Over 4 and half years ago I caught covid for the first time and ended up with high BP/ HR and put ( and left )on 5 hypertensives till this January when finally got a tilt table test and shown to have bad postural hypotension on standing for 8 mins ( accounting for faints), so obviously some BP drugs removed/ shifted. 6 months on still get high BP, vertigo ( so presume low BP) and high HR…guess what is the cause….over med on levo. as proven by suppressed TSH? Ignore that FT3/4s are c. half way thru range etc etc. I actually usually take 100 levo, 3x5 mcg T3. At least got Gp not to test bloods for TSH tho hopefully everything non thyroid is being tested, as I had private Monitor My Health bloods done yesterday under ideal protocol conditions ( and had reduced my T3 to prove TSH would not alter much with less hormone). Ended up agreeing to disagree but know if nothing else is found the low TSH will remain the cause of high HR, but what about the reason I really requested the appointment feeling awful due to the low BP on standing…that seems to be ignored?
getting it off my chest..another Dr.who says my... - Thyroid UK
getting it off my chest..another Dr.who says my high HR is too much levothyroxine!
very hot day to have done blood test
Were vitamin levels tested too
Post results once you get them
Not hot up in North Cumbria…but it’s travelling to Exeter to be tested!
This is just based on my own experience...
I get a fast heart rate / tachycardia when my iron and/or ferritin are low. I do an iron panel a couple of times a year to check the state of my iron / saturation / ferritin. Depending on my results I will start taking iron supplements again or stop taking iron supplements again, as appropriate.
Another thing which speeds up my heart a lot is going nuts on my sugar and/or simple carb intake.
This is the iron panel test I usually do :
medichecks.com/products/iro...
although some bigger, more comprehensive test bundles can often cover everything included in an iron panel. I've used this one in the past :
privatebloodtests.co.uk/pro...
The one thing I don't like about the above test bundle is that it doesn't include Free T3. The reason I do like it is that phlebotomy is included in the price (and is carried out at a Spire Hospital and I live quite near one) and I don't have to post it off anywhere.
I have long had problems getting my iron levels above the mid 50s even on double ferrous fumarate doses and black pudding x2 a week, so this last year been taking the far gentler heme. 1/5/24 ferritin was 48.4 ( 30-332), down from 19/9/23 when it was 56 but on the stupid 50-650 range. Gp surgery doesn’t seem to recognise low ferritin! Fortunately as I am diabetic and use a continuous blood glucose monitor I can see my glucose levels and never spotted any link to them and high heart rate. I am hoping that the 3 phials of blood the Gp took yesterday includes lots of vits/ minerals not just Ferritin, folate, b12 and vit D but Ca, K etc too. Been tracking the blood sent to Monitor my Health in Exeter on Monday, got stuck in their sorting office itself for 24 hrs and still not delivered to Lab. , so while previous test the week before where supposedly there not enough serum for results ( despite being venous draw) had been delivered within 17 hours, the new one will have been 48 hours plus in southern heat before tests!
Gp literally phoned and wants to do TSH on yesterday’s blood draw as results all look ok ( will obviously get a print out later): ferritin 56 ( range approx 40-240). He wants an endo’s advice to back his( or admittedly I think mine too) to reduce levo.( or not) but I’ m reluctant to get my old private endo involved in just this as it becomes pricey ( he insists on consultation fees after not seeing him for 12 months), will ask if anyone knows of NHS endos in Carlisle as separate post ( not going anywhere near Newcastle)!
Been tracking the blood sent to Monitor my Health in Exeter on Monday, got stuck in their sorting office itself for 24 hrs and still not delivered to Lab.
I have always been paranoid about my blood not getting delivered quickly enough when sending blood samples by mail. So I always use this Post Office service to send off blood samples :
royalmail.com/sending/uk/sp...
It does mean I have to go to the post office with my samples personally, making sure I get there before their final mail pickup of the day. In the case of my local post office I have to deliver my parcel by 3pm at the latest, but obviously different post offices will vary.
I have the same experiences as yourself. Low Iron and sugar most definitely caused palpitations and low FT3 . My FT3 was very low even though I was dosed with high T4 dosage after my TT. I found that no Dr ever connected the dots in my case about the palpitations that I went through for years. It was connecting with wonderful members of this forum that opened my eyes that eventually resolved my issues with my palpitations. Very Grateful. Thank You.
I do normally pop the blood samples into the actual post office to get a timed tracking slip at least, sometimes get the signed for post but if I’m feeling mean and wide range of health problems are being expensive to test/ treat etc, I more often use their 24 hr post. Monday’s sample was only the second time using MMH and the 17 hours door to door of the first sample seemed fine, till they loose it for a day and 17 hours becomes nearer 44! Still not got any results back…Gp got my inservice NHS ones back within 12 hours, but then I see all the ones not tested ( not even lipids that normally come with full blood count)! Would be lovely to join up the dots of Jgelliss to get this HR sorted to get non endos looking for a reason.
I have just seen an NHS endo who has done research on heart stuff in hypothyroidism. Whilst increased HR can be caused by levo, there are quite a few other reasons for it. T3 is just as likely a suspect. Underlying T2D. It’s definitely considered a hyper symptom but I can definitely confirm it’s also a hypo symptom.
I think it’s about balancing and tweaking meds.
Is it possible for you to ever so slightly adjust your meds yourself? Only levo or T3. Never both at a the same time. It’s prolonged and annoying when we all just want to get better. Be prepared to test privately to see what’s really going on.
What is your high HR anyway? Hypos sometimes think it’s high but becoming used to a very low resting heart rate for many years, even modest increases make themselves very noticeable!
I’ve been Hashi for over 22 years, added T3 6 years ago as always been a poor converter. From 2022 under a private endo who quite happily gave me 3x5 mcg Thybon Henning T3 to 100 levo, but meanwhile Long Covid high BP/ breathlessness etc getting worse but HR in 70s…5 + hypertensive drugs prescribed. One of these, Bendroflumethiazide seems to have definitely raised HR , and noticed the 120s HR on standing ( not surprisingly removed after 3 weeks) and HR seems to have settled again, slightly higher in low 80s, for a year until a year ago. I had self diagnosed orthostatic hypotension July ‘23, and formally diagnosed with tilt test table ‘postural hypotension’ but high BP sitting Jan.24, so consultant reduced hypertensive drugs. The highs on standing are regularly in 120s. ( as BP went to 60/40 on test)but as more BP drugs removed HR consistently much higher ie 90s on sitting, over 100 just walking yards to the kitchen. As Bp up Hr goes down and visa versa. Been trying to DIY methods to control BP/HR : swimming 5x a week plus intermittent (16:8) fasting last 16 months. Last 8 weeks removed 5 mcg T3 to see if that had any effect…made me fall asleep 5 pm, and waiting for blood results from Monday for private MMH full thyroid test plus. Unfortunately Gp got his blood tests back from yesterday and just phoned me…persisting in wanting to try lower levo. … am I prepared for a trial of that, say compromise to reduce just some of 100 doses a bit per week? Who did you see re endo ..you’ll have PM me?
Crikey Judith that is some history. Still you are managing to swim 5x per week. I definitely could not attest to anything like that! Will PM you.
be aware that some tests can't be run if blood sample is over 48hrs old, cant remember which ones ( not TSH / ft4 or ft3 , they can be older than that)
This can be a problem with postal tests , you are at the mercy of the post office... and sometime they are crap.
yes, I thought some might be compromised with delay/ heat…they have blood now so took 44 1/4 hours to deliver while week before took 18 hrs!
Which sort of doctor were you seeing that said this?
I've found that the younger generation of GPs and consultants have a better understanding that heart rate issues can be 'something else' but frequently with a low or suppressed TSH its likely the first thing they will jump on.
GPs get very little, if any training on postural hypotension so most of their comments are coming from a position of ignorance. Personally I have learnt to let them wash over me!
POTS UK have a list of doctors on their website who will have a better understanding of postural problems.
Omega 3 supplements have been very helpful for me but are slow to take effect - think quite a few months. They are recommended for long covid too.
it’s my Gp who is so keen on proving that it’s the overmedicated levo.thats causing my high HR, probably mid/ late 50s. But back in Jan. in another Trust the Falls consultant ( in Gateshead) was arguing along very similar lines as I had hardly set through the door, before she had the results of the tilt test table that I had bad postural hypotension on standing (for which I can find no connection at all linked to hypothyroidism), she too was probably in her 50s. She was very adamant what I have is not POTS though my stats fit the description, as the rising HR is due to the plummeting BP. Most of the POTS Uk recommended medics anywhere near me ( 2 hours drive away) have in fact retired over the last few years, the one I saw was threatening retirement too and I think has gone very part time. She thought there were not going to be replaced. I was just surprised after the initial test I seem to have been signed off but not told this ( 5 phone calls to the clinic eventually got a ‘hope you are feeling better’ letter). My own LC research over the last 4 1/2 years has provided evidence of numerous DIY supplement treatments but I do try to keep them discreet at least for a month or so…I take the standard forum recommendations re vit D, b12, folate, ferritin etc etc but also 2 weeks ago started 600 mg Thiamine /B1 linked to postural hypotension, had noted omega 3 as possibility in a month or two ( surprised I don’t rattle when I move).
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