Ive been having trouble for the last few yrs with both my thyroid and perimenopause/early menopause. I have Hashis nearly 20+ yrs and was fxnal on 100mgs of Eltroxin. Im so umwell i dont know if its the thyroid or hormonal swings of peri. Whilst trying hrt my thyroid went skewy and i was seriously unwell. I was taken off hrt and eltroxin and restarted on eltroxin slowly. Am currently on 100mgs daily and these are my latest results. I feel dreadful by the way.
TSH 1.75 ref 0.2-4.5
FT4 20pmol ref 12-22
FT3 1.2 ref 1.3-3.6
Ferritin 14.8 ref 23-395
GP doesnt think FT3 an issue as TSH and FT4 good??? Put me on galfer tabs 1x daily for 3 mths. Wont test my Vit D. My B12 supplementing was 393.
Im so ill and dont know what to do. Whether its my thyroid or my perimenopause making me feel so dreadful. I honestly dont know where to turn to anymore. Only my 3 kids and hubbie keeping me going. My endo says ive an anxiety disorder exacerbating my symptoms. My psych that i only started seeing sinve this happened as i started questioning myself says i dont and that i need to go to a hormone specialist in UK as no one here able to help. Im wondering if my body couldnt tolerate the hrt as my thyroid meds not fxning for me. Sick of being told its all in my head and to get on with it. I see my endo weds and would welcome any comments re levels. Just feel i need some support as im dreading the consultation with her weds thats costing me 200€ by the way. TIA
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louise52
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Hi Louise, you are on the right track with the iron supplementation because there is no way with a ferritin of 14 that you will be feeling good and/or be able to convert your thyroid med from T4 to T3. I had a ferritin of 6 last year and felt way worse than I do now - I had the nightly restless legs like you wouldn't believe! I also couldn't tolerate even the lowest dosage of Synthroid. Now that my ferritin is up past 80 I am working my way up on levothyroxine without side effects.
Also I am not a doctor but your FT3 is low so something isn't converting.
What are your worst or most dominant symptoms? Also why is your ferritin so low, have you found the cause?
Thanks for replying Rose. Well ive been veggie for almost 20yrs and wasnt supplementing. My ferritin was always within range but on the borderline ie 20s/30s. Im currently going through an early menopause and having a period every 21 days or less so thats obvs contributing to depletion of my iron stores as they have never been this low before!! My symptoms are exhaustion feeling out of it no inclination to do anything really upset at feeling so crap for last 2 yrs and still getting nowhere. Just cant see a way out at mo. How ling did it take to get ur iron up to 80?
Louise I took ferrous fumerate 106 elemental mgs twice a day (one pill in the morning and one at night). I felt the restless legs ease up when my ferritin got over 30, which took about a month and a half. I had heavy flows due to being hypothyroid and the Mirena has stopped the period for now, thankfully. I have also been veggie for many years but went back to eating clams as they are extremely high in iron (and when fried they are very delicious).
Tks Rose. Im taking Galfer 305mgs x 1 daily. Hoping the increase will help my FT3 too!! Dont think i could do clams...ive started eating salmon and some chicken again but dont think i could handle red meat.
What about supplementing with desiccated liver to increase your iron, in addition to your Galfer? This way you don't have to "eat" it. Also best to take iron with vitamin C for increased absorption, and some swear by adding lysine as well.
Ive been supplementing B12 and Solgar Multi B and Solgar Vit D...have started taking Vit C with iron..spoke to endo before about vit and mineral deficiences and gf and she dismissed me. Im already a thorn in her side as im complicated and she conveniently labelled me with an anxiety disorder. Never had anxiety in my prior 40 yrs to my hormones going crazy. Ive watched that series last yr and have her book. Unfortunately as a lifelong veggie i just cant bring myself to eat red meat. Endo happy with TSH once under 4!!!
I know...it beggars belief..i just feel like im on my own and dont really know how to get myself better. Feeling so unwell and having to rely on ypurself is just crap isnt it?Going to focus on getting my iron up and my B12 Folate and Vit D.. will ask my Endo about my FT3 and will chk back in with you all. Just cant see any light at the moment .
I live in Dublin Ireland so functional medicine drs are v few and far btw and unfortunately i cant afford one. Havent been able to work in 18mths with all my health issues...
I am same boat for 3 years, Hashi's - 2 large nods and left half thyroid removed 8 weeks ago. On EFFEXOR for night sweats, anxiety.
A study has found that the antidepressant Effexor (chemical name: venlafaxine) eased hot flashes just as well as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). ... Hot flashes also are a known side effect of hormonal therapy medicines used to treat breast cancer.
Working on blood labs for Thyroid medication Post surgery- SYNTHROID 50 mc, going to up dose to 100 mc...I does get better!
Hang on in there...its tough isnt it? Last few days i feel so weepy and down, muscle aches, so stressed by it all which isnt helping. Trying my best to focus on taking each day as it comes and hoping it will get better and we will get through this. Exhausted and drained. Think its hard whrn you cant see any light at the end of the tunnel!! Thanks for replying
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