Suppressed TSH .01 and feeling my heart pounding.

[SassyT1972]

I have had symptoms of thyroid issues for about 18 months now. I had a thyroid scan back in July and am due to see my consultant in the next couple of weeks. My main problem at the moment moment is severe lack of energy. I literally cannot sleep enough. Also, my heart feels like it is racing or pounding all the time. I am on 30mg Proprananol to try and help manage this. I guess I am just looking for reassurance. Thank you for reading.

[pennyannie]

Hello SassyT1972 and welcome to the forum :

How long have you been on the beta blocker Propranolol - has it eased your symptoms at all - maybe the dose needs increasing ?

Do you have any blood test results of TSH + Free T3 and Free T4 readings and ranges and were any thyroid antibodies run -

these would look like either or and - TPO / TgAB / TRab / TSI or anything as a TSH thyroid Receptor with ranges / numbers detailed.

If you care to share any blood tests you have there with forum members we can try and talk you through the salient points.

We are an open patient to patient forum sponsored by Thyroid UK the leading thyroid health charity and there will be members here who have had similar issues - so please feel free to talk and we can help and support you through this phase of ill health.

What exactly has been ' going on ' this past 18 months - what other symptoms did and do you still have and were any treatment options forth coming in this period ?

When the thyroid starts running too fast as in hyper or running too slow as in hypo type symptoms - it can be a roller coaster of both physical and mental extremes - rest, get signed off sick if working and don't expect too much of yourself during this phase of ill health.

I struggled with insomnia for 3 months - and with just an hours sleep each night, exhausted while trying to work - eventually couldn't manage things myself and went to the doctor and was diagnosed within 48 hours with Graves Disease and prescribed Carbimazole an Anti Thyroid drug and so much better within a week.

I had no need for a beta blocker but many people do if their heart is involved and this may be continued after you have seen the consultant - it very much depends on what has been diagnosed and the treatment guidelines in place.

thyroiduk.org

[SassyT1972 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi. Thank you for your reply. These are my latest bloods: TSH .04mu/l. T3 5.7pmol and T4 13.4 pool. I have been on proprananol 40mg 3 x per day for about a month now. My symptoms are quite varied really. The worst being the feeling of my heart pounding and the tiredness. I can barely get through the day without needing to nap. I am feeling dizzy and sick too. I can't manage the hot weather. I have been struggling with diarrhoea alot too. I do suffer chronic pain, but I am complicated by nail patella syndrome, so have put a lot of pain down to that. My hair is thinner that it has ever been too. My eyes stream a lot. Especially in the morning and whenever I go out. My mood is quite low too. I can't really think of anything else.

[pennyannie in reply to SassyT1972]

Well, that's enough isn't it !!

Could the dose of Propranolol be increased ?

If you use any eye drops or ointments to ease the discomfort - please make sure all are Preservative Free - even those prescribed :

Do you take any medication for the nail patella syndrome - and or anything changed with your treatments in this time frame that may have caused this situation and chronic long term pain is totally draining and causes very low mood and depression.

A faster running metabolism would cause many of these symptoms including the bowel issues - do you have the ranges for the T3 and T4 - I'm afraid ranges change from lab to lab

going by most ranges your T3 looks to be higher than your T4 - which is inverted - showing something going on.

In a euthyroid - normal functioning thyroid - we would see a TSH at around 1.20-1.50 with a T4 sitting at around mid point in its range with a T3 tracking just behind at around 45% through its range

[SassyT1972 in reply to pennyannie]

I will find the ranges for you. As far as meds for nps, all they give me are pain meds and lisinopril to keep BP down. I also take sertraline for mood and am on hrt patches too.

[pennyannie in reply to SassyT1972]

Just a thought - were / are all these medications well tolerated and not ' new treatments ' in this last 18 months ?

Is the consultant you are due to see an endocrinologist ?

OK then - thanks - once with the ranges forum members will be better able to explain the ' thyroid ' bit !!

[SassyT1972 in reply to pennyannie]

Hi hun. Yes, all of my meds have been tolerated for years now. I am seeing my endocrinologist for a followup on my thyroid scan next Wednesday.

Bloods were TSH .04 mIU/l [0.3-4.5]

T3 5.7 pmol/l [3.1-6.8]

T4 13.4 pmol/L [10.0-22]

All were marked abnormal.

[pennyannie in reply to SassyT1972]

OK - so your TSH is low suppressed - could be a symptom of a thyroid auto immune disease attack - were the thyroid antibodies run - as detailed further up in my first reply to you ?

TPO / TgAB / TRab / TSI - or TSH thyroid Receptor antibodies ?

Your T4 is around 34% through its range with your T3 coming in at around 70% through its range - so back to front as thought - and showing your thyroid struggling to do all that your body needs to do - and giving you symptoms of discomfort - dis- ease - and you are ill at ease.

T4 is a storage hormone, circulating in your blood stream ready to be converted into T3 - the active hormone, if and when needed - and currently your T4 too low a level to support - with ease - sufficient T3 for you to function well.

Do you have any readings there for ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D -

as when the thyroid is struggling, the body also struggles to extract key nutrients through food no matter how well and clean you eat -

and non optimal levels of these core strength vitamins and minerals can compromise your ill health further than necessary.

It's a bit like being stuck in overdrive with little fuel left in the tank - does that makes sense ?

[SassyT1972 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you hun. Yes that does make sense. It's exactly how I feel. I think they did do antibodies. All were normal apparently but I will get them too. Sorry about that.

[pennyannie in reply to SassyT1972]

No worries - let's hope the appointment on Wednesday settles a few unknowns - and you find a relief from these horrible symptoms - keep us in the loop - take good care.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SassyT1972]

You definitely need to get copies of all four antibodies test results and ranges

Over range TSI or Trab antibodies would definitely confirm Graves’ disease

High TPO and TG antibodies can be linked to Graves Disease or Hashimoto’s

But high TPO or TG are more likely autoimmune HYPOthyroid also called Hashimoto’s

Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and ranges before becoming increasingly hypothyroid

Low vitamin D, folate and B12 common with Hashimoto’s or Graves

Low ferritin more likely Hashimoto’s

High ferritin often linked to Graves’ disease

[McPammy in reply to SassyT1972]

Your TSH is very low meaning you’re on high dosages of thyroxine. Can you reduce your T4 or T3 or both. Does your TSH need to be suppressed as this could be causing your issue and then masked by the propanol ?? I’d be speaking to your endocrinologist about this.

[SassyT1972 in reply to McPammy]

Hi hun. I am not on any thyroid medication yet. Hopefully I will have some solutions next week when I see my consultant. I am sick of feeling so lousy.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

you need B12, folate, iron, ferritin and vitamin D levels tested

Hairloss often low iron/ferritin

Eyes - request assessment for thyroid eye disease

And coeliac blood test too

[SassyT1972 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slowdragon

[Helene-]

how about trying Propranolol 40

Half tablet in the morning

And half tablet in the evening

This is what I take

I am on suppressed treatment

Very low TSH

At least it works for me

Maybe you can ask your doctor.

All the best

[SassyT1972 in reply to Helene-]

Hi love, I am currently taking 40mg up to 3 times per day.