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[Brooksie]

Hi. This is my first post. Bit of history..
I'm 49 and had my womb removed 15 years ago. I have hypothyroidism and take 200mcg of thyroxine a day.
Had a kidney stone and septicaemia two weeks ago.
As well as all this I've been having symptoms of menopause for about 6 months.
The hot flushes started at night bit are now happening throughout the day. I regularly have to take a change of clothes to work.
I've been feeling depressed , having headaches and also some urinary problems too. I can't remember the last time I had a decent sleep. I'm also having regular episodes of palpitations and I passed out last week during one .
I got married in June and feel awful that my poor husband is getting the worst of my hormonal outbursts along with my kids who are grown up and are being very understanding. Had blood tests done last week. Got the results by phone today but can't get a GP  appointment till next week.
My FSH is 65.1 and LH is 39.3.
Does anyone have a clue what these results mean?
Hoping to be put on hrt next week as although I don't know much about it yet I'll try anything to stop feeling like this.  Thanks in advance.

[Hurdity]

Hi Brooksie

 

Sorry to hear about your health issues and menopause symptoms.

Although blood tests are not usually recommended as tests for menopause for women of a certain age because they vary so much, in your case, as you don't have a womb then blood tests along with symptoms can help determine if you are peri-menopausal - and with readings that high (of FSH) you certainly are!  According to the NICE Guidelines - doctors should go on symptoms alone for women of your age even without a uterus. The receptionist should have told you the reference ranges for that particular lab but from the GP notebook they are:

1-11 females; follicular and luteal phase
6-26 at ovulation
30-118 post-menopausal

I can't access the LH ref ranges because the info is now only free for 3 pages without a login!

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=436600899&linkID=15600&cook=yes

Anyway the main thing is that HRT should help you! As you don't have a womb then you only need to take oestrogen only HRT and I would recommend transdermal HRT (ie through the skin) - either patch or gel. The reason is that I have read that tablet hRT in particular interacts with thyroid medication so the thyroid medication would need review and adjustment. I would hope the doc would do this anyway - but even so I would ask for your thyroid levels to be re-tested (after starting HRT) until you have worked out the best dose of each (oestrogen and thryoid) that work together.

The oestrogen HRT types are listed here:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php (scroll down for patches and gel). Which you use is partly a matter of personal preference and partly how well you absorb the different types. Gel is applied daily or twice daily and left to dry, whereas most patches are changed twice weekly. I have only ever used patches but other women prefer gel - take your pick. Just to say if you choose patches then Estradot is the best as it is very very small and sticks well so less to come unstuck! With both patches and gel it is best to start low and build up gradually to minimise adverse side effects.

Good luck and keep us posted about your doctor's visit and hope you start to feel better very soon!

Hurdity x