Aa
Could I have heart disease at 22?
I went in for an exam and my doctor found a heart murmur.
Two years ago, I started experiencing irregular heartbeat, chest pains and shortness of breath. I was always sent on my way and doctors would tell me it's your asthma or thyroid related (i have low thyroid disease)
I can't exercise or anything because I have very shortness of breath.
I read online it could be heart disease or heart failure. Thyroid is hard enough to deal with itself.
The last time I had asthma issues was at 12. I thought I grew out of it.
My doctor tell me it could be innocent, most likely but I'm scared and looking at all these things online.
If anyone have information pls help. Thank you
Two years ago, I started experiencing irregular heartbeat, chest pains and shortness of breath. I was always sent on my way and doctors would tell me it's your asthma or thyroid related (i have low thyroid disease)
I can't exercise or anything because I have very shortness of breath.
I read online it could be heart disease or heart failure. Thyroid is hard enough to deal with itself.
The last time I had asthma issues was at 12. I thought I grew out of it.
My doctor tell me it could be innocent, most likely but I'm scared and looking at all these things online.
If anyone have information pls help. Thank you
Irregular HB, chest pain and shortness of breath can have any number of causes.
Have you had a complete cardiac workup? It's unlikely you have heart disease at 22, but there are other heart conditions (some of them congenital) that can cause those symptoms. If your thyroid levels are off, the symptoms can get worse.
Do you have thyroid labs to post? If so, please do with reference ranges from your own lab report. Do you have other hypo or hyper thyroid symptoms? Please also provide a brief meds history.
Have you had a complete cardiac workup? It's unlikely you have heart disease at 22, but there are other heart conditions (some of them congenital) that can cause those symptoms. If your thyroid levels are off, the symptoms can get worse.
Do you have thyroid labs to post? If so, please do with reference ranges from your own lab report. Do you have other hypo or hyper thyroid symptoms? Please also provide a brief meds history.
Here's my results from March
TSH -1.716 (FLAG REFERENCE RANGE) 0.350-4.500
FREE -T3 3.1 (FLAG REFERENCE RANGE) 2.3-4.2
FREE -T4 1.02 (FLAG REFERNCE RANGE) 0.80-1.80
these are from July
TSH- 1.019 (0.350-4.500)
FREE T4- 1.27 (0.80-1.80)
FREE T3- 2.5 (2.3-4.2)
Thyroglobulin Antibody- 20.0 (40.00)
Thyroid Peroxidase- 10.0 (35.0 iu/ml)
TSH -1.716 (FLAG REFERENCE RANGE) 0.350-4.500
FREE -T3 3.1 (FLAG REFERENCE RANGE) 2.3-4.2
FREE -T4 1.02 (FLAG REFERNCE RANGE) 0.80-1.80
these are from July
TSH- 1.019 (0.350-4.500)
FREE T4- 1.27 (0.80-1.80)
FREE T3- 2.5 (2.3-4.2)
Thyroglobulin Antibody- 20.0 (40.00)
Thyroid Peroxidase- 10.0 (35.0 iu/ml)
In your latest labs from July, your FT3 is very low, especially relative to your FT4. Midrange is the rule of thumb for FT4, and you're just a little over that. FT3 rule of thumb is upper half to upper third of range, and it should be higher in its range than FT4 is in its. Yours is way down at the bottom of the range, your FT4 is at 57% of range, and your FT3 is at 10%.
When FT3 is that much lower than FT4, it usually indicates that you don't convert T4 to T3 well. T4 is the "storage" form of the thyroid hormones and has to be converted to T3 (the active form) before cells can use it. If your FT3 levels are low, you can have thyroid symptoms no matter how good your FT4 looks.
It looks like you might benefit from adding some T3 to your meds. What do you take now? Do you have other hypo symptoms besides the cardiac symptoms?
When FT3 is that much lower than FT4, it usually indicates that you don't convert T4 to T3 well. T4 is the "storage" form of the thyroid hormones and has to be converted to T3 (the active form) before cells can use it. If your FT3 levels are low, you can have thyroid symptoms no matter how good your FT4 looks.
It looks like you might benefit from adding some T3 to your meds. What do you take now? Do you have other hypo symptoms besides the cardiac symptoms?
I take levo 75 mcg and I have tons of symptoms but m doctor says it unrelated to my thyroid but I looked it up and it matched.
With your low FT3, I don't doubt for a minute that you have tons of symptoms, and they ARE thyroid related.
You might ask your doctor if he'd add some T3 (Cytomel and generics) to your meds. It's best to start out low on Cytomel and increase if necessary. Many people find that just adding a small amount (like 5 mcg) can make a huge difference.
Since your FT4 is a little on the high side, you might have to lower your levo a little to compensate. The rule of thumb is to lower T4 meds about 20-25 mcg for every 5 mcg T3 you add (that's because T3 is so much more potent).
Also, T3 is much faster acting than T4, so many people find that splitting the dose in two, taking half in the morning with levo and the other half in the afternoon works best. You can experiment with the best time for you, but don't take it too late, or it can interfere with sleep.
Had your doctor seen your latest labs when he told you your symptoms weren't thyroid?
You might ask your doctor if he'd add some T3 (Cytomel and generics) to your meds. It's best to start out low on Cytomel and increase if necessary. Many people find that just adding a small amount (like 5 mcg) can make a huge difference.
Since your FT4 is a little on the high side, you might have to lower your levo a little to compensate. The rule of thumb is to lower T4 meds about 20-25 mcg for every 5 mcg T3 you add (that's because T3 is so much more potent).
Also, T3 is much faster acting than T4, so many people find that splitting the dose in two, taking half in the morning with levo and the other half in the afternoon works best. You can experiment with the best time for you, but don't take it too late, or it can interfere with sleep.
Had your doctor seen your latest labs when he told you your symptoms weren't thyroid?
I've just learned to deal with it, I tell him I feel depressed, anxiety, can't remember, cold, hair is falling out, dry skin, end of eyebrows are thinning and so much more, he says I need AD's and mental symptoms are causing all of this. I told him I didn't feel this bad before.
It sounds like you need a new doctor. This one will keep you sick. He's ignoring your FT3 and your symptoms...that's a deadly combination. I think you should look for a replacement.
Believe me I've been to so many doctors and wasted so much money. Its always your levels are normal! what do you want me to do? and the endos are the worst, they throw AD's at me and say thats whats causing my symptoms.
You might try pre-interviewing doctors over the phone, probably through a nurse. When I was endo shopping, I made up a questionnaire and faxed it to all the endos in the area (I live in a small medical market, so there weren't that many). A few pertinent questions will weed the worst out. One good question is which thyroid tests they routinely order for their hypo patients...you want them to order FT3, FT4 and TSH. Another is which meds they are open to using...T4, synthetic T3/T4 combos, desiccated.
The irony is that if you are depressed due to thyroid imbalance, antidepressants often make you feel even more depressed. Mild depressants flood the brain with T3 and lift mood.
I know you've been through a bunch of doctors, and I know you don't want to do it again, but your have to. Have you asked gimel if he has a doctor on his list in your area?
The irony is that if you are depressed due to thyroid imbalance, antidepressants often make you feel even more depressed. Mild depressants flood the brain with T3 and lift mood.
I know you've been through a bunch of doctors, and I know you don't want to do it again, but your have to. Have you asked gimel if he has a doctor on his list in your area?
Yes! Gimel doctor was the best so far, I haven't heard from him yet I get my results from Heart ultra sound and new thyroid labs Tuesday. He mentioned AD's too. But he said, my labs from two years have all been abnormal. My old endo called and said my labs were normal, I told them my new doctor said they weren't and I won't be needing their services anymore. I'm only 22 and it feels like I'm an old woman, I don't have any energy, shortness of breath and just feel awful. I feel weak physically and emotionally.
Good luck with this new doctor, and good for you firing the old one.
Hopefully, he'll suggest adding some T3 to your meds.
Hopefully, he'll suggest adding some T3 to your meds.
I heard back from the doctors off today about my labs and he said I was being under treated and boost my levo up to 88mcg. He didn't say nothing about adding t3, hopefully I see some improvement. I see him Tuesday so we'll talk more.
The theory is that if T4 meds are raised, FT4 and FT3 will both go up. For people who are poor converters, that's not always the case. Your FT4 is already at 57% of range, over the 50% target. Your FT3 is at 10%. If you converted well, we'd expect your FT3 to be up in the top half (probably top third) of range) with your FT4.
I'd really press this doctor about adding in some T3. If he's not willing to do it now, I'd pin him down to when he would consider adding it. As long as it's not "never".
I'd really press this doctor about adding in some T3. If he's not willing to do it now, I'd pin him down to when he would consider adding it. As long as it's not "never".
I asked him about it last time I was there, he says he'll only add t3 if needed. But he didn't call in the prescription, so next time I see him, which is Tuesday I'm definitely going to ask him to add t3 and see what he says. I just feel relieve and glad I'm not going insane, from EVERY doctor saying your normal. And he finally saw that I wasn't receiving the proper treatment.
Just an update, the heart test came back normal. No big issues
here are my labs from my thyroid
T4, Total 9.4 5.0 - 12.5 ug/dL
T3 Uptake Ratio 35.4 22.5 - 37.0 %
TSH 6.055 0.350 - 4.50 uIU/mL
Free T4 1.14 0.80 - 1.80 ng/dL
here are my labs from my thyroid
T4, Total 9.4 5.0 - 12.5 ug/dL
T3 Uptake Ratio 35.4 22.5 - 37.0 %
TSH 6.055 0.350 - 4.50 uIU/mL
Free T4 1.14 0.80 - 1.80 ng/dL
Just an update, the heart test came back normal. No big issues
here are my labs from my thyroid
T4, Total 9.4 5.0 - 12.5 ug/dL
T3 Uptake Ratio 35.4 22.5 - 37.0 %
TSH 6.055 0.350 - 4.50 uIU/mL
Free T4 1.14 0.80 - 1.80 ng/dL
here are my labs from my thyroid
T4, Total 9.4 5.0 - 12.5 ug/dL
T3 Uptake Ratio 35.4 22.5 - 37.0 %
TSH 6.055 0.350 - 4.50 uIU/mL
Free T4 1.14 0.80 - 1.80 ng/dL
Total T4 and T3 uptake are considered obsolete tests and of limited value in diagnosing and treating thyroid problems. The tests this doctor is ordering don't impress me.
Your TSH is high, indicating undertreatment, and your FT4 is too low in the range, indicating undertreatment as well. Of course, there is no FT3, so I have to wonder how your doctor is going to know when it's "needed".
So, now you're on 88 mcg, correct? When do you go back for more lab work?
Your TSH is high, indicating undertreatment, and your FT4 is too low in the range, indicating undertreatment as well. Of course, there is no FT3, so I have to wonder how your doctor is going to know when it's "needed".
So, now you're on 88 mcg, correct? When do you go back for more lab work?
Hi, thanks for explaining the labs because I was sort of stuck. Well he said t3 isn't needed and is in normal range, also I go back in December for more testing. And yes I take 88 mcg
He didn't test FT3...how does he know FT3 is "in normal range"?
How do you feel about putting up with how you feel for that long?
How do you feel about putting up with how you feel for that long?
From my previous labs from my previous endo. I'm so tired of fighting with these doctors. I called around today, looking for a new doctor. So hopefully he works.
Your FT4 in July was 1.27. It had fallen to 1.14 in your current labs. In July, your FT3 was 2.5 (2.3-4.2). If your FT3 followed your FT4 down, it's quite possible that it's now below range (it was on the floor in July).
I know what a hassle it is to find a new doctor and to fight with them for what YOU know you need. Best of luck with the new one.
I know what a hassle it is to find a new doctor and to fight with them for what YOU know you need. Best of luck with the new one.
Yeah its hard and frustrating. I've been to so many doctors and they tell me I'm just depressed. This new doctor is almost an hour away so I hope its worth the trip.
Ok, my doctor told me the murmur was normal. Now I get a letter saying this,
"Echoardiogram essentially normal except for slight mitral and tricispid valve regurgitataion. This is likely the cause of murmur . But size,pumping action heart all normal. No further evaluation necessary."
Can someone please explain, will this cause heart failure,heart disease or anything in future??
"Echoardiogram essentially normal except for slight mitral and tricispid valve regurgitataion. This is likely the cause of murmur . But size,pumping action heart all normal. No further evaluation necessary."
Can someone please explain, will this cause heart failure,heart disease or anything in future??
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
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.
