heart palpatations

[sweetpeaa]

hi there,would just like to know if you think i have thyroid problems,hav been seeing doc since beginning of dec last year symptoms are heart palpatations, dizziness, not spinning around feeling like balance isn't right, tight neck,indigestion,sore back, feeling like i'm going to pass out.got thyroid test done he said it was borderline then took antibodie test it came back normal he now says there is no point in doing another test for 18 months.thyroid runs in family all the females on my mum's side have it please help!

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Usually if the thyroid is the source of the symptoms (in your case this would be suspicious for hyperthyroid)- the labs are more definitively abnormal.  If they were borderline - then would repeat to be sure.

Other causes: pheochromocytoma (check blood metanephrines), cardiac conduction/electrical problems, gastric ulcer...

If the repeat thyroid tests don't show clear hyperthyroid - I would look into other causes of your symptoms.

[doodlebug1]

Hi sweetpeaa. I'm not familiar with having dizziness with my own hypo, but I have seen others with hypo have your other symptoms, including palps!! So who knows. Perhaps Dr. Mark can help you pinpoint that dizziness. But since you said thyroid problems runs in your family, that was true of mine, and now I have it.

You mentioned that your doc said your tests were "borderline". In my opinion, and by what I have experienced and observed in others, what one doc called borderline may not be borderline at all. It could be borderline according to the standards he's been trained by, but VERY hypo according to the standards of another doc! When I was first diagnosed, that doc said I was borderline, too. Since then, I have found a doc who said that "borderline" was VERY hypo.

I have found in my own experience that docs who do a better job of detecting hypothyroid listen to symptoms, and test the free T3, which can be a better test to discern whether you have hypo i.e. if it's low in the range, you could very well have it.

Good luck. It must not be fun to have that dizziness.

[layla]

Do you have your test results? Perhaps you could list them. I have also found docs differ on what is normal on thyroid labs. You can gat your labs results simply by asking for them. They have to provide them to you.

[sweetpeaa]

thanks for your replies,i hav had 2 ecg 24 hour tests done and a cat scan about 4 wks ago still no results?is it common to feel like your upper chest feels like it is shakin inside i get that all the time and feel freezin all of the time,i hav been to 5 different doctors but they all said it was panic attacks i don't think you would feel miserable every day i have never felt well since dec last year.i come from scotland and was just wondering if the thyroid tests are the same here as they are where you are or if they go under different names.would appreciate any advice
                            thanks.

[OMC]

mmfd
On 10/08/2005 there were postings from ArmourGal that disappeared from the thread. She has been helped by Armour and she is trying to help people. I am a newly diagnosed person who has been under the care of an endocrinology doctor, actually two so far. You said "It always amazes me that some people actually think they know more than the doctors who have years and years of training and experience!" There is no way that I am under the misunderstanding that the people that offer advise on this forum are doctors.I am also fully aware of the fact that most people are fine with regular thyroid meds prescribed, but quite simply put, there people who have had to use other options. There is no harm in these people voicing their opinion, THIS IS a forum to speak about issues. I appreciate other options and also know that someone may be under the care of a lazy doctor who dismisses their symtoms with "Oh, its all in your head or you are stressed or you are depressed, now, show me the money". Stop cutting peoples opinions out (censoring) unless they are offensive or rude.

[ArmourGal]

Thanks for your comments.  MedHelp advised me that I violated the rules when I posted the site of my desiccated thyroid extract because it was considered advertising.  I recall, however, that I was directing to that site because it had a "search for doctor" feature that has been useful to a number of folks.  I did not consider it advertising at all, but this forum has their rules.

MedHelp also told me I was giving "medical advice" and that was prohibited.  That's a funny thing I guess.  I suppose to some folks, when you express your opinion about medical issues, it is considered "medical advice" if it doesn't concur with their opinion.  In any event, I certainly have never "made up" information, but rather have spent hundreds of hours reading and researching both historical data from very old medical abstracts as well as current medical journal articles/abstracts.  So despite the lack of an M.D. behind my name, I probably am more informed than many M.Ds. on the certain aspects of the subject.  Go figure.

In any event, I have pledged to be cautious in my wording of posts to avoid the appearance of "advertising" or "medical advice".  What I do know for certain is that on my natural thyroid hormones forum, not a week goes by that folks aren't appearing there desperate for help.  It's either their doctor will not treat them for their obviously hypothyroid symptoms (both labs and symptoms) or will not let them change to a desiccated thyroid extract product despite their request or if they're on a desiccated thyroid extract product they can't get enough to get well or they have gotten to feeling better and then a blood test tells them they shouldn't feel that good because they're hyper.

I think every doctor who treats hypothyroidism should spend a few months reading posts on a thyroid forum.  They will quickly see there is a problem with the treatment of thyroid dysfunction in this country.  They will also see that folks finally give up on physicians and get well themselves and vow never again to visit a physician for their hypothyroidism.  This is not a good situation imo, but the alternative is a lifetime of ill health...and probably heart failure from undertreated hypo.  That is just not acceptable to most folks once they have a taste of what it feels like to be normal again.

[mmfd]

Wherever did you get the idea that I was responsible for those postings being deleted???  Nope, I had nothing to do with that, sorry!!!!!  Obviously Medhelp found them offensive and against the guidelines of the site, which I had nothing to do with either!!  I never contacted Medhelp!! Sorry!!  Go blame the posters, not me.  It can be very dangerous for lay people to post their strong, strong opinions and advice that frequently goes against the standard of care, as not all readers are able to weed out facts from conjecture and opinions.  Perhaps a few scientific articles could be cited instead, with the URL.  That would provide constructive comments backed up with scientific fact.  This is not a homeopathic site, it is based upon the medical model.

[ArmourGal]

just a point of clarification...
desiccated thyroid extract has nothing to do with homeopathy.  rather it is an approved FDA medication for hypothyroidism and subject to all guidelines/rules for standardization and potency, etc.  It was used successfully for over a hundred years prior to the development of synthetic thyroid hormone medications. also, since it is an inexpensive medication, I would think it is far more profitable for the pharmaceutical companies to promote the more expensive synthetics...and most folks are probably unaware of thyroid extract. That's why i like to let folks know that there is another alterative out there.  I think options are important when it concerns our health and well-being.

but your point about citing medical references is well taken, so I have started doing that if appropriate.

[OMC]

Sorry if I made it seem as if you were responsible for the deleted posts. That was not my intention. I just wanted to say that people have a right to voice their opinions and be very enthusiastic because that treatment was finally perfect for them. You would be screaming from your computer e-mailing people too if you had been sick with conventional treatment for years and then, all of a sudden, you found one that works. We all respond differently to medication. I find that having many different options and learning from people's experiences is beneficial and provides us with much needed hope. But, of course, always check with your physician before trying anything new. (o:

[doodlebug1]

You know what, OMC? I would have NEVER, EVER gotten to the excellent place I am now if it hadn't been for other folks who told their story, and gave me ideas and recommendations. Yes, thank goodness that there is a place like MedHelp that allows opinions and comments of "non-MD's". Without the strong and beautiful opinions of other "lay people", I would still be languishing in the misery of T4-only meds and being held hostage to the TSH. Sometimes, going against the "standard of care" results in better health, as happened to me and is happening to a huge growing body of folks out there. Thank you Med Help, for letting non-MD's and lay people express their opinions and experiences.

[mmfd]

As soon as I posted my comment, I realized that homeopathic was not the appropriate term to use.  I know that it is an approved drug, and I apologize for my mistake.

[ArmourGal]

no problem...
i think some of us thyroid extract thyroid patients have heard so many wild things from docs about Armour or Naturethroid...that we've all learned how to defend it pretty well.
Folks have heard everything from it's unstable or they don't make it anymore or you'll catch mad cow disease or T3 is like cocaine.  
I've started to think it must be the cure all for everything the way it's bashed without cause. but no problem...and thanks for your comment.

[sweetpeaa]

hi everybody,well cheesed off went back to docs yesterday to ask for thyroid blood test yesterday and to see if he had checked t4 n t3 he said t4 had been checked n said no point in doing t3 as its same thing?he said no point in doing another test because last 2 were normal and that they cost Ł30 a time so hav to get retested in 18 months so he has prescribed anti depressants which i'll try but don't want to get hooked on,got ecg n cat scan done about 5 wks ago n he still hasn't got results back.i'm so fed up going to docs n coming out no further forward any suggestions please?

[ArmourGal]

I'm just about stopped being surprised at the lies a doctor will tell a patient.  
T4 and T3 are NOT the same thing.
T4 is the storage thyroid hormone.
T3 is the ACTIVE thyroid hormone.  

If you have enough T4 and you're not converting it for whatever reason, you will be functionally hypo if your T3 is low.

Perhaps this doc just isn't familiar with the new Free T3 test.  Many seem to have not made that shift in their thinking from the old thyroid panels.

It just burns me up when docs offer women anti-depressants. Did he tell you how horrible withdrawal can be and what damage they can do to your brain? My suggestion?  Find a doc who treats you as a partner in YOUR health care...and one that is concerned with your health and well-being.