Hypo/hashi - can this cause heart palps?

[Auto2005]

I have hypothyroid/hashi, I'm taking 75mcg of synthroid, ths still too high: 5.3. I've been having heart palpitations and racing pulse since I became hypo, even before I started synthroid, so the med isn't the cause. I usually have the palpitations or a racing heart beat after laying down or sleeping. It's almost as if my heart is trying to speed up again when I wake up. Is this a symptom of hypo or hashi? I'm starting to wonder if I should see a cardiologist?

[danie17075rm]

Well I haven't been "officially" diagnosed yet, although, it is highly suspected by all my docs that I have hashimotos (I just had a bad endo).. anyway, I too had a lot of heart palpitations which are very bad especially when I lay down.  I'm not a doctor, but I believe this can cause hearth palps.  Wish you well,

Danielle

[Auto2005]

Thanks, danie17075. I wish you well too. - - Any others out there with hashi/hypo and heart palpitations, especially when laying down or after sleeping?? Do they stop when  your tsh is down?

[Nicki1433]

Yes, it can cause heart palpitations.  So can hyperthyroidism.  I have hashimoto's and thyca and when my tsh is too supressed I got heart palpitations really bad.  I was actually on a heart monitor for 30 days to watch them.  But, again (like in an above post) as soon as I went off my meds for round 2 RAI, they stopped.

Good luck!

Nicki

[Lana_MD]

I was diagnosed with Hashi's about 2 years ago, but have been suffering from the symptoms for at least 8 years.  Since July, I have what I call "night episodes".  Most of the time it happens when I am sleeping, or trying to sleep.  I can be asleep and wake up suddenly with heart palpitations, dizziness, hot flashes/sweating, the feeling that I can't catch my breath and the need to yawn, tremors, and numbness and tingling in my hands, fingers, legs and head.  If I jump out of bed and walk around it generally seems to make the symptoms go away or at least get better.  The last time my thyroid was checked my TSH was still under 3, but it had gone up from the previous test (and that had gone up from the previous test).  If it's up this time I am going to stay in the doctor's office until they agree to up my meds because I've started having hypo symptoms again.  They are clueless when it comes to my "night episodes."  Interestingly, my sister also has Hashimoto's and suffers from these episodes too.  When it first started happening I was SURE I was having a stroke, and even went to the hospital.

[Newbee2000]

I've had very similar symptoms at night since early in '07, was diagnosed in April w/ hashi's hypo. My tsh just came down to1 and I'm still having heart palps in bed, even when I'm asleep, especially if I move in my sleep!!! I also have tingling feet and carpal tunnel/numbness in hands, and some other more typical hypo symptoms. MD says I don't need to see a cardiologist. I've seen lots of other specialists and taken a million tests, scans, labs, none of which ever find anything wrong with me besides the hashi's hypo. The feeling of trying to catch your breath could be sleep apnea (where you stop breathing for a few seconds in your sleep). i had it when my tsh was very high. Fortunatley, that stopped as my tsh came down. MD told me hypo can cause it.I find your post very interesting as we seem to being going very similar things at night in bed or while  sleeping!!! My conclusion is that is MDs can't find other cause, it must be hashi's hypo!! I'm taking synthroid and waiting to see if I'll improve w/ time as TSH just got down to 1. Have you tried Armour? Also, my endo MD is clueless as to why I have heart palps in bed/asleep, but I also don't think he's very good.

[terri thyroid]

I have to stay @ about 10 tsh - my doctor is okay with up to 10 but not more - this has eliminated my heart palps - the lower my tsh and the more Levoxyl (or whatever med I was on @ the time) the stronger and more frequent the heart palps - that is scary stuff - Armour gave me worse palps just because its more potent w/ t3 - but everyone is different so I remember that - dont know what to say except talk to your doctor - I know thyca patients must maintain very low tsh so they have no choice but for straight hashimotos I would ask doctor about trying lower dose with him monitoring your progress - see what he says - sorry you feel so bad