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[EnglishRose]

Oh its a LONG story! Aren't they all? lol

Age 49

Ill do bullet points

1 - Perimenopause for 9 years. Started off BAD anxiety..... almost thought I was having a breakdown. It gradually eased up some months better than others but anxiety and depression were never a real consistent symptom....more night sweats, a little anxiety but fixed to situations  (Phobias) insomnia a few nights... snappy, demotivated and the rest but more or less manageable .

2) I am not managing anymore....I have severe DEEP waves of depression lasting a few hours where I cannot interact with anything or anyone till it passes. Anxiety to varying degrees, not about anything specific just a horrible feeling of anxiety were I cannot focus on anything... .. and the symptom that TRULY scares me is the feeling of being in a dream...I believe they call it "derealisation" like I am locked inside a dream kind of...nothing seems real..My GOD....that's the closest thing to insanity I have felt. I felt high but not in a good way...

.Loud TV can bother me, sensitivity to light, colours seem more vivid and they all wax and wane. Oddly I have been sleeping like the dead recently...

They come and go but they happen enough that I am in fear of them now... when i wake in the morning I feel like anything could happen that day.... so of course it affects your overall confidence in life and yourself.

It's been a month since I have felt these new and intense symptoms and in that month I have had 3 periods. Yes 3! I am using progesterone (prescribed) have dome for years and years.... so I only bleed lightly and for 24 hours but I get all of the PMT build up to each one..

I have some theories as to why they have popped up and that relates to making myself physically sick taking liver detox supplements and some powerful probiotics that just did not agree with me and I ended up sick in bed... I am getting stronger physically since I stopped taking the liver detox and probiotics, but the DP anxiety and spaced out feelings are still there at varying degrees .

I don't want to take HRT if there's a chance these feelings will pass....either of their own accord or because the supplements have left my body and everything has settled down...maybe I have stirred my hormones up by taking the supplements? I just think its too much of a coincidence that I ended up this way following taking them and them not agreeing with me.

I am having private blood tests done this friday for HRT levels and Thyroid....heard both are useless but we will see

Question is

Have any ladies had a BAD BAD month that scared the HELL out of them and it gradually passed without intervention?

Many Thanks

Liz xx

[SueLW]

That sounds horrible.  Anxiety and depression are symptoms of both menopause and thyroid issues and if you thyroid is out of kilter then I think menopause seems to be much harder.  It's where I am right now.

Firstly, you say you don't want to take HRT.  But you already are.  Progesterone is HRT.  By taking progesterone for years you could have swung the balance right over to very low oestrogen (especially if thyroid is a problem) and high progesterone.  That's not good. You could well need some oestrogen adding to that mix. 

Why do you think a private blood test for thyroid will be no good?  Your blood test should be for Free T4, Free T3, thyroid antibodies and hopefully DHEA.  Also then try and get a full iron panel done and vitamin D and Vitamin B12.  Thyroids don't work too well if those vitamins and iron are low. 

Personally, if I start to get anxious then adding a blob of oestrogen gel can take it away before it starts.  Likewise in the morning if I wake anxious, taking my thyroxine can take it away.  I suspect I'm not on enough of either treatment yet, which is why I still have the symptoms.

Good luck. 

[CLKD]

People forget that HRT stands for "Hormone Replacement Therapy".  When oestrogen levels drop women can experience all kinds of symptoms, throw in thyroid function problems as well as anxiety ........ so replacing hormones may ease symptoms.  Keeping a mood/food/symptom diary can chart the ups and downs to see if there is a pattern.

A patient in the UK should not have to pay for blood tests etc..  It might be quicker but speaking with the Practice Nurse initially may be useful. 

Low levels of VitD can be troublesome as I found out last year.  Blood test showed that I required capsules which really helped. 

[SueLW]

A patient in the UK should not have to pay for blood tests etc..  It might be quicker but speaking with the Practice Nurse initially may be useful. 

Sadly, it's almost impossible now to get a Free T3 and both types of thyroid antibody test done on the NHS.  They will do TSH only, or if there might be a problem that the lab considers a worry, a Free T4.  It's the labs that are refusing to the the Free T3 even if the doctors ask for it.

The only way to get a proper thyroid panel done is either through an endocrinologist or privately.

[EnglishRose]

A patient in the UK should not have to pay for blood tests etc..  It might be quicker but speaking with the Practice Nurse initially may be useful. 

Sadly, it's almost impossible now to get a Free T3 and both types of thyroid antibody test done on the NHS.  They will do TSH only, or if there might be a problem that the lab considers a worry, a Free T4.  It's the labs that are refusing to the the Free T3 even if the doctors ask for it.

The only way to get a proper thyroid panel done is either through an endocrinologist or privately.

Exactly

Plus it takes me weeks to get an appt and its always in the mornings so I opted to have them done in my own home. I am having the full thyroid plus antibodies - reverse T3 etc

The reason why I think these tests don't work is because of websites such as "Stop The Thyroid Madness" websites which have a forums and shows have many people are treated for the "Lab normals" rather than their symptoms. So my bloods may come back as "normal" ( and different labs have different normal blood serums levels) and sent home or placed on anti anxiety meds and ADs rather than looking outside of the box and taking into consideration my symptoms REGARDLESS of the blood results.

Our hormones fluctuate by the hour day week and month so one blood test is not really reliable.

https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/tsh-why-its-useless/

[Mustard1]

Hi there - just read your post and as you know I really sympathise with you.  We don't need thus journey - its horrendous.   I don't have much exoerience other than the madness that started for me in January but want you to know I am thinking of you and sending hugs. Xxx

[Mary G]

I agree about the thyroid tests, TSH alone is not enough, you need to have the whole set i.e. TSH AND T3 total/free T4 total/free and also DHEA. 

Hormone tests are definitely useful if you are trying to establish how well you are absorbing your HRT.  It is still worth having them if you are peri menopause because it will give you some indication as to how low your oestrogen levels are.  I had blood tests when I hit the menopause which confirmed my oestrogen level was rock bottom and it was very useful because I knew it was time to start HRT. 

[Peroxideblader]

hi there I know what you mean about thyroid tests useless with regard to levels. I paid privately like you and my tsh t4 were the bottom end of range and my free t3 was below range ..I took this to my doctor they said we don't go off t3 and that as my others were still just in range they wouldn't take further action. unreal...I pushed for another test and this time my t3 had reached the bottom of their range but others had dropped ...so now they definitely wouldn't take action...I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism 4 family members have it but oh no my gp said I have health anxiety and that I'm making things up due to stress and my age...I had to leave before I punched her!@@
same with low b12 very low ferritin I've had private they're borderline below range but won't consider b12 injections til I fall below range.
I am supplementing everything myself in spending a fortune on them to try and sort this out as it's obvious my gp surgery think I'm a mad woman whose a hyperchondriac...
I am so low with all this as I genuinely don't know whether all my horrid symptoms are perimenopause or hypothyroidism??? 😥

[SueLW]

Exactly

Plus it takes me weeks to get an appt and its always in the mornings so I opted to have them done in my own home. I am having the full thyroid plus antibodies - reverse T3 etc

The reason why I think these tests don't work is because of websites such as "Stop The Thyroid Madness" websites which have a forums and shows have many people are treated for the "Lab normals" rather than their symptoms. So my bloods may come back as "normal" ( and different labs have different normal blood serums levels) and sent home or placed on anti anxiety meds and ADs rather than looking outside of the box and taking into consideration my symptoms REGARDLESS of the blood results.

Our hormones fluctuate by the hour day week and month so one blood test is not really reliable.

https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/tsh-why-its-useless/
[/quote]

You can try and trick the GP's a bit by arranging your blood tests as early in the morning as possible and fasting overnight.  They don't tell you to fast and they say it doesn't matter about time of day.  But TSH is highest in the morning and if we get tested early, before meds or anything to eat and drink, we stand the best chance of getting a rise in dose.

[EnglishRose]

hi there I know what you mean about thyroid tests useless with regard to levels. I paid privately like you and my tsh t4 were the bottom end of range and my free t3 was below range ..I took this to my doctor they said we don't go off t3 and that as my others were still just in range they wouldn't take further action. unreal...I pushed for another test and this time my t3 had reached the bottom of their range but others had dropped ...so now they definitely wouldn't take action...I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism 4 family members have it but oh no my gp said I have health anxiety and that I'm making things up due to stress and my age...I had to leave before I punched her!@@
same with low b12 very low ferritin I've had private they're borderline below range but won't consider b12 injections til I fall below range.
I am supplementing everything myself in spending a fortune on them to try and sort this out as it's obvious my gp surgery think I'm a mad woman whose a hyperchondriac...
I am so low with all this as I genuinely don't know whether all my horrid symptoms are perimenopause or hypothyroidism??? 😥

The thing is, meno and perimeno have a direct impact on our thyroid by default but the theory is it settles once we are post meno. The fluctuation of sex hormones affect the thyroid albeit intermintantly,

You should sign up at the website I linked to as they are all about people being sent home sick due to normal bloods despite their symptoms. They have advise and specialist and you may well be better spending £100 to see one of the thyroid specialist listed on the website who do think beyond lab normals.

You basically have to be crawling on your hands and knees before the blood results come back low enough for nhs  to give a shit.

The problem with general practitioners is they are trained in general basics. You could insist on being referred given your family history and symptoms but you should never be made to feel like you're a hypochondriac unless of course your always at the doctors with different symptoms and worries.
If it's the same issue and it's unresolved then they need to refer you to someone whose more qualified in the area of your complaint.

Don't let them beat you down, fight because in this country you sometimes have to before they take you seriously

[EnglishRose]

Hi there - just read your post and as you know I really sympathise with you.  We don't need thus journey - its horrendous.   I don't have much exoerience other than the madness that started for me in January but want you to know I am thinking of you and sending hugs. Xxx

Thank you x