Need to understand why I had thyroid symptoms

[altinker]

I started having chest pain on my left side, intense anxiety, a feeling of intense pressure in the center of my chest and through my back, dizziness, and heart palpitations.  I went to the emergency room and was in sinus tacchycardia -- heart rate of 102.  I was taking naturethroid, naltrexone low dose at the time.  My thyroid was swollen.  I went to the doctors the following week and wanted to cover dizziness, the heart rate and chest pain, and my thyroid.  I was extremely anxious and had been feeling tremendous anxiety.  At the time, my thyroid was in normal ranges -- TSH was 1.53, T3 Free was 3.17, Anti-TPO Ab was 248 (this is high).  He didn't order Free T4.  I was on 3mg of LDN and 3/4 grain of Naturethroid.  He told me to stop everything, and within the week, my dizziness went away.  He also gave me Ativan to calm me down.  I have had an ultrasound and have nodules.  But I am wondering why my chest was tight, dizziness, heart racing was happening if my TSH and free T3 are normal.  My anti-thyroglobulin Ab is normal, but my Anti-TPO Ab is high -- range is less than 35 and I have steadily moved up from 152 to 248 since starting medications.  Any thoughts?

[Barb135]

What's the reference range for the Free T3?  Reference ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report...  Your FT3 doesn't look very high and since you're on Armour, I'd say it's not likely for your FT4 to be too high either, since Armour has more T3 than it does T4 in it.  I doubt you need your dosage reduced.

Your TPOab is indicative of Hashimoto's, which is the # 1 cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world.

It sounds like you're having symptoms of hypothyroidism... Your symptoms are all those of anxiety, which is also a symptom of hypothyroidism or it can be a condition on its own.

Chest pain, dizziness, palpitations, etc can also, all be present with hypothyroidism.  I had them horribly bad, when I was the most hypo.

I'd suggest that you retest and make sure you get, both, Free T4 and Free T3 tested.  You've already had the antibody tests and once positive, you don't have to retest; you'll have Hashimoto's for life.

[des900]

Next time when you get such conditions check your Free T4, serum calcium values too. Free T4 can be raised though TSH and Free T3 appear normal. Free T4 is a good marker for such symptoms. A near middle value in reference range is preferred for Free T4 and if its moving towards top threshold value or high then can bring such temporary symptoms and the best treatment in such conditions is to reduce the dose as you have done, just a very small reduction is needed. This can also occur if have other issues like Vitamin D deficiency, adrenal problems etc. Anyway worth to rule out Vitamin D deficiency by ordering this blood test 25-hydroxy Vitamin D.