Hashitoxicosis

[dani2776]

I saw my endo on Friday and he again went over my results with me.  I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis however he said right now I am experiencing hashitoxicosis.  What is this exaclty?  I am having more and more symptoms of hyperthyroid than hypo.  My heart rate is through the roof (He sent me for a holter monitor after my visit and I am still waiting for the results), I am very nervous, vomiting, diarrhea, and contant lightheadedness.  Is this all normal and when will it stop.  Based on my test results and symptoms he increased my Synthroid to 75mcg.  I am going crazy, I can't take this anymore!!!!!

[dani2776]

Ok I I went to the cardiologist and my heart is fine!  Whew what a releif.  He basically said that my thyroid is causing all my grief.  He is starting me on a beta blocker temporarily to relieve the tachycardia and he also said it will help with the anxiety.  I just hope I can tolerate it becaue I am VERY sensitive to medications.  Also he is running a full thyroid panel including a Free T3.  Please pray that I get the answers I need.  Thanks to everyone especially goolarra and mtkst13 for everything.  I don't know what I would do without this forum.  I truely believe that unless you have gone through thyroid hell you wouldn't understand.  God bless to everyone dealing with thyroid problems!

[goolarra]

I agree with mtkst13 - I'd get FT3 done asap to see what's going on there.  I'd definitely stay at 50 until you feel less hyper. I can't tell you how long that will be...you have to judge by your symptoms. I think you should also ask your cardio for something for the tachy.  You may even have to back off the levo a bit to settle things down.  

I spent a year with a PCP who kept saying my tachy wasn't related to thyroid meds.  I don't know where some of these doctors have been.  At my last increase, my endo wanted to go from 75 to 88...I said no, too, and we settled on 81.5...I'm so glad I didn't go along with him.

I think you're the victim of too aggressive an increase schedule (for you).  If your FT3 isn't high, that would confirm it.

[mtkst13]

i would really ask your doctor to run your free t3.  if your free t3 is high, the doc may change the course of your meds.  he may want you to stop until the free t3 normalizes.  

when i had free t3 toxicosis, i was hot/sweaty, nervous/anxious, diarrhia (and when i had the urge to go, i had to RUN to the bathroom), couldn't get to sleep because my heart was pounding so hard, had arrhythmias and tachy, and had a feeling of wanting to crawl out of my skin.  and when i was nervous or after i ate, my heartrate was easily 150 +.  

what has your free t3 been in the past?

[dani2776]

I don't remember my results when this first stated other that my TSH was 4.33 and my antibodies were greater than 1000.  My holter monitor showed heartrate fluctuating between 45-156 beats per minute!  I have to see a cardiologist tomorrow.  I don't know what to do anymore!  I am so sick.  I have at least 7-8 bouts of severe diarrhea daily and am constantly lightheaded, hot and nervous on top of the tachycardia.  Does this sound like T3 thyrotoxicosis?  What do they do for that?  I wish they would just take the thyroid out and leave me hypo if I am heading that way anyway.  This is no way to live!

[mtkst13]

it's strange that your free t4 has dropped so much with synthroid increases, and it's odd that you're having severe hyper symptoms with your free t4 being so low.  maybe your free t3 is high so your free t4 is dropping to compensate.  the body does its own thing in response to med increases/decreases.  

when i had synthroid increases, i went through phases of ectopic beats/arrthymias, but it was only occassionally and the issues subsided after a few weeks.  however, my free t4 was always in the mid-to-upper range.  

i would ask the doctor why he thinks the free t4 is dropping.  could it be dropping as a compensatory situation from high free t3?  you definitely should get free t3 labs drawn.  i'd get them done asap so that you can see what's going on...especially with your ekg results and because you increased synthroid...yikes!!

you could have t3 thyrotoxicosis.  i had that, and had the doctor not checked the free t3, they would have never known because my free t4 was normal.

what were your lab values before you started synthroid?

[dani2776]

Thanks for the advice.  I have often wondered if what I am feeling is partly med related but everyone keeps telling me no.  My endo actually wanted to increase my meds from the 50 to 88 but I said no and we agreed on the 75.  So I guess I should go back to my 50 until the hyper symptoms go away and then try and increase again, is that right?  How long should I wait to try and increase again?  I just called my endo and asked to have my labs drawn to check for Graves anitbodies as well.  I know it is rare but I feel everything should be checked.  Thanks again for everything.  You are amazing!