Perimenopause and hypothyroid

[sparkleface]

Hi. Does anyone have long term underactive thyroid and finding it worse when going through perimenopause? I have been hypo for 30 years now at 41 I am having huge hormonal probs and think its combination of peri and hypo. Feel like ive lost myself and have very rare normal days.

[annette12]

Sparkleface I was just about to post the exact same question.

I have hashimotos and also perimenopausal. I am 47 and having a really hard time this last 4weeks.

I to feel like a diff person physically and mentally.

At the moment I have severe anxiety something I have never suffered from. I also have tingling and numbness In arms and legs. Headaches, ringing in ears and weak legs.

My tsh has been fluctuating up and down this past few mths.

My b12 was 250 but not on injections as in range. I supplement with sublinguals it does help with fatigue.

I have low vit d and ferretin so supplementing those aswel.

I am finding it very difficult to try and keep everything in balance.

Good to hear someone else going through this aswel.

Are you supplementing anything at the minute?

[Lisasones in reply to annette12]

Annette, your B12 is LOW! The tingling and numbness and tinnitus are neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency and I would really urge you to do some more research on the symptoms of PA as you might find you have more than you were aware of, the PA forum on HU is a great source of info, best wishes, Lisa

[annette12 in reply to Lisasones]

Hi Lisa. My doctor would not give me injections as I was in range. I have managed to get my number up to 2000 but still feel dreadful. I got intrinsic factor test but it came back negative so now my doc has said its anxiety and perimenopause. I don't know what else to do. Why do I still have symptoms if my numbers are high?

[Lisasones in reply to annette12]

Hi, you might have high numbers in your blood but it doesn't mean you are able to access it in the cells - and the IF test should come back negative - meaning you have none? or do you mean it simply didn't show the result your GP wanted? that test is notoriously unreliable but also guidelines are you should be treated based on symptoms not just blood levels... I do sympathise though, I've got perimenopause, PA and hypothyroid... its pants! X

[annette12 in reply to Lisasones]

Yes sorry should have said intrinsic factor was normal. I'm going to ask to be referred to an endi I can't continue like this.

Thanks for your help. X

[Hidden]

Hello sparkleface,

It always seems so unfair that not only do we have to deal with hypothyroidism and all the problems that brings but also further hormone imbalances caused by perimenopause, etc.

I have Hashimotos and struggled too, so when another member posted the following link I found it very interesting.

hashimotoshealing.com/hashi...

flower007

[Gismo333]

Hi yes the menopause causes great fluctuations of hormones in the body. Perimenopause is worse. I lost my thyroid at this time as the blood tests didn't show what was really going on. What are you taking?

[sparkleface in reply to Gismo333]

Hi. I am taking 150mcg of thyroxine with b6 agnus castus and magnesium although dont know whether its really helping. Just had blood done again as ususl doc says normal but has gone up from 1.9 to 3.4 tsh. Dont know whether to increase dose to 175 to see if I feel any different. I have seen a private endo who was happy wi ith my levels and recommended hr! I dont feel normal and have felt like this before when my level was not managed properly in pregnancy. My b12 result was 353 which they again said was normal. I DONT FEEL NORMAL!!! Just spaced out and despairing

[dmorrismaria09]

I am 50. I had hyperthyroidism when I was 24. Now I have hypothyroidism fir the past 5 years. I was having crazy long eratic periods. The Dr's would not check my hormone levels because I am over 45.. so I had to take things in my own hands. Now after lots of research and testing. I take one thyroid supplement every day . Bought from Amazon. As well as one evening primrose and starflower oil and one Macca root to help balance my hormones. I take extra vit d3 2x a month. And a course of multi vitamins once every 3 months as a booster. I have more energy. More stable. Not so fuzzy or tired and have started to reduce weight. And the eratic long periods have reduced to 7 to 10 days from 3 to 6 weeks. . hope that helps

[dmorrismaria09]

I think the only thing I lack now us B12 as I have Tinnitus and cramps sometimes.. Does anyone know how much B12 I should take?

[Thy50]

Hi Annette. I can relate to how you are feeling being hypo and

Peri menopausal myself. I read some of your previous posts and wondered whether you had the mirena coil fitted. I am due to have mine changed next week and hope that this is the missing piece of the puzzle which will finally improve my well being.

[mrsm49]

Me too, I'm 50 but started having erratic periods, moods, etc about 3/4yrs ago, tests showed I was probably perimenopausal. I believe this was when my thyroid nodules started but despite hypo symptoms my bloods were "normal" Nodules grew too big affecting swallowing so out they came last year.

Since my TT periods started but being every 2weeks for 10-14 days, so almost constant then stopped completely in that not had one for 4months now

Mood swings gone but still get hot sweats on waking up, any stress etc although these are a welcome change from feeling so cold. My hubby in recent years has called me "liquid nitrogen nose"!!!

Still getting thyroxine levels sorted but it's hard to manage as think my body is in a hormonal storm at mo.

[amandac46]

I will follow this as I am 43 with the underactive thyroid and feel like im starting the perimenopause. I have just purchased Vitax yesterday to try and see what happens... I have looked at all the symptoms and i have them the PMS was so bad this weekend i just wanted to cry

[Lisasones in reply to amandac46]

Amandac46 my menopause symptoms reversed once I got the right treatment for my thyroid (T3 only for me) so don’t give up hope yet X

[louise52 in reply to Lisasones]

No way..i could have written this!! Im 43 and have been in perimenopause hell for the last 2 yrs. My thyroid went haywire when i started taking hrt and i had to stop taking it. My thyroid is now TSH 1.75 , FT4 20 but FT3 only 1.2 (ref 1.3-3.6). My ferritin is only 14 and i just feel horrendous. Im wondering if i need T3 txt only?

[Gk44 in reply to Lisasones]

I'm 44... and I was convinced that I've been going through Peri menopause since my late 30's (maybe 37). My first doctor just laughed at me and told me I was too young. since then I've gotten progressively worse. My periods got closer together, I have severe fatigue, mood swings, anxiety and depression. Every day is another story. I don't know what to expect. I did see a specialist, and I tried a combination of T3 and T4. This only made me worse. The frustrating thing was that it did help with the fatigue. Unfortunately it also ended up making my brain overactive, and I had a lot of anxiety. When we lowered the does I guess I started to go into withdrawal right away because I started to experience really bad depression. At this point I said, "Okay, I've had enough of this rollercoaster ride! I'm done with the Cytomel!" Since I had my original dose of Synthroid I switched back to that. I still had to go through the withdrawl, which lasted about 3 and a half months.

My specials said I did the right thing. It would have taken me longer to go through the withdrawal if I had tried to decrease the T3 slowy. It wasn't fun though! On a good note, I'd asked my Endo if he could check my sex hormones. The results showed my LH and FSH I think it is, were high. With my symptoms and those test results, my new doctor has agreed that I am in perimenopause. Unfortunatly knowing doesn't help much. I'm back at square one: exhasted and I don't know what my mood will be like from day to day.