menopause?!

I am not sure this is the right place to ask this question, but I am hoping someone here has been through the same thing.

I turned 46 a month ago. About six months ago, I noticed my periods started coming more and more often; they went from very regular (27-28 days apart for the past 20 or so years) to 14-15 days apart. Then, this month, I did not get any period at all. It has been six weeks without anything.

My hormone doctor put me on natural progesterone and Estrogel (natural estrogen) three years ago, and I have been taking them ever since (estrogen ay 5-25 of cycle, progesterone day 15-25). When my period started coming every three weeks instead of every four weeks, my doctor recommended that I take twice as much estrogen (two pumps out of the bottle instead of one) day 5-25, and continue progesterone as before.

However, this time, I skipped my period altogether, and I admit to being at a loss here...I know some women go into menopause at my age, and some even have their period one month and then nothing, and that's it (although the majority have some problems). But, in my case, it went from more often to nothing, with nothing in between...

So, I was wondering, and hoping anyone here has been through the same thing, or at least knows more about this: could this mean that I have had my last period? Or could I expect my periods to come back, only at more irregular intervals...?

My doctor said that it is normal to have one's last period anywhere between ages 45-57..but I cannot help but wonder if you are not supposed to notice it more; not just have your period as usual, then have them more often for a couple of months, before they disappear altogether, at age 46...?!

I don't know if this could have anything to do with my disease; I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease twelve years ago, and with adrenal fatigue four years ago...?

[shaws]

Anna

I have looked at your Profile but there is no thyroid history, or medication you are taking, or dose. I see from the above you were diagnosed with Hashimotos but you don't say what thyroid hormones you are on. I note you have had posts re Armour but haven't read them all.

If you've had recent blood tests for your thyroid hormones, do you have a print-out of the results with the ranges and members will respond.

The above symptoms could be due to menapause but female problems are also common in undertreated or undiagnosed women.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Sorry, I have not yet done everything I should have in order to update my profile!

I was diagnosed with Hasimoto's disease in December 2000. These were my labs at the time (I lived and still live in Belgium, so these lab ranges may not be the same everywhere):

Dec' 2000:

TSH 18.4 (ref 0.2-4.0)

FT4 0.5 (ref 0.8-1.5)

FT3 0.9 (ref 1.7-3.7)

anti-TPO 6789 (ref <60)

I was on thyroxine only for almost ten years, ending up on 200 mcg daily, and then my labs were (in 2011, before going on NDT):

TSH <0.002 (same reference ranges as above)

FT4 1.4

FT3 2.9

anti-TPO 955

The doctor who treated me at the time insisted on T4 meds only, yet told me that, since I have an autoimmune disease, I will need a suppressed TSH to calm the antibodies down; he insisted on a TSH below 0.01, and raised the thyroxine until I reached that (on 150 mcg of T4 only, my T4 levels were still within range).

I always wait 24 hours after taking thyroid meds before going to the lab. whether I take T4 only or NDT.

I then went to see a doctor trained by Thierry Hertoghe, and working according to his methods. I went on Armour, then, when Armour turned out to be unavailable, I was switched to Erfa by my pharmacist. Labs on Armour and Erfa respectively:

Armour 5 grains (300 mg):

TSH <0.001

FT4 1.1 (ref (0.8-1.5)

FT3 2.9 (1.7-3.7) so basically the same as on thyroxine 200 mcg...

24 h after taking any meds.

Erfa 5 .5 grains:

TSH <0.001

FT4 0.9

FT3 3.3 (same ref ranges as above)

24 h after taking any meds.

So, basically, my TSH was suppressed on both, my FT4 levels slightly lower on Erfa compared to Armour, but my FT3 levels slightly higher on Erfa compared to Armour...so confusing!!!

Since switching to Erfa, I have noticed symptoms like increased sweating, depression, and moodiness...which I attributed to the onset of menopause. But could these symptoms mean that Erfa is not right for me, for some reason...?

[shaws in reply to Hidden]

It could mean that Erfa may not suit you as well as Armour. There is also another NDT called Nature-Throid which is hypoallergenic and may suit you better and may remove your remaining clinical symptoms. It is trial and error sometimes. I myself found Nature-Throid better than Erfa but some have posted on this forum that Nature-Throid didn't suit them.

The purpose of thyroid hormones is to eradicate all clinical symptoms and that the patient feels normal health. Sometimes that doesn't always happen.

My TSH is often 0.01 and I feel fine. I take T3 alone now but as mentioned above I was also on Nature-throid previously.

[vandewalle0]

Hi Anna im 53 and since 48 have had very similar period irregularities as you. Mine started with very heavy for 2 weeks then nothing for six. Then bled every three weeks , I was all over the place and never new when I was going to start. What I did notice that my usual pre-menstrual symptoms disappeared my breasts were no longer sore or swollen but my headaches became worse. I was told I had Hashimotos in 2013 but was experiencing symptoms in 2003 but my tsh was still in range so got no treatment till 2013. The usual fobbing off. I have now had to give up work as the fatigue is overwhelming. I am on 125mg of Thyroxine which has helped my energy levels but not helped the aching and muscle weakness. When I was first put on thyroxine I had no periods for 6 months and I thought great im thought the menopause, but recently my periods have restarted with the irregularity. Same as you don't know whether its the Hashi or the menopause. My body had been relatively hairless until last month when all my leg hair started to regrow, weird it was fine and had grown fast and long. I flet as if my body was starting to get back to normal because I also began the hot flushes again. I had hoped id missed the menopause symptoms as coping with the Hashi sypmtoms is enough. Please write back if any of this makes sense.

[Hidden in reply to vandewalle0]

Thanks a lot, that was very helpful information!

[Natalie286]

Hi anna

Thought I might as well wade in with my 2 cents😜as for the last few years (pre diagnosis) I was having bad pmt, night sweats, mood swings and more importantly scanty periods. They used to be every 24 days but started going to 40 days then 14 then 20 and so on😁 so I do believe that for me, it is possibly - no certainly - perimenopause. (Classed as the years before official menopause starts) I have since started taking macca powder which seems to have helped me a lot? Just a 1/4 teaspoon Every morning. 😉 sorry I can't give you any definate answers but I do believe that maybe there is a link well, at least for me anyway. X

[Natalie286 in reply to Natalie286]

Oh forgot to mention I suddenly started getting ridiculously sore and swollen breasts + headaches around a week before 😳😳😳

[Hidden in reply to Natalie286]

Thank you so much for this info, and also for the tip...I will try macca powder and see if it makes a difference.

[Natalie286 in reply to Hidden]

Awh, not a problem honest 😉 this whole situation is hardwork so if I can help any I'm glad to. Let me know how you get on if you try macca👍 took a few weeks for me to start to see any difference 😘

[Hodgesd33 in reply to Natalie286]

Hi what is macca powder? Thanks x

[Hidden]

Hi there, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's aged 27 - my so called periods started coming sometimes only 10 days apart then I might go 6 weeks before another one about age 35 - I repeatedly went to my GP and each time she suggested a smear test - which stupidly I kept going for (not realising that GP's in the UK were paid a massive incentive per each smear test performed. I got nowhere - it went on for 12 years - eventually I went to a private GP who arranged a pelvic scan - I had fibroids - which is very common for somebody with an underactive thyroid - but the gynaecologist that I was sent to see said it could be uterine cancer - so I ended up in hospital for a procedure. No problem just fibroids. Fibroids I believe I have read somewhere are yet another symptom of our sort of problem. I had my last period on my 50th birthday which wasn't fun. I would get yourself checked out by a reliable gynaecologist if I was you.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you!

[Penny6412]

I am 50 and mine are all over the shop I had one skipped 3 months had one fen then two in March now waiting to see what comes next. Last time I had blood test done I was told every hormonal was fine. Doc said it could be I was peri menopausal. It would be great to think I was finished with all that but you just don't know