Welcome to the thyroid begets AFIB club, sorry you had to join. There are a number of us here who have AFIB issues that are aggravated by thyroid issues. Please note that I am not saying that thyroid issue could be a sole cause of AFIB, but for some of us it is definitely a contributing factor. A thyroid can get out of wack suddenly, at any time, sometimes for no understandable reason. I have a strong family history of thyroid problems, you may want to ask your close relatives.

Fortunately, most of the tests are easy and painless. There's blood work for TSH, T3. T4 and antibodies (the antibodies test takes about a week to come back from the lab). If those indicate issues, then there's a search to make sure what is underlying is not serious. So there might be a thyroid ultrasound, and a radioactive iodine uptake test. If nothing more interesting is found (WHICH IS A VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME...SO DON'T FREAK OUT). Then comes treatment, which is either a thyroid suppression drug for hyper (that's me) or thyroid (usually synthetic) for hypo. In very rare cases, if something serious is found, the thyroid is destroyed with either one dose of radioactive iodine (a pill) or removed. This is a very small percentage of cases, so be calm.

So find yourself a good endocrinologist and enjoy the ride. You have good chance of needing to take another pill.

Hi Paul. Thanks for your reply. I have a long history of thyroid disease. Graves' disease (hyperthyroism). I had block and replace therapy in 1990, and in 1991, I was under control with hypOThyroidism as a result of the treatment.

They put me on synthroid 75, which I've been on for decades. This week, I've been going in and out of afib, I went to my EPs nurse practitioner. She did blood work and found I'm slightly hypERthyroid. TSH was .42. That's not terrible, but still in hyper territory. I don't understand why after decades of my thyroid being fine, that all of a sudden I'm hyper. They said with graves, your thyroid eventually slows down and burns out.

She also switched me from Bystolic to one timed releas metoprolol 25 once a day. That was three days ago. Although the Bystolic didn't prevent my afib, it did keep my heart rate and blood pressure down, which the metoprolol didnt, so I'm going to ask my doctor if I can go back on Bystolic.

I have an appointment with a new endocrinologist on Thursday and a new EP for a second opinion on April first. I wish I could see the now. I'm so afraid of another episode. I'm still having PVCs.

Bystolic works great foe me (4 years).

I liked the bystolic too. I liked it so much I was paying more than $200 for each refill out of my own pocket because my insurance..cvs Caremark stopped covering it.

I appealed the decision three times. My doctor wrote me letters of medical necessity and sent in supporting info, but they continued to turn me down.

That's like how Aetna refused to pay the $1000 ambulance bill last afib time around because our ambulance service is out of network! Arm twisting finally got some results. I wonder if they'll pay this time around?

Gotta love insurance companies.

But you're right, Petey, I think bystolic is a wonderful drug for keeping your heart rate lower and lowering blood pressure. Unfortunately, it didnt help with afib, but the afib is more tolerable under bystolic.

Ah yes the thyroid issues, they certainly can cause all kinds of havoc! The beta blocker will help with the rate but note the afib that can be brought on by being hyper. I have been having issues with mine for awhile and told my endo I thought I was on too high of a dose now but he blew me off, I had lost weight, changed my eating habits, changed supplements and worked on getting the adrenals healthy. Last time in ER showed my TSH was 0.24 and gee what a surprise, knew it was off all along, you get to know your body quite well in the ride. So went form 125 to 50 of synthroid and doing so much better feel great most of the time, on day 80 something days no afib or pacs since last dose adjustment, I ended up going to an integrated doc to get it straightened out because endo insisted my numbers were fine, well maybe for some people but not for me!

Hi Daisy,

You had sub clinical hyperthyroidism , and many endos poo poo that. But if you consult "Dr. Google" and look up sub clinical hyperthyroidism and afib, you'll see that they are related, so the doctors aren't keeping up with recent studies.

But I can't blame all my afib on my thyroid as I've been at good levels for the past few decades, and still got afib. Maybe this recent bout is related, but I don't know what caused the other incidents.

I'm on 75 synthroid and can't get an appointment with an endo before Thursday, so I've been taking my synthroid every other day instead of every day. I have no idea if this endo is any good, but she was the only one I could get in to see quickly. I've been so stable thyroid-wise over many years that I was having my GP follow my levels.

Sounds like a lousy weekend. Take hope from the fact that the thyroid issue could be the cause of your recent problems. Glad you are able to see the endocrinologist so quickly. Praying you will soon be feeling better.

Thanks. I went to the endocronologist today. She said its really rare for someone with Graves' disease that was successfully treated 25 years ago to have an increase in thyroid hormone, and thinks it could be the nodule. She said it can pike thyroid hormone here and there... Makes me wonder if that's what triggers my afib. She has ordered a thyroid ultrasound.

On another subject, I started low dose magnesium and I feel better.

Glad the magnesium is helping you to feel better. It does that for me too and I am sure there are others that can say the same. Thanks for the info on subclinical hyperthyroid, I knew that was the case.

Well my average heart rate after 24 hour heart monitor was 95, and sometimes 140 for hours when working with stressful clients. After fighting taking drugs I am on Diltiazem and now my heart rate seems to average in the 70's. I think my thyroid is ok

An interesting study which shows hypo thyroid ism (lslow thyroid) can protect against afib.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/775611

Interesting article. Thanks. petey

Sorry to read about this (albeit late) incident. Scary for sure and it sucks when you have to go to the ER! But, they let you out quick,... I hope things have settled down for you Island.

Thanks Surfrat. It wasn't fun. I had two weeks of PVCs, and then bam! A fib but in a big way!

I'm almost afraid to jinx it, but now that I'm off met and back on bystolic, I'm doing better. Also thinking the magnesium is helping.

I'm going to a new EP on April 1st ( how appropriate.. April Fools Day!). I'm not happy with the one I have. All he wants to do is ablate. I guess he sees me as another payment on his Porsche!

How are you doing?

Hoping your new EP is a Better experience for you.

My EP is only all about ablation also. That is what he likes to do for everyone, so he is the one I would go to if I ever chose ablation, because he does so many.
He has very little interest in helping me manage my afib.....my Cardio Dr. has been helpful.