Symptom Increase just before periods

[SAUK]

Hi all

I have been diagnosed as hypo in Jan 17 and currently on 75mcg levo. My symptoms are stabilising, but it seems around the time of my period, few days before and first few days, my symptoms increase significantly. Does anyone else experience this? Have you any tips to reduce the symptoms and keep things stable?

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Possibly under medicated. Post your recent results and members can advise

Do you have high thyroid antibodies? Hashimoto's

Got test results for vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 ?

These need to be at good levels for thyroid hormones to work well

Very common to be too low

[SAUK in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks all. Just got my results today.

TSH 2.49 Range 0.30- 5.5 - previous test 3.66 sept and 2.8 august

T4 14.8 range 10.3-24.5 -previous test 16.3 sept and 17.3 august

T3 4.2 range 3.5-6.5- previous test 4.1 sept 3.8 augist

Vit D 78 range 51-80 insufficient previous test 66 auguat

B12 400 range 180-1100 previous in jan 334

Folate 13.9 range 3-13 previous jan 3.7

Albumin 49 range 35-50 previous jan 46

Ferritin 42.6 range 20-300 previous 33.8 sept 44.5 august 16.6 may

Globulin 24 range 25-35 jan 20

Still waiting for TPOAntibodies...hopefully tomorrow.

On 75mcg for last 6 weeks. Upped from alt 75mcg/50mcg.

On Vit D spray only

No other suppliments at moment.

Gluten and dairy free all the way

Seeing my endo in dec...should I ask for higher dose?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SAUK]

Good your gluten free. Well done on dairy free too....quite a challenge

Yes dose is too low

Ask for 25mcg dose increase

TSH should be around one (or slightly lower) and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range

Vitamin D still too low. Aiming for around 100nmol

How much are you taking.

Typically with thyroid we need higher dose than average to increase level. Very likely need maintenance dose once there. Testing twice year

Vitamindtest.org.uk £28 postal kit

Ferritin is too low - looking at 70 minimum

Eating liver once a week should help

B12 not brilliant. You might consider either just vitamin B complex or also adding B12 sublingual lozenges

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email [e-mail]. print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.

[SAUK in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

Taking 3 sublingual sprays of BetterYou DLux Vit D +K2. Can I do more sprays to increase Vit D?

I will try the liver, but the lozenges sound far more appealing!

Do you have any suggestions on what to do about Ferritin? Iron tablets are a nightmare on my digestive system.

Again your advice is so helpful

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SAUK]

Liver should improve ferritin, if you like it. Consider liver pate, or hiding liver in shepherds pie, chili etc

Obviously iron tablets too are an option. There are lots of different ones to try, if ones you have tried affect you too badly

Suggest you put a post up asking for recommended iron supplements

Vitamin D

If you get plain vitamin D spray as well. Probably don't want to take more than 3000iu of the one with K2 in

[SAUK in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you

[Paula101]

Hello Sauk

I too suffer these symptoms pre period & also post period. I can certainly empathise.

Blood tests revealed I was very low in vits & mins & I have Hashimotos.

As I have now been on vits & mins for about 6 wks, it will be interesting to see what happens with my next period & see if there is any quietening down of symptoms. God, here's hoping! It'll really is such a bad time for me, the migraines especially so & my poor family get the brunt of it too.

If you've anymore blood tests results then do post them & the helpful people on this forum can advise further.

Good luck & I hope you find relief soon

[SAUK in reply to Paula101]

Thanks

[Canis2017]

I also see worsening in symptoms right before and during period. I can recommend Solgar gently iron with vitamin-C for iron supply.