Palpitations/Flutters....HELP!

[dani2776]

Is it common to have paliptations with Hashimoto's?  I have been restarted on a new thyroid med about 4 weeks ago and dropped to a very low dose of 25mcg because I had problems with my increases on Synthroid.  For the past week or so I began having palpitations or the best way I can describe it is flutters or a feeling of a missed beat.  It happens several times a day and lasts for about a minute or two.  I have had these before thyroid meds but not this many.  I also had a cardiac work up about 7 weeks ago after my heart rate jumped to 160 with too big of increase of Synthroid.  I had a chest x-ray, EKG, Holter monitor and ECHO.  Other than fluctuating between bradycardia and tachycardia due to the thryoid my heart was fine.  I have no pain with these flutters but they are scary!!!!  Has anyone else had this and could it be because I don't have enoough thyroid replacement?  I am due to increase to 37.5mcg in 3 days.  Thanks for your help!

[ChitChatNine]

Hi ... I'm not sure but wanted to stop by and others with some exp. in this area may be able to give you some more exp as they may have had it happen or know of.  WELCOME to our Community!

[dani2776]

Bump

[goolarra]

Any arrythmia is exacerbated by thyroid meds.  So, if you had it before, I'm not surprised it's gotten worse on meds.

I have tachycardia caused by a congenital heart defect.  All my adult life, I'd get it once in a while (3-4 times a year).  I started on levo, and all of a sudden it was happening 10-20 times a DAY.  

I know you know my story...I kept cutting back on the levo hoping it would get under control, but that just was not happening without a beta blocker.  Maybe you should try a low dose to see if it helps.

[dani2776]

I am only on 25mcg how much lower can I go???  Also I am feeling so bad in many other ways that I am looking forward to the increase.  Oh what to do, what to do!!  I just want to feel better.  I am soooooooooo tired!

[goolarra]

No, no, I'm not saying to decrease your dose of levo.  As you say, how much lower can you go?  I was in the same position. I was down to 25 mcg, and still the tachy was going wild.  That's when I had to accept the fact that I had to take something to counter the tachy.  Believe me, I hate the very idea of having to take one drug "so that I can take another".  But because of my arrythmia, there was just no way around it.  I'm just saying that you might get your doctor (I think you might have already gotten a prescription???) to prescribe a beta blocker.  It will improve the heart issues significantly.  It did mine.  We both have to take the levo...that's not an option...just have to make it as pleasant as possible.

[dani2776]

LOL, oh my I am so sorry I didn't understand.  My mind is not right, hence the need for an increase.  Yes I do have a prescription you remember well!!  I am just so scared to take it.  I wonder if I could cut the pill in half or if beta blockers even help with the "flutters".  My tachy has not been as bad only reaching the 90's.  

[goolarra]

You can cut the BBs in half.  I was taking 37.5 mg for a while and had to take 1 1/2 25 mg tablets.  I think it would help your flutters.  My tachy often starts with a flutter (skipped heartbeat), and I also get flutters that never evolve into tachy, but both have decreased on the BB.  Now I'm on 75 mcg levo, 50 mg BB (atenolol), and I maybe get the tachy an average of once a week.

Just think it might make your life more bearable through the meds increases that you'll be going through.  I couldn't have gotten through mine without it.

[dani2776]

I can't thank you enough for all your help!  I swear I don't know what is what anymore.  I just found out that they think I have started perimenopause due to the hashi's so ALL my hormones are out of control.  Isn't life grand!!!!

[azqtpies]

Hypothyroid and hyperthyroid can cause or elevate heart palpitations! I had them really bad when I was hyper and did not know it and then went I hypo I got them bad again! so either way can cause them.. if you have had the heart work up try and not let them scare you.. talk to your dr about doing a very slow increase see how you d?? where are your numbers at??... i would stay at your current dose.. they say it takes 2-3 weeks to allow your body to start to adjust but you need to watch your numbers and listen to your body!

I am still battling to get stable with my numbers and symptoms... I am very sensitive to meds and the actuall synthroid I found was much more powerful than the generic.. so I went back to  the generic I went really hyper on synthroid! hang in there I am trying to myself, it is along battle but you will get there soon i hope and feel good again!

[mtkst13]

with your palps being so bad, you should definitely try beta blockers because you need thyroid replacement regardless of the heart palps.

what is your tsh and ft4 and ft3 on your current dose?  how many weeks have you been on this dose?

[Barb135]

I have a lot of heart palps or, as you described it, "flutters" or skipped beats, but my heart rate is usually very slow - often only mid 50's-low 60 bpm - was even lower than that before I was dx'd with hypo/Hashi.  But in spite of the fact that my hr is usually very low, it FEELS like it's going really fast and pounding hard.  

I saw a cardiologist in Dec, had ekg, holter monitor, stress test and echo - only thing wrong is a small leak in one of the valves.  Cardiologist says it's not bad enough to try to do anything now, but will check it again in Jan to make sure it's not worse.  Wasn't having the palps and flutters so much at that time.  

When I mentioned the way my heart beat feels to my pcp - he simply told me there was nothing wrong with me and quit worrying about it.  My endo says if it doesn't stop, I should go back to the cardiologist sooner.  I might do that.  

It IS rather scary and it's hard not to worry about, especially since there is a history of heart problems in my family.  

[dani2776]

I am scheduled to increase from 25mcg to just 37.5 tomorrow after being on the 25 for 4 weeks.  My last results were TSH 4.33, Free T4 0.70 and I can never remember the Free T3 but it was in mid range.  I am not scheduled to have labs again until 4 weeks after my increase at which time I will then move up to 44mcg.  My endo is taking it very slolwly.  I have not really had any more tachycardia just these damn flutters.  I guess they are harmless since I have no pain or dizziness associated with them.   Alot of people I have talked to said the flutters could be from the thyroid in which case I need more meds.  See why I am so confused?

[dani2776]

Also forgot to comment that another reason I am afraid of the beta blockers is because my heart raqte does drop to low down into the 40's according to my holter monitor.  I don't want it to go lower!  

[Barb135]

Before I was dx'd hypo, the holter monitor showed that my heart rate was dipping to around 35 during the night when I was sleeping, with as much as 2 seconds between beats.  That's what caused the NP to freak and send me to the cardiologist.  The cardiologist said it's not always a bad thing to have a low heart rate.  He said people who exercise a lot and athletes usually have very low heart rate.  

I agree that your "flutter" might be because you need more thyroid med.  I'm still working on mine too.  Good luck

[amerfattal]

Check with your doc if you can exercise.  It is good for the heart and the thyroid

[dani2776]

Exercise has been recommended however I am not trying to be sarcastic but how the he// do you do that when you are soooo tired and everything in your body hurts?  It takes every ounce of energy I have to keep my arms raised to just comb my hair!!!

[amerfattal]

I am sorry, I didn't know it is that bad

[dani2776]

I hope I didn't sound rude because I didn't mean to.  It's just one thing after another and I am so fed up! I just don't know what to do or think anymore!