Can't Breathe!

[JKristina]

I am wondering if anyone is familiar with the symptoms I have been experiencing. I have had hashimotos for 4 years I still have not found my "correct" dose; I seriously believe that it does not exist; and I am doomed to swing hyper and hypo forever. However my most concerning symtom right now is that I feel like I can't breathe! I've noticed the past few weeks I have been startled out of my sleep because I need to take a breath! I can't get any sleep, last night I slept for maybe 3 hours. I feel like I don't want to eat because it makes the shortness of breath worse. I just had a TSH test done and it was 6 so they increased my levothyroxine I'm pretty sure this will help but in the mean time I am going crazy becasue I can't get any air. Help!

[annamae26]

when i was going toward hyper i was breathless alot. when i was hypo tsh was 9 and didn t notice air hunger too much. i think the symptoms just blend in.  i think if you get the ft3 and ft4 you can get a better picture of your situation.  if the dr won t order it then find another who will. good thyroid docs here on this site.  i hope you feel better soon.

[6hashi]

You can't imagine what I have been through during the journy of getting the correct dose !

So what you need is to rebuild the levels again ,gradualy,with small steps,and you should perform blood test 3-4 months after increasing/reducing the dose .

This process is important ,and we all with hashi have to go through,its part of the treatment ,it's part of balancing the attacked gland ,for me it took 2.5 years !

You will not feel well untill you reach the proper dose for you,dose is calculated weekly,so what you were  taking was 450 mcg/week and now 175 mcg/week,
if you take 50 mcg/week less/more than you need ,you remain symptomatic.

The 6.1 is meaningless since you didn't gave it enough time ,to what dose did he increased your dose ?

I experienced the need for air and difficulty breathing when I was hypo.
Buttom  line is that you need to have and endocrinologist,repeating the blood test after 3-4 months that you on the same dose  .

[LazyMoose]

The grasping for air does seem to happen to quite a few. Its actualy two different symptoms.

-Some report that it feels their lungs just arent getting enough air, but not choking..

-Some have felt a sudden choking feel in the throat with or with out thyroid pain. They wake up gagging on nothing but a swollen air passage it seems. I have felt this during the Hashimoto 'swing' at times.

[JKristina]

I don't have a goiter. It just feels like I have to concentrate to breath; It's like my body is forgetting to breathe. Thats the best way I can explain it.

[JKristina]

I feel your pain. I have not been on a stable dose since I was dx over 4 years ago.

I was half way stable before they prescribed the vit d3; for some reason it really affected me and I became hyper.(the vit d3 does wonders for my mood though the difference for me was amazing) The dr's office didn't return my phone calls for a week when I became hyper. I was forced to lower my dose myself. And of course my levels just shot up and now I am hypo and can't breathe.

As of March 3rd I am taking 75 mcg times 2 per week and 50 mcg times 5 per week.

Thanks you for the advice.

[6hashi]

OK,you should take this dose each day the same dose at the same time on an empty stomach, and repeat the blood test in 3-4 months ,if you do blood test in 6 week you might see that the numbers reacted to the dose but you might not see that they rise again indicating a need for dose increase .

The best thing is to have a thyroid endo ,who knows how to increase your dose properly rather than going hypo and hyper all the time ,it would be wise to tell him the problems you face when increasing , and the journey you have been through.

By the way ,adding T3 should be the last option,once you stable your TSH properly,and if you remain symptomatic ,then you might want to try natural thyroid replacement or adding/combining T3/T4 .

don't try to rush it ,you will just loose time for vain .