Peripheral Neuropathy and abnormal Heart ECG
 

Hi All,

I'm looking for some help from anyone who may have experience of Autonomic symptoms in PN

18 months ago I nearly blacked out three times and then shortly after i developed classic motor and sensory symptoms of peripheral neuropathy - pins/needles in hands and feet, burning feet, muscle twitches and tiredness and fatigue. Nerve conduction studies were normal

Neurologist said I probably had inflammatory peripheral neuropathy, caused by a virus, and over the next 12 months it would gradually improve. It did improve and I was back in the gym, a healthy guy in my 40s.

A few weeks ago symptoms came back but I had strong palpitations this time. Repeat ECG and bloods showed that I had changes to my ECG - flat P wave, which apparently means that there is some sort of Arrythmia developing. I'm breathless on exertion and i have all the other symptoms back - tingling hands/feet, muscle twitches as well as Cubital Tunnel Syndrome - pain from Ulnar nerve in elblow radiating down my arm. My Thyroid was slightly elevated.

The symptoms affecting my heart are the ones that give me the most concern. The only thing i could find on the web was Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy - it has a poor prognosis and mostly linked with Diabetes but I dont have any other health condition.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Andy

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

I guess you will need to see a cardiologist. When you say you have "elevated thyroid" what does that mean? Are certain test results elevated? Elevation of TSH indicates hypothyroidism, for example. But then if your doctor said you are showing signs of hyperthyroidism, then that is overactive gland, also called Graves disease. This needs to be taken care of ASAP. Rapid heartbeat from that is often treated with a beta blocker drug.
There are various other treatments to reduce elevated thyroid activity and they are all done by endocrinologists.

Graves disease is an autoimmune disease and you need to be tested to see if you have other autoimmune markers in your blood.

Thanks MrsD

It's the hyperthyroidism type, TSH was normal- 14.4 is the max and my Thyroid level was 15.3 so only marginally over. My doctor doesn't think it's significant, or related to my symptoms and wants to check my levels again in 3 months.

I clearly have some sort of Peripheral Neuropathy that includes Sensory, Motor and Autonmic symptoms but its getting to the type of disorder and whether any treatment could stop the damage that is being caused to my heart. I've been referred to Cardiology for a 24hr tape to check my heart and I'm due to see the Neurologist in December. UK's NHS is slow going...

Thanks

Alan

I am still confused.

My conversion table shows TSH values in US and UK are the same.

T3 and T4 however do require conversion to US units for those of us in the US to comment upon.

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/sc...ical_data.html

So your TSH you are not giving the numbers for here--just "normal"? Your test results are for other thyroid parameters?
In US a TSH of 14 is not normal, and is indicative of HYPOthyroidism. A TSH below 1.0 or .5 is considered hyperthyroid perhaps.

Thanks.

Unfortunately i dont have a copy of the results. The Dr told me that my TSH was normal but that my 'Thyroid' was 15.3 and the normal limit, according to the lab used, was 14.4. I wonder if it refers to 'Total Thyroxine'?