Does this sound like hypothyroidism?

[brbnl1]

I am a 29 year old male and I've been having symptoms that started a few weeks ago. I was standing around having a conversation with someone and all of a sudden, as if someone flipped a switch, I felt sick to my stomach and then very light headed. So I sat down and told the people I was talking with that I thought I was going to pass out. They got me a soda and a roll and told me to eat something so I did. That didn't help. I began to feel pressure at the back of my head, I started sweating from my forehead, my ears started to clog, and I started seeing spots. I told them that I was going to pass out so they laid me down and elevated my feet. Immediately I felt an upset stomach so they helped me to the bathroom. I recovered enough for my wife to drive me home and I got in the bed at which point I had chills for about an hour or so until I fell asleep. I had never experienced anything like this before so I chalked it up to food poisoning, maybe even just not having eaten enough that day, or even grossing myself out due to the conversation we were having which was about different types of surgery....or maybe even just a combination. The next day I felt better but a little weak.
I went to work 2 days later and felt a little groggy but otherwise OK until I started telling someone at work what had happened over the weekend. Suddenly the neasua started coming back and my heart started beating really fast and I started shaking. I left work early that day and came home. After about 15 minutes or so of laying in bed I felt much better. So I started thinking that maybe this is all in my head and I'm suffering from some kind of anxiety disorder because of my traumatic experience of nearly passing out. But at the advice of my wife I went to the doctor.
I told my doctor about the incident where I almost passed out and she said that it sounded exactly like low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). She told me to make sure I'm eating enough and then scheduled me to come in to have blood work done for testing. Between the time that I left the office and the time that I actually had the blood work done I started feeling a dizziness and kind of motion-sick type feeling in my head. This feeling is pretty much constant. It's better when I lay down but about the same whether I sit or stand. Sometimes it's just a mild aggravating dizziness and sometimes it's a little worse. It's never really to the point that I think I'm going to fall or pass out or anything. When the blood work came back the doctor said that all of my test results came back perfect except for my thyroid. She said that my different T levels were high and that I had hypothryoidism. She put me on a very low dosage of Synthroid and told me to take them and that I would feel much better in 2 weeks. She said some people feel better after as little as a week.

So I've been on the medication for a week now and here are the symptoms I'm having pretty much every day....Dizziness, very mild discomfort in both ears (This comes and goes several times a day. Usually it only lasts a second or 2. Sometimes it just feels like pressure in the ear, sometimes it's a very mild pain inside the ear, and sometimes it's just very sensitive to certain pitched noises. And I've even had a couple of mild cases of tinitus where I hear a high pitched noise in my ear. Usually it only lasts a few seconds but the other day it lasted for about 30 minutes with a pulsing high pitched tone), and lately my eyes have started to feel dry or tired. Even in the morning they kind of feel dry and tired as if I've been staring at a computer screen and working all day.
But the dizziness is my main cause for concern. That is pretty much constant.
I haven't had any other issues with passing out or feeling that bad since the night this whole thing began almost 3 weeks ago.

So what do you think? Do these all sound like typical symptoms of hypothyroidism? Should I stop worrying and just give the medicine more time to work or should I be worried about a more serious problem. I have been very fortunate and have always been very healthy. So these are not symptoms that I'm used to feeling and natutally my mind tend to think of the worst case scenario.

Thanks for your opinions and advice

[Stepheni]

I'd ask for a consult w/ a neurologist

[brbnl1]

I didn't get a copy of the blood labs but I can request one. I'm a little new to this so I don't know all of the terminology but basically the way she explained it is my pituitary gland is releasing all releasing all of these hormones into my system and for some reason the thryoid isn't registering so it's continuing to release the hormone resulting in a high level of this hormone. I believe she said it was T3 and T4. She put me on 50 mcg of Synthroid a day and told me to take it for 6 weeks and then come back in for more blood labs to make sure that the number was getting back to where it needed to be. She did say that it was significantly high but that she's seen much higher numbers than what I am showing so not to worry.
I was just getting concerned because this constant dizziness doesn't seem to be getting better in the least after a week of taking the meds and I was kind of hoping for at least a sign of things getting better so naturally I'm beginning to wonder if it's not something else.

[Barb135]

The symptoms could be hypo but there's not enough information yet. What are the "T's" you are referring to? -- is that T3 and T4? and would those be "free" or "total"-- if that's what you are referring to, they would not be high if you are hypo, they would be low.. I would also assume that she would have run a TSH, which is the most commonly used indicator of thyroid issues --- not the best indicator, but the most common!!  So without knowing exactly what tests were run, it's impossible to say.  

Did you get a copy of the lab report? If so, could you post the thyroid tests that were done, along with the results and the lab's reference ranges for each, since different labs use different ranges.  If you didn't get one, you should always make sure you do, so you can keep up with your own history.  

What is the "low dose" of synthroid?  It takes approx 5-6 weeks for the med to build up in your system so you get the full effect of it.  

What tests were done to check for diabetes?  Was it only a blood glucose test or have you had a glucose tolerance test and hemoglobin A1c?  

Your symptoms sound a lot like hypoglycemia, which by the way, you can have without being diabetic; however, the chances of becoming diabetic at a later time, is very high. My blood sugar often takes a nose dive if I haven't eaten enough, it's been too long between meals or if I eat sweets on an empty stomach.  I'm not diabetic either.  

[brbnl1]

My doctor told me from the blood labs that they took that my blood sugar was fine and didn't make any mention at all of possible diabetes. I have had family members who have had it but I appear to be in the clear according to my doctor.

I guess I just need to give it more time. I was just worried that the symptoms I was feeling didn't sound like symptoms of hypothyroidism but I guess these are all pretty common. Thanks for the input. It at least helps ease my mind for the time being a little.

I'll keep an eye on the thread in case anyone else has anything they'd like to add.

Thanks again.

[Lynn1988]

I agree with both of the prior posts.  You definately need to be tested for possible diabetes.  Sometimes when someones sugar is high, they get dehydrated and get a fast heart rate and have visual disturbances.  The sweating part/ dizziness w/ chills  sounds hypoglycemic..but getting a fasting labs would rule diabetes out and you can move on.

A middle ear infection can cause extreme vertigo and nausea. I havn't experienced the tinnitus, but I have had the dizzy "boxed in feeling" with nausea.  It has taken 5 weeks on Levothyroxine (generic synthroid) for me to feel better.  I still have some of the symptoms of hypo...but it IS getting better.  The thyroid gland is very complex and each individual is different with their treatment and what works for them.  Since you stated that your FT's were high, taking the medication might just turn you around to better health.
Good Luck to you!

[sheg1000]

Yep...pretty much sounds like symptoms of hypothyroidism! I also have tinitus and my eyes are driving me crazy! I get dizzy all the time too...it's a good thing your doctor found out quick. Try your meds for a few weeks, I know it takes a while for them to kick in, but you should feel better soon. Good luck!

[Cathy_Johnston]

I would not exclude anything at this point.  Your symptoms are pretty strong and sudden to be hypo - that is something that many times gradually worsens and while many of your symptoms are similar, they could be a sign of other medical conditions.  

Make sure you are not having anxiety attacks.  Then make sure you don't have an inner ear infection or sinus infection.  If those are good, ask for more tests that rule out more serious medical problems.  NEVER NEVER NEVER allow a physician to make diagnosis without the entire picture.  

As far as feeling been within 2 weeks...you should know testing for levels after starting or changing doses of thyroid hormones should be done no sooner than 6 weeks with 8 being optimal.  That is because it takes that long for your body to adjust and get the levels at a reliable level for testing.  I was tested every 8 weeks for over a year before we had a stable and optimal level of hormones.  

By the way - low blood sugar has many of the same symptoms - did you get glucose testing?  you have to fast for 12 hours and then drink this kind of gross, sweet cola (minus the bubbles) that's the best way to test for sugar.  Your symptoms mimic this problem.  Does anyone in your family have diabetes?

Good luck - let us know how you are.

Cathy