Aa
Anxiety, excessive sweating and hypothyroidism
Hello - I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I take levothyroxin manufacted by Milan. My TSH result is 7.12 and my T4 is 0.7. I am increasingly anxious and sweat excessively and feel a racing pulse. Could there be any connection with my thyroid? I've always had anxiety but this feels unusual. Thanks for any input.
To answer your anxiety/sweating question, yes, I had the same issue when I first found out that I had Hashi's. I had several situations of extremely sweaty palms and armpits and high anxiety. This went away once I was on 50MCG of Levothyroxine.
One of our members keeps a list of doctors recommended by forum members. There's one in the Denver area that I'll send you in a PM. Check your Inbox under the "My MedHelp" tab in the blue bar at the top of the page.
I really don't know when or how this low thyroid started, as strange as that may seem. I'm one of those people who never spent enough time taking personal responsibility for my health ... although I've generally been a pretty healthy guy. I believe the thyroid medication was first prescribed in 2005. My taper off of these antidepressants and benzodiazapines has been something I've had to do rather methodically and consistently, although without much assistance from a doctor. Since I could never get a real clear answer from my prescribing doc as to why I was on unithroid/synthrolid/levo all these years (he said it was for antidepressant augmentation) I stopped it for some time (about 8 weeks) and then reintroduced about two weeks ago after those last readings from an urgent care doctor.
Again, I don't want to get into a complaining session about doctors, but in the last three to four years I've been to a number of other psychiatrists, gp's, and endocrinologists trying to get help and advice on tapering the benzos and tapering or readjusting the other meds, including the propranolol. I'm not getting a lot of support, just a lot of "I don't knows." So, I'm experimenting on my own, although with the benzos I am committed to the withdrawal (slowly downward). It's a tough road sometimes:).
I sure thank you for responding goolarra. All of the information is very helpful. I want to be better educated before I go see more doctors. Now I need to try again to find a good endocrinologist.
Again, I don't want to get into a complaining session about doctors, but in the last three to four years I've been to a number of other psychiatrists, gp's, and endocrinologists trying to get help and advice on tapering the benzos and tapering or readjusting the other meds, including the propranolol. I'm not getting a lot of support, just a lot of "I don't knows." So, I'm experimenting on my own, although with the benzos I am committed to the withdrawal (slowly downward). It's a tough road sometimes:).
I sure thank you for responding goolarra. All of the information is very helpful. I want to be better educated before I go see more doctors. Now I need to try again to find a good endocrinologist.
The active ingredients in Unithroid and your generic levo are the same...levothyroxine (levo, T4). However, different manufacturers use different inactive ingredients (binders, fillers), so people find that one manufacturer's product may work better for them than another's
"Now the tests do show that I apparently have some pretty low thyroid readings, but I don't know whether the hypothyroidism came before all the meds or after. And to be honest, that's not really my concern any more. I just want to start, and have started, dealing with things like anxiety and depression in a healthier way than just medicating them away (if that makes sense)."
That makes perfect sense. Yes, your thyroid levels (FT4) are way too low, and I agree that whether it came before or after meds is moot at this point. As you know, both anxiety and depression can be symptoms of hypo, so if you just treat the symptoms, the root cause is still there.
As I said, your FT4 is definitely very low. Most of us would have hypo symptoms with levels considerably higher. Your FT4 level is only 0.7 on 75 mcg of levo, so it would seem your thyroid is producing very little. Your TSH is high, which helps to confirm that you are hypo. However, what we don't know is what your FT3 is doing. Considering your FT4 and TSH, we can probably assume that FT3 is low as well, but you know what happens when we assume! It would be much better if you could have FT3 tested just to be sure. Your symptoms are not clear cut hypo, so it would be nice to corrorborate everything with an FT3 reading.
Do you know how long your FT4 has been so low? Has your doctor suggested an increase after these labs?
"Now the tests do show that I apparently have some pretty low thyroid readings, but I don't know whether the hypothyroidism came before all the meds or after. And to be honest, that's not really my concern any more. I just want to start, and have started, dealing with things like anxiety and depression in a healthier way than just medicating them away (if that makes sense)."
That makes perfect sense. Yes, your thyroid levels (FT4) are way too low, and I agree that whether it came before or after meds is moot at this point. As you know, both anxiety and depression can be symptoms of hypo, so if you just treat the symptoms, the root cause is still there.
As I said, your FT4 is definitely very low. Most of us would have hypo symptoms with levels considerably higher. Your FT4 level is only 0.7 on 75 mcg of levo, so it would seem your thyroid is producing very little. Your TSH is high, which helps to confirm that you are hypo. However, what we don't know is what your FT3 is doing. Considering your FT4 and TSH, we can probably assume that FT3 is low as well, but you know what happens when we assume! It would be much better if you could have FT3 tested just to be sure. Your symptoms are not clear cut hypo, so it would be nice to corrorborate everything with an FT3 reading.
Do you know how long your FT4 has been so low? Has your doctor suggested an increase after these labs?
My FT3 wasn't tested and I haven't had an ultra sound done.
I take 0.075 of levothyroxine. For many years I was taking some dose that was prescribed (but I don't recall how much) of Unithroid. A couple of years ago when I switched prescription insurance providers they switched my medicine to "levothyroxine" manufactured by Mylan Labs. I don't know if there is a real difference. I have been tapering off high does of benzodiazapines very slowly after years of prescribed use. I am about 85% of the way off. I have studied this withdrawal issue carefully and realize that there is a LOT of withdrawal anxiety that comes with it. But, as it becomes more intolerable I've begun to wonder if other things are at play (even in part). Without want to engage in "doctor bashing" I haven't been able to find a doctor who will really work with me on these issues, from the medicine side, especially the one who originally put me on benzo's, inderol, and thyroid medicine years ago. In fact, he won't even really respond to my questions about why I was put on the drugs. So, I've been "experimenting." I stopped the inderol many months ago, without any ill effects, and because I found out that it had been prescribed for "anxiety" rather than high blood pressure and because I felt better when I wasn't on it (e.g., I was able to work out more efficiently, and my blood pressure was very good without it). I realize it is a beta blocker. I also learned that the thyroid medicine was prescribed some years ago not specifically for hypothyroidism but to "augment" antidepressants. Now the tests do show that I apparently have some pretty low thyroid readings, but I don't know whether the hypothyroidism came before all the meds or after. And to be honest, that's not really my concern any more. I just want to start, and have started, dealing with things like anxiety and depression in a healthier way than just medicating them away (if that makes sense). But, if there is a real medical condition with my thyroid that is increasing the sweats and heart racing and body aches, even by a bit (because those symptoms are really, really getting rough), I'd like to address them. The tough part is finding someone to address them with:). And so I got on this site. It's part of my education.
Thanks so much
I take 0.075 of levothyroxine. For many years I was taking some dose that was prescribed (but I don't recall how much) of Unithroid. A couple of years ago when I switched prescription insurance providers they switched my medicine to "levothyroxine" manufactured by Mylan Labs. I don't know if there is a real difference. I have been tapering off high does of benzodiazapines very slowly after years of prescribed use. I am about 85% of the way off. I have studied this withdrawal issue carefully and realize that there is a LOT of withdrawal anxiety that comes with it. But, as it becomes more intolerable I've begun to wonder if other things are at play (even in part). Without want to engage in "doctor bashing" I haven't been able to find a doctor who will really work with me on these issues, from the medicine side, especially the one who originally put me on benzo's, inderol, and thyroid medicine years ago. In fact, he won't even really respond to my questions about why I was put on the drugs. So, I've been "experimenting." I stopped the inderol many months ago, without any ill effects, and because I found out that it had been prescribed for "anxiety" rather than high blood pressure and because I felt better when I wasn't on it (e.g., I was able to work out more efficiently, and my blood pressure was very good without it). I realize it is a beta blocker. I also learned that the thyroid medicine was prescribed some years ago not specifically for hypothyroidism but to "augment" antidepressants. Now the tests do show that I apparently have some pretty low thyroid readings, but I don't know whether the hypothyroidism came before all the meds or after. And to be honest, that's not really my concern any more. I just want to start, and have started, dealing with things like anxiety and depression in a healthier way than just medicating them away (if that makes sense). But, if there is a real medical condition with my thyroid that is increasing the sweats and heart racing and body aches, even by a bit (because those symptoms are really, really getting rough), I'd like to address them. The tough part is finding someone to address them with:). And so I got on this site. It's part of my education.
Thanks so much
Your FT4 is very low. It's below range. The rule of thumb is that FT4 should be about midrange (1.3 on your range), so yours is very low. Your TSH is also high, which confirms that you are hypo.
However, your doctor did not test FT3, which is the test that correlates best with symptoms.
Anxiety can be a symptom of both hypo and hyper. Typically, a racing pulse (is it really racing, or does it just feel like it's racing?) and excessive sweating are hyper symptoms...but not always.
How much levo do you take? Have you just recently started taking it? Have you had a thyroid ultrasound?
However, your doctor did not test FT3, which is the test that correlates best with symptoms.
Anxiety can be a symptom of both hypo and hyper. Typically, a racing pulse (is it really racing, or does it just feel like it's racing?) and excessive sweating are hyper symptoms...but not always.
How much levo do you take? Have you just recently started taking it? Have you had a thyroid ultrasound?
Hi goolarra - I didn't know that. The reference range is 0.8 - 1.8. I appreciate it. Hope you're still there.
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.
