Thyroid levels and heart issues

[MaryC]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a couple of years ago. I realize the thyroid has a significant impact on the heart and can cause heart rhythm issues. My cardiologist has been a real stickler about staying on top of my thyroid levels. I had a 6 month stint where I didn't see him and during that time I had extreme levels of fatigue and could tell it was my thyroid. Per my GP, my thyroid was at 5.3, which on the high end and where he said most folks don't feel well. The result was him increasing my med. Does anyone know what a 'good' level is for someone who has heart valve issues? I realize there are several measurements for the thyroid and I am not sure what I should be looking at.

Chris

 

[JodyC]

thyroid

thyroid

If your TSH level is 5.3 your ideal level is 0. Even with heart issues you want your TSH to be as close to that as possible. Personally I tend to feel much better with not enough than just right or too much. I dose myself but my GP understands and works with me to keep my levels safe yet have them where I also feel good. The thyroid affects SOOOOO much more than people realize and its not all about your TSH you really need to watch your Free T3 and Free T4 levels as well. Go to your local library and do some research or look on the internet. Calcium and vitamin D also play an important role in your thyroid hormone absorption. I could go on forever on this topic as I fought for years to get an endocrinologist that was worth a darn to work with me so that I felt better instead of just having lab results that say I am fine. I had to wait almost a year before I could have my heart surgery because the surgeon wanted to make sure my symptoms were a result of my heart and not my thyroid.

 

[Susan BAV]

Just a bit of my limited personal experience...

Just a bit of my limited personal experience...

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid in my early 30's. In hindsight, I probably should have gone to an endocrinologist right off the bat. But I didn't then and I never have, instead letting my family doctor monitor it.

But since my valve replacement, right or wrong, my family doctor keeps me on the sluggish end of the hypothyroid scale, with as little Synthroid supplement possible, and his reasoning is: 1) that it is easier on my heart; 2) and it will less-contribute to arrhythmias; 3) and it will leach less calcium from my body.

 

[Dina]

I have been symptomatically hypothyroid for about 5-6 years now. My
highest TSH level was 9 and that is pretty bad, but people do go much higher.
My first symptoms were weight gain and fatigue, and last year before my
OHS , I had A. Flutter 3 times while I was in a Low Thyroid state(arrhythmias
can occur with low or high thyroid )which is a little unusual,as Susan said
arrhythmias usually occur with hyperthyroid ( <0 ).The target for TSH is 2-3,
and I prefer to keep mine low unlike Susan since Im TRYING to lose weight.
Best wishes to all, Dina

 

[MaryC]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid in my early 30's. In hindsight, I probably should have gone to an endocrinologist right off the bat. But I didn't then and I never have, instead letting my family doctor monitor it.

But since my valve replacement, right or wrong, my family doctor keeps me on the sluggish end of the hypothyroid scale, with as little Synthroid supplement possible, and his reasoning is: 1) that it is easier on my heart; 2) and it will less-contribute to arrhythmias; 3) and it will leach less calcium from my body.

Susan - This is what my cardiologist has been doing is keeping me around 3. I think my GP, who will be monitoring my thyroid levels going forward, plans to keep it around there, too, because my last test came back 3.4 and he didn't increase my dosage.

When I asked my cardiologist about the impact of the toprol XL on weight loss he pretty much said my priority was my heart health and not losing wieght. Between the low thyroid and the heavy dose of beta blocker I am on I have resigned myself to not losing that 10 lbs........for now!!

 

[Adrienne]

I just found a photocopy of my TSH and Free T4 results from 2006. My TSH is 1.34 (reference range: 0.35 - 5.50), Free T4 is 18 (reference range 9 - 23). I feel good and with my mini dose of Metoprolol, my heart rate is normal.

 

[MaryC]

Adrienne,
I am thinking you have mentioned having issues in the past with arrhthymia, right? I would love to get my TSH where yours is but I am so afraid of having a-flutter again. I had a weird fast heart beat a couple of weeks ago and now I am kind of gun shy about pushing my GP to raise my medicine.

On the other hand, I have been feeling fatigued and kind of bombed on my stress test on Monday. My BP was 98/60 when I started the test. I just ran out of gas when I couldn't get my heart rate up to the 80%. I was jogging on a steep incline and my heart rate was still just in the mid 120's. I was expecting to do well because I have been hitting strenuous exercise hard but I think I'm fighting a combination of my low thyroid and the 100mg of toprol........

Chris

 

[Adrienne]

Adrienne,
I am thinking you have mentioned having issues in the past with arrhthymia, right? I would love to get my TSH where yours is but I am so afraid of having a-flutter again. I had a weird fast heart beat a couple of weeks ago and now I am kind of gun shy about pushing my GP to raise my medicine.

On the other hand, I have been feeling fatigued and kind of bombed on my stress test on Monday. My BP was 98/60 when I started the test. I just ran out of gas when I couldn't get my heart rate up to the 80%. I was jogging on a steep incline and my heart rate was still just in the mid 120's. I was expecting to do well because I have been hitting strenuous exercise hard but I think I'm fighting a combination of my low thyroid and the 100mg of toprol........

Chris

It's true that I had A-Fib, but I had it when my left atrium was 57 mm. There is always a risk of A-Fib when the left atrium gets too dilated. Now that I have had my mitral valve repaired plus the fact that I had a left maze procedure, there is no more A-Fib or any other arrhythmias (maybe an extrasystolic beat from time to time). I don't know what to say since you said you had a weird fast heartbeat the other day.

I have to say that when I took 100 mg of Metoprolol when I had A-Fib, I felt horrible. I could barely lift my legs. It was much more than the A-Fib itself making me feel horrible, because when I got off it (it didn't help get me back into NSR), I felt much better. With 25 mg of Metoprolol which I take now just because my heartbeat is on the fast side, I am fine.