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Neurology (Expert Forum)
hypothyroidism
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hypothyroidism
by Kay, May 15, 2000 12:00AM
Following an overdose of synthroid (4X the prescribed amount for 4 days)I became extremely ill, weak, faint, no saliva,heart rate of 169 bpm resting. Echogram revealed mitral valve prolapse. After 9 months I am taking beta blockers to control heart rate and synthroid for hypothryoidism. Prior to the overdose I had never been sick in my 52 years. Now I would describe myself as nervous, anxious, grouchy, almost uncontrollably hateful and I don't understand why. My beta blocker was changed from corgard to toprol but this has not helped. Could the overdose have caused the irregular heart beat? Prior to the overdose I was a very energetic, healthy, slim upbeat 52 year old female now I don't feel in control of my life, tired, muscle aches and irritable. I have seen another Dr. for a 2nd opinion but I still don't feel that they are pin pointing the problem.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS, May 15, 2000 12:00AM
Dear Kay:
If before your overdose, you were well managed, in good health with no side effects, the 4 day overdosing should have resolved by now. Since your thyroid gland doesn't work properly and you need synthroid, things should have returned to normal after a short time. I would check out your current free T4 and T3 levels and see if they are out of wack. There might be some other underlying cause. Yes, an elevated thyroid can cause rhythm changes in the heart. Usually, this should go back to normal, but if I remember correctly there can also be pernament damage if your heart goes into a-fib (can be due to high thyroid hormone levels) and stays there. However, a simple EKG would have picked this up, and it would be very unusual. I would get a complete going over just to make sure something else isn't at fault.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
If before your overdose, you were well managed, in good health with no side effects, the 4 day overdosing should have resolved by now. Since your thyroid gland doesn't work properly and you need synthroid, things should have returned to normal after a short time. I would check out your current free T4 and T3 levels and see if they are out of wack. There might be some other underlying cause. Yes, an elevated thyroid can cause rhythm changes in the heart. Usually, this should go back to normal, but if I remember correctly there can also be pernament damage if your heart goes into a-fib (can be due to high thyroid hormone levels) and stays there. However, a simple EKG would have picked this up, and it would be very unusual. I would get a complete going over just to make sure something else isn't at fault.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
Could definately be your meds. I had hashimoto's thyroid for 7 years and the last three years I was IRRITABLE, crabby, all the symptoms you described. When I went off of them for an uptake and scan, I was back to the "old kim". My husband noticed the difference in days! You should really go to your endo and have him/her check your thyroid levels. Also have him/her to a T3 test to see how your body is distributing the thyroid meds. I personally could not take synthroid because it gave me such heart palps, and I gained weight and was real grouchy. THIS NEXT QUESTION IS TO THE DOC: I don't know if you can help. March 17,00 I had a subtotal thyroidectomy of a substernal goitre. There was no cancer, thankfully. My recovery was going excellent, until 9 days later. In a matter of 1/2 hour, it began with my right thumb my whole right side of my body went numb. It was a topical numbness like someone put novacaine on exactly the right side of my body. I went to the hospital had since then an MRI of the brain and spine, chest x-ray, ct scan, an MRA, I also had a 24 hour holster, a ultra sound of the corrotive artieries and heart, and of course bloodwork. Everything was normal except with the MRI of the brain. "There is minimal tonsillar ectopia. There was bright signal on T2 and Flair images in the right external capsule posterior limb and basal ganglia, measuring 5 MM. There is no abnormal bright signal on T1 pregadolinium. No abnormal enhancement is seen. Impression: nonspecific bright signal right posterior limb internal capsule, which could represent focus on demyelination or small vessel disease or gliosis." Now since then the numbness is almost gone, except when I have what I call my flair ups (when I feel horrible, because my body is trying to adjust itself to the meds and being without a thyroid) then the numbness gets worse but within a day goes away. The past couple of weeks when I have my "flair ups" the numbness has localized itself to just the hand and the numbness is gone within an hour. The numbness is almost gone, it's still there a little. My doc is trying to set up a spinal tap to rule out MS. This of course has me freeked. What are your thoughts on this? Also do you think this could be from stress? I am under an incredible amount of stress right now.
The mitral valve prolapse can cause irregular heartbeat, in the form of PVC'S. Over time the PVC'S can become more frequent. I often have PVC'S every other two heart beats that last for an hour or more. Stress aggravates it. I don't take Beta blockers anymore but I did 15 years ago when first diagnosed from worry about the discomfort. Now I am used to it and only notice it when I become short breathed due to frequent PVC'S. Eventually if it could get worse I was told and could lead to atrial fibliration as I get older but I have other worse problems to attend to right now such as severe alcoholism.