vertigo

[Angie10116]

hi all, I hope you’re doing well.

Please can I ask if a high tsh can cause vertigo, blurry vision and /or seeing flashing lights? Even after changing dose 2 weeks ago?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

possibly

Suggest you make a face to face appointment with GP

Have you retested thyroid levels since last post 4 months ago

What dose and brand levothyroxine (and T3 ?) are you taking

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

How much vitamin D are you taking

Did you increase your dose vitamin D after last test results

[Angie10116 in reply to SlowDragon]

I don’t take d3 at the moment.

My tsh was 15 2 weeks ago (not sure of range but it’s around 0.22 and 4.5). I’m now on 175mg on accord

[greygoose]

Not the TSH itself, no. TSH doesn't make you feel anything, it doesn't cause symptoms.

But, a TSH that high is an indication that you are very under-medicated, even if you have just had an increase in dose two weeks ago. Two weeks is not long enough to have the desired effect on your FT4 and FT3 levels. And it is mainly FT3 that causes symptoms when it's too low.

vertigo, blurry vision and /or seeing flashing lights?

That said, with those symptoms it might be a good idea to get your eyes tested. Even if just to rule out visial problems.

Have you had your B12 tested recently? Low B12 can cause terrible symptoms, including vertigo. Something that doctors have no idea about. I speak from experience!

[Angie10116 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you! I might do actually 😊 I also have insulin resistance which could be the cause, apparently thyroid can also but I wanted to ask here.

B12 deficiency is horrible! I’ll look into it for sure 😁

[greygoose in reply to Angie10116]

There are many things that can cause vertigo, and blurry eyes. But it's the flashing lights that would worry me most, and send me to an opthalmologist.

[Angie10116 in reply to greygoose]

Was everything okay with you? Was it the b12

[greygoose in reply to Angie10116]

It was indeed the B12 - although all the other B vits were also low. I was lucky enough to find an neurologist that tested them all and prescribed each one individually. Unfortunately, she didn't tell me that I would need to take them for life, so when the prescription was finished, I stopped taking them, and a lot of symptoms came back! And by then, she'd left the area. But at least I knew to get the B12 tested again, and restart the B vits.

[Angie10116 in reply to greygoose]

I’m glad to hear that it wasn’t anything you can’t fix 😁

[greygoose in reply to Angie10116]

So was I! lol Because my GP didn't have a clue! He just kept prescribing pills 'for vertigo of unknown origine', and then more pills to combat the symptoms they caused. On of them actually said on the PIL 'warning, may cause vertigo'! I kid you not. A drug meant to 'cure' vertigo that causes it! And all that when a simple B12 test would have given us a clue. Sigh.

[Angie10116 in reply to greygoose]

Some doctors are useless! I’m sorry you had to do the back and forth, but glad it’s all sorted. I just booked in with my eye doctor 😄

[greygoose in reply to Angie10116]

That's good. Hope he gives you the all-clear.

[Angie10116 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you 😁

[greygoose in reply to Angie10116]

You're welcome.

[Nipitiri in reply to greygoose]

If I may ask, which B vitamins specifically were you prescribed? And would the daily doses be different for each individual according to their situation or are there any standard optimal doses?

[greygoose in reply to Nipitiri]

I was prescribed all of them, and the doses were different for each one. But I can't remember the details, it was over 20 years ago.

[Nipitiri in reply to greygoose]

Oook

I have an additional question right here...not sure if I should search for an according post or can ask it here... I've noticed these last couple of months that I seem to become dizzy (at the moment on a sick leave due to that plus blood pressure fluctuations from low to high) around premenstrual phase. So may it be related to sex hormones (estrogen dominance which I'm quite sure I have according to the progesterone and estrogen ratio) or it's rather not related...? I've had preeclampsia during one of my pregnancies in 2011 and I feel similar symptoms without being pregnant and without having the possibility to be pregnant (except expecting a miracle baby).

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Nipitiri]

That sounds ever so non-thyroid. There might be better forums to ask such questions.

And without any doubt, better ask on a separate, new, post.

[FallingInReverse]

Ocular migraines have been discussed every once in a while on this forum. I’m not sure if they are conclusively related to hypo/hashis… these create varied visual disturbances that are mostly harmless.

But as greygoose points out - there are many eye issues that ARE related to our faulty thyroids, but when it comes to seeing flashing lights, that’s the most concerning.

If you are seeing flashing lights, you need to go to an ophthalmologist immediately. Flashing lights can be signs of retinal detachment, which leads to permanent grey spots/blindness.

I’ve known one person it’s happened to, and time was of the essence to address it. They still have a permanent grey quadrant in their vision.

Since then, I’ve gone to the doctor whenever I’ve had visual disturbances (blurry, patterns, etc) and they always reassure me, but also point out that if I ever see flashing lights to come back in immediately.

[Angie10116 in reply to FallingInReverse]

Thank you. Of course. I’m booked in for the 8th June, nothing earlier. I have no pain or visual signs, I’m more worried that there’s something wrong with my brain! I do have health anxiety which makes me think the worst. Especially with brain fog and headaches. Can vertigo be a sign of hypo? It’s the scariest symptom for me

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to FallingInReverse]

I am absolutely certain that ocular migraines can be related to thyroid! But that is from subjective experience rather than scientific assessment.

I had a fair number in the early days of treatment. Since then, very occasionally, either a single isolated migraine or a series - even within a single day.

I often suggest members search for migraines across the internet. There are some that are incredible close, visually, to what I experience. Which does help to confirm that it was a migraine. But still very sensible to get eyes checked if in any doubt.

[Angie10116 in reply to helvella]

Thank you 😁

[FallingInReverse]

Glad you have the eye appointment. If the flashing lights start up again, do go to the emergency room/ hospital or however you can see someone immediately.

Regards to vertigo, I actually had this a kind of room-spinning feeling last week, although doesn’t happen often. As GG says, vertigo can be related to B12. I recall reading things about vertigo/dizziness here a while ago - just used the search function to find this one:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I haven’t looked at your previous posts but what you are explaining sounds pretty standard and familiar for hypo : )

[Angie10116 in reply to FallingInReverse]

this extremely helpful, thank you. The flashing lights are more like stars I guess, they come and go but I don’t get them too often, I’ve just been getting them more recently that’s why I’ve mentioned them.😊

[FallingInReverse in reply to Angie10116]

Oh yeah - stars : ) that’s NOT flashing lights. Flashing lights are described to me more like lightening flashes.

My daughter has had this a few times - once she said she thought I’d thrown glitter up in the air in front of her. Another time she saw rainbows or a sharp geometric pattern. I had the geometric pattern once.

It’s so weird isn’t it! And for me too you think - well something MUST be wrong with my brain. But also oddly enough not something my eye doctor says to worry about. If anyone knows different I know they will add to my reply here!

I went to my eye doctor and asked specifically about it because of that friend who went partially blind, and because it happened to me once and because my daughter gets it.

She said it was fine. Let me know what your doctor says too!

[Angie10116 in reply to FallingInReverse]

I see! Well I did have a flash today also 😅 but my bad! Stars haha. Also scary!

Thank you, I will do! 😁

[FallingInReverse in reply to Angie10116]

Ok then…probably fine… just saying, don’t ignore actual flashes/lightening flash/light pops type thing.

There are so many aspects to visual eye disturbances - but have a read of this link that sums up well my thoughts on the rare possibility that your flashes are related to retinal detachment:

my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

quoted:

How are photopsias (eye flashes) treated?

Your provider will treat a photopsia by treating its cause. Some causes, like retinal detachments, brain injuries or eye injuries, are medical emergencies. With retinal detachment, you might notice darkened side vision along with eye flashes and floaters. Get help right away if you’ve had a brain or eye injury or think you might have retinal detachment.

[Angie10116 in reply to FallingInReverse]

Very helpful, I appreciate this 😁