# Breathing problems "Air Hunger" associated with very high TSH



## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Has anyone expeeienced difficulty breathing (like you cant expand your lungs to get enough air) ? Over the past 12 years even though I always take my synthroid at the same time each day etc etc ... their has been at least 4 times I have ended up in the hospital struggling to breath. Every one of those times my tsh was in the 65 to 68 range and my daily dosage had to be adjusted which also corrected the breathing issue each time within 2 or 3 days.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Sounds like anxiety. Sometimes when people go hypo they experience anxiety.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

If their is Anxiety involved here I would suggest that Anxiety is secondary and a result or symptom of not being able to take in a full breath of air ... not to confuse the two separate issues.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Just to clarify here ... feels like the muscles around my lungs arent strong enough to expand my lungs enough to take in a full breath ... like their is a heavy block of concrete on my chest. This is not about restricted airways (asthma) or copd or anxiety or depression etc etc


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

I had that as well right before I went on meds (felt like I had trouble taking a deep breath and it was also like the muscles in my esophagus had gone limp. If I breathed fast enough I could make it flap back there and when trying to sleep I had an apnea like problem. I would snore awake right before falling asleep).

That said, why is your TSH so high after being treated for so long?

What are your labs (with ranges) and what is your dose? Is it possible you are severely hypo and untreated?

What was the diagnosis for your stay in the hospital and what did they treat you with (just levo?)


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

I seem to go along for months and months feeling just fine taking 75mg of synthroid (tsh within "normal" range) and then for no reason other than maybe stress ... my tsh goes through the roof with no warning (tsh 68) and my described breathing problem goes along with it. My synthroid dose gets increased to bring my tsh level down and things are fine for quite a while. Months can pass and then with no warning I develop hyper symptoms and end up having to reduce my synthroid back close to what I was previously taking. Hyper symptoms included eye swelling problems (I have an image of this that I could post if anyone is interested), feeling really hot inside, short tempered etc etc. Its like I have a very fine line for the amount of synthroid I need to take to feel good.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

I can only speak in personal details, but I wonder what your Free T4 and T3 levels were at the same time. When it happened to me, my free t4 was unmeasurable. I suspect I was short of coma (I had several of the symptoms looking back, weakness, swelling, breath). Not saying it was similar in your case, but if you knew what the rest of your labs were at that time, it might help you pin it down.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Good point .... I will ask my Dr next time I see him


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, when my TSH was super high, I felt like I couldn't get enough air. Not much to do but correct your dose.

I agree that the frees are so much more important than TSH. Have you had a recent ultrasound?


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Would like to know more about free t4 and t3 etc.
Also wondering how many people have gone to a Dr or an Endocrinologist with this same breathing issue only to be flat out told it has absolutely nothing to do with Thyroid ? I can prove it does as all I have to do is stop taking Synthroid and the same breathing problem returns within about a week .. start taking Synthroid and breathing issue goes away. Same happens with my eyes issue when my dose is to high ie 150mg


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

There are so many issues related to whacked thyroid hormones. Honestly? Chasing down "proof" that your symptoms are thyroid related might not be the way you want to spend your time. You'll want to spend your time making sure your frees are at the appropriate level. Again, ultrasound?


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

This is a common symptom of extreme hypothyroidism.

A combination of weak muscles , water retention and difficulty processing oxygen correctly is the cause.

You are correct - it is called air hunger........

I still get it occasionally.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

If only Dr's ... Endo's and Thyroid Organizations would just acknowledge it....


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

You mentioned weak muscles ... don't know why the medical community cant put that together. Your lungs are surrounded by muscle which is what expands and contracts your lungs so you can breathe.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

Yea, I hear you...

Every muscle in your body is effected.

Even your heart "cardiac output".......

This can also cause breathing issues.

If your TSH goes up and you have trouble breathing then when TSH goes down you don't.

It's only logical that your thyroid is the cause.

The medical community is trained by standards or Guidelines that haven't changed in years.

They think that synthetic thyroid hormone is the best thing since sliced bread.

Then why do all these thyroid forums exist????

Everyone is different

we are STRONG


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

I strongly agree !! On the other ... I get into breathing trouble (air hunger) when my tsh goes through the roof. Last week in the Emergency when they did the test I was at 68


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms/shortness-of-breath.shtml



> Shortness of Breath Anxiety
> 
> Shortness of breath:
> 
> ...


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Is your dosage jumping around that much - from 75 to 150 and the like? That's an incredibly big difference in dosage. Let's say on 75 mcg of Synthroid, your TSH is 68...an increase to 100 mcg of Synthroid would be much more appropriate. If your doctor is going from 75 to 150, then that would explain your swings from hypo to hyper. Am I misunderstanding what you've shared?


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Sorry ... In this last incident I had been taking a half of 137 every morning and that was great for about a year and a half. Then last week I suddenly developed "air hunger" really bad. Went to the emergency by ambulance and they treated me for asthma for about 4 hours which had no effect on my breathing. I tried to tell them it was thyroid related and if they checked my tsh it would probably be elevated. They did after about 4 hours in the emergency do a tsh test and it came back at 68. They gave me a 50 of synthroid and within an hour my breathing got a lot better although the effect didnt last more than a couple hours probably because i was so hypo. I kept taking 75 plus the additional 50 and within a day or two my breathing was staying a lot better. I am now taking 75 plus half a 50 or 100 and things so far are still good. On 125 i started feeling really hot and a lot of pressure in my eyes.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Ah, okay. Thanks for the clarification.

Sounds to me like you should be getting labs done more often so you can treat hypo/hyper before it becomes a big issue. (For example, more frequent labs are likely to show when your TSH is 10, rather than waiting until you're getting physical symptoms and your TSH is 68.)

Do your routine labs include Free T3 and Free T4 in addition to TSH? (Please say yes.)


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

To pick up an 'important' question asked prior, do you have a recent ultrasound?


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Yes I agree ... Gona try and go once a month but have to get the form for that when I see the Dr next time. I usually get free t4 and t3 but dont know how to interpret that ?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Monthly might be too frequent. Every 8 weeks might be sufficient.

Generally speaking, your Free T3 and Free T4 results should be in the upper half to upper third of their respective ranges. A simple example: let's say your lab's range for Free T3 is 1.00 to 3.00. Your results should* be over 2.00, maybe ideally around 2.5, give or take. It's not an exact science, as you need to also pay attention to how you feel, which is every bit as important as the numbers.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Thankyou ... I will check what my free t3/t4 is next test and your absolutely right ... how you actually feel regardless of the numbers is very important ... everyone is different.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

As a funny side note ... I travelled 4 hours once to Halifax to see an Endocrinologist who was in charge of that department at the hospital and also teaches. I am only assuming he was originally from India and at the time I had been taking natural thyroid. When he read my file he got very agitated and threatened me that if I continued to take natural thyroid I would "most certainly" contract CJD or the human form of mad cow disease. I still chuckle at that considering natural thyroid does NOT come from a cow.... and their is no record that I could find of anyone ever contracting that because of taking natural thyroid. Natural thyroid has been around for well over a hundred years and if it was easier to obtain would probably go back on that. I take synthroid now but thinking back, the natural thyroid actually worked reasonably well.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Oh my.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Mad cow disease from thyroid meds?? Laughing my head off over here! It's amazing how stupid some doctors are.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

There is something to what this Doctor stated.

NDT is processed in a factory that also makes meat products "like hot dogs"

There is a small chance of cross contamination.

But that same chance comes along with any meat product we eat.

This warning is noted on your prescription for Armour.

Question:

Does anyone know if the name Armour is associated with the company Armour which makes meat products?????

"I like their canned beef stew"

"and hotdogs"


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

Actually, not for nothing but if you Google pigs an cjd there are hits...


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Found this article which actually acknowledges breathing issues and low thyroid ... https://www.edmcasereports.com/articles/endocrinology-diabetes-and-metabolism-case-reports/10.1530/EDM-15-0014


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

Armour meat products was the first company to produce desiccated thyroid from pigs thyroid in mid 1800's.

You have the same chance contracting mad cow disease from eating any pork product.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

Just curious .... How many people since the late 1800's till now have contracted BSE "Mad Cow or CJD" from taking natural thyroid ? Hundreds, Thousands ... Can anyone answer that question with factual information ?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

My guess? Three.

Let me know if I'm right. 

But seriously, I have no idea, and research appears to be mixed and sparse on this topic. I don't think we'll ever know, at least from a historic perspective using past/old data.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

I say zero people since NDT is a prescribed drug.

It has to meet certain standards just like synthetic.

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/madcow.htm

More of a chance from over the counter thyroid supplements.


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## dcam (Feb 25, 2016)

I totally agree ... ZERO would be the correct answer


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## AgentChupa (Nov 12, 2014)

I felt this back when I was in college (and long before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but I suspect my symptoms started around this time). I'd be really short of breath, and it wasn't due to exertion or allergies (the latter of which I have none). I was given an inhaler, but it did nothing for me because my problem was not respiratory, and I did go to the ER once for it because I was terrified and unable to breathe. My oxygen saturation was 99 percent, so I was told I had anxiety and sent on my way, still huffing and puffing.

It just always felt like I couldn't get a deep enough breath, no matter how much I inhaled or how much I yawned. Funny thing is I was in far better shape then than I am now, and I haven't had these breathing problems for years. They did eventually go away on their own and I never found out what was truly causing them, but I'd put money on undiagnosed hypothyroidism.


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