Hashi/Hypo and shortness of breath and chest pain

[skytown]

Hello all...this is my first post here...about 2 months ago I was diagnosed with Hashimotos and I am Hypo (TSH was 8.9). I was having all of the usual symptoms and there is a long history of thryoid problems in my family so I was not surprised. I started on 50 mcg of thevothyroxine about 6 weeks ago and my TSH has gone down to 2.9 and I am feeling some relief, but one thing I have been having problems with is shortness of breath. This was happening before I was diagnosed, but it was just once in a while...maybe once a month or so. Now that I am on medication I have breathing problems daily. Some days are better than others, but I always feel like I am struggling to take a deep breath. I keep telling myself to try to give it time and give the medication a chance to really work. Has anyone had shortness of breath that got worse and then finally when away when your thryoid levels finally leveled out? Of course my doc just thinks it is in my head or that I am having panic attacks, but I know that is not the case and I am sort of at a loss for what to do. I really don't want to just deal with the breathing and live like this, it is really beginning to affect my daily life.

[ticasue]

You are not alone. There are a lot of us out here that are suffering breathing problems from hypo but our doctors refuse to acknowledge that it could possibly be from the hypo. I am on several of these forums and there are people from all over the world complaining about doctors just ignoring the issue.   I have been trying for 10 months to get some answers but keep getting tld no way. I am breathing so bad that I am in bed most of the d a y. Even went to a pulmonary doc who said I have COPD. Basically, yes you have breathing problems but not from hypo.  I am on 3 different inhalers that do nothing.  Unfortunately getting your thyroid levels to the right levels even temporarily is a looooong tedious process.  There are many reports as well that magically when the right level is achieved people have lost their breathing issues. I still have hope and you hang in there and try to be patient.

[lulu593]

Someone on this website (might be different post) recommended progesterone cream to alleviate shortness of breath while on thyroid medicaition (Hypo/Hashi condition).
To whoemever that was:

Thank.  you.  so.  much.

Just read low levels of progesterone might be the cause of my TSH levels being high. I have only been on thyroid meds for 3 weeks and it's been awful. Progesterone cream has made me feel better. Something I'll be exploring with my doctor at my next appointment.

[mtkst13]

i'm venting here, but i am so sick of doctors diagnosing the breathing issues as anxiety!!!!  it's disgusting that doctors are labeling us as having a psychiatric issue because they can't explain a symptom.  it really frustrates me and makes me angry.  and i'm not downing people with psychiatric disorders, but i think that telling someone they're having panic attacks can induce psychiatric conditions, miss underlying conditions, and prolong horrible symptoms/illness.

i've had breathing issues off and on for years that doctors have dismissed as anxiety.  others on this forum have breathing issues as well.  you are not crazy or imagining things!  it is thyroid-related.  

until doctors start to recognize this as a thyroid symptom, the breathing issues won't be properly addressed and treated.  the breathing issues that you have will subside, but then come back, and then subside.  it's a viscous cycle (at least in my experience).  fortunately, the amount of time without the issues is more than the time with the issues.

you're not alone.  many thyroid disorder sufferers have breathing issues/shortness of breath/feeling like they can't get enough air in/feeling like your diaphragm isn't contracting properly/feeling like you're not exhaling the entire way/having to maneuver to get enough air/having back pain from straining to get enough air in.  

tell your doctor to quit telling you you're having panic attacks.  i'd like to tell him/her to shove it.  sorry.  i'm just frustrated.