Heart issues

Hello,any input would be very welcome. I apparently have subclinical hypothyroidism along with a fair few of the symptoms albeit mildish one's. I also have LVH (enlarged left side heart).I have read that hyper can cause this but does anyone have experience of it being linked to hypo? As yet I am not on any thyroid meds. Thanks

[helvella Administrator]

You might find some useful information if you use this link:

google.co.uk/search?q=%22le...

Or, in short form:

preview.tinyurl.com/anawkwk

You might have to wade through quite a bit to get something useful and understandable!

Rod

[Jackie]

Hi, I have many serious heart conditions including end stage heart failure As far as I have been informed by many top cardiologists and my brilliant endo this is what they say. AF precipittes hypo ie it would have eventually happened. Warfarin is badly effected by being Hypo or Hyper, it has to be just right. They are so related that every time one is admitted to hospital for hart thyroid tests are done, immediately. It is vital to have thyroid treated correctly and not overtreated either. I have 2 to 6 weekly tests, TSH T4 and FT3. Some cardios and nephrologists are totally against natural treatment ie Armour and some are anti T3. A lot consider TSH must be in range. I hope that helps you clarify things. Personally I would say the essential thing is to see a GOOD endo.,which I was always told, not a thyroid doctor.,however good.

Jackie

[shaws Administrator]

This is what Dr Toft ex President says in his article in Pulse online about sub-clinical. If you refer to the last para many of us on this forum would feel quite unwell with a TSH of 10 despite the BTA guidelines.

2 I often see patients who have an elevated TSH but normal T4. How should I be managing them?

The combination of a normal serum T4 and raised serum TSH is known as subclinical hypothyroidism. If measured, serum T3 will also be normal. Repeat the thyroid function tests in two or three months in case the abnormality represents a resolving thyroiditis.2

But if it persists then antibodies to thyroid peroxidase should be measured. If these are positive – indicative of underlying autoimmune thyroid disease – the patient should be considered to have the mildest form of hypothyroidism.

In the absence of symptoms some would simply recommend annual thyroid function tests until serum TSH is over 10mU/l or symptoms such as tiredness and weight gain develop. But a more pragmatic approach is to recognise that the thyroid failure is likely to become worse and try to nip things in the bud rather than risk loss to follow-up.

Treatment should be started with levothyroxine in a dose sufficient to restore serum TSH to the lower part of its reference range. Levothyroxine in a dose of 75-100µg daily will usually be enough.

If there are no thyroid peroxidase antibodies, levothyroxine should not be started unless serum TSH is consistently greater than 10mU/l. A serum TSH of less than 10mU/l in the absence of antithyroid peroxidase antibodies may simply be that patient’s normal TSH concentration.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

thankyou shaws for the info I have replied with a bit more info but pressed wrong button I think but it is on the site that your kind reply is on thanks again

[Hidden]

Thankyou all so much for the replies it's much appreciated. I guess I come into the last 3 paragraphs of shaws reply since I have been tested as follows:

july 2012

TSH 4.5

Free T4 16.2

was queried as sub clinical and GP requested another test 2 weeks later

8.8.2012

TSH 4.2 Normal

Since not feeling particularly normal but nothing really major I had private test run last week

results were;

TSH 4.5

Free T4 14.9

FT3 5.0

Anti-bodies negative.

Which is I guess similar readings all round except that in 2011 the GP did do a thyroid test unbeknown to me ( I thought I felt ok) and it came back then as TSH 1.7 (nothing else measured since this was 'normal' range.)

Seems that the mildly odd signs/symptoms of which I have most on the list have kicked in more in the last 1-1 and a half years-so perhaps it's begining to play up?? I dunno but it was the heart thing that makes me wonder if I should pursue stuff or just see what happens in next 3 months or so.

Thanks for the help.