Over-active thyroid & Menopause : I have been... - Thyroid UK

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Over-active thyroid & Menopause

Britney23 profile image
12 Replies

I have been suffering with an over active thyroid for years now and the Menopause ' i am just wondering if any other women out there have this also and how they manage there symptoms as i tend to think that the doctors do not really give that much information about it ?

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Britney23 profile image
Britney23
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12 Replies
KLR22 profile image
KLR22

I have Hashimoto's and am going through the menopause.

Karen

Britney23 profile image
Britney23 in reply to KLR22

I never heard of Hashimoto's Karen ' Is it same as Thyroid problems, ?

KLR22 profile image
KLR22 in reply to Britney23

Yes, it's Hypothyroidism - an autoimmune condition.

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy

I was diagnosed with Graves around the same time as starting the menopause (suddenly it seemed!)

It was difficult at first as many of the symptoms are similar. I tried to sort them and concentrated more on the Graves and when I was reasonably stable, I started to research HRT.

Britney23 profile image
Britney23 in reply to Silver_Fairy

I hate the menopause and truly believe the horrible symptoms are really underestimated by professionals, since i have it my memory has got really bad, the sweats ( hot flushes ) are the worst i am on HRT it helps a bit with the hot flushes but i do not find it benefits me much., my hair falls out in clumps ' got lots of facial hair which i find really embarrassing and horrible ect ect, No Wonder they call it the change ?

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy in reply to Britney23

Maybe a change of HRT? There are lots of different types and combinations. I started on an oestrogen patch and progesterone pill. Stopped the oestrogen after doing some reading up and found the prog alone stopped my flushes.

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy

I have just read your other post. What dose of Carbimazole are you on? Your symptoms point to you still being hyper, and that might be why you need sleeping tablets.

Can you do a new post with your most recent thyroid blood results (with ranges) and someone can give their opinion?

Have you had Vit B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin tested? Being hyper can make you deficient in many vitamins and minerals.

Britney23 profile image
Britney23 in reply to Silver_Fairy

Hi Silver Fairy ,i am only on 5mg Carbimazole, sometimes the doctor put me up to 10mg when my thyroid is a bit high ? I do not understand it' as my Consultant told me my Thyroid was normal, yet i felt drained and horrible, pains in my actual bones i could not even kneel on the floor at one time, also rapid heart beat and shaking ? Then another consultant told me that the pains were normal with taking the Carbimazole and that they cause damage to the bones so i would be better having my thyroid removed and get off the Tablets ? They all seem to be saying different things ? My last blood results are TSH 0.19 FT4 14.80 The result before that was TSH 0.62 FT4 13.00 FT3 4.10 ? I do not have a clue what these results mean ? Thanks for information, about vitamins ,i did start taking vitamin D and doctor told me to stop as to much in my system ,so now i do not take, i actually felt horrible taking the vitamin D, seems i was taking to much :)

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy

Do a new post so members can see it easier with your results, but include the ranges, as some labs differ (Im still not very good with the numbers!)

It is a good idea to request your results, not just thyroid, but every blood test you have. Often GP's will say that levels are ok when they may only just be in range so not 'optimal'.

I would say the pain is due to the Graves not the Carb, I get them myself and Im not on Carb at present. Not sure Ive ever seen anything about Carb damaging bones. More likely that when you are hyper, your body processes more vits etc and you are more likely to be deficient. Maybe you should ask for calcium to be added to the other tests?

The only reason I can see to hurry you into having your thyroid out is so they can refer you back to your GP for care and get you off their books! Dont be rushed into anything so permanent.

Britney23 profile image
Britney23 in reply to Silver_Fairy

Thank you so much , i am going to start asking for copys of my blood results from now on in, also i do not think i have Graves ? i really find the doctors very lacking in giving out information and after all these years i am still none the wiser, but they just seem to fob me off every time i ask anything such as that's normal' or say well i do not think its anything to do with your Thyroid ? Sometimes it really gets me down as so many doctors ( different consultants ) saying different things ? Next appointment at hospital i am going to ask is the pain im suffering in my joints because i have Graves ?? as something is causing this pain. I take propranolol 40mg for the rapid heart beat also.

mothsballs profile image
mothsballs in reply to Britney23

I have been hyper for over 30yrs. during the menopause i was very bad. 5mg is a very low dose, at one stage i was on 40mg. Carb is an expensive it drug over £100 which is why i suspect they are more reluctant now to prescribe it. I was led to believe it was the Graves disease that can cause bone problems, as the illness can cause osteoperosis. the medication can cause toxcity in the liver. I am sensitive to drugs food smells etc, but I was ok on carbo even the higher dose. The only reason i came off it and finally sucumed to having rai was the medication was no longer working as it should, I could feel the strain the illness was having on my heart, which was something else tobe aware of with Graves, and after finally coming through the menopause i was more at risk of brittle bones. I found the herbal tincture motherwort was good as well. sage can help some women with hot flushes. also you can get a cool pillow and blanket from the internet that cools when your body reaches a certain temperature although i never used one.

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy in reply to Britney23

Have you had an antibodies test done (TRab) ? It would be the only way to tell if it was Graves, I think it's important to know.

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