Hi everyone. I was ill with covid over Christmas for and had to call ambulance.They found fast heartbeat but I didn't want to go in.Had an ECG at docs and still a bit irregular (read online that covid can cause this) I also read that covid can cause you to go from hypo (have been for thirty years) to hyper.I am on levothyroxine (50 micrograms one day and 25 the next) I wondered if it would be ok just to stop the 25 today and see if my heart regulates better.Had 50 yesterday so just 25 today. I think docs caused this with my heart as the supressed my thyroid for a year (over prescribed) even though I was going every six months for a blood test. Just wondered what you think.Happy healthy 2023 to you all.
Irregular fast heart beat after covid. - Thyroid UK
Irregular fast heart beat after covid.
![Daisydarling profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/58bf5ad10b6fa9e8a44d36bf86b471d7_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
![Daisydarling profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/58bf5ad10b6fa9e8a44d36bf86b471d7_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
![Jaydee1507 profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/75955f20-b57a-4478-a092-2ddad367d545_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Can I just refer you back to this post of 2 years ago where you were on the same dose of Levo? You are likely very undermedicated and no wonder your body isn;t working well. You need to insist your GP raises your dose. 50/25 is a starter dose. Can I ask approx how much you weigh?
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thank you 55.4 about 9 stone.They said I was over medicated for a year.Will ring them and get print out.Last test Sept TSH 0.92 mu/L
So going VERY approximately by weight you need around 88 mcgs ish. If you want to be better you need to pay for private blood tests that also show your FT3 number which the NHS won't do.
Vitamins also play a big part and as you've been unwell the GP might agree to test ferritin, folate, B12 and D3 if you ask them.
Thank you had them done in Sept (not d3) and ok
Can you get a copy of the results? Often GPs say they are OK when in fact your result is at the very bottom of the range. We need to supplement to get our results to OPTIMAL.
Just rung them and they are sending Decembers. She said Dec TSU is 1.16 is that ojk?
![SlowDragon profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/27fbbead1f291333f83bad1f31359fe3_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
palpitations can be UNDER Medication
You’re not even on standard STARTER dose levothyroxine
Likely under medicated and low vitamin levels
Strongly recommend getting full thyroid and vitamin testing done
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
what vitamin supplements are you currently taking
all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options and money off codes
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65
(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies)
monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...
10% off code here
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery
Thank you Activis for years but now North star.I take liquid b12.Mag Taurine. Iron ok at 41 (had blood test before Christmas) Will have to ring for print out.Saw doc last night and he said they were ok.
Northstar 25mcg is Teva brand
Teva brand levothyroxine upsets many people
Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg are Accord (previously Activis)
suggest you change to just take 50mcg tablets everyday
Either cut a 50mcg tablet in half to remain on 50mcg and 25mcg alternate days
But ideally request GP increase dose levothyroxine to 50mcg every day
Retest thyroid and vitamin levels in 6-8 weeks
ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
Levothyroxine doesn’t top up failing thyroid it replaces it
Even if exceptionally petite, you’re likely to need to be on at least 75mcg
Yes I realise you at older age group……but we still need thyroid hormones
GP likely only testing TSH which is completely inadequate
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
![SlowDragon profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/27fbbead1f291333f83bad1f31359fe3_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
meanwhile request GP test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin
Thank you yes accord for the last year as Teeva did upset me
But Northstar 25mcg is TEVA brand
Sorry on Accord now.Just found results for Sept and B12 705 (Ref rang 180.0-900) folate 14.4 (ref 4.0-20.0)
have you got 25mcg tablets
Or do you only have 50mcg tablets
Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets
I have 50 and cut them in half on alternate days.Just rung docs for print out and asked about TSh which is 1.16 thank you for all your help
just testing TSH is completely inadequate
You need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together
Thousands upon thousands of U.K. patients forced to test privately to make progress
The most important results are ALWAYS Ft3 followed by Ft4
Aiming for Ft4 and Ft3 at least 50-60% through range minimum
Always test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test.
Test on the day after a 25mcg dose
cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65
(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies)
monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...
10% off code here
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery
Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
examples of private test results
Monitor My Health results
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Medichecks results
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Blue horizon results
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Did have a Free T4 in 2021 and that was 13.9 (ref 7.0-20.0)
was test done early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Unlikely high enough dose
FT4: 13.9 pmol/l (Range 7 - 20)
Only 53.08% through range
Suggest you get retested including Ft3
Conversion rate of Ft4 to Ft3 drops as we get older
In order to get Ft3 at 50-60% through range…..frequently necessary to have Ft4 (levothyroxine dose) at least 70-80% through range
As you will see if look through examples of results in links
Look for results when patients are ONLY on levothyroxine
Im also suffering with erratic pulse after dealing with covid in October. Its been 3 months and I have made very little progress relaxing my pulse and I even reduced my Levo when I first came down with Covid because my pulse was insanely high… Sorry no answer definitely can relate.
Thank you sorry you are going through this it's scary.My pulse is high and blood pressure low but docs don't seem concerned.
it definitely stinks to not know what is causing it I do wonder if covid is responsible ….. I read a study recently about Covid and ESR elevation after infection and Im currently sky high with ESR (Inflammation) considering I was tested prior to Covid and I was in range. So much about Covid is unknown.