Hi! I'm new here. I am making this post because no one seems to know what is causing my current problems.

For a little over 30 years I have taken thyroid. When I first began I took a product called Thyrolar 5, after they took that off the market my doctor moved me to Armour Thyroid 5 Grain (300 mg). One tablet daily in the morning.

About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with a heart flutter. I saw a heart specialist who told me they could not find anything wrong with my heart and that there was nothing I could do about it and it wasn't a problem. I asked them to make sure my thyroid numbers were ok and they said they were fine.

Ok then this past fall, October 06 the heart flutter was so often, like 24/7 that it was really becoming a problem for me. I saw the heart Dr. who told me they still didn't know what was wrong with my heart. Over and over I asked them to check my thyroid, not TSH but T3 and T4's. They kept trying to tell me that wasn't the problem.

So I took it upon myself to get a slip for a lab and have a blood test run. (I should add here that my husband is a physician but not my doctor and of course he told me I should trust my doctor, he also has never thought that Armour was a good drug but since my blood tests were ok agreed I should be on it)

Ok all that said...the blood work came back and was rather shocking!

I'm going to make a list of the test results and changes made in my thyroid here and then I'll ask my question, hoping that makes sense to who ever can help me.

On 11-15-06
T-4 Total Range 4.5 to 12.00 My result 12.8 H
T4 Free Range 0.8 to 1.8 My result 1.5 N
T-3 Free Range 230-420 My result 848 H

Of course I was delighted to see that the T-3 was so high and asked what I should reduce my dose to? My regular doctor had me stop taking the Thyroid for about 5 days, and the heart flutter and premature heart beats stopped within 24 hours, totally!

Then I went back on the thyroid on the 6th day and the flutter came back after 5 days on it again. So the physians assistant, now back from vacation advised me to take 1/2 of a pill (2 1/2 grains) every thrid day. I did that till my next blood test which showed the following results.

On 12-13-06
T-4 Total Range 4.5 to 12.00 My result 3.8 L
T4 Free Range 0.8 to 1.8 My result .5 L
T-3 Free Range 230-420 My result 185L

With these results the doctor had me go on 1/2 a pill every day. By Christmas I was hitting bottom and could really feel it. My ankles were swolen and even my face was puffy. I called my doctor on Dec. 30 and asked what I should do and he told me to alternate days taking one whole pill (5 grains) and the next day 1/2 pill (2 1/2 grains) alternate days and wait until 1-10-07 to have my blood checked again.

Ok here are my new blood results

On 1-10-07
T-4 Total Range 4.5 to 12.00 My result 8.0
T4 Free Range 0.8 to 1.8 My result 0.8
T-3 Free Range 230-420 My result 272

Now for the real major problem. I have never had high blood pressure. While in my doctors office on the 8th of January my blood pressure was running 168/96 or so. She took it four times just to be sure with an assortment of cuffs.

I checked with the heart doctor because I saw him several times while in the constant state of heart flutter and my blood pressure was never more than 130/70.

Everyone including my husband just shakes their heads. No one can figure out why my numbers were so drastically off after being on the same dose for 25 plus years. No one can now figure out why my blood pressure is up given that the numbers are still on the low side.

I am 55 years old and take no other drugs other than a very low dose of hormones to stop hot flashes. Of course I have checked on the vitamins I take to be sure they don't conflict with my thyroid. I have stopped drinking anything with caffiene.

I'm a bit scared and troubled about how odd all of this is. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on what might be going on to cause this to happen?

I feel terrible, not at all like myself. Today the doctor told me he's moving me up to 4 grains a day but I'm worried about my blood pressure and what higher numbers will do and if it will bring the heart flutter back. But I'm also tired of feeling so tired and icky!

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated....

Thanks

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