 Beta blocker withdrawal mimicking hyperthyroidism?
H everyone. I have been dealing with what was diagnosed as Subacute Granulomatous Thyroiditis (or Subacute Lymphocytic Thyroiditis, not sure which), in October 2014. This disease is so rare, that I can't find ANYONE for support. PLEASE help.
During the hyperthyroid phase I was placed on 50mg atenolol daily to help control symptoms and nothing else as this condition supposedly resolves on its own over a period of 6-9 months. I was severely hyperthyroid from Oct 2014 until February 2015, euthyroid from February to March 2015, and I was mildly hypothyroid for a few weeks in March and April, at which time my endo told me to rush off the beta blocker, atenolol. Despite my expressing concerns of beta blocker withdrawal, she insisted I no longer needed it and that I stop it without a taper.
I stopped the atenolol on April 27 2015 By this time my thyroid hormones were beginning to head back up into normal, and now are all within normal range, with Free t3 climbing to normal levels pretty quickly and TSH falling pretty quickly to normal levels.
By May 10, 2015, a couple weeks ago, I sunk into the pits of hyper hell. I felt EXACTLY how I felt when I was hyperthyroid. Even my menstrual period behaved as it did when I was hyperthyroid. My nails began to grow out of control, sweating, panic attacks all day long, frequent bowel movements and diarrhea, very scant/light periods, tachycardia, the whole thing. I have only ever felt this way in my life ONCE and that was when I was hyperthyroid.
Yet my labs are indicating that I am returning to normal thyroid levels, they are going up.
So, thinking I was in obvious atenolol withdrawal, I reinstated the atenolol 50mg nearly a week ago. It is barely helping, just like how it barely helped when I was hyper. My pulse is still high and pounding. It doesn't really affect my blood pressure. When I was mildly hypo my pulse was slightly low on it (60s) temporarily which is what prompted my endo (who is negligent and leaving the area but that's a whole nother story) to bully me off it cold turkey.
Is it possible that my thyroid has sustained another attack and is on its way to being hyper again? (I still have no idea why my thyroid blew to begin with) Could the beta blocker withdrawal have precipitated hyperthyroidism?....Or could it be that beta blocker withdrawal is physically mimicking thyrotoxicosis by rapid withdrawal sensitizing my adrenergic system and speeding up my metabolism? As it's only been about a week since reinstating the atenolol I assume it will take some time to calm down from that but I just can't get it out of my mind that how I have been feeling all day every day is exactly how I felt when I was hyperthyroid. All of my doctors insist I'm just mental and having a nervous breakdown, beta blocker withdrawal doesn't exist, need head meds, blah blah blah, but I know better. Please help.
| 
