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[Postmeno3]

Am scratching my head here. Help me out. As our energy levels are changing all the time and HRT is meant to help address energy amongst other things, how does taking the same dose influence anything? Am I being incredibly thick? Is a one size fits all dosage providing what's actually required on a daily basis? 🤔

[Nas]

 Suppose although Hrt is meant to help alleviate any troublesome symptoms, it all depends which of those symptoms your regime decides to tackle first?

I don’t believe it’s the silver bullet which can cover all bases.
For most women, it allows them to just function, whilst for others, it literally gives them the energy to climb a mountain at record speed.!
2 sprays of lenzetto could allow a woman to sleep, work and run a home.
3 could offer a dollop of additional energy to go running, but then comes those potential side effects when you up the dose, which makes you drop back down quickly and forget the running!

Don’t know, it’s all very complicated and exhausting to fathom out.
What I am thinking though, is that life has changed forever!

Depends on general level of fitness/ health  and energy as well I think.

[Postmeno3]

Yeah, cheers, Nas.
I'm definitely not functioning at that level on two sprays of Lenzetto! I'm curious, though, about whether a more consistent state would arise from adjusting it. It's the complete absence of consistency that's puzzling and on a daily basis despite delivering a "consistent" dose. No two days the same here.
You're absolutely right. There is no silver bullet and views/theories should always come with that caveat, spelled out, especially for those paying for something they hope it to be.
Onwards, hey?! Or sideways or even standing still could be rather nice! 👍

[Nas]

Yeah I hear you post..
I think when you are paying, your expectations are much much higher.
I totally agree re the consistency, no hour is the same here either! 

I mean take my mum, she has taken 1mg oral for over 20 years.
Everything stabilized immediately; no ups, downs, inconsistencies with mood, energy etc. It was that silver bullet so many are reaching out for!

I won’t bore you with my experience, but it has been quite the opposite!

I think the issue is that there are damm Oestrogen receptors in just about every nook and cranny of the female body. We would all need a barrel full of silver bullets to get everything firing and working properly again ( I feel!) 

[ElkWarning]

Yeah, this is the type of concern I ran into, especially around the idea of a consistent dose, how it's that even possible? It's not like all oestrogens are flushed, and then there's how the liver works as well. The real kicker for me came when I had to stop taking HRT after 9 months (3 years ago or something) and none of the symptoms (aches, brain fog, low mood) that had sent me to the doctors in the first place came back. Basically, if HRT was the fix, then where were the problems without the HRT? I don't know, maybe I only needed a short duration treatment. That could be true. I was definitely looking for a silver bullet though. Life was pretty unmanageable. My mental health was in the bin and I had no stamina whatsoever. My youngest kid had become quite concerned about my health because I could barely manage a slow moving shuffle when out and about. I never wanted to be awake. I'm not sure I was 100% convinced I wanted to be alive at this point ...

Anyway, back to your question, I had to build myself consistency, e.g. around routines, and remove all the inconsistency (which involved getting rid of some people in my life). I was literally being run ragged, and had been for years, rushing through life, always at everyone else's beck and call ... The minute I stopped that, and started putting myself first, was when I went into recovery. I'm just not the same person I was 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago ...

It's one of the things I really struggled with, because I wanted the old me back, the woman who could keep a million plates spinning and all the balls in the air, who proper liked because I'd do anything for anyone. Unfortunately, it was this old me that had worked myself to the bone. I'm still in the process of finding the new me. Obviously, this is my journey and doesn't apply to anyone else, but you get what I mean.

[ATB]

Yes indeed some women suffer only temporarily so don’t need to me on HRT for the rest of their life. Some doctors will advise you to try going off or after a few years to see.
My Newson doctor told me Davina uses patches, but adds a pump of gel for a couple of weeks, not sure which, that she feels worse for. So that’s an interesting thing maybe to take to your doctor. I know our thyroid needs change with the seasons and so some on thyroid meds will take more during winter than summer.

[sheila99]

I know our thyroid needs change with the seasons and so some on thyroid meds will take more during winter than summer.

Do you know any more about this? I have hashimotos but no treatment as 'within normal range' (I hate that phrase). I always feel better in summer and wondered if there was a physical cause or just the feel good factor when you see the sun. Not vit d related as I suppliment.

[ATB]

You have hashi’s diagnosed but no meds?? What? God I’ve never heard of an actual diagnosis without meds. Do you feel ok? Or are there definite symptoms?? If antibodies are raised you need something surely? Yes it’s absolutely a thing, the body normally of course sends the message to make more hormone or send out more, during winter, less in summer, but if medicated it is harder to get that right so I personally test super regularly and keep my labs at the higher end of the range so I don’t adjust for winter and am running I guess a little high in summer but not compared to normal people. Does that make sense?

[Busylizzie]

To sheila99 and everyone,
I do sympathise, I think the problem with GP’s are they don’t get much training on the thyroid and as long as you are in range they will just monitor. They call it subclinical hypothyroidism and often the NHS will just do your TSH level.  I could hardly function and so tired all the time, heavy periods made me anaemic as well.   When my TSH reached 15 I was put on Thyroxine.  It helped but I never felt fully better and Winter is still a hard time for me, so it is seasonal and I do improve both mentally and physically in the summer.  I think Vitamin D levels are closely associated and that may be a factor too.  If you don’t already, start asking for a printout of your results and keep a record so you can see any seasonal patterns.  Ask for a VitB12 test as well as ferritin.  Also if testing thyroid, try and have bloods done before 9am as TSH is higher then.
I started seeing an endo for another problem (have a high genetic calcium level) he eventually agreed to a T3 trial along with Thyroxine, this has made a huge difference to me.  It’s been a long battle as I can never get my T4/T3 high in range without my TSH going below range which they don’t like, but generally I am a lot better than I was, don’t need afternoon naps anymore.
If you are struggling, I think you have to be a squeaky gate and keep asking them , I know it’s not easy.

[ATB]

I pay no attention to their concerns about my TSH being below range! Hello, it’s suppressed! Of course it is! It’s a messenger hormone so if you add the hormones in it won’t send a message to make it. Why they don’t see this I do not know but the private lab and doctors do. Thank goodness. Yes T4 only medication doesn’t work for everyone so anyone not feeling well on it should insist on something else.

[Busylizzie]

ATB I know! 
TSH should only be used to diagnose and not as an ongoing monitor of Thyroid function.
Unfortunately with lockdowns , I have bloods done and the endo then writes to me and GP if any dose change and I have no input whatsoever as he goes by the numbers.  I ended up hypo again after a lowering of dose a year ago and then back up after I insisted they redid bloods.  I do a finger **** test with a private company about six weeks before I have endo bloods done now and tweak if necessary. 😉

[ATB]

Yes I do the finger **** tests privately too!

[sheila99]

I have a new young gp who does everything by the book and the book says all is OK. I've pestered them so much they will now only test once a year. I only know I have hashimotos because I did a private test because the nhs doesn't do the relevant test. Interesting about the connection with vit d. In July I was deficient which surprised me as I spend more time than most outside. I've had more energy since starting OTC ferrous sulphate 2 months ago, levels were 'within normal range' but towards the bottom. It seems the medical route will have to be a private appointment - will they treat or just spout 'within normal range' but thanks for the £400? The other possibility is dessicated thyroid. Any opinions?

[ATB]

Sheila, I’ve been in hormone support groups and read a lot of other woman’s personal stories, and I’ve seen private doctors myself. The NHS are hopeless with thyroid treatment and I was just left to deal with both that and menopause. So I saw a private doctor for diagnosis and treatment and after a few years now I just buy the same medication myself and do regular testing and occasional private doctor appointments rather than regular ones. NDT works for me although I’ll give it another go on synthetics one day, I don’t seem to do as well. If you have the money go private route and you’ll see on thyroid support groups ( or thyroid uk website ) how to find a decent doctor and they can prescribe whichever one you prefer and/or they think would suit you, synthetic hormones or natural ones. I’ve tried loads of different brands of thyroid meds too. I don’t know why but my route is never simple and straight forward! I wish I just went to my GP, got a diagnosis, got the standard treatment and it worked easily.  But don’t accept not feeling well. Do you take your temperature daily? Look that up, it’s the best way to know if you are in a hypothyroid state and should treat it.

[Busylizzie]

For sheila99,
For anyone over the age of 50, we have to sit in the sun four times as long as a 20 year old to make the same amount of Vitamin D, it’s part of having ageing skin.  A large majority of the UK population are deficient over the Winter months and should supplement between Oct and April.  I use the Better You oral spray with added K2.