Chronic Heartburn

[Francesanne]

I'm 56 years old and underwent operation in March for removal of benign nodule on my thyroid.
My thyroid then became underactive and I was prescribed 100mcg of Thyroxine daily. I am suffering with chronic heartburn plus a very tight feeling around my neck. I also take medication for high blood pressure. My GP has done various blood tests all of which were fine. I'm due back at my GP next week. Medicine prescribed to reduce excess acid has not helped. Cound the Thyroxine be the cause of these digestive problems? Thanks for any advice you can give.

[Newbee2000]

I always a bit of a mild heartburn problem, but shortly before my hashi hypo dx (and the onset of my hypo symptoms), I developed raging heartburn, all the time, bad enough to wake me up every night. I was sent to gastro MD and diagnosed w/ reflux. The endoscopy is nothing to fear, in fact I slept through the entire procedure and I don't remember ANY of it!!! They gave me an IV w/ some sort of drug/anesthesia that completely put me under!!! My friend had exact same experience. If they did numbed my throat or sprayed it, I slept through that!!!  As soon as I started prevacid (prescription proton pump inhibitor) my heartburn completely stopped - until I started taking levothyroxine (the generic), I would get heartburn about 30 minute after taking it. I also had a lot of side effects on levothyroxine (generic) like burning, flushing skin, headache, nausea, diarrhea. Endo MD thought I was having a recation to a fillers in the generic. As soon as I switched to synthroid (the brand), no more heartburn after taking med. FYI it is possible to be on a proton pump inhibitor for life, if you have chronic reflux you might talk to MD about it. -To cooment on what other poster said, I've never heard of prevacid or any other ppi damaging thyroid. I even ask my endo about it and he said it was ok to take ppi, just not at same time as synthroid.

[Applecore]

The endo told me to take the antiacids at least 6 hours after my thyroid meds.  I was taking them 1 hour after and as many as I wanted.  I don't do that anymore and I am feeling better.  I don't know if that did it or what.   Do you have any trouble with coughing?   I get a tickle down where the nodules are and I cough and cough.  Sometimes I cough and it doesn't seem to reach the spot where it is tickling and it makes me cough more.  I cough every day and night.  It could be something else but I don't know.  lol Linda

[patient-x]

I get a lot of digestive problems due to the thyroid.
Heartburn I get a lot....its horrible...I find though when I open my bowels it eases away for a couple of days...then builds up to real bad till I again empty my bowels. I get blocked up which I think makes it worse...its as if I keep procucing more acid to help my digestive system move along...(just my theory)

I was given Lansoprazole by my GP...they didnt help...but they did make my thyroid problem a lot worse, the doc (thyroid doc) said they are not good for the thyorid.

I find taking Syrup of Figs helps but I need to rememebr to take regular. As it keeps the digestive system moving along it stops the blocked feeling & the build up of acid/heartburn.

Make sure you check you aare able to take antacids with your thyroid meds as some can stop absorbance. Als o make sure you are not taking anything for the heartburn that can change how your thyroid works.

Jen

[Applecore]

How do you know it was the levothyroxine if you are still getting the heartburn.  I am on 37.5 mg. of levothyroxine and not too long after I take it I getting a terriffic burning in my esophogus and then it stops.  I also get the same burning after eating or during my eating. I took protonix for a while and it does the job.  I don't get it at all.  I stopped taking it and have it back.  I didn't think you could take it for more than 6 weeks.  I really haven't tried to do anything about this much because I was fighting the anxiety and brain fog.  I am feeling better and addressing the more minor symptoms.  I haven't had an endoscopy as I watched one being performed and they sprayed your throat before putting you to sleep.  I was afraid of feeling the numb throat before I went to sleep.  Did you have any numbness that you remember before you went to sleep.   I also have been diagnosed with lots of food allergies, wheat, oat, rice, eggs, dairy  on and on .  I haven't done anything about this yet either.  The doctor said the thyroid could be causing some of this.  Also my cholesterol has gone sky high  - over 300.  I am getting ready to start working on some of these soon.  lol   linda

[Newbee2000]

For what it's worth, shortly before I was dx w/ hashi hypo, I began to have terrible heartburn. It would even wake me up at night. I don't know if there is a connection, but I sort of think the hypo aggravated whatever might have been going on w/ my digestion. Shortly after the heartbutn was treated I began to have lots of hypo symptoms.  You probably should be examined by Gastro Md to see what excatly is going on. An endoscopic exam (which is very easy, no big deal. I had one) can tell a lot. I found the best treatment for my heartburn and the (minor) damage it had done to my esaphagus was prescription proton pump inhbitor. I had to try a few before I found one that gave me 24 hr releif (prevacid). Also, when I started thyroid med, I was first on the generic (levothyroxine) and it gave me lots of side effects including bringing back the reflux and heartburn!!!! (also caused burning flush skin, headache, diarrhea, mild nausea. MD thought it was the fillers in the generic). I did much better on synthroid the brand, but everyone is different, so it's sort of trial and error.