Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Heart Palpitations

     Being a hypochondriac and having hypothyroidism just don't mix. Seriously. So many symptoms can be directed back to that pesky thyroid of mine but my mind does a number on me in the process.

     When I was all the way up to 0.100MG of Levothyroxine at the beginning of my diagnoses my heart was going CRAZY. Heart palpitations up the ying-yang, creating the horrible sensation that my heart was giving out every few minutes/hours. I would lie awake and feel like my whole body was one big pulse as my heart hammered away even while I was resting. Needless to say I was terrified, but I blamed it on anxiety.

     Once I settled into Kentucky two things happened: I was lowered to 0.088MG and the good doc put me on 10MG of Citalopram (a childs dose) to help me relax. This system, dare I say, was perfect for about 4 months. No more panic attacks, no crazy heart rhythms.

     Than last Friday I was waiting at the postal office when the feeling of my heart dropping came back. I had the sickening feeling that I was going to pass out in line and driving all the way home I felt an odd tingling in my left arm. The hypochondriac in my head started to scream 'THIS IS THE BIG ONE MADDY! YOUR FINALLY HAVING A HEART ATTACK!' So I did the responsible thing and ignored it and laid around all weekend waiting for my heart to give out. Plus, im pretty cheap and didn't want to go to the ER.

     Did I mention my inner hypochondriac is quite dramatic?

     By Tuesday I was sure I had some kind of blood clot between the heart palpitations, the weird pain in my left arm and the mild pain in my chest. I went in the same day and the good doc checked me out, and did a run through. No signs of heart problems, blood clots, or any other medical problem I let fester in my mind.

     I was reminded that heart palpitations are connected to hypothyroidism and we've agreed to lower my dose to 0.075MG. Also, I learned the weird sensation under my left arm was a 'refereed' pain from the palpitations. In one month I go back in to have some blood work redone and check everything out. I promise to update in a timely fashion when the news gets back. 






     In the meantime, if your experiencing the same problems please don't ignore it like I do and go see a doctor.

Cheers,


Maddy