Heart blips with hypothyroidism

[carine4]

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism since 2002, and on Levothroid, varying doses, but mostly 50 mcg. and 100 mcg. on sunday.  Recently, I experienced what I would call heart blips.  They are scarey and unnerving.  I am in panic mode now.  The PCP checked out the tsh which was 6.45.  So, he adjusted the levothroid to 50 mcg on 5 days 100 mcg on 2 days.  I am waiting to be retested.  The blips are somewhat better over the last week, but now I feel heart flutters.  I have had the monitor and an EKG and also a stress test, echo.  I have PVCs, which my PCP say are not related to the Hypothyroid diagnosis.  Anyone experience these problems?

[annamae26]

yes i have the blips too. when i listen to my heart rate with a steth i sounds like it skips a beat and its frequent. sometimes i get a head rush when it happens and sometimes i feel it in my throat.  when i started to go hype my heart was pounding and skipping even more.  its been skipping for so many years- never had it checked.

[Barb135]

Although PVC's can be related to thyroid issues, they aren't always.  I have them too, along with all leaky heart valves and have been through all the heart tests - monitor, stress test, echo, EKG. Fortunately, my cardio was in tune with my thyroid issues, so that was explored as well.  When the heart tests came back showing that, although I have the leaky valves, etc none of that was causing the PVC's/palps, blips, skipped beats, etc, he sent me for pulmonary function tests and in the end, that turned out to be my problem.  

I smoked for many years - quit several yrs ago, but not soon enough and I have mild to moderate emphysema.  I was put on Spiriva, which is an inhalant and most of my "funky" heart issues have calmed down.  

You said your TSH was 6+, which would indicate that you are still hypo and may need a further increase in your dose; however, you don't mention what your actual thyroid hormone levels are.  Is your doctor basing your dosage strictly on the TSH?  If so, you may be headed for disaster.

[magpieannie]

Yep, PVC's are also caused by thyroid hormone imbalance. My daughter was born without a thyroid gland. Was diagnosed with having PVC's last year when her t3 was very low in normal range but her t4 was high in normal range and TSH was around 4. She would have the PVC's any time she would try to exercise (even a trip up the stairs) She felt them as a very rapid beat. Had a heart study done on her and it revealed 83 in 20 days, yet her heart was fine. She was on t4 only Synthroid and she could not convert enough of this into t3, so this was causing her the issue I think. Now, 1 year later, she no longer has PVC's as she was switched to desiccated thyroid hormone which has plenty of t3 in it. Her T4 and T3 are very closely lined up on the higher side of normal range and her TSH is kept well under 1 now. She is not hyper or hypo in anyway and the hypo. health issues and her PVC's are gone. I hope our experience will be of some help to you. My daughter's heart needs to last a life time and at the rate it was beating it would not have. So ignoring this at age 8 was not something I could do. I new in my gut that  it had to be related (even though the endo. was in denial (covering her own_ _ _ ) and the cardio. dr. was clueless) to her thyroid levels/ medication/absence of a gland, and I was right and she is feeling good again! She can run and play like kids are suppose to do without constanly holding her heart and gasping for breath. If you'd like to read more about our experience with this, you can go to my home page and read my journal article. God Bless!

[LazyMoose]

Blips???

Heart palps can be from hypo and hyper. Palps are normal heart rate, but its harder, you feel it more in your body, and can send a 'pulse' feel through you vessels, even to the ears.

I dont know about PVCs, others will.