Can hypothyroidism cause dizziness?

Hi I have been suffering for quite sometime now with unknown origins ... my quality of life is nearly 0 ...

I was diagnosed with Meniers disease 15 years ago ...

Last year (may 2016) I got vertigo for the first time ... again on Halloween ... then more in December with a debilitating headache that lasted 2.5 months before changing some .. no vertigo in January and then more in feb march April of 2017.... today my doctor wants to try thyroid medication.

My TSH was .35 the t3 was 2.5 and the t4 1.09....

My vertigo attacks seem to happen day of ovulation and randomly threw out until my shows up period ends .. then I have about 10-14 days of no vertigo .

Can u offer me some advice?

Thank you

I just so desperately want my life back with my husband my 3 teens an 3 toddlers ... Ile be 35 in July .. living in bed to avoid vertigo and having no energy is not who I use to be at all . I'm not even getting to enjoy my babies as this all started happening when my twins were 9 months old. Also I had my tubes tied .

Please and thank you for any advice or help .

Is vertigo a thyroid thing ? I mean real honest bad puking vertigo ...

Hello Angis82:

Thanks for contacting me.  Meniers Disease can cause Vertigo (dizziness) all by itself.  This syndrom/disease effects the middle ear.  That part controls our balance.  It can go away and then come back.   It can cause a feeling of fullness in the ears and also a ringing of the ears.  Noises can set it off and also can be related to your cycle as hormones chnage.   I was friends with a lady who was also a Nurse and she had a hard time with it also. 

Now you should be on a low salt diet. Sodium retains fluid in the body. You may need a med called Antivert (Brand name) for dizziness.  Meds can be used if pain or dizziness will not subside on their own. They can look in your ears and see if any fluid is being held there.  If so, they can reduce that by surgery if really bad.

Most people get it at age 40 and above so you are young to get it.  Perhaps it runs in your family. 

The thyroid can cause some dizziness as it changes in hormones and your TSH of .35 is a bit on the HYPER side but that test alone is not as good as the T3 and T4 tests.  The scale for TSH  (Thyroid stimulating hormone) is  0.45 to 4.20 and the high end means too little thyroid hormone and the low end means way to much hormone.  So if you are a bit on the Hyperthyroid side (too much hormone) you can get dizzy. Also Hashimoto's Thyroid disease is a known disease that causes swings in the thyroid and it can be for years.  I have it and it did it too me when I was young in 1987.  My labs were like yours back then.

Are you in the USA?  If so your T3 should be  2.6 to 5.7 and your are just under the normal amount of T3 so maybe you swing back and forth between Hyper and HYPO thyroidism.  This alone is can make you dizzy.  The body tries to correct the low levels and sends signals from your Pituitary gland to your thyroid.  The body is like Goldilocks and the 3 bears, eveything has to be  JUST RIGHT!   Your T4 is low and should be 4.5 to 11.2 in the USA.  So you may have the early phases of  Thyroid disease and have your doctor recheck this in 3 months time.  If you were stressed out or on some meds this lab value may be off.

Eat a balanced diet and avoid gluten products as gluten has been found to be a problem in the body and is a known problem to the thyroid.

Thyroid disease can hit ages 20 to 45 and is a family trait in most of us. Ask if anyone an Aunt or Uncle has any thyroid problems and even a cousin or other relative can have it.  It passes along on the DNA and women get it more than men.   In me an Aunt on my Father's side had it and it hit my sister and me and now my nephew has it, he is 25.

Try the thyroid meds at a starter dose and take it on an empty belly.  See if you feel better.   Food blocks thyroid meds so wait 1 hour before  eating.  You may have caught it early and once your body adjusts you may get back to a normal life.  I think you have the early phases of this disease and once that is corrected you will get back on track.  BTW, pregnancy can bother the thyroid and it can take years to diagnose it, so I am glad your doctor looked into this. 

Please update me on how you are doing as you try this.  Thyroid meds are a process and start low and it takes 6 to 12 weeks to build a level.  The body is slow.

Any questions just ask, I am very happy to help.

Shelly

Hi Shelly !

Thanks for the reply and so quick!

Yes I have had Meniers since I was 20 .. 9 months after the birth of my first child ...

I did the low salt very strictly but it did not change things .. I continue with mostly Normal foods and don't care much for nor do I add salt. However if I have high salty foods it's not done anything to me . Docs never see any fluid or anything .

My hearing has recently dropped pretty drastically a few months after the bad headaches and vertigo first happened in 2016 till now . My first vertigo attack was 9months after the birth of my twins ... what's with the 9month thing ?? Lol

I picked up the prescription today , it's armour something , very low dose . I'm to start it tomorrow morning . The naturopathic doctor mentioned hashimotos and said that my primary doctor is prob testing this hypothyroid medicine on me thinkn that I'm in the beginning stages of hashimotos... I called because as I read my results indicated I was hyper thyroid ... so I was very confused .

I am so greatful for your reply and I'm sure I will have more questions for you . Thank you for offering comfort an advice .

For my vertigo I have Valium and meclizine now and zofrin .. I'm to take 1 of each at 1st sign of an attack . I did that an slept thru 2 hrs of it , I awoke still dizzy and took 1 more meclizine and it went away eventually . I was wiped out for a few days even with sleeping thru it , but that is way better than puking till I pass out.

Anywho so ima give this thyroid Meds a try . Ile keep U posted . Yes I'm in the USA. Are you ?

Thanks

Angi

Hello Angis82:

Yes  I am in the USA and  I am an RN.  I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's at age 27 and I am 56 now.

Armour Thyroid is a good one.  It is made from a pig's thyroid gland which is VERY close to a humans one.  You get all 4 hormones in Armour thyroid  T1 to T4.  Synthroid   (T4 only) is a man made one and many people including myself have bad reactions to it.  Most of us only talk about T3 called Liothyronine and T4 Thyroxine.  Inside your body  T4 converts in the Thyroid to T3  (the useable hormone) we need for everything!  This can be where the damge is inside the thyroid gland.

The thyroid controls our body temp, our metabolism and weight, our ability to handle cold  temps, our hair and nail growth and our periods and our mood.  We only get 1 thyroid, and no replacement gland and it is a master gland.  As women we have changes monthly to our hormones and that complicates thyroid problems.

Pregnancy places huge stress on the pancreas and thyroid and kidneys.  Some women get ill but doc's miss the symptoms and say it is depression or some other condition.  So Kudo's to your doctor for testing your thyroid 9 months later as he hit the problem head on!

Symptoms of HYPO are: Weight gain despite diet, no periods or infrequent ones, nails that break or do not grown, hair loss, intolerence to COLD, low temp and low pulse, fatigue, sleeping despite rest, muscle aches and pains, depressed feelings, brusing for no known cause.  There are more these are common.

Hyper symptoms are:  Anxiety, nervousness, bugged eye look, fast heart rate, can't take HEAT or HOT climates, sweating, gets thin or skeletal looking, jittery and can have dizziness, can't sleep or insomnia.  There are more.

Now we can share some of Hyper and Hypo. The body tries to make more hormone but it can't, so we have to help it with thyroid meds.

At least you are caught early, so give the body a chance and be patient as it does need some time to get a level.  I think your dizziness should fade.

Yes, all meds will have a side-effect and these Valium and Meclizine will make you sleepy.  See if you can find an herbalist who may be able to find a natural plant based medication for dizziness if needed.  I beleive in plant based meds a lot and they are better for the body than man made.

So ask any questions you have and Private message me if needed.

Shelly

I've been taking the armour for 2 mornings now ... with a TSH of .35 wouldn't the armour make that go lower and make me more sick?

I've noticed a bit of extra anxiety in the morning yesterday and today and maybe a LIL chest pain ...also between my shoulder blades is achy .. not sure if it's the armour or not . Also I'm awaiting hormone results as I've written down the dates of my vertigo and they happen on the day of ovulation and randomly thru my period till it stops . The vertigo is in different degrees . But I basically have charted down to what appears to be a 10-14 day window after my period without vertigo ... not sure what is triggering the headaches n vertigo . Seems odd that I've had Meniers 15 yrs and then I'm suddenly hit with debilitating vertigo and headaches/pressure . The headaches/pressure have changed a bunch to tolerable but not totally gone . Ent says Meniers can't cause those headaches/pressure ...

So maybe this is hormone / thyroid ...

I also went down the route of a spinal fluid leak... only epidural I had was 15 years ago and it was placed wrong 2 times n didn't work. 6-9 months later I got hearing problems and the Meniers diagnosis... when all this hit me hard I contact a spinal specialist in California . I revived an epidural blood patch April 6th ( last day of my period was the 7th) I have had improvement with the breathless ness and heart palpitations but the vertigo hit me with a vengeance on the 18th ( 11 days after my period ended (10 days before it started .. started today April 28) thought I would not start till the 1st ... anywho

So I'm having female hormones checked ..

I've tried every ave I've come across ...

I just want to make sure this thyroid med is safe for me .. it's so confusing as I had major weight loss (25lbs dec-feb) previously I tried plexus and couldn't loose any... I also thought the plexus hurt me because I would take it , never eat and hardly drank water .. I stopped it in December and problems continued ...

Have u heard of post pardum thyroidosis ? I read about that . Incidentally my doctor didn't check my thyroid until my twins were 18months ... I went in and complained about heavy flow and major mood swings ... they offered Prozac and said heavy periods for 3 days is fine ... I bleed so heavy I clot huge clots and tampons fall out in 20 min completely soaked ... I bleed thru clothing all the time ..

But then I got vertigo when twins were 9 months and then again when they were 14 months .. when they were 18 months I was hit with he deviltlating vertigo n head pressure ...

I know I'm jumping around and I'm sorry I had all this typed earlier and lost it ...

I'm happy to clarify any dates again if ud like .

So I'm wondering if the armour is safe for a TSH of .35 ...with the bit of anxiety peaking since starting ...

I have always had really low blood pressure . 95/68 something like that.

My blood work shows vitamin d is 29.5 so I'm on a supplement for that.

My ferritin is a 7 went up to 10 after a week of taking iron but I have constipation problems (prob from my constant pain Meds ) so doc said back off the iron for now n try the thyroid ...

I also had an ANA TEST back in January .. 1:160 titer with homogenous pattern. Severel docs said not to worry bout it and it hasn't been brought up since ..

Ugh ok .

That's lots of info .

Thanks for reading n helping me out how u can .

Angi

Also u can text me if it's easier

5417868090

Hello Angis82:

TSH is a quick view of how the thyroid is right at that moment in time and it is more like a sensor test.  At 0.35 you are in the so called Hyper zone but if you look at your T3 level which is so much more accurate and a better test than TSH with is always changing and in flux.  Your T3 was a bit low.  Not really bad but not normal by lab scales.  Also T4 was off and if your were having normal results you should be up at 4.5 to 11.2 in USA scales and you were  way down.  So you need T4 to come up and convert to T3 and a low dose of Armour Thyroid should bring you back to normal.  So using both T3 and T4 the picture is clearer that you need some T3 and T4.

You can cut the Armour tablet in half and take that for a week and go very slow getting that into your system.  If you feel okay then up it to th eother half.  Go slow take your time and get used to it.  Many people feel different in taking it.  Some get more energy and some get a bit anxious.  It is a process and the body is getting a boost in hormones so it takes a bit of getting used to.  Chest pain if severe, you should go to ER or doc and or stop it and  or cut the dose down.  You need to go slow and get used to it, there is no major rush, just take a 1/2 of tablet.

Oh yes Thyrioditis can happen after pregnancy and frequently does. It is very common.  Sometimes it can take a year or so to recover and some women get off the meds as time moves on.  Like I said, pregnancy can bother the pancreas and thyroid a lot.

Having heavy periods can also be a Thyroid symptom and can be from the body going back and forth (swings) in hormones.  The thyroid helps to make FSH (follicule stimulating hormone) ripen an egg up each month.  Many Hypo people get heavy flows and bleed heavily for more days than the so called normal days.  If the thyroid is going back and forth the body is going to see changes.  Constipation is another thyroid problem in Hypo.  Many of us have this and it does not go along with pain meds, although many pain meds can slow GI tract down.  

3 more tests for the thyroid you should have are:  TPOA and TGab these 2 tests cover autoimmune antibodies  (Hashimoto's) and pick up for inflammatory factors that ANA direct can't.  They can be done by simple blood draw so ask for it. Also an ESR (sed. rate test) shows inflammation in thyroid cases.  These are all covered by insurance.

Having low Vit D also is a problem with Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism, and for you to be at 29 at your age is low.  Normal is 30 to 100 and for your age it should be above 50. So it tells me, you are having some thyroid problems as too many problems are occuring and you are young.

Headaches/dizzines and BP:  A few things should be looked at here.  One thing is a CAT SCAN of the head to check for any aneurysm or prob;ems there.  Imaging is a great tool and easy enough to do.  Be safe and ask for that.   Some people can have a blood vessel that is swelling in the brain and it can make Vertigo happen so please ask your doctor to order this.  If BP goes low you can get dizzy from that too.  Look for internal bleeding, like an ulcer or  blood in feces.  

Also they can check to see if CSF is leaking by way of imaging.

Take it slow, do baby steps with this medication and give yourself some time to adjust.  Keep a log of symptoms.

Any questions just ask.

Shelly

Hi Shelly ,

Yes I've had a lot of scans done in the last 6 months , ruling out nearly everything we've thought of . I'm assuming since I've had some with contrast (MRI and ct) that that may have affected my TSH ?? But enough to drop it to .35? I didn't realize my t4 was considered low or that low .and my t3 is normal but on low side .

Can low vitimin d (29.5) - and low ferritin (10) cause vertigo attacks and headaches/pressure (ferritin was a 7 in feb so Ile assume it was worse back in December) all mixed in with this thyroid stuff??...by December I never ate , I took plexus in October and November and I swear I lived on it and a cup of cofeee though I didnt loose any weight ) ..:

Did I cause this 5/6 months of torture from malnutrition back in October /November or something ??? October I prob at once a day ... course back in may when I had the very first vertigo I was eating alright . Vertigo came back in October and progressively got worse ...

Im still having a hard time eating during he first part of my day , and eat more in the evenings and late at night .

Anywho ... just worried about this vertigo sneaking back up . It's been ruining my quality of life .

I took half the armour thyroid today (so 15 mg ) doc had me pause iron for a few days due to constipation ... I think Ile try and start it again as I've started my period ...

I wonder if all this debilitating vertigo and headaches/pressure are due to low vitimin d, ferritin and thyroid ... heck maybe my thyroid will straitn out once my minerals do ???

I have had a full cervical , thoracic and lumber scan done with and without contrast to look for a leak. Dr.Schvienk from

LA California ( we flew there from Oregon) said he didn't see a leak ... I went for the patch at his advice anyways based on symptoms and because I get relief from some of it when laying down... he wants me to try another one since I've improved some since getting it 3-4 weeks ago.

If I'm low on vitimin d and ferritin and thyroid do u think that causes orthostatic stuff or allows some resolution during rest ???

Thanks

Angi

Hello Angis82:

Ferritin is a component of the Iron mineral and we need that mineral to be normal as it helps the thyroid work better and correctly.  When Ferritin is low it effects the thyroid.  It can be a symptom all by itself for dizziness and our hemoglobin needs this to carry oxygen around the body and make new Red Blood Cells (RBC's).  RBC's take 4 to 12 weeks to make inside the bone marrow and it takes longer if your iron and ferritin are down.

If scans were done and they ruled out other problems then you need to focus on the thyroid and the symptoms you mention tend to fit with this.

You are young enough and at your age your VIT D and Ferritin should be good but since you are a bit low just under  USA value of T3 being  NORMAL,  I would lean in the direction of a HYPO thyroid condition.

Some of us, get mild symptoms at first and you may feel like a flu or just tired and weak...only to get worse not better with time. 

Adrenal Glands get upset when the Thyroid goes off and changes in your adrenaline hormones can happen. All of this together can effect BP and can effect dizziness.

The body gets of of sync if the thyroid goes on the blink. So by giving it some hormone helps it to function and the other symptoms tend to fade as the different body organs correct itself.

Now if you can eat some red meats or liver that can help iron and ferritin. Spinach also & Romain Lettuce.  Iron tablets can cause constipation so you should have warm fluids like tea and or take a stool softner pill.  It will also make your feces black as it is absorbed via the intestines.  Some of us need this as our Hemoglobin needs to be 12 to 14 for women in the USA. 

Eat small meals and try to eat balanced meals if you can. Avoid heavy breads and creams and dairy. 

Vit D if low makes you feel as if you are 90 years old. Tears in muscle tissue can happen and fatigue.  Muscles can be painful and bones can break if low.  Headaches, are common and just feeling aged.   It will happen over time if not replaced and their have been studies done showing a connection between ferritin and Vit D as being low in Hypothyroid patients.

The TSH test is not as good as your T3 and T4 tests.  TSH is just a sensor hormone and the real true picture of your thyroid working is the T3 and T4 tests.  So yes, if the thyroid is not working correctly dizziness can happen and it can be corrected by getting the T3 and T4 normal.

It takes a bit  of time to get the level back and you should take it slow and  give your body a chance to adjust to the hormone replacement.

Orthostatic BP changes happen when you get up from sitting or lying to sitting and get dizzy.  However the dizziness is usually very temporary and not coming back at periods of time. It can be related to low oxygen levels and perhaps if you are not getting enough oxygen it could happen.  So ferritin and iron are important here.

Most likely, it is related to your thyroid hormones being of of normal.  The body likes all minerals and vitamins to be at correct levels.  Best is to eat a good diet but if you need replacement take it.  We all need proper calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium levels, and ferritin and Vitamin D levels. 

Do not mix vitamins with thyroid meds.  It can render the thyroid meds useless and bind in the gut.  Allow a 4 hour span of time so take it at lunch,  your iron or vitamins and or dinner.  Thyroid meds alone no food or other meds.

Another problem is fad diets or weight loss products, be careful as many can cause Liver damage and also hurt our thyroids.  So avoid doing that.  Walking is good for the body and helps our metabolism. 

The body can fix itself in most cases and in some of us we need to help it along.  Thyroid illness is not fun but you can live a good life as long as you help it along.  I have had it since I was 27 and I am 56 now.

Of course nobody wants a problem or disease.  Let's work on doing the  Ferritin and Vit D.  BTW, after age 35 or so the body can't always take sunlight and convert it into Vit D as it did when you are a kid.  Some sunshine can help but no more than 20 mins. 

Any questions just ask.

Shelly

Would you know in general what food group increase thyroid function and what decrease?

I am propobly on HYPER side of Hashimoto now - high pulse rate and dizzy. But low BP, 85/54, which is normally a sign of hypothyroidism. So I am a bit confused. Last time I checked TSH a bit on a lower side , just below low level but t3 and t4 were in the middle. Also I always on a low side of ferritin and iron but not below the range . When one takes tirosint, does t4 immediately get affected ? I periodically supplement with b12 as vegetarian and during the winter with bit D. Gluten: do you know if there are study on how it affect thyroid - gets it hypo or hyper?

Thank you so much,

Marina

I have been suffering from severe dizziness for a very long time and heart palpitations and now chest pains that goes into my back. ER trips and doctors said its anxiety but I think its more than that. Im 37 yrs old and since i had my youngest 3 year old, my periods have been very heavy and lasting 10+ days.

Every day I fight the dizziness and chest pains and feeling very weak and fatigue and headaches and just feel like its taking over everything. Any suggestions?

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