Palpitations

[davina70]

Been having palpitations on and off for a year I have an innocuous heart murmur but ECHO and ECG normal.Finally had my T3 and T4 level bloods tested today pre appt with endo they are 3.3 and 12.9 I’m guessing the T3 may be the cause of my palpitations hope I’m correct ..any thoughts please ?

[greygoose]

Well, palpitations can be a hypo symptom. And, your FT3 does look low. But, impossible to say without seeing the ranges.

[davina70 in reply to greygoose]

T3 range is 3.1-6.8 and T4 is 11-25 they have both been reducing according to my bloods over last three readings taken over a few years!

[greygoose in reply to davina70]

FT3 3.3 (3.1-6.8) 5.41%

FT4 12.9 (11-25) 13.57%

Those two results are saying that you are very under-medicated and still hypo. So, it could very well be why you're having palpitation.

[davina70 in reply to greygoose]

Many thanks let’s hope endo acts on these then on Thursday

[greygoose in reply to davina70]

He certainly should do! What was the TSH?

[davina70]

TSH was 3.51 range 0.27 - 4.2 ..sorry I don’t understand any if these figures !

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts

You have Addison’s and PA

GP reduced levothyroxine to 100mcg in March (Teva brand?)

What dose levothyroxine were you on before

Do you always get Teva levothyroxine

What were thyroid results BEFORE dose levothyroxine was reduced

You’re now extremely under medicated

Dose levothyroxine should be increased.

When are you seeing endocrinologist

When adequately treated on just levothyroxine most people will have Ft4 at least 60-70% through range

ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Likely to be very low and in need of supplements

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

I was on 125 until late February then reduced I have no blood test results available as I live in wales and we have only just been piloting access to nhs records here.I read about TEVA myself so got that changed about 10 days ago.My long term endo retired now so seeing another on Thursday also my B 12 jab is same day have this every 8 weeks.I had concerns about taking iron due to atrophic gastritis seeing gastroenterologist for follow up 4 months after gastroscopy.GP prescribed them at my request but didn’t think they were essential so rather than make my stomach worse I thought I’d ask the consultant on 20 June.I don’t eat offal but will try for other iron rich foods.

I believe temp endo is a diabetes specialist so I have concerns but after two years glad to see someone bloods were checked only last year.

I’m unable to print as only have an I phone but will see what I can manage with screen prints etc lol this is quite worrying as I’m due to go away next week to Greece for a week …I new something wasn’t right so have kept pushing for some help !!

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

Where can I view my previous posts can’t locate them !?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to davina70]

healthunlocked.com/user/dav...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Vast majority of endocrinologists are diabetes specialists

TSH should be under 2 as an absolute maximum when on levothyroxine

gponline.com/endocrinology-...

Replacement therapy with levothyroxine should be initiated in all patients to achieve a TSH level of 0.5-2.0pmol/L.

NHS England Liothyronine guidelines July 2019 clearly state on page 13 that TSH should be between 0.4-1.5 when OPTIMALLY treated with just Levothyroxine

Note that it says test should be in morning BEFORE taking levothyroxine

Also to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploa...

Graph showing median TSH in healthy population is 1-1.5

web.archive.org/web/2004060...

Persevere - have all guidelines printed and be ready to quote them

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Reducing dose levothyroxine inappropriately can mess with adrenal levels

Surely a GP should not be managing your thyroid levels as you have Addison’s disease

Adrenals try to compensate for lack of thyroid hormones when we are under medicated

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

I have found a way to print some of the guidelines not all the links work but many thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Ferritin at 18 is deficient

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

GP/ endo need to do full iron panel test for anaemia

Low ferritin levels likely directly linked to being under medicated thyroid wise

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Request Vitamin D, folate tested

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

Well after lots of explaining on my part to the new endo I’m not really any further advanced.He said my thyroxin levels were within parameters and that if I increased my thyroxin by 25 mg then that should bring my TSH down.Seemed extremely knowledgeable was trained by my previous endo I quoted verbatim but he still disagreed and who am I to argue !!!

He will be checking my levels again in 8 weeks and then at that time also checking my fludtocortisone that I take for Addison’s disease that could impact my heart it seems .

Next stop halter monitor on 15/6 for seven days unless the increased meds work lol

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to davina70]

What’s your endocrinologist doing about your deficient ferritin levels

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

In his words my iron store is good !

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to davina70]

Does he need to go to Spec Savers?

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

Suggest you get full iron panel test done via Medichecks

[davina70 in reply to SlowDragon]

I think that the diagnosis I was given today is based on these as three out of the four are in my case well above normal

Iron deficiency

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to davina70]

SeasideSusie and humanbean might pop along and comment

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to davina70]

Low haemoglobin and low haematocrit indicate anaemia.

You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia.

So an iron panel is needed - Serum iron, transferrin saturation percentage, TIBC and Ferritin - to see if you have iron deficiency.

You can have low ferritin without iron deficiency.

[davina70 in reply to SeasideSusie]

First can I say thank you very much for all of your input it’s very helpful and supportive.I have just checked and can see from my limited blood tests that I don’t have TIBC recorded.I plan to start taking some oral iron tablets at a limited dose initially as I’m going away to Greece in a few days for a week.I live alone and feel that I’ve put enough into this issue for now I don’t want the palpitations to get worse so I’m going to try and chill and relax or I won’t be going anywhere lol !

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Helpful suggestions in your other post re low iron

Essential to improve iron levels otherwise levothyroxine can’t work

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

Ask for iron infusion if can’t tolerate iron supplements

[Sanshia]

I’m not sure of your age but I had severe heart palpitations when I was in perimenopause it might be worth getting those levels checked as well.