Low blood pressure and palpitations. Thyroid, low ferritin, something else?

[Bertiepuss]

My ongoing investigations into possible thyroid problems continue and thanks to you lovely lot I have a direction to follow with more testing over a period of time to look for patterns. So far normalish TSH with low normal FT4 and FT3 - results below. I’m not diagnosed and don’t take thyroid meds. Feel pretty rubbish all the time and am also trying to raise my ferritin which has been chronically low for years (probably all my life). It is coming up slowly as has now reached 49ug/L

I have a specific question around heart and blood pressure. I have constant 24hr a day palpitations, and feel my heart beating in my chest, neck, head and right ear all the time. I also have a high resting heart rate, rarely goes below 80 even after resting for 10 minutes. I am getting more 'heart flutterings' maybe twice per week rather than my usual one per month. Plus pretty low blood pressure.

My blood pressure in the evening is usually 80’s/50’s and at times is 70’s/60’s. It gets a bit higher first thing in the morning and manages 90’s/60’s. In my 20’s my blood pressure was 110/70 usually but it has got lower and lower over time.

Can this be a symptom of hypothyroid? Adrenal? Anything else endocrine related that it could be? ECG a year ago showed nothing and GP dismisses blood pressure as normal low. Anyone with experience in this please?

Quick background

17th November 2023

TSH 1.75 (0.27-4.2)

FT4 15 (12-22)

FT3 3.7 (3.1-6.8)

Previous TSH over the last few years range from 0.99 to 2.48 although I had one at 3.4 about 20 years ago. Know idea what time of day these were taken at.

Only other time I’ve had FT4 and FT3 done was 3.5 years ago with similar results to the recent November one.

I also have osteopenia (DEXA last April) and probably a gluten intolerance. Not tested as I pretty much avoid gluten but my Father is Coeliac.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

yes adrenal exhaustion and low BP are common when hypothyroid

As are palpitations or being aware of thumping heart

Be interesting to see how much thyroid levels are changing as you work on improving vitamin levels

Last results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Bertiepuss in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon I just edited to add my last results as you posted! As I'm not overtly hypo it makes piecing things together more difficult so trying to cover all bases to see if I'm missing something or should I say, my GP is missing something! I've had palpitations for several years but on and off, now they are none stop since I got the unpleasant virus 18 month ago. Let's see what happens in tests over the next few weeks.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bertiepuss]

Not tested as I pretty much avoid gluten

No point being “almost “ gluten free, it needs to be absolutely strictly gluten free to be effective

[Bertiepuss in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, I realise that now, and have been strictly gluten free since last April once I learnt about the relationship between low bone density, coeliac and nutrient malabsorption. Thank you for pointing this out, always good to be reminded as I used to say ‘gluten now and then – it doesn’t wreck my bowels if I don’t have it too often, I’m sure it will be fine’. It’s not fine ☹

[Katherine1234]

Have you had your B12 and folate tested Bertiepuss? Also a 4 point saliva test to see what your adrenals and dhea is doing. High dose Thiamine B1 bought my low blood pressure up a bit, also riboflavin b2 and Thornes Cortex. If it was me I would start to take daily copper to see if this brings up your iron and also take vitamin C when taking iron.

[Bertiepuss in reply to Katherine1234]

Thank you for your reply. Yes tested folate and serum and active B12. Folate in upper 3/4 range and B12 serum high (747 range 200-900) and active quite reasonable (95 range 27-188). However, I was supplementing B12 at 1000mcg per day for a very long time. I stopped the supplements only for the active test 3 weeks before. After much research and with the help of the kind people on the PA forum I have now started to self-inject B12 to see if there is any benefit. It’s really an experiment as I can’t know if there is a deficiency or not going by blood results. I wasn’t prepared to stop B12 supplements for 4 months, it didn’t make sense because as I don’t eat any foods with natural B12 I would of course then become deficient without supplements, so proves nothing.

I’m going to do a saliva cortisol and dhea test in the next month. I had a bad experience with B1 a couple of years ago – made me itch all over! It wasn’t even a high dose, very strange, maybe it was the type, it was coenzamated. I have just bought a low dose B complex to try, it also has B2 that you suggested.

Yes, vit C with the iron, I have been doing that. However, now the iron is hurting my stomach so having a break, or is it the vit C…

In my case I don’t think taking copper would be helpful. My diet is naturally very high in copper ( a lot of veg, pulses, nuts and seeds) and a hair mineral test I had showed high copper levels and low iron. I know there is some controversy around stored iron in the tissues not showing in the blood, but I believe in my case I do have a true iron (ferritin) deficiency. Perimenopause was giving me 2 heavy periods per month, that is a lot of iron lost. On HRT now but that’s another challenge in itself!

[Katherine1234]

I started self injecting B12, I have not looked back since then. I had high B12 showing in blood like you, but it was just pooling not getting to the cells. I am someone who cannot take folic acid, I have to take natural folate and I need quite high doses even though it was showing 3/4 through range on blood tests. My B12 injections use up a lot of folate and potassium. I am wondering if your copper is getting through. Sometimes a high level on a hair mineral test means it is pooling and not getting to cells. I had this with magnesium on hair mineral test. Showing above range but I was depleted. A lot of my absorption issues was down to low stomach acid. I am on the road to mending this hopefully. When you say B1 made you itch like crazy are you sure you don't mean B3.

[Bertiepuss in reply to Katherine1234]

That’s really interesting you also having high B12 and folate too on blood tests. I take methylfolate and folinic acid. I would love to work out how to know if B12 is pooling. Did you find this out for yourself, how? Have you found injecting B12 has helped your health and symptoms?

Yes, same with magnesium for me – high levels in hair (not super high like the copper), low normal levels on a red cell magnesium test. This was 2 years ago. I supplement Mag.

Copper was just about normal in blood (not a red cell test, just serum) yet very high in hair. Sounds like neither copper or mag are getting into the cells particularly well then. Really do not understand why though although I do suspect low stomach acid. Cannot take any kind of acid – AVC and betaine hydrochloride destroy my stomach very quickly! I have tried licorice, aloe vera, L-glutamine to help stomach but can never tolerate any acid.

Wondering if this is also linked to thyroid, need to do more testing as advised on here over the next few weeks. Time will tell on this front.

Yep, definitely B1 – weird ehh? Not heard anyone say the same thing. However, I take an anti-depressant and whenever I try to come off it, even very slowly cutting down over the space of 6 months, once I finally stop the miniscule, homeopathic quantity I get down to, I get the crazy itching too (plus other hideous withdrawal symptoms) and end up going back on it.

[Katherine1234]

I was very sick Bertiepuss Bad ataxia, it was like I was walking on a rocking boat, dreadful fatigue, short term memory shot. Bed bound. NHS would do nothing as B12 and folate was showing high in blood although I had the most horrendous high MCV's MCHC's MCVS's enlarge red blood cells. I showed ok oxygen wise on an oximeter, but I take a guess that I was very hypoxic at cellular level. I ate really healthy, organic and grass fed meats, but was not absorbing my nutrients. Dr. C looked over 15 years of my blood tests and diagnosed me with dangerous low levels of B12, under treated thyroid, and very low cortisol. It was quite a climb back up and I cannot say I am a 100% there I also found out that pernicious anemia runs in our family. Endo has now put me on T3 and well as T4.

I would google minerals showing high in hair mineral test as they normally always mean that you have nothing in the cells. I could not absorb the magnesium without adding boron to it. I am also now taking mineral drops. I am hoping that will help somewhat. I have not done another hair mineral test yet.

Hopefully the licorice, aloe vera, L-glutamine will help repair your stomach lining as they do not contain acid. I am on HCL with pepsin, licorice, L-glutamine, ox bile and digestive enzymes. The game changer for me was digestive enzymes. Possibly try them first. Hypothyroid naturally leads to low stomach acid as well as low B12. A 4 point saliva test with dhea would help you. Mine was showing below range morning, afternoon and evening and just climbed into bottom of range nighttime. I also take Thornes Cortex for adrenals. Another thought, low zinc and copper cause stomach acid issues. I take zinc L-carnosine too, it is on prescription in some countries for stomach issues. I also take a multi b vit. I am wondering with thiamine if you have a histamine issue going on. When our tummies are not right histamine receptors can go up big time in the tummy.

[Bertiepuss in reply to Katherine1234]

Thank you, this is all very helpful. I have a lot more investigating to do and will look into everything you suggest.

My M’s on my last blood test were all ok. However, with the iron deficiency and anemia too in September, it would not make sense the M’s were normal, particularly the MCV which would usually be low with ID yet mine was nearer the top end although not over. I’ve read a B12 deficiency that causes large red blood cells can be masked by an iron deficiency leading to normal MCV values. I’m trying to correct the iron and B12 at the same time. This is so difficult because I really don’t have the funds to do as much testing as would be ideal.

I do take Zinc but can’t face the adrenal complex etc. from animal origin, it doesn’t sit well with me as I choose not to eat animal products – more difficult I know…

I’m glad you are seeing improvement but sorry you’re not 100%, I do hope things continue to improve for you.

Would you mind sending me a private message with who Dr. C is please?

[Katherine1234]

You are right Bertiepuss your low iron could be covering up your B12 deficiency. It is quite a journey we are on.