Menopause or underactive thyroid?

[Fruitandnutcase]

This lady's 'menopausal problems' turn out to be an underactive thyroid.

Interesting article in online Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

[helen_m]

Thanks for sharing I have recently been diagnosed with menopause and hashimoto's (again). A very nice locum at my doctor's surgery joined up the dots and took bloods and measured my TPO levels - apparently they were sky high and they've now started me on a small dose of levothyroxine. I'm three weeks in and feel a bit more mentally alert. I'm hopeful that I'll get my energy back soon. Thanks

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to helen_m]

It is amazing the number of times you read on here that after sometimes years of messing around, a 'new locum' joins a practise and discovers someone is hypothyroid.

Very pleased to hear you are being treated and are feeling an improvement. 😊

[Hidden]

Yes....it was good to see another article bringing thyroid problems to public notice and I am very pleased that the lady in the article has been diagnosed and is feeling much better on Levothyroxine.However,I have to say that without the need to mention T3 it left me thinking that any GP reading that report will think they have hypothyroidism treatment truly sorted and sewn up with a TSH test and some T4 Levo handed out.

We now need some newspaper articles bringing attention to the thousands of cases for whom this does not work......the ones who end up seeking help here.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Hidden]

I know but at least it highlights hypoT and might give some women confidence to say 'check my thyroid'.

I was just thinking I'm glad I'm past the menopause years, then I realised that as far as treatment for hypo symptoms goes, you might be too old for it to be confused with the menopause but you're never too old to be 'stressed' 😞

[Hidden]

Yes ...you are right about confusion with the menopause.My doctor announced to me that my hormones were post menopausal.....At that time I had just turned 70!!

Thankfully a few years down the line I am now prescribed T3 by my Endo and in a much happier place.

[ann_g_k]

I was getting very excited at the thought of a surgeon championing the cause, especially as they mentioned that 'some people have symptoms, even though their TSH and T4 levels are fine' (which describes me) until I twigged that the London Thyroid Clinic is in Harley Street, a private clinic, and therefore would cost the earth for an appointment/treatment. Interestingly, Miles Black doesn't appear in the list of practitioners on their website (unless he/she is using a pseudonym).

[greygoose]

'Early diagnosis is preferable because if left untreated hypothyroidism can increase the risk of heart disease. This is because it encourages an increase in levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which can block arteries.'

Oh, no, no, no! Not that again! When are the going to get it that cholesterol doesn't cause heart attacks, the heart problems are due to low thyroid hormone! Also, there is no such thing as good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Sigh.

[greygoose]

No, this article is bad! They say there's not such thing as bad publicity, but saying that she felt better within a week just isn't realistic! And you only have to test the TSH!!! Really? If it were that easy, why are we all so ill? No, this article is propagating the myths about hypo, not the reality.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Well said Greygoose .........you have summed it up well.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, marfit.