Graves/heart palpitations/meds

[NeekeeN]

I recently posted that I was on propranolol 2x day for the heart palpitations associated with Graves Disease, I have been on the meds for 4 days (today is day # 4), not only has this not stopped the palpitations but they've INCREASED, and the discomfort i causes is getting much harder to bear.
How long should it take before the propranolol begins working?  I will be calling my GP monday for an appointment but if this gets any worse at all I will be visitng the ER before then (I hope the latter is not necessary due to current lack of insurance).

[NeekeeN]

Yeah, my hands turn grey/blue the greyish color looks as if I've rubbed the ink from a newspaper all over my hands, it's quite an unpleasant sight lol.
I agree they should have changed my meds, but I'll try it their way first I guess, not that I have much choice lol. I go to have my ultrasound done tomorrow, and the endo's next week.

[armywife92]

Yea, after researching Rays this yr, i think that's something else i may have too. Thankfully my hands don't change colors the way I've seen in the photos. My fingertips just look bluish when cold, or lukewarm. Here's to hoping it works. I still think they should have switched brands but that's just my op.

[NeekeeN]

I went to my drs (didn't know they were open until noon today) they simply increased the dosage of propranolol by a 1/2 tablet, so now I'm taking 2 and 1/2 tablets a day and I have to have a heart monitor vest for a week. Shrug... They did an ecg? elctrocrdiogram today in the office and said the bpm were 7o so it looked good.... arghhhhh why don't these drs listen to their patients ???
I do believe the intolerance to cold is probably based on us being so thin armywife, but I also have Raynaud's phenomenon which doesn't help that situation (cold hands and feet lol)

[armywife92]

I just had to start taking PROP again yesterday, as my symptoms such as fast pulse, and high BP have returned. I only take 1/2 pill(10mg) and it works 24 hrs for me. You definitely need a RX for something else as it shouldn't take 4 days to work, it should work in 30 minutes. I feel the same way as you do. When my resting pulse reaches the 80's I have that nervous/stressed feeling. In a matter of days my resting pulse went from 55-65 to 70-88 and a few times it's been 98/99 but that's after light activity. Oh, and we have the low temps in common too. Crazy cuz I always thought it would be the opposite lol. Maybe it's cuz we're thin to boot. I haven't had the lightheadness when hyper, only when the meds sent me hypo. I've heard about face tingling with both hypo/hyper.

[NeekeeN]

thank you, and yes, I have been tracking myself carefully. The problem is that when you report something as being abnormal or different for yourself, the drs use a broad spectrum of normalcy to base a medical decision on. Just as, (oddly enough) my body's normal avg temperature is 97.3, so is my two sons.
The heart palp's have caused a great deal of discomfort when they occur. I don't know if it is dangerous or "normal" but I do know it ***** and is very uncomfortable.
I know that for many people, the hyperthyoirdism can be of little or no problem at all, unfortunately that is not the case for me.
Also, one more question, is lightheadedness and tingling face an effect of hyperthyoidism ?

[stella5349]

and call back the pharmacist and get the names of the others so you can research them.

Being in a hyper state is hard - please track yourself carefully this weekend and if you feel things are not something you can deal with call or go to urgent care.

[NeekeeN]

Yes, I am on Methamazole 3x day...  I asked the pharmacist about the propranolol not working and she said it's a beta blocker but there are other you can ask for. I asked her what I should ask for and she said to call my dr to let her know its not working and that I need a different beta blocker, she never gave me the names of any others but I'm going to try to call the answering service today and get my prescription changed.

[goolarra]

Beta blockers, of which propranolol is one, are the usual treatment for palps.  Are you on ATMs?

[NeekeeN]

and if anyone knows of a different medicine I can reques for the heart palitations?

[NeekeeN]

to elaborate, my normal "at rest pulse was always 60-65, since the hyperthyroidism came out of remissions it has escalated to as high as 89 (at rest) and while this is still within the "normal" at rest rate, it is NOT MY normal. The propranolol is used to lower the heart rate and has yet to show any signs of doing just that.  In fact, like I stated, it has gotten worse, NOT better, since strating it.