hi, i have been on levo for nearly 6 wks now after being newly diagnosed as underactive thyroid.
i started bleeding 2 days after starting levo which meant periods were 2 weeks early and basically i am bleeding every 2 weeks for about 4 days.
anyone else like this and should it settle down?
thanks in advance for help.
Hi liz, periods are definitely "off" with hypothyroidism so it's not surprising. I think this will straighten out once you have established a stable dose and a few months to do that is not uncommon. Your adrenal glands are closely connected to your thyroid gland and the adrenals use cholesterol to make steroids and sex hormones. This is why hypothyroid patients may have fertility problems. Do you have any idea of your ferritin levels? It is needed to make levo (T4) convert to T3 which at the cellular level will improve symptoms.
You say you have only started taking Levothyroxine 6 weeks ago. You will be due another blood test soon and probably a raised dose. Make sure to have your blood test first thing in the morning and don't take your daily dose of Levothyroxine until after the test. Your doctor should be aiming to bring your TSH down to around 1 by increasing your dose every 6-8 weeks. Once you are on the right dose you will probably find your period problems sort themselves out, however many people with hypothyroidism find that they are very low on Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and iron (ferritin). If you are low on iron or ferritin this will also affect your periods, so get your doctor to test these nutrients while he is doing your thyroid bloods and supplement if necessary to bring your levels up to mid-range if possible. You will feel better for it and your body will be able to use your thyroid medication more effectively.
Hi there
Before diagnosis I was having periods every 5 weeks but very very heavy (super plus extra tampon plus towel and changing every 2 hours - This was normal according to my former GP!)
Once I started on levo everything went haywire. I had periods every three weeks but not as heavy, the they went back to 4 weeks but I got spotting at day 12-14. After about a year they went back to normal
If you're having problems with pain and/or clots/brown colour then try a vaginal steam. Best to Google for directions
Good luck
Hi lizdarragh,
Is the bleeding severe as in clots? Were your periods regular before the thyroid diagnosis? The thyroxine can take a while to settle itself in your system. But unfortunately, having a thyroid condition, can cause (in some cases) heavy bleeding and sometimes anaemia. The ironic thing is, if you anaemic then you bleed more. I would have a chat with your GP and perhaps get it checked out and ask about having your ferritin levels checked too. You might need a iron supplement. Not everyone suffers, so do not worry (easier said then done, I know) but for peace of mind, I would definitely have a chat with the GP/Nurse. I hope I haven't worried you and let us know how you get on 
Lots of problems with my periods over the last year or two and then started levo a couple of months ago... and have had the heaviest and most erratic periods, so yes i do believe the meds can cause more upset initially. I spotted most days of the month before and periods could come every 3 or 4 weeks so i am used to it. From what people have said on here it can be the last thing to settle after being optimally medicated and i don't believe i am there yet... let us know how you get on.
thank u all. i just had my second blood test on tuesday and get results this coming monday. i have never had period bother before, luckily always on time and no cramps. so now its completely changed and quite a few clots. hopefully it will settle down soon
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