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[Wrensong]

Yaay to your constipation easing Shoppingqueen!  A sluggish, disordered digestive tract is a horrible consequence of being hypo you'll be glad to be rid of.  A gynae once told me that chronic constipation alone can really mess with sex hormone levels.

I understand your reluctance to change from the Femoston if it worked well for you formerly - can be the Holy Grail finding a good HRT fit.  Perhaps your body, in currently having a flair of meno symptoms, is just reacting to the new levels of both thyroid hormones & any consequent change in sex hormone levels the more efficient metabolism is bringing about.  In which case I would hope for better equilibrium in a while if you can ride it out to see whether it settles.  If it doesn't, then perhaps you will need to think about changing HRT, or if you prefer, weaning off to see whether your thyroid being treated rids you of enough symptoms for decent QOL without.

I certainly think if you've had undiagnosed hypothyroidism for any length of time this will have messed comprehensively with your body.  Everything is so interrelated & every system in the body dependent on healthy thyroid function, so a degree of systemic chaos ensues when the thyroid is out of whack & untreated  .  I speak from the heart here(!) & do feel for you.

The severe meno symptoms you mention could well have been a Hashi flare imo - the gland is said to go a bit nuts (medical term, that ) releasing thyroid hormones in a haphazard manner when under attack by antibodies & that can include periods of overactivity, giving rise to symptoms difficult to distinguish from some of those of menopause, such as intense overheating, palpitations, anxiety, insomnia.  Can be a protracted nightmare for those of us on thyroid meds going through menopause as we can never really be sure whether we are being overtreated (ie thyroid dose too high) or our HRT needs tweaking.  TFT results within range are not necessarily that reassuring when the body's continually throwing a hissy fit & contradicting what a "normal" TFT  is supposed to tell us!

Keep posting to let us know how you are.  Fingers crossed your HRT will return to being adequate once your body's less unnerved by the new influx of much needed thyroid hormone.
Wx

[shoppingqueen]

Thank you Wrensong- the voice of reason. I think you're right re getting thyroid meds up to see what happens first- it's got to be the priority I've been so ill,  and hopefully the Femoston will get a chance to do it's job. And if not, maybe drop this eventually to see if I can do without to discover if it's all been the thyroid- if not, will have to try another.
I?ll keep you posted and thank you for your continued support. I can't tell you how much sense this all makes and has given me some hope. 🙏 xx

[Wrensong]

It's a pleasure Shoppingqueen, bless you.  There's quite a few of us on here on thyroid replacement, but if ever you have a worry/question & no-one seems to be around please send me a PM - I go for days, sometimes weeks without reading the forum, but do try to log on & check for PM's.  You are on the right road now your thyroid's being treated.  I have everything crossed that you'll feel very much better sooner rather than later.  Be very kind to yourself meanwhile, as this will speed your recovery & you will have been through a rough time of it I'm sure.
Wx

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I am one of the happy band (!?) of  women who are dealing with menopause and hypothyroidism. I am  ten years post meno  but only recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's. 

Shoppingqueen - I had been trying different forms of HRT for six years but took a break last July to see where I was without it. Now that I know I have Hashimoto's I may wait to see if my Thyroid meds will be enough to make me feel better. I reserve the right to try HRT again if necessary though at age 63 I may have a battle on my hands.

Wrensong - you have been a marvellous help to me of late and I very much appreciate all your advice.


Incidentally I'm aware of ten women who have thyroid problems but none of them have used HRT for their menopause. I wonder if that's significant?

Wishing you all well.

K.

[shoppingqueen]

Wrensong
Thank you so much for your support- and the offer to pm you if I’m in a pickle! You instil confidence and hope so will keep you posted.

Kathleen, thanks also- I’m of a similar  view that maybe down the road I’ll be able to try out dropping the HRT but not for now- my priority is to try and stabilise on both hormones for now and I have great love for my Femoston- it rescued me a few years ago so? 

Sending you both hugs for being there. I wish us all good health x

[Wrensong]

Kathleen & Shoppingqueen, thank you, that's so kind of you both, but it's a pleasure.  I found the thyroid-menopause combination frightening & very difficult to navigate, so have huge sympathy with anyone so afflicted.  When we feel so rough it's great motivation to learn as much as we can to help ourselves & if we can pass some of that on, it feels as though the suffering wasn't for nothing.  What I needed most was a plausible explanation for what was happening to me & reassurance that I would survive it.  Peri started at 44 but I didn't have access to MM until postmenopause at 50+ (long story - as always with me!)  None of my friends had got to menopause then, I've no remaining close family of my own to compare notes with & female inlaws, incredibly, said they'd had no symptoms.  I felt utterly alone with the horror of it & more than anything - afraid.  So to see the level of support & caring that goes on on this forum and from so many lovely women, is both heart-warming & touching.  It feels good to be a little part of that, so helping is its own reward!

[Penelope]

Not sure if my really bad days so far on HRT are more to do with thyroid.
I just can't wait to get to 10 months my last episode left me suicidal and freezing on the couch for more than an hour.However the doctor reassuring tells me that is directly to do with thyroid.
So fingers crossed he is right and HRT is going to regulate my thyroid and shrink my goitre plus fix the menopause And Hashimoto's  if that happens HRT will be a wonder drug for me.🌹

[Penelope]

Thank you Stellajane it's comments like that last one of yours that is keeping me going.🌹

[Penelope]

TSH test just back

TSH 0.89 (0.40 - 3.80)  so in normal range but very on the low side of it.

[Wrensong]

Hi Penelope - I take it they didn't test T4 or T3?  TSH as you say towards the low end, so not indicative of need for thyroxine replacement & doesn't explain the recent unusual coldness you posted about.  I think you also mentioned weight loss which would make sense with a low TSH.  If that's left you thin, could that be the reason you felt so cold do you think?
Wx

[Wrensong]

Stellajane, how are you doing?  Think I remember you are now either tapering off or completely off HRT?  Hope it's going well.
Wx

[Penelope]

Wrensong I forgot to check what the test was for before leaving the doctors office.Blow it I should have known he would try to get away with only doing TSH.
So a waste of time Again!!!!

[Wrensong]

Oh Stellajane - I so sympathise  .  The broken sleep leaves you feeling rotten when it goes on night after night.  I wake up with a start thinking why am I awake?  Then within seconds I'm stifling & that leaves me so alert I can't get back to sleep even if I've managed to cool down with all the covers off.  So frustrating.  I hope all that stops soon for you.  Be lovely not to have to put up with bleeds any more.

Oh, frustrating for you Penelope, but at least the low TSH seems to show you're not in need of Thyroxine right now.  One to definitely make sure they keep an eye on if you have a goitre though.

Everything crossed your menopause symptoms will continue to respond well to the HRT & you can move on with confidence, putting the many earlier dark years behind you.
Wx

[Penelope]

Because I was sick for so many years I would use all sorts of thing s to help me.I must say the only thing that worked for me was taking 2 drops of Lugols iodine in water.
After two weeks I slept through the night and had more energy than I had had in years.By the end of the year Anxiety was non existent.
For those looking to try something natural.
I read all the reviews on Amazon they are amazing I I can say all true.Taking selenium as well is very good.🌹

[Wrensong]

Hi Penelope, I completely understand why you've taken supplements to try to help yourself & I'm all in favour of taking responsibility for our own health, but I just want to echo what Stellajane (I think) said earlier, i.e. that iodine supplements should be avoided by anyone already on thyroid replacement.  The British Thyroid Foundation is very clear about that.  If I understand correctly, you're not on thyroid replacement, but there may be others reading this thread who are. 

I would also urge caution with selenium (& variably concentrated food sources of it such as brazil nuts) when on thyroid medication, as this mineral can markedly increase conversion of T4->T3, potentially resulting in levels of thyroid hormones that are too high.  Magnesium can have a similar effect.

Please be very careful/vigilant with any supplements you take Penelope - if you already have a goitre I worry that supplements that have the power to influence thyroid function could have adverse effects on your thyroid condition.   

I think we all need to be especially careful with supplements when on Thyroxine, as undesirable interactions are possible.  Calcium is another widely publicised example - if we need to take this it should be at least 4 hours away from any dose of thyroid replacement.  I think someone else (Kathleen perhaps) may have already mentioned this elsewhere, but I think it bears repeating as no-one wants to upset delicate thyroid balance when it's already compromised.

I do take Vit D daily, B12 twice a week & B-group every day.  The Vit D was prescribed for me because my level was found to be suboptimal a few years ago & this has since been monitored to make sure the dose I'm on is right.  As my B12 has also been on the low side whenever tested, my Endocrinologist agreed it's sensible to take this on a maintenance basis, but I only take the lowest dose I can find, as a higher strength formulation took my levels right to the top of the ref range which my GP was unhappy with.  I also take B-group at the basic RNI - a level which should not cause any harm, but there was a long period of time when I couldn't even take that as it seemed to rev my thyroid uncomfortably - something none of us would want to do deliberately.  I make sure to have regular TFTs & always arrange one at any time I suspect my dose may need tweaking.  Not so easily done if reliant on the NHS for testing, so very important to be especially careful not to upset the apple cart in those circumstances.

I always check with my Endocrinologist and any other medics whose long-term care I'm under, to make sure they're happy for me to supplement, as I very much feel treatment needs to be a partnership & I want to avoid doing anything that might jeopardise their best efforts to keep me well.