I recently have been experiencing elevated heart beat and bpm which I thought was due to statins but I have since read that Levothyroxine can cause this if over medicated. I increased from 75 to 100. I took 100 for a month and then accidentally took 50 for a month as the packets were identical apart from dosage. I have been back on 100 for about a month and noticed elevation. I can hear my heart beat in my head all the time. Doctors want to put me on monitor for 24 hours and possibly subscribe no lowering meds. Has anyone here experienced this after increase in levo meds?
Grateful for any help on here.
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yes when I muck about with my dose either accidentally or misguided intentionally, I get this loud heartbeat, among other symptoms like loose bowels, sweaty face, heartbeat particularly as I lie down for bed. Or bending over a veg bed!
Consistency is key so decide on a plan with GP/cardio and try (if safe) to stick there for 12 weeks minimum
Summer and Winter also mess me around I appear more over replaced about May/June and under about Oct/Nov
Hi Regen… thank you for your reply and sorry for my tardy response. I’ve been too exhausted to go online which turns out to be the Statins. Since posting I realised that having cut way back on alcohol to nearly nothing I believe the 100mg dose was too strong. I stopped for 3 days and blood pressure dropped and I slept for the first time in weeks. I then took 75mg and tinnitus swoosh, high blood pressure and insomnia returned. Now 3 days later it has settled again. I know I will have to start Levo again but on a lower dose. I intend to try 50 this time. My consumption of alcohol had crept up from the recommended 14 max per week to nearer 30 for a few months and it seems this affected the efficacy of the Levo.
This has definitely been an issue for me. I got it at 75mcg if Levo. I would say I am not optimally treated. I somehow can’t get beyond 100mcg Levo without going absolutely too high in the range or slightly over. (Not recommended) There is a paper describing how hypothyroidism ‘thickens’ one of the arteries in the head (it’s almost an aside comment). I think I have been very hypothyroid for a very long time and I think that’s what may have happened to me. In the same paper it refers to the lack of T3 contributing to this action.
Like Regenallotment I get it worse at change of dosage, other non thyroidal illness, total exhaustion.
Some Forumites have reported on the Forum they got rid of it with T3.
The hypothyroidism itself causes the issue and the ‘wrong’ medication or combo of medication almost brings it to light. IMO.
This would point to not the Levo itself necessarily being the issue but the wrong combination - no T3. IMO
An elevated heart beat can have all sorts of causes, it can occur when you increase your dose, as your body gets used to the increase in medication, as but it might be coincidental.
Have you got your latest results from a recent thyroid test (with the reference ranges)? If you have values for TSH, T4 and T3 that would be helpful. If your GP has given you an increase, it is unlikely that you are over replaced, as they are very cautious with increasing doses (and a lot of patients are usually under-replaced).
How is your iron status (ferritin)? Low iron in your blood can increase your heartbeat, as your body has not got enough red blood cells to transport oxygen, hence your heart has to pumps faster to ensure your organs get enough oxygen. It can also make you feel tired and you can get out of breath.
There has been some data recently that some statins can cause an increased heartbeat in some patients (simvastatin, atorvastatin). How long have you been on statin therapy?
There are quite a few publications linking an increase in alcohol to an increase in blood pressure, so slowing down on that front would certainly be beneficial.
Some people are quite sensitive when they increase their levo, so when you are on 75 and want to go up to 100mcg, perhaps take 75 one day and 100 on another day for a few weeks to get slowly used to the higher dose. When you feel okay, you can go up fully. Hope you can get it sorted - good luck! 😉
Hi Tina, I’d been on 100 for months but was drinking, all good. Stopped drinking and blood pressure went up!
I think the alcohol was stopping Levo fully working so when I stopped drinking it was then too strong and all the problems started. Statins we’re causing exhaustion, muscle and tendon pain. Stopped them and it went away in 3 days. Took one again and bang, all back. This is the problem with putting someone on statins before their thyroid levels are stable, as until then, cholesterol levels will read high!
The problem is many GPs just don't understand thyroid. Instead of treating the real underlying cause (e.g., underactive thyroid), they dish out statins for the cholesterol, metformin for the increased glucose concentrations and anti-depressants for the depression and anxiety and tell people to increase exercise for the weight gain. Well, if they paid attention, they would know that metabolic issues cannot be patched and will only be resolved when the metabolic problem is properly addressed - e.g. the low thyroid hormones. Imagine how many unnecessary medication could be avoided if medics would actually follow the actual science on this one!
Indeed👍 I have had to work this out for myself by using stop/start with medications to isolate the symptoms and work out what was causing what.
if I hadn’t the GP would have suggested BP lowering meds and sleeping tablets! Last thing I need is more meds or med adjustments thrown into the equation.
Only the patient can ‘feel’ the result of meds and make adjustments accordingly regardless of the doctors opinion of what should be done for what.
I think I’m on the right track with this. The next few days will confirm this and then I’ll start low dose Levo and ‘feel’ my way.
Forgot to mention I lost a stone, while still drinking, after Levo increase.
Having read your bio I feel even more confident that this technique is right for me.
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