Female hormones & Hashimotos

[mistygrey]

Do any of you take female hormones/pill with Hashimotos?

the more I am researching I am finding my female hormones could also be making me quite ill and contributing to some of my symptoms along with my various vitamin deficiencies.

Is their tests to test the state of your female hormones and is it safe to use a female hormone should you need one to stabilise your hormones and cycle out? I have read many stories about how bad synthetic female hormones are for Hashimotos and can cause Hashi flares.

[okaykay]

I am on HRT due to complete hysterectomy at 30. That was 18 years ago. I hope someone answers your post as I am curious about the same thing. I also have hashimoto thyroiditis with nodules.

[Exetergirl]

Hello,

I have Hashimotos and an on HRT because of menopause symptoms. I have been to see a HRT specialist and was told there is an interaction between the sex hormones ie oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone and thyroid hormones. The thing I came away with is that if you want to take sex hormones to assist with menopause or in fact birth control then you need to be prepared to adjust the levels of thyroid meds you take. I was advised that patches are a better way of getting HRT because the hormones are delivered into your blood and do not have to be metabolised by the liver. So. Patches are better by far. There does not seem to be much reasearch on this area.

I will watch this with interest in case someone has more to add.

[Hidden in reply to Exetergirl]

I've recently started HRT as my symptoms worsened over last 6 months which I reailsed coincided with my periods stopping, glad to see the patches work better as I opted for these thinking it would be easier than tablets and I'd read that Levothyroxine is less affective if HRT is used. My GP seemed pretty clueless to be honest, looked at the recommendations in a book, wrote an HRT prescription, then phoned me to come back as she wanted to change it for a different version! I am feeling better after having the patches though so I think it was needed in my case.

[okaykay in reply to Exetergirl]

Does the HRT cause the thyroid hormone to be less effective, therefore needing a higher dose or is it opposite?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I did a hormone profile with Genova Diagnostics, they do various ones, saliva or saliva plus urine depends on which test. I could see where in range the results lay but needed a "hormone specialist" to interpret them with regard to what to do about them. Unfortunately, not a specialist I would recommend.

[mistygrey in reply to SeasideSusie]

Did you find a hormone specialist to interpret the result Susie? I am looking at ordering the female tests too, what about the Medicare female profile? Sadly it doesn't test Progesterone though.. which seems kind of pointless 🤔

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to mistygrey]

Yes, I used a "hormone specialist", the one I wouldn't recommend

I haven't seen the Medicare profile but agree that you need progesterone tested, you won't get a complete picture otherwise.

[Exetergirl]

Me again....have a look on menopausematters a site about menopause! ..I searched HRT and thyroid....They explain why the interaction happens...it is a good site with a good amount of info about hormones...obviously focused on menopause but you might find something useful.

[SilverAvocado]

I've wondered the same thing. Sounds like lots of people do! But nothing to contribute myself, as I haven't had a chance to look into it yet.