possible side effect of being over-medicated.

I thought the chest pains and sickness were connected to my gallstones but now the offending organ is out, it seems to not be the case.

Many thanks

S

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to sklitch]

I presume they will be tested in 2 weeks time, hopefully anyway.

Never assume these will be tested ….request that they are tested

Vitamin D and magnesium

Iron and ferritin

Folate and B12

Don’t take levothyroxine before test

If test is late morning, on day before delay your morning dose levothyroxine to similar time

Eg if test is 11am Thursday…..on Wednesday delay levothyroxine dose until 11am …..so it’s 24 hours between last dose levothyroxine and test

TSH is highest early morning and drops to lowest early afternoon

[humanbean]

There are many possible causes of chest pain, but one that is rarely (or never) mentioned by doctors and is worth checking out is low iron and/or low ferritin (iron stores).

[Soof007]

Hey Sarah, how are you now? Did you reduce your dose?

[sklitch in reply to Soof007]

Hi Soof007Thank you for asking. I had the ECG and it turns out I had a small heart attack last year (it got missed (!) because I had a severe gallbladder infection at the time and just thought it was that). I had a Heart CT which showed a significant blockage in an artery. I am waiting for an angiography and probably some stents. So it looks like it wasn't my levo dose. More likely 25 years of undiagnosed Hashimoto's causing elevated cholesterol and the problem stemming from there. Not the best outcome but I am on the way to being fixed. Good news is my cholesterol ratio is now 2.2!