Irregular fast heart beat after covid.

[Daisydarling]

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.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

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...

[Daisydarling in reply to Jaydee1507]

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

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

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.

[Daisydarling in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thank you had them done in Sept (not d3) and ok

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

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.

[Daisydarling in reply to Jaydee1507]

Just rung them and they are sending Decembers. She said Dec TSU is 1.16 is that ojk?

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

They may only have tested TSH which isn't enough and totally inadequate. This is why in this group people buy private blood tests to see what is really going on. See SlowDragons post to you with details.

To feel better you probably need your TSH under 1 so need a small increase.

[Daisydarling in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

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 

[Daisydarling in reply to SlowDragon]

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.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

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 Administrator]

meanwhile request GP test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

[Daisydarling in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you yes accord for the last year as Teeva did upset me

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

But Northstar 25mcg is TEVA brand

[Daisydarling in reply to SlowDragon]

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)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

have you got 25mcg tablets

Or do you only have 50mcg tablets

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets

[Daisydarling in reply to SlowDragon]

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

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

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...

[Daisydarling in reply to SlowDragon]

Did have a Free T4 in 2021 and that was 13.9 (ref 7.0-20.0)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

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

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Daisydarling]

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Request Gp test iron and ferritin levels or test via

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

[Batty1]

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.

[Daisydarling in reply to Batty1]

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.

[Batty1 in reply to Daisydarling]

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.

[Daisydarling in reply to Batty1]

Yes I agree long Covid can be due to all sorts of problems in the body