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Symptoms of hyperthyroidism started 2 weeks ago, but blood work normal. Next steps?

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nick17294
nick17294

I'm a 45 year old male. Two weeks ago I began to experience the symptoms of hyperthyroidism - rapid heart rate, insomnia, too much energy, upset stomach etc. I was terrified the first few days, but with lots of exercise, meditation, etc have managed to somewhat mitigate the symptoms, though it's still "with me". My doc did a bunch of tests, but said everything was normal.

Some backstory - I was a long distance cyclist until 4 years ago, when I seem to have lost all endurance, and could barely bike 10 miles. I attributed it to aging, work, etc. and didn't see a doctor. This weekend, instead of laying in bed, I took my first long ride in years. 

It appears this is all related, but I'm not sure where to go from here. Should I see an endocrinologist? Thanks, Nick. 

 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest nick17294

    Posted

    Hi nick17294, a sudden drop in stamina and impaired muscle function is not normal. Could you get a printout of your test results and have a look yourself? Was a thyroid function test included? To exclude a thyroid disorder you should know at least your TSH, FT3, and FT4. By rapid heart rate do you mean resting heart rate?

    • nick17294
      nick17294 Guest

      Posted

      Hi danR. Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Right now I'm having the opposite problem: way too much energy, which often comes in surges, accompanied by upset stomach, shakiness, feeling of heart pounding in my chest, racing thoughts, etc. 

      I've been to my GP and today the endocrinologist, who said the GP had done thorough tests, and there wasn't much more he could do for me. 

      My TSH is 2.0, and my free T4 is 1.0. Both docs said all bloodwork was normal.  Any thoughts on next steps? Thanks for any help. 

       

    • Guest
      Guest nick17294

      Posted

      Hi nick17294, there might be a problem that was not picked up by the routine tests done by your GP. Even though your thyroid levels seem normal there could be other factors that cause your symptoms, for example, a momentarily low blood sugar level or a disorder of your adrenal glands (that leads to a release of uncontrolled amounts of adrenaline). 

      The symptoms that you are describing are a reaction of your sympathetic nervous system that might or might not be initiated by an endocrine disorder.  

      I would suggest keeping a chart (on your mobile) of your symptoms including the time of day, heart rate, blood pressure, level of activity, other symptoms (like an upset stomach), medications taken during that day, and if at all possible blood glucose level or when you had your  last food intake.  It might help you identify a pattern. Also, objective numbers are much more compelling and informative and might help direct the investigation of your doctors to a specific area. 

       

    • nick17294
      nick17294 Guest

      Posted

      Dan, will do. Thanks so much for your help. 
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