Panic Attack or something else???????

[bncrump]

Can someone please tell me if I am having panic attacks or this could be something else???

This only happens to me when I take 125mcg of Synthroid for a few days in a row. When I am on a lesser dose, I do not have this problem.

Whenever I start to fall asleep, my heart begins to race and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest and then all the sudden, I feel like it's hard to breathe. When I finally do fall asleep, I wake up every few minutes feeling like I am not breathing, scared that I am dying. (I feel crazy for saying this out loud because it really does sound crazy but...I don't know what else to do) I will wake up and feel my pulse just to make sure I can still feel it. It only lasts a minute or two but then goes away....until I start to fall asleep again. Eventually, I do go to sleep and don't have the problem again unless I wake up.

Does anyone have any ideas? Anyone else gone through this? Am I nuts?

I should add that my new endo just lowered my dose from 125mcg to 75mcg of Synthroid for quite a few reasons, although she doesn't think that the the new dose will be strong enough.

Thanks.

[bncrump]

I forgot to add that my blood pressure was a little high today. 120/82  That is not normal for me, although it could have been nerves about going to the new Endo. I had high hopes going into the appt so it could have been anxiety?

[julianne07]

I wake up in the night with my heart racing, sometimes I actually wake up screaming(night terrors) I noticed first when my synthroid may have been a little too high, and then when I switched to Desciccated thyroid. II'll be almost asleep and then my heart is going extremely fast, sometimes I get worried it wont stop, which only makes it worse. If I get up and splash cold water on my face I usually feel better.

I 100% noticed a change in my heart rate when I started thyriod meds, although most of my symptoms of hypthyroid are still present...so I am doubtfull its from too much medication this time.

[julianne07]

I meant to say hypothyroid, and also that my heart is going unsually fast almost all of the time...

[AR-10]

I used to experience this;

When I would lay down, my heart rate would go crazy after about 30 seconds. I would sit bolt upright, fearing tachacardia, and swing my legs over the side of the bed for a minute or two. Then when I lay back down it would be fine most of the time. Once in a while it would do it a second time.

Sitting up stopped it almost instantly, and I cannot imagine laying there hoping it would stop. It was freaky enough lasting for five seconds. A few times I ended up sleeping almost sitting up because I was afraid to lay down again (it would happen repeatedly).


I don't remember if I was hypo or hyper at the time, but I was on a beta blocker and it did not stop these occurrances.

I can't place a cause on the phenomenon, but it was not panic attacks.

[bncrump]

Hummmm...interesting. Thank you for sharing.

I have never tried sitting up when I felt like this BUT I can tell you that it happened to me 4 times on a 4 hour plan trip to Vegas in Sept. I started the Synthroid 125 (was on Levothyroxine 125 prior to that day) on Monday and by Thursday on the plane, everytime I shut my eyes, it happened. I was obviously not lying down on the plane. While in Vegas, I stopped the medicine for Sat & Sunday and was fine on the plane ride home.

I will try sitting up though if it happens again to see if that helps.

Doesn't this thyroid thing suck?

[HyperT77]

Right before being diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism, and what prompted me to go to the doctor in the first place, was that I was having these symptoms -- racing heart rate, heart pounding, elevated blood pressure, weight loss, anxiety, waking up short of breath.

Since starting on Methimazole for the Hyper T, symptoms are gone.  However, each time the Endo tweaks my medication, I have anxiety symptoms for about 3-4 weeks.  

Yes, this thyroid thing *****....:)  But, it could be so much worse.  That's what keeps me going.

[bncrump]

You are right, it could be so much worse. I am thankful everyday that it's not. It still ***** though :)

Could it just be the change in dosage while my body adjusts? I am hypo so I usually don't have the heart palps, anxiety, shortness of breath.....except when I take 125mcgs. Darn it! It's so confusing!

Since the dr just changed my dose to 75 mcgs, I guess I will see in the next few days if the symptoms go away. If they do go away again this time, I know for sure it's the meds.

Thanks!

[Ravare]

I am hyperthyroid and I have these symptoms. It is scary as all hell.

Im not sure if it is a panic attack or not, but try and get it looked at ASAP. Irregular/fast heartbeats over a long period of time can do permanent damage to your heart.

Im still trying to find something to tie mine down to a normal beat.

[bncrump]

Are yours all the time or only at night?

[redheadaussie]

Mine FEEL like panic attacks but I have had panic attacks in the past and I sure knwo the difference now.  It is more than likely your dose at 125mcgs was too high...I am on 114.3mcgs and am super hyper but my doc is not lowering the dose as we are sorting out my parathyroid issues.
So it quite common to feel like tiger is about to rip your head off and you get that fear and heart racing experience, hopefully on your lower dose it may go away.
Good luck!

[bncrump]

I'm not so sure that they are definitely panic attacks but that's what I think anyway. I have been having a strange feeling though in my chest since last night that doesn't go away. Not like fluttering or palpitations but like a heaviness almost. It's hard to describe but I really think I am going crazy sometimes!

It's my first day on the new dose, so maybe tomorrow or Thursday will be better!

Thanks everyone who responded.