Amiodarone & Thyroid

[Guest guest]

Hi all, My husband has a mechanical aortic valve since 2003 hence he is on

200mgs Amiodarone plus Warfarin,Candesartan, Felodopine & 50mcg Levothyoxine due

to diminished thyroid function caused by Amiodarone. He has been on thyroxine

for about 2 years. Now yesterday we ended up in A & E via ambulance as he had a

very bad turn whilst we were sitting on the bus and his blood pressure was down

in his boots. He has suffered with high blood pressure probably for the last 25

years at least but lately it has been a bit too low and he needs to sort out his

hypertensive drugs. I am beginning to wonder if he could possibly be in need of

more thyroxine for his thyroid as his blood pressure is so low, he is always

cold, he sleeps alot, (always has done) and lots of other small symptoms that

could be connected. He says it's the Warfarin that makes him cold. I don't don't

know any of his thyroid test results which he does about twice a year. I am

guessing that they only do TSH but I'm going to see if I can get them from the

surgery. Apparently his heart valve is working fine and his ECG is the same as 5

years ago. I would like to know how exactly thyroid function is affected by

Amiodarone, is it at thyroid level or is it in the circulating blood or at

cellular uptake level? The more I think about it the more I wonder if a raise in

thyroxine might not help especially as he takes all his pills in one go in the

morning and 50mcg seems a low dose for an 85kg man. I can't get much sense out

of him and he is the typical man who doesn't question what the GP says and

thinks I am a fanatical hypochondriac and he gets that irritated bored

expression when I try to investigate his health.

[Guest guest]

You are right to be concerned. I would suggest it MAY have been a thyroid problem that caused his heart valve issue? I know this from my mum who was hypothyroid after having four kids. The fourth, my brother was born with hypothyroidism and is slightly 'different'....He interestingly had a heart attack in his thirties and has a dodgy valve.

My mum had her first heart attack in her 50's and her cardiac specialist put her on Amiodarone and thyroxine. She wouldnt listen to me, but she remained hypothyroid with overt symptoms and the 'hypothyroid look' about her too. She died of hypothyroidism.....Statins and Amiodarone area curse...sort out the thyroid problem and the heart problems don't even begin to matter.......Take his temperature in the morning (basal temps) for around 5 days and further maybe 3-4 times through the day too....to check his adrenals. So faras I know it affectsthe thyroid gland...but who know what these blessed drugs do to us.

My mum finally died of heart failure drowning as her lungs filled with fluid due to poor heart function. She also got lung cancer and 3 fractures of her spine due to bone cancer. She had numb legs and hips and hands and oh so many other problems. All can be laid at the door of poor thyroid function and poor thyroid treatment. The thyroid is a primitive gland from when we came out of the sea.....it was not controlled by the brain then bu independant. Many of those other endocrine glands and links with the brain occurred as we evolved as mammals. I say this to emphasise the absolute importance of our thyroid gland. It is essential to life. Continue with your quest to get him well....take the names on the chin you will be rewarded. Best of luck. xxx

Hi all, My husband has a mechanical aortic valve since 2003 hence he is on 200mgs Amiodarone plus Warfarin,Candesartan, Felodopine & 50mcg Levothyoxine due to diminished thyroid function caused by Amiodarone. He has been on thyroxine for about 2 years. Now yesterday we ended up in A & E via ambulance as he had a very bad turn whilst we were sitting on the bus and his blood pressure was down in his boots. He has suffered with high blood pressure probably for the last 25 years at least but lately it has been a bit too low and he needs to sort out his hypertensive drugs. I am beginning to wonder if he could possibly be in need of more thyroxine for his thyroid as his blood pressure is so low, he is always cold, he sleeps alot, (always has done) and lots of other small symptoms that could be connected. He says it's the Warfarin that makes him cold. I don't don't know any of his thyroid test results which he does about twice a year. I am guessing

that they only do TSH but I'm going to see if I can get them from the surgery. Apparently his heart valve is working fine and his ECG is the same as 5 years ago. I would like to know how exactly thyroid function is affected by Amiodarone, is it at thyroid level or is it in the circulating blood or at cellular uptake level? The more I think about it the more I wonder if a raise in thyroxine might not help especially as he takes all his pills in one go in the morning and 50mcg seems a low dose for an 85kg man. I can't get much sense out of him and he is the typical man who doesn't question what the GP says and thinks I am a fanatical hypochondriac and he gets that irritated bored expression when I try to investigate his health.

[Guest guest]

You are right to be concerned. I would suggest it MAY have been a thyroid problem that caused his heart valve issue? I know this from my mum who was hypothyroid after having four kids. The fourth, my brother was born with hypothyroidism and is slightly 'different'....He interestingly had a heart attack in his thirties and has a dodgy valve.

My mum had her first heart attack in her 50's and her cardiac specialist put her on Amiodarone and thyroxine. She wouldnt listen to me, but she remained hypothyroid with overt symptoms and the 'hypothyroid look' about her too. She died of hypothyroidism.....Statins and Amiodarone area curse...sort out the thyroid problem and the heart problems don't even begin to matter.......Take his temperature in the morning (basal temps) for around 5 days and further maybe 3-4 times through the day too....to check his adrenals. So faras I know it affectsthe thyroid gland...but who know what these blessed drugs do to us.

My mum finally died of heart failure drowning as her lungs filled with fluid due to poor heart function. She also got lung cancer and 3 fractures of her spine due to bone cancer. She had numb legs and hips and hands and oh so many other problems. All can be laid at the door of poor thyroid function and poor thyroid treatment. The thyroid is a primitive gland from when we came out of the sea.....it was not controlled by the brain then bu independant. Many of those other endocrine glands and links with the brain occurred as we evolved as mammals. I say this to emphasise the absolute importance of our thyroid gland. It is essential to life. Continue with your quest to get him well....take the names on the chin you will be rewarded. Best of luck. xxx

Hi all, My husband has a mechanical aortic valve since 2003 hence he is on 200mgs Amiodarone plus Warfarin,Candesartan, Felodopine & 50mcg Levothyoxine due to diminished thyroid function caused by Amiodarone. He has been on thyroxine for about 2 years. Now yesterday we ended up in A & E via ambulance as he had a very bad turn whilst we were sitting on the bus and his blood pressure was down in his boots. He has suffered with high blood pressure