Extreme dizziness on T3: Its ironic that I haven... - Thyroid UK

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Extreme dizziness on T3

Murphysmum profile image
13 Replies

Its ironic that I haven’t posted on here for months as I’ve felt reasonably well, and then I post twice within a week!

So having been fine and fairly steady for quite a long time on T3 only, suddenly last night I became dizzy about an hour after taking my evening dose.

Then again this morning, woke fine, took morning dose, had breakfast etc and over an hour later developed crazy dizziness that lasted until around 130pm. It left me with a dull headache.

My heart rate was maybe slightly lower than expected for going about my day at around 55-60bpm, but not spectacularly low. It did pick up later in the day as I felt better though, and was then around 75bpm which is more like me when moving about etc.

I’m struggling to explain the dizziness. I agent done bloods but recent done a couple of weeks back were fine. Dose was the same, timing the same, etc etc.

Can anyone guide me at all? I’m assuming it’s pretty much caused by the T3 as the timing of the dizziness coming on fits with the timing of the T3 kicking in, but why?

I’ve just taken tonight evening dose but tbh as I’m still feeling the effects of being so off earlier in the day I’d quite happily have missed it. But then if the effects are from my levels being low, that wouldn’t help!

This thyroid journey is such an eventful one, keeps you guessing!

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Murphysmum profile image
Murphysmum
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13 Replies
Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

I think when we take thyroid medication—especially T3–we’re always looking to attribute symptoms to it. That’s probably a legacy of expecting our doctors to go ballistic because we dare to ignore their advice and dark warnings about suppressed TSH. No matter how much we try to ignore those thoughts they slip on through, especially when we’re feeling low.

But my gut feeling is that this may have nothing to do with your thyroid hormone levels at all. Could it be a virus you’ve picked up?

Murphysmum profile image
Murphysmum in reply to Jazzw

Maybe. I have alway had dizziness as a symptom even way back when I was on levo, (even then the Dr dismissed it 😂 now I think about it) so o guess you’re right, we do naturally look to blame that.

It just feels thyroidy to me. Although normally it passes within an hour or so, and I just sigh and decide that that’s life, but this morning it was particularly bad and persistent. I did actually wonder if it could be an inner ear thing for a wee while until I clocked my low heart rate and then I put 2n2 together.

You could be right though, maybe it’s not that at all. We’ll see, I took my evening dose a wee while ago (reluctantly) and so I’m now trying to distract myself so I don’t think myself dizzy! 😂

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to Murphysmum

Aww, it’s a rotten feeling isn’t it? Just been reading back through some of your posts to get a feel for where you’re at.

Perimenopause might have something to do with all this. I think it may be a factor in what’s happened with me lately (I recently reduced my dose a bit after years of being stable at 3 grains of NDT).

This stuff is hard when you have to figure it out by yourself. But my local surgery doesn’t have a clue, and looking at your last post, neither does yours!

You mentioned about 6m ago that you’d had a change in liothyronine brand? Could that have something to do with your recent problems?

Murphysmum profile image
Murphysmum in reply to Jazzw

I strongly suspect other hormones are at play here. Though working it out as you say is a minefield.

And no, my surgery doesn’t have a clue. Or to be fair, the didn’t used to - I haven’t talked thyroid with them since I went on T3 and I aim to keep it that way, hence my panic over them wanting bloods last week!

It’s not a brand thing, I’ve been on the same brand for months now so that’s one thing i can be certain of! Small mercies 😂

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to Murphysmum

Good to have one thing to rule out!

jimh111 profile image
jimh111

Vertigo is a sign of hyperthyroidism, I used to go on escalators and look down to see if I was on too much. You could try taking your liothyronine an hour or two later to see if you still get the same effect.

Murphysmum profile image
Murphysmum in reply to jimh111

I had bad vertigo before I switched to T3. I remember walking along the beach (as I do every morning) and as the waves came past my feet, right to left generally, I’d completely lose my balance! That was too little though, so many conflicting symptoms.

It is possible it’s from too much T3 I guess, it’s just odd as I haven’t changed anything. You’re right, I’ll take my T3 a bit late tomo morning and see.

Thing is, if it doesn’t happen you can never be certain that theory was right! The delights of thyroid disease - I long for someone to make diabetes-like testing for us so we can pinpoint these things

jimh111 profile image
jimh111 in reply to Murphysmum

If it happens when you change the timing you can switch back and forth a couple of times. If you get consistent results you can be certain it is the T3. From what you say I think it is unlikely due to your liothyronine but it's logical to double check.

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine in reply to Murphysmum

I think vertigo can be a sign of under or over medication. I had 2 years of constant balance issues, but touch wood they have largely disappeared since I added T3 to Levo. We are more at risk of vestibular issues when hypo.

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame

How much T3 are you now taking?

Are you still splitting your dose? I wonder if a single dose might be better

I'm also wondering if the dizziness after the dose is the body telling you it needs more hormone.

I'm on high dose T3-only and found a split dose didn't work for me....I need the "push" the larger single dose provides to get enough T3 into the cells.

Maybe worth a try!

Murphysmum profile image
Murphysmum in reply to DippyDame

Hmm, I hear you. However I’ve tried this before.

Weirdly, I cannot take anything less than 20mcg - it’s like I’ve taken nothing, has no effect whatsoever. However, I tried to slowly increase my single dose from 30 to 60mcg a while back, and got to 40 before I felt like I was going to explode myself!

So I had to give up. The two doses works fine for me though I have noted I need to be more careful with my timings… an hour or two later in the evening and I feel overmedicated for a while in the morning after that dose! However I don’t honk this is the case here as I’ve been taking it religiously and the symptoms are different.

Hmm, food for thought though, I’ll give more thought to that, thanks ☺️

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame in reply to Murphysmum

It's basically trial and error... with a good helping of T3 knowledge!

Never venture, never win!

Good luck

Incoguto profile image
Incoguto

My feeling is you may not be taking enough or you take it too late? Not sure it would be from too much it goes away later. Unless it's some peak. I think it's related to your thyroid meds. Would you try to take 2.5 mcg t3 more to see if it helps?

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