Palpitations after starting hypothyroid med and anxious, is anyone around to talk sense into me?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

I have them anyway at times, assumed to be something to do with low blood pressure, so don't know if it is the thyroid medication or not making things worse. A cardiologist did some tests with a heart monitor and a tilt table, and nothing bad showed up, I just need to eat lots of salt.

Palpitations just feel really unpleasant though. Which is making me really anxious which is then probably not helping the juddery sensation in chest/ throat, and then that makes it feel like I can't breathe properly.

Going to call my doctor in the morning. My other half isn't home from work yet, but will be soon.

Can somebody tell me to calm down

Okay. I have Hashimoto’s, and have gone into hyper territory a number of times, usually when my thyroid medication is dosed too high. When this happens to me—and I suffer palpitations, insomnia, weight loss and feel utterly hyper—my doctor usually advises stopping the medicine for three days, and then resuming at a slightly reduced dose. In about a week I feel much better.

However, please check in with your doctor before abruptly stopping your medication.

I get palpitations sometimes (mine I believe are linked to my caffeine intake 🤷‍♀️) They always feel much worse at night, and can make one feel anxious.
Sorry not much help on the medicine side of things, hope you manage to feel relaxed

Hey @Absentmindedwoman I'm awake & browsing, so just popped in to see how you're feeling. I'm not on your meds, but I do get palpitations - so I empathise.

Thank you both! It's great to be able to 'talk' as it were! Rather than it going round in circles in my head.

Definitely going to ring the doctor. Will skip the dose in the morning. Hope your Hashimoto's is generally pretty manageable, @stopgap?

@PurpleWithABitOfPink they do feel worse at night don't they? I have noticed too much caffeine affects mine too.

Doesn't help that an ad asking 'do you have trouble breathing? maybe it's a pulmonary embolism' is popping up right now on this page!

@QueenOfOversharing, thank you! Sorry you get them too. MN is great for stuff like this, always a few people around to chat to.

Plus lots of other threads to distract oneself with.

Have you just started levothyroxine? What dose are you on?

Is it a racing heart, missed bears or prominent heart beat?

Beats not bears!

Hi @MiniMum97 I've started on a grain of Armour Thyroid.

The sensation is like something jolting at the base of my throat, followed by a couple of big thumping beats. Does that a few times then back to normal. Rinse and repeat!

Not sure if you are still there and I need to go to bed but all sorts if things can cause palpitations:

• being over medicated on thyroid meds (very unlikely if you've just started). This would cause a racing heartbeat.
• starting or increasing thyroid meds can give you a bit of a very turn/palpable etc for a few days. This should calm down. You can also try missing a day and then trying again.
• Bring hypothyroid can cause palpitations. Tends more to be skipped beats.
• low ferritin - has anyone checked your ferritin? Low ferritin can cause palpitations. A prominent heart beat is common. Ferritin levels under 50 can cause palpitations.

It's very common for people with hypothyroidism to have low vitamin levels so your ferritin, vit D, b12 and folate should be checked. Having Dylan optimal levels if these can cause symptoms similar to being hypo. Low ferritin is a particular problem in hypo women as hypothyroidism can cause heavy periods.

Hope that's helpful.

I am on Naturethroid, which is a glandular thyroid med similar to Armour. I honestly think you’re dosed too high. I’ve had that jumping feeling in my throat.

As far as it being manageable, it definitely is, but I’ve made some massive lifestyle changes. I found that taking thyroid medication alone only got me so far. But I imagine you have a pretty good doctor, if they’re even willing to entertain the idea of you being on Armour over Levo.

Sorry didn't see your post. That sounds like skipped beats. Can take your breath away a bit?

Could be your hypothyroidism. Worth checking for low ferritin.

Are you in the UK. Unusual to be prescribed armour.

That has both T4 and T3 (plus some other thyroid hormones) in it. I don't know huge amounts about it but I believe if your ferritin is low this can create some problems getting onto it without symptoms such as palpitations.

I would go onto the Health unlocked website and look for the Thyroid uk forum and ask your question. There are lots of people on there who take Armour and other NDT who should be able to provide more educated advice.

Hope that helps.

It could also be that 1 grain is too high as a starting dose. You do need to go onto thyroid meds slowly and build up or you can get lots of "hyper" symptoms.

@MiniMum97 makes a good point about ferritin levels. Mine were rock bottom, but through supplementing with glandular ferritin I’m much more able to tolerate my thyroid medication.

I also take D3, magnesium and Niacin, probiotics, don’t eat gluten or dairy, and make sure I get natural sunlight as much as possible.

When did you start the Armour?

To add, I used to have low blood pressure (90/60 or sometimes 55) before I began treatment for Hashimoto’s, and it’s more like 100/70 these days, so that may improve in time.

I missed these last night, sorry

Ferritin is low but normal, 27 out of a ballpark of 16 to 150 if I remember right.

B12 is low but normal, however on the test results the lab note that when it's under 400 people can experience neurological symptoms. Mine is 300 something, so I do need to sort out a supplement.

Vit D is deficient. Have a spray for that, been taking it on and off for a few years.

Palpitations settled and I was fine but slept for 11 hours and feel very, very woozy. Fairly sure blood pressure is too low for my normal which is already on the low side, if that makes sense.

It's just all a bit crap and frustrating, I NEED to feel better and have more energy somehow.

@MiniMum97 thank you for your explanations, I think I agree that a full grain is too much to start with, when the doctor calls back I'm going to ask about half and build up.

@stopgap yes I have heard gluten is to be avoided with Hashimoto's which is a considerable lifestyle change. I'm really glad to find someone who has had low blood pressure before starting, who then had improvements! Loads of hypothyroid people seem to be more on the high BP side before being medicated.