Hyperthyroidism Support Group
Hyperthyroidism (or "overactive thyroid gland") is the clinical syndrome featuring weight loss (often accompanied by a ravenous appetite), fatigue, weakness, hyperactivity, irritability, apathy, depression, polyuria, and sweating. Additional symptoms may include palpitations and arrhythmias (notably atrial fibrillation), dyspnea, loss of libido, nausea, vomiting, and...
Good Morning,
I was diagnosed with hyperthyrodism about 3 months ago im currently taking propranolol 40Mg. I want to hear from you all on what steps your Dr. has taken for hyperthyrodism, there are many times i feel like fainting, my head has sharp pains on the back or sides and my neck has both sides with balls so big they hurt and tingle. I feel like the only thing the medicine has done is minimized the shaking. Im supposed to see a specialist in November but i would still like to hear what steps your Dr. has taken and if any of you have changed your diet and seen improvements, i dont want to be takig medicine my whole life.
I hope I can help you. You say you were diagnosed with Hyperthroidism - and are only taking Propranolol. Are you taking an anti-thyroid medication like Methimazole? Propranolol is prescribed to help the heart from beating too fast or irregularly. (A beta blocker) One major symptom of hyperthyroidism. Did your doctor tell you if this was caused by Graves Disease (auto-immune disease)? Has the doctor given you an ultrasound or a radioactive uptake scan or blood tests to see where your thyroid antibodies are?
I am assuming your doctor gave you a blood test for T.S.H., Free T3, Free T4, TSI - if so, what are the blood test results and their ranges. You say you have big balls on the side of your neck - I am assuming they could be an inflammed thyroid.
Okay - from what you wrote, you haven’t seen an endocrinologist, yet. Correct? The Propranolol (beta blocker) could be making you feel faint.
Honestly, I would highly advise you to see an Endocrinologist immediately - don’t wait.
They will take the appropriate blood tests, do an ultrasound of your thyroid, possibly take an uptake scan, put you on Methimazole (a form of anti-thyroid medication)
PLEASE do not albate your thyroid or have surgery UNTIL you know all the options of what you can do to feel better. I hate to tell you (and I didn’t like it either) taking medicine to help you deal with the CAUSE of this disease is the LEAST that you can do. IF you albate or surgically remove the thyroid, you will have a different set of symptoms and will definitely have to take medication for the rest of your life - for HYPOthyroidism.
Having to go through what you went through for the past 3 months, I am amazed that your doctor didn’t refer you to a Endocrinologist the next day. (My doctor saw it in my blood tests in late January 2018 - He told me to see an Endocrinologist immediately - I did 3 days later) I don’t know what transpired with your doctor 3 months ago - but they should have told you to see a specialist immediately instead of give you a prescription for JUST your heart issues.
I hope you go see a specialist A.S.A.P. It took approx. 5 weeks for the medication to start working. If you can see a integrative/functional endocrinologist. There is a liquid herbal supplement that can help with the symptoms - speak with your doctor about “Bugleweed, Motherwart and Lemon Balm”
Let me know how things turn out with the Endo.
I hope this information will help you get to a better place.
Take Care.
I've had the fast heart beat, sweating, mood swings, fainting twice since December of last year 2017 and it wasn't until July of this year where i needed to do a physical for a new job that the physical center told me that my heart was beating way to fast and i needed to go to my regular Dr. to get cleared and that was when they FINALLY ordered a blood test and realized it was my thyroid. The whole time they kept giving me anti depressants and anxiety medicine and they KNEW about the fast heart of 133-150 the whole time and ignored it saying it was anxiety. . Once the Dr had the blood work all he prescribed me was the propranol and referred me to a specialist that i have been waiting since July to see..my appointment isn't until November and Since my Dr.s were taking my thyroid lightly i felt like i was over exaggerating with my on going symptoms and decided to join this group today and hear from other people.
I would want to know what my thyroid levels of the Free T3 and the Free T4 are doing right now. Especially if I was taking any Propranolol I would want to know what my Free T3 is like for the symptoms you are describing.
The Free T3 works with the Propanolol to stop having extra T4 converting over to the T3.
As it is that possibly now that your Free T3 may be too low (hypO) for your body's needs from the Propranolol and a dose adjustment is necessary to keep from feeling the fainting symptom as well as from the enlarged thyroid.
{{{hugs}}}
But if you can get your regular doctor to order the FT3, FT4, and TSH, at least and post here we can better help you to see what the pattern is like now.
{{{hugs again}}}
I am not sure if you are from the USA or not or if so living in the areas where labs can be ordered as a self pay?
Here where I live, if my doctor refuse to order any labs (which that has happened last year as my doctor is 'funny' to want to do labs only once per year) I can walk in as a self pay (no insurance) and pay $54 at a SonoraQuest lab to order just the Free T3 and the Free T4 (no TSH test) to see how my Free Ts are doing.
Look also for any self pay lab companies online in your area to to order. Healthcheckusa.com, privatemdlabs.com, etc.
{{{hugs}}}
I’ll tell you this: I was on 60 mg of propranolol and it barely touched my symptoms. I called over 30 endocrinologists before I found one who could take me in less than 2 months, and I’m in a large city with several hospitals. When I got in to see him, he immediately increased my propanolol dose to 160 mg a day. Over double!! It really helped with the heart racing and emotional flooding anxiety incidents. I agree if there is any way you can get in sooner, do it. If not, ask your doctor to increase your propanolol.
BTW, thyroid symptoms APPEAR like many other disease’s symptoms. A smart doctor would test for T.S.H. And Free T3 & Free T4....like my Neurologist did. I had been feeling so tired/exhausted and “kvetchy” that my PCP took blood tests but they were in normal range. And, he said I was getting older and this is what happens to older post menopausal woman. What a bunch of horse crap. I made an appt. with my Neurologist because I was getting headaches and tingling, too. I told him how I felt and he put me through a battery of blood tests - he told me to fast for 12 hours prior to the blood test. When I saw him next - there it was - GD. Then he insisted I make an appt. with an endocrinologist immediately.
I can understand in remote areas, there might not be an endocrinologist available but in a big city. (WTBleep)
I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO and had to change insurance companies because the rates went up hundreds of dollars per month. I needed a referral for specialists. I was always able to get the referrals and was lucky to get appointments within reasonable time periods. It depended on the doctor - especially if they were the better ones. Now, I have OSCAR insurance and I don’t need a referral. I did my research and pick a specialist and hope they have appointment openings in the near future. I have been waiting for my gastroenterologist appointment for over a month but from what I read about her, she has specialties in auto-immune diseases so I am hopeful to get a grasp on my worst GD symptom.
The most important thing I can say is Be Proactive when it comes to your health care. Call, Insist and push your way so you get appointments as quickly as possible. TELL your (PCP) doctors what you feel you need, as far as blood tests or getting a referral for a specialist. Never back down! It’s your body and health we are talking about. Take Care.
Hoping all goes well