Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

rapid heart rate /weakness/Hashimoto's/so frightened

Please, has anyone else awakened to a rapid heart rate and weakness with "electric current" throughout body?  Went on for 5 hours.  I had to take 3 propranolol and it finally stopped. I had it the night before as well for a shorter time span.  It is so frightening.  My stomach was up set and I've had diarrhea.  I feel shaky and weak, like I have a hanger over today.  Was this an "attack"?  My current labs are posted under low cortisol.  My heart has checked out fine every time I've been tested.  What could this be?  I have felt horrible all week prior.  Thank you.
11 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
After my son was born I had these same symptoms, my doctor ran test results on my Thyroid and determined that I had Hashimoto's syndrome.  Very frightening, same problems, shaky, sweating, visual disturbances, even hallucinations.  I would get so hot that I would have to strip down bare to cool off.  I also had rapid heartrate, basically everything you have mentioned.  Pregnancy and miscarriages seemed to be what set my issues off, and the hair loss too.  The doctor gave me something to take to ease up the symptoms because they are dangerous if left untreated, but he warned me and it did happen, about three months later my Symptoms just flipped and I became soooo tired and weak and no energy what so ever.  You need to have your thyroid checked.  They use radioactive dye that wears of in about 5 days, but they will X-ray it to determine the issues.  Best of luck to you.  Tammy
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks,  I pretty much agree.  I'm going to see what he says on Friday .  He is interested in the cortisol issues now and doing a PM check. I hope he actually treats them.  He's just so slow and I'm the one who needs to find reasons why I'm **** poorly on treatment.  Adrenal issues is a reason to do poorly and you'd think he'd know that and check them before treating the thyroid, like the thyroid meds manufacturers say to do.  I don't have the $ to go outside my ins. at this time and have no clue were else to go.

Take care and thanks for your time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If your doctor is so difficult and thinks your symptoms "don't make sense", he's going to keep you sick as he has up until now.  It's okay to try to figure it all out on your own, but it's so much better to have a doctor who actually contributes something to the discussion.  

You shouldn't have to be stuck at home for years with thyroid problems.  Someone who knows more about thyroid could adjust your meds and have you feeling so much better.  

I don't know why the label says "as one single dose", but I know that many of our members split the dose of any meds with T3 in them.  

You need to find a new doctor, Faith, this one is doing you no good at all.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I do remember my heart wacking out when hypo.  I'm so tired of all this .  I can't make plans for an outing or anything.  Im just stuck home for years now.  I don't know how anyone survives this or gets proper treatment.  My doc is very slow and hesitant to treat.  I have to suggest treatments and push for answers.  When I don't feel well, he thinks it doesn't make sense. I tried the Valsalva last night and I couldn't get it to work; I was so weak.  Yes, it is so frightening.  I haven't slept more than 4 hours per night in almost 2 years now.  Who knows what that can cause! It's hard splitting it; calcium is 3x daily.  I'll try.  I wonder why the label says "as one single dose"?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't think it could hurt to get your FT4 up a little.  If you convert well enough to do it, you end up with much more stable levels when your FT4 is a little higher.  

The estrogen patch could very well be interacting some with your thyroid meds.  

I think your symptoms are a bit mixed.  Some sound hypo, and some sound hyper.  Just my opinion, you understand, but I think I'd try to work on the balance before I increased.  I'm a little reluctant about the increase with your tachycardia and all.  T3 could be causing that.  (I get it, too, and I know its both uncomfortable and scary.)  Did I tell you about the Valsalva maneuver?

If it's not too much trouble for you, I'd also split the dose.  Taking it just once a day, your levels have to be all over the place over the course of the day.  Even if you don't notice a difference right away, more even levels might have an effect over a little time.  It would be a good experiment between now and when you see your endo again.

I really have no idea if the herbal stuff works for adrenals.    
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think I'll ask about the t4 addition.  I feel no different when I split the dose but I could try again. I have had to take 10mgs propranolol every night now for months.  I really wish I didn't have to.  I'm going to stop the estrogen patch and see if it helps.  At one point it caused palps and I've had them ever since, actually.  Do you think I should go ahead and raise 15mgs? See if he gives me t4; but I don't see him for 2 weeks! Treat adrenals with herbal stuff?  I see the doc in 2 weeks.  Do the symptoms sound hypo to you?  Thanks!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've never had an adrenal issue.

It's really hard to say whether you convert well or not because you're taking meds with T3 in them.  It's the disparity in where your FT3 and FT4 levels are that makes me wonder if you might actually be converting fairly well.

Your FT4 is on the floor of the range.  FT3 is still below midpoint of the range, but considering where your FT4 is, it's pretty good.  So, it looks like both could use some improvement.  

Splitting the dose might really help you.  Many of our members who take meds with T3 in them take half first thing in the morning and half later in the day (late morning to early afternoon, but not late enough to disturb sleep...you have to experiment a little with the best time for you).  T3 is very fast-acting, and you can experience peaks and valleys in levels if you don't take it more than once a day.  Also, with your FT4 so low, when the your T3 level goes down, there's very little there for conversion.  I'm wondering if just splitting your dose wouldn't help to even things out a lot.

Although it's T3 that our cells use, FT4 levels are also important.  If FT4 is too low, your body has no "emergency supply" to convert to T3 when your T3 meds wear off.  I'd give that a try if I were you.  

Also meant to ask about your propranolol.  Do you take that for blood pressure or to lower your heart rate?  Do you take it only on an "as needed" basis?  

Theoretically, if you add T4 to your meds it is converted.  Some of us convert better than others.  The problem starts when FT4 levels go very low and there's not enough available for conversion.  Then, the whole conversion process can kind of shut down.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Doc didn't mention the tests looking bad at all.  He didn't respond to email yet on cortisol  and didn't say anything about adding t4.  I will bring it up. Only thinks I may OD if I add 15mgs.  I ordered an adrenal supplement; Adrenal Liquesence, the alternative med doc uses it.  I don't think I have Addison's, more like fatigue?  How was your adrenal issue treated?  Can you tell if I convert well?  No, I haven't been splitting the dose.  Does the FT3 still look low?  If T4 is added, it converts, right?  Sorry for all the questions. Thank you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry, I never saw your last question that you posted under "Low Cortisol", or because I know very little about adrenals, I passed over it.  All I can really do is parrot what I've heard...it's almost impossible to get thyroid hormone levels right until adrenals are addressed.  

What does your doctor say about your adrenals?

There's a lot of T3 in desiccated compared to what our thyroids would produce were they healthy.  If you don't convert too badly, it can be hard to achieve a good balance between FT3 and FT4 because raising one also raises the other.  Some of our members add some synthetic T4 to their desiccated to get a little better balance.  

Do you split your dose?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, hope you are well.  You've been such a big help.  I'm on Armour still 90mgs.  Just had labs last week.  Doc said I can go up 15mg. but should I be taking low cortisol into account and some how treat?  Fear of raising dose even though labs are low.

TSH 0.09 [0.40-4.20]
FreeT3 3.1 [2.1-4.4]
FreeT4 0.7 [0.6-2.7]
Cortisol AM 6.6- [6.7-22.6]

I feel so awful and my hair is falling out again and vision so blurry.  I have felt dizzy with headaches, temp was 96.3, now 98.  All over the place; hot and cold spells, chills,acne, really bad reflux too along with other before listed symptoms.  I wonder why the FT4 stays so low and it's not addressed.  Thank you so much!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Please refresh my memory...what meds are you on?  when did you tart them?  recent labs?

It's just so much easier and makes so much more sense to others reading the thread if it's all in one place.  Thanks.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community

Top Thyroid Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
MI
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.