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Rapid Heart and other Panic symptoms

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NYDame
NYDame

Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum. I'm just really hoping that I find someone who can relate to what I've been experiencing.

I am 32 years old. I've had a good life. Not much stress. I've never been an anxious person and quite the contrary, I'm very relaxed, laid back and brush things off pretty easy. So when doctors told me I could possibly be experiencing panic attacks, I was (and still am) very skeptical. I just can't find much reason for my body to go into panic mode when I'm not panicking about anything or anxious about anything.

I started having tachycardia episodes (out of nowhere) at 30 years old. I attributed it to my hypothyroid or possibly my Synthroid. The first two times my Synthroid was increased, I've had panic symptoms, each a year apart. Now I've been on a steady dose of 125mcg and I still get these "panic attacks" when I least expect them.

My so called panic attacks last more than two hours each time. They are disabling to the point where I cannot work while I'm having one. It's different each time but the symptom that always shows up is the tachycardia. My heart is anywhere between 110-140 bpm for two hours or more. Sometimes I feel very sick, nauseous, short of breath, lightheaded/dizzy, have chest pains and feel cold. I can't concentrate on what people are telling me. I think I'm having a heart attack.

I've had so many blood tests done and everything comes out "normal". Thyroid levels are always normal. I've had a chest X-ray, a 30 day event monitor for my heart, and an echocardiogram. Doctors can't find what is wrong with me so they are saying I could POSSIBLY have anxiety disorder. I just haven't gotten a confirmed diagnosis of this and I just don't believe it. My body is telling me something else is wrong and I can't help but think my thyroid is to blame. My Endo highly doubts my thyroid is to blame for my symptoms but I keep reading that thyroid can be responsible for sudden tachycardia...All I want is some closure and a solution so that my body doesn't do this. It is so very scary and I can't hold a job like this as when this happens to me, I can't focus on work for hours and hours because I feel that I'm dying.

Please, if anyone has any info or similar experience, I would love if you could share with me. Thank you

1 like, 25 replies

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  • dawn_38361
    dawn_38361 NYDame

    Posted

    Hi there. Sorry to hear about the problems you are having. I have also had these panick attacks which started around 4 years ago, very worrying at the time as I felt drunk when I really wasn't. I couldn't drive go on escalators and thought I was dying of a dreadful disease. I actually had all the tests you mentioned and the results were all showing nothing to explain why I felt this way. I am now on levothyroxine and still no closer to the answers. The panic comes and goes so I just wanted you to know that 4 years down the line I'm still here. It's not going to beat you and coming to terms with it is difficult but it exists xx hope you find this useful so you don't feel as though you are going nuts, loosing the plot and more importantly you are not alone.

    Dawn x

    • NYDame
      NYDame dawn_38361

      Posted

      Dawn the feeling of being drunk perfectly describes these sudden episodes sometimes, although they are not always the same. My last episode was just the tachycardia and I was actually happy about that because I can deal with one symptom. It gets scary when the drunk feeling sets in, ugh! Tell me if this also happens to you: I get this strange swelling sensation in my chest and then a flutter or flipping in my throat. I think it's PACS/PVC's as my holter monitor showed I was getting these. I get them more frequently lately and it makes me feel as if I'm going to faint for a second but then goes away quickly.

      I just KNOW my thyroid is to blame and can't explain how this doesn't come up in blood test or other labs. Today I dropped off a 24 hour urine sample to check my adrenals. I hope they find something there because all I want is closure. If nothing shows up I will have to resign to the possibliity of having a panic disorder and schedule with a psychologist. I just can't find any reason for me having a mental illness of this kind.

      By the way, I can relate to feeling like there is some dreadful disease causing this. I am guilty of being a little hypochondriac since this has started happening to me 3 years ago. I keep telling myself that my doctors are missing something and I will die from this one day. Also you made me feel better so thank you. It's important to know that I'm not alone in this and that others are going through this scary thing and surviving.

    • dawn_38361
      dawn_38361 NYDame

      Posted

      Hi, yes the feeling for me starts like a feeling as though I'm going under anaesthetic, then the adrenaline kicks in and I feel a rush through my body and start to shake badly, at that moment I am totally useless and not with it, my heart is beating fast and it takes a while to slow down, then after whatever episode it is I feel exhausted. I do wish I knew what was happening to me too but so far after having a heart monitor under my skin for months and scans everywhere and MRI , no results ! It's a mystery so please if ever you do find any answers please share them x
  • LAHs
    LAHs NYDame

    Posted

    Sounds like overmedication of synthroid to me. Do you have a thyroid? If so, it could be working and generating T4 and T3. Too much T3 can cause palpitations(palps)  and worse. One way of getting to your optimal dose is to increase your dose until you feel well. You do this slowly and if you experience what you are experiencing then you cut back to a lower dose.

    Sometimes the lower dose makes you sleepy but the upper dose gives you palps. If you run into this situation you have to either "round up" or "round down" i.e. for example take 125 3 days a week and 100 4 days a week. That is just an example - don't do exactly that. Drop down to the level that stops the heart activity then, if you are sleepy, slowly creep up to the optimal dose.

    Oh, and get a full thyroid panel blood test done if you can so that you know completely your starting point. And post it so that we can give our (many) opinions.

    • NYDame
      NYDame LAHs

      Posted

      I still have my thyroid. Its still a normal size with a few very small nodules. I've always thought maybe it was overmedication but my Endo doesn't seem to think so since labs always look perfect to him. I posted my results to Shelly below. My endo never seems to test my Reverse T3 or Free T3. Not sure if those tests will give us more insight?
  • sabrina1971
    sabrina1971 NYDame

    Posted

    I would also like to add I had all of these symptoms for over six months before working out I had h-pylori. Went through every heart test going including seeing a cardiologist, but one day was chatting with a pharmacist and they suggested getting tested for the bacteria. Boom. Found it. Got treated and felt much, much better. No more panic attacks, and finally pulse back to normal rate. Just something to consider if you are coming up with no answers over and over. 
    • NYDame
      NYDame sabrina1971

      Posted

      Sabrina I am so happy that you got closure because I still don't have mine and it's ruining my state of mind. If I never had panic disorder before, I probably do now because of this. Hahaha...I've had my symptoms for over 3 years and have had many labs done, 30 day event monitor on my heart, echocardiogram and I don't know what else. 
  • shellyC19
    shellyC19 NYDame

    Posted

    Hello NYDame:

    My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hypothyroidism.

    It sounds to me, like your having too much Synthroid as many of the symptoms that you complain about are of Too Much  (Hyperthyroidism).

    Some symptoms are : Nervousness, sweating, fast heart rate,  losing weight, feeling HOT, headaches, anxiety attacks.  (These all are Hyperthyroidism).

    Please ask for a copy of your blood work and then post your TSH, T4 and T3 levels. You are allowed it by law and it would help us. 

    You should ask the doctor to reduce the synthroid by 25% to see if your symptoms go down. You may need a dose in between the standard doses the medication comes in.

    Be well, and let us know if you can get your blood work.

    Shelly

    • NYDame
      NYDame shellyC19

      Posted

      Hi Shelly, my doctors all say that I never appear Hyperthyroid which is the puzzling thing because I always thought it was my medication as well.

      I really appreciate your help. Here are my most recent labs taken 11/03/2015:

      Total T3: 87

      Free T4: 1.6

      TSH high sensitivity: 1.01

      Microsomal TPO(ab): 285

      Thyrogobulin Antibodies: <20

      vitamin d: 21.8

      the doctor says i have hashimoto's thyroiditis and low vitamin d for which i'm taking supplements for. i just started on selenium recently as well and have been following a gluten free diet since february in hopes of curing myself.

      i'm waiting for results on a 24 hr urine test for my adrenals.

      i don't always have these symptoms, btw. most days i feel okay. i'll get these "panic attacks" once a month or less. there are days i feel a little more on edge and easily irrated. sometimes even a little depressed but i think it's because i'm so scared of having another episode. 

      thank you so much for your help.

        vitamin="" d:="" 21.8="" the="" doctor="" says="" i="" have="" hashimoto's="" thyroiditis="" and="" low="" vitamin="" d="" for="" which="" i'm="" taking="" supplements="" for.="" i="" just="" started="" on="" selenium="" recently="" as="" well="" and="" have="" been="" following="" a="" gluten="" free="" diet="" since="" february="" in="" hopes="" of="" curing="" myself.="" i'm="" waiting="" for="" results="" on="" a="" 24="" hr="" urine="" test="" for="" my="" adrenals.="" i="" don't="" always="" have="" these="" symptoms,="" btw.="" most="" days="" i="" feel="" okay.="" i'll="" get="" these="" "panic="" attacks"="" once="" a="" month="" or="" less.="" there="" are="" days="" i="" feel="" a="" little="" more="" on="" edge="" and="" easily="" irrated.="" sometimes="" even="" a="" little="" depressed="" but="" i="" think="" it's="" because="" i'm="" so="" scared="" of="" having="" another="" episode. ="" thank="" you="" so="" much="" for="" your="" help.="">

      vitamin d: 21.8

      the doctor says i have hashimoto's thyroiditis and low vitamin d for which i'm taking supplements for. i just started on selenium recently as well and have been following a gluten free diet since february in hopes of curing myself.

      i'm waiting for results on a 24 hr urine test for my adrenals.

      i don't always have these symptoms, btw. most days i feel okay. i'll get these "panic attacks" once a month or less. there are days i feel a little more on edge and easily irrated. sometimes even a little depressed but i think it's because i'm so scared of having another episode. 

      thank you so much for your help.

       >

    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 NYDame

      Posted

      Hello NYDame:

      I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease, it can run in your family, and hits women during ages 20 -40 or so.  I had a Aunt who had it and my sister and I have it.  Check and see if anyone else in your family has it.

      Your TSH looks good, T4 free is okay. Vit D low  Antibodies: elevated.

      The gland is being attacked by antibodies in the body and it is a slow disease taking a long while.  Gluten Free can help but will not always stop the disease. 

      People with thyroid disease tend to have linkage to low Vit D and adrenal problems. Normal Vitamin D levels need to be between 30 -100. Keep on the supplememts to avoid brittle bone disease.

      Some of us with Hashimoto's have a tendency to swing between Hyper and Hypo thyroid states in the early stages of the disease and that may be happening to you. Maybe your gland at times is on the high side and that would give you anxiety attacks.

      The 24 hour urine test is a very good indicator of cortsiol levels. If they are high they can order an MRI to see if you have a growth on the gland. Sometimes a high dose of Levo can make the cortisol high, (I know somone this happened to),  so you may have to change off of Synthroid and go on NDT (natural dessicated Thyroid) which is made from a pig's gland.

      Let me know how the 24 hr. urine comes out.

      Stay well,

      Shelly

    • NYDame
      NYDame shellyC19

      Posted

      My mother and grandmother have hypothryroid. They are both on lowe doses of 50-75mcg while I'm on 125mcg. I'm the one that is having all these problems. They've never experienced this.

      I was reading today about thyroiditis flare ups or attacks that cause anxiety attacks with the tachycardia like I've been experiencing. I read something about how sometimes the low Vitamin D can cause inflammation and perhaps this is causing my random attacks? I still haven't heard about my urine but will post soon.

    • dawn_38361
      dawn_38361 NYDame

      Posted

      Hi there, I take a vit d supplement and show low defficuency in my blood. I have been on 50 for around 6 weeks but my doc think I only need to return in another year .... Eeee no I am not just going to take this. I feel poorly. I need more answers as to what is going on as I can taste a metallic taste constantly in my throat and being a singer for my living I feel my voice is changing. What a nightmare x
    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 NYDame

      Posted

      Hello NYDame:

      I am 54 now but I was in my 20's when I got diagnosed with Hashimoto's.

      Hashimoto's is a sneaky disease since symptoms can change between Flare-ups and the swings.  When I was younger I would swing between Hyper and Hypo. Funny enough I was the only one who had the swings, neither  my sister nor my Aunt did. They got it after pregnancy and I got it my 20's but can remember symptoms in my teens.

      It is important to keep our blood mnerals and vitamins in good shape so the Levo will work well.

      Our Vit D levels go low  because as we age we do not make enough from sunlight and from food.  Replacing the D will help reduce muscle aches and pains and will help even out the blood levels.  I take 2000IU a day of Vit D, you should ask the doctor how much you need. Most Vitamins have 1000IU in them.

      Keep us posted on how you do. 

      Shelly

    • NYDame
      NYDame dawn_38361

      Posted

      Dawn I am so sorry you're not feeling well. Do you feel this way every single day? I'm thankful my panic attacks aren't a daily thing. They used to come once a year but this year I've had one every month! Definetely keep fighting for your health!
    • dawn_38361
      dawn_38361 NYDame

      Posted

      Hi there, thank you for your reply, my panic isn't there everyday no, but I feel as though it's changed me as a person. I feel out of sync with myself .... Not at ease. My health started to go down after having a surgical menopause. That forced my body into shock and my body couldn't absorb oestrogen

      . I hope you are feeling better. Enjoy your weekend and let me know how it goes

      Dawn x

    • NYDame
      NYDame shellyC19

      Posted

      Hi Shelly,

      The urine test was normal and within range. I can't believe I'm saying this but I was hoping to see something off in my labs that would give me some closure. But I just keep coming up "normal" all the time. But a 2-3 hour long episode of tachycardia and feeling so sick I can't function is NOT normal. And I don't have history of panic disorder in myself OR my family. So why all of a sudden?

      For right now, I'm sticking to what my Endo tells me because I found out I am pregnant now! I already had a miscarriage this past June so I'm nervous about this pregnancy but I'm hoping for the best and listening to my MD. I'll battle this again after birth and hope to find answers.

    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 NYDame

      Posted

      Hello NYDame:

      Congratulations on being pregnant and do follow what your Endo says.

      Prior to getting pregnant, were you taking any fertility meds?  Were any new meds added recently? Have you had any over the counter meds or non prescription meds?  Also any herbal treatments or pills?

      Some meds can cause a panic situation even though they are for another condition.

      Again Congratulations on the good news.

      Regards,

      Shelly

    • NYDame
      NYDame shellyC19

      Posted

      I wasn't on any fertility meds and no new meds have been added. The only thing I take is Synthroid 125mcg and Vitamin D 5000 units per day. I'm also on Selenium and other supplements like B12 and prenatals. 
    • klm1213
      klm1213 shellyC19

      Posted

      Shelly, you've answered me on here a couple of times before and I was wondering if you could help me again :-) I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 2 years ago and have been on 25 mgs of Levothyroxine and since without problems. About 4 or 5 months ago my dosage was increased to 50 mg is because my thyroid was out of whack again. My blood test showed my thyroid was in normal range after 8 weeks. had a viral sinusitis infection in mid-september and since I have felt like crap. Went to the doctor last week for blood work and my blood pressure was a little elevated and my pulse was way elevated. got test results back yesterday and she informed me that I have I would antibodies which I ask her if she meant Hashimoto's and she said yes. I am feeling absolutely crazy... I have nervousness, I'm jittery, insomnia, rapid heart rate, no appetite Exedra. Is all of this to be expected with Hashimoto's? Any help you could give me would be so appreciated as I am feel like I'm losing my mind. She even has me scheduled to go to a Cardiologist for a stress test due to my pulse right, which has even got me more freaked out. I would appreciate any help you could give me

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