question to members on NDT having gone through menopause

I would be grateful for other people's feedback and experiences.

For the past few months (I just turned 49), I have been having issues with sweating and poor sleep. I often wake up several times at night, drenched in sweat.

In the summer of 2016, I was on a very high dose of Thyroid-S (7 grains) but doing very well on it. Labs were:

TSH <0.01 (0.2-4.0)

FT4 0.9 (0.7-1.5)

FT3 2.9 (1.7-3.7)

A year ago, I felt slightly hyper and labs showed FT3 levels seriously out of range, so I cut back to 6 grains. In September 2017, labs were:

TSH <0.01

FT4 1.2 (0.7-1.5)

FT3 3.6 (1.7-3.7)

Since I always have labs 24 hours after taking NDT, I figured FT3 levels would be slightly out of range on the previous day as supposedly +/-20% higher on the day you take it, so I cut back to 5 grains daily where I have been since and doing OK until recently, when I started sweating again. It's not all the time, but comes and goes, and always when it's most inconvenient. I need to think about which clothes I wear, and have even been considering getting a fringe again to cover my forehead...

I have been on HRT (Estrogel day 5-25 and Utrogestan 200 mg day 15-25 of cycle, prescribed by Hertoghe doctor) for the past six years. It no longer seems to be effective, or perhaps it never was as I was no way near peri-menopause when put on it. My periods are still pretty regular, although the time between periods has varied slightly in recent months (between three and five weeks, so they are no longer like clockwork).

I wanted to hear from others on thyroid hormone replacement having gone through peri-or menopause: how did you know how to tell if symptoms such as excessive sweating were due to being overmedicated or fluctuating sex hormones? I know we require less thyroid hormone as we age, but could my needs really have changed that much in such a short period of time...? Is there a reason why HRT would all of a sudden prove to be useless?

[Nanaedake]

It's a bit complicated if you didn't need to be on HRT in the first place. Have you checked all your vitamin levels? If FT3 was over range for a while you might be nutrient depleted as everything passes through your body too quickly. Low nutrients may also trigger sweating.

[Hidden in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks! In fact, it's been a while since I had all nutrients tested....I'm seeing my hormone doctor again in April and will be going to the lab a few weeks before that.

For the past six months, I have been using a UK product Healthspan MultiVitality Daily Essentials Complete which contains vitamins, minerals, Omega 3 and probiotics in three capsules that you take daily.

I was not peri-menopausal when originally put on HRT as demonstrated by my FH and LH levels at the time, but rather I was given HRT (along with NDT and Medrol for adrenal fatigue) because my estradiol and progesterone levels were deemed suboptimal, not necessarily below range. It's only now that I am beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to start HRT at age 42, long before any symptoms of peri-menopause appeared...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Also, my gynaecologist recently suggested that I switch to Femoston which contains estrogen + dydrogesterone (synthetic progesterone). She suggested it might offer more stable hormone levels than bioidentical HRT...not sure what to think? "Natural" or "bioidentical" sounds like it would be kinder to the body as it would recognise it as one of its own hormones...has anyone tried both bioidentical and synthetic HRT and can compare the two with regard to effectiveness and side effects?

[trelemorele in reply to Hidden]

Out of curiosity

What did they prescribe you for HRT and in what dose.

Thanks

[Hidden in reply to trelemorele]

Oestrogel (Estradiol) cream, bio identical, two pumps day 5-25 of cycle. Utrogestan 200 mg, bio identical, day 15-25 of cycle.

[Katelou]

I am 56 underactive thyroid, I take Armour thyroxine 2.5 grains , but recently have felt quite unwell and noticed my T3 had dropped from 5.9 to 3.00. My Endo then prescribed 10 g of T3 to supplement with the Armour, I had previously been u well with a chest infection and had two rounds of antibiotics, plus steroids ( which I feel gave me mental psychosis and adversely affected my thyroid balance) additionally, I seem to develop menopausal symptoms after taking the steriods, sweating, sleep disturbance and extreme fatigue.

I was not sure if my thyroid was the problem or the menopause.

I have felt stronger since taking the T3, but I could no longer cope with sleepless nights so have started HRA under a private doctor in London.

I have found after a couple of weeks the night sweats have gone and I am sleeping well.

I had also been suffering with axiety which I noticed went after taking g the T3.

But think a combined approach was required in my case.

I am taking the same Hormone replacement therapy as you, but why are you taking at your age?

What is Hertoghe doctor?

[Hidden]

A Hertoghe doctor is a doctor trained by Thierry Hertoghe, a Belgian hormone doctor (third or fourth generation). The Hertoghe doctors prescribe NDT and other bio-identical hormones. Most of them work in Belgium, but there are some in other European countries as well. My doctor worked in his practice before going into private practice.

The reason I was put on HRT at age 42 was because I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue which allegedly caused me to have suboptimal levels of estradiol and progesterone. I was also put on steroids (Medrol) which I have managed to wean off, and I have to say I feel much better without them.

[Hoxo]

This is a difficult one. I’ve been having night sweats symptoms on and off for 4 years and am now 3 years post menopause. I take Menosan sage drops for the hot flushes and night sweats and find that it really does help in almost eliminating them. I can’t take HRT as I used to get migraines with auras and that means you’re at risk of stroke if you take HRT so couldn’t take it. When it gets very bad I will reduce my NDT by half a grain and see how that affects me Then increase again once they’ve settled down after a week on sage drops. Hope this helps. Menopause a tough time when you have thyroid disease so you need to listen to your body and look after yourself.