New symptoms and meds

[tangerinelz3]

Hi, I am hyper, diagnosed with Postpartum Thyroiditis this week.  Today I went to the bathroom and had light colored stools.  What is going on?  Is this from the beta blocker?  Is there something else wrong with me?  I have also had pain in my stomach (not severe just enough to notice) and everything else hurts.  I feel sore like I have been working out.  
I have been on my beta blocker for 4 days now and I still sweat and I still have moments of my heart pounding.  I am taking 50mg of Toporol XR daily.  Last night I took another 25mg because of pounding heart.  Is 50 not enough?  I have cried everyday since taking this medicine and I feel like crap, I have no energy and I just feel out of it.  Please tell me I won't have to take this forever.

[medicmommy]

The FDA requires that all of the medical complaints suffered by trial study patients are listed as "side effects". For example, patients who take Toprol can have different underlying disorders requiring blood pressure or heart rate control. Some may have hyperthyroidism, some may have liver ailments (e.g fatty liver, cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, etc) or some may have cardiovascular disease. Most studies group types of patients for side-effect measuring consistency. Some drug companies, in the interest of saving time and money and answering to societal demand, "fast track" their study process (a process required by law) and satisfy the "side effect" analysis by listing every complaint (3 out of 10 complained of..) but disregarding what underlying conditions may have contributed to those issues.
In a nutshell, the "side effects" could be caused by something other than the medication, but the drug agencies lump them together because getting the drug to market and collecting a profit is more important than sorting out the specifics. This is why you'll see dumb things like "using this drug may result in pregnancy" in a contraceptive, or "may cause head pain and vomiting" in a migraine med.
Our government dollars at work...~MM

[Brucergoldberg]

Im sorry to chime in, but hypothyroidism has been known to wreak havoc on a lot of people's gallbladders.  Do you have any pain in the gallbladder area?   Light or clay colored stools was the very first thing that happened to me after my symptoms started.  Turned out that the hypothyroidism caused chronic cholestesis (sp?) and once my gallbladder was removed it eventually went back to normal.

[Barb135]

I don't understand that either, but I have a bp med that causes fatigue -- go figure, when I'm fighting fatigue....  we have to be ever vigilant as to the side effects of meds we are prescribed......... sometimes our doctors only want to move on to the next patient and don't really look at things....

[tangerinelz3]

Thanks, I don't understand how medicine can cause what it is trying to treat...pounding heartbeats?  Doesn't make any sense!  

[Barb135]

I did a quick search and some of the side effects of Toprol, include, but are not limited to:  chest pain, pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest, along with clay colored stools.   I got my info from www.drugs.com

If you are getting these effects from your medication, taking more of it will only make the situation worse.

[medicmommy]

This is not from the beta blocker. You are likely having a liver or gallbladder issue and your palpitations could actually be from your AST or ALT levels (or albumin, etc.) being elevated. Talk to your Dr TODAY. I know it is Sunday, but you can leave a message with his answering service. I'm trying to remember any meds and recent history that you've had. Can you refresh my mind? Steriods? Recent antibiotics? Exposure to IV drug needles, recent dirty needle sticks, direct contact with someone who has hepatits, blood transfusions, or tattoos? Live in an area where malaria, yellow fever, or liver flukes are prevalent? had your gallbladder out? Have you had a recent blood test showing complete blood counts (CBC) and if so, what was the white count?
Interestingly enough, the thyroiditis can be caused by something else in your body fighting an infection because your immune system steps up an attack, and since you are Hashi's, your immune system doesn't differentiate between invaders and thyroid tissue.  I hope this helps you sort out what is going on. I have a suspicion your Drs missed something...~MM

[Barb135]

I get them sometimes too, but I know there's nothing wrong with my heart, so I try to ignore them; often just doing something else helps take my mind off them.

[tangerinelz3]

I know it wasn't the best idea.  I was panicked.  I have a very hard time with these waves of pounding heart, they always send me in a panic.  I told myself this morning I am not going to do it again.  My Endo appointment is in the morning so hopefully I will get some answers.

[Barb135]

There are a lot of things that could cause stools to be light colored - might have been something you ate, but it could also be from the med.  

You really need to talk to your doctor; taking extra medication without your doctor's okay, could be very dangerous.