Applogies first - I could not find the search bar for my question before I asked.
I am 47 and diagnosed 3 years ago with Hashimotos ... the last three menstrual periods have come every two weeks instead of once a month. Has anyone experienced this with Hashimotos? I know it could be a range of things .... looking for where the imbalance is from and why?
Many thanks
Good Morning Djane!
You may be undermedicated and/or have entered into perimenopause.
Hypothyroidism can affect the menstrual cycle in many ways, one of which is frequent cycles within one month. The cycle can also become longer, heavier, lighter, or even painful.
Menstrual irregularities are a normal part of perimenopause and one common menstrual change is shorter cycles, usually averaging two or three days less than usual but sometimes lasting only two or three weeks.
In Perimenopause both estrogen and progesterone start to decline. The latter at a far rapid rate which may lead to something called 'estrogen dominance'. It doesn’t necessarily mean that estrogen is elevated (although most of the time it is) – it means that there is not enough progesterone production to oppose estrogen and keep it in check.
Estrogen directly affects the thyroid by preventing its ability to produce thyroid hormones.
For both untreated hypothyroidism and with estrogen dominance, the adrenals are also likely to suffer. Perhaps a bit of support is needed in the form of high Vitamin C ( 3000 mg/day) and the adaptogen Ashwagandha which helps.
Do you have any recent thyroid results that you can share?
Thanks for your reply! I appreciate it, I can read so much and really confuse myself!! My latest results from April I only have TSH and T4;
Serum TSH level0.810 mu/L0.27 - 4.2 mu/L
Serum free T4 level16.500 pmol/L10.8 - 25.5
You are very welcome!
Are you on Thyroxine?
Your TSH is OK and your T4 levels are under mid-range (may suggest that you could benefit from a tiny boost); however, without your T3 levels, it is hard to firmly confirm that you are not converting enough T3 and you could benefit from either adding a bit more T4 or T3 to your thyroxine or perhaps switch to NDT.
Furthermore, with Hashimoto's the levels of your thyroid antibodies ought to be measured and addressed.
The majority of Hashimoto's benefitted from adding Selenium supplements 200 mcg/day and adopting a gluten-free diet. Perhaps something to consider if you are not already doing so.
Thanks for advice - yes on Levothyroxine 100mcg a day. I do have selenium but will start retaking and have not really gone completely gluten free, will do this.
Take care and all the very best wishes!
That’s lovely - same to you.
When I was perimenopausal,my periods became extremely heavy & ended up continous-leading to GPs wanting me to have a hysterectomy,removing ovaries & cervix at the same time,as I had fibroids & didn't want to conceive.
I had not yet been diagnosed hypothyroid.I ended up extremely anaemic.OTC iron replacement will not fix this-probably could have done with an iron infusion.
So if hypothyroid & anaemic & perimenopausal all three situations contribute to a very difficult to manage situation,with weakness,fatigue,palpitations.
My periods have been getting closer together, not as frequent as yours but my cycle has been 21-27 days for about 3 years. I don't believe it's perimenopause yet I'm 41 and have no family history of early menopause. The belief is that hypo causes periods to be further apart and hyper brings them closer together but there are lots of stereotypes and oversimplification of this condition and there is no one set of symptoms that one can have. I've been on Levo since oct 2016 and added t3 in earlier this year. My last cycle was a perfect 28 days so I'm hopeful getting the thyroid levels right will bring my period frequency back to the normal for me.
Thanks, you do sound very similar to myself. Though not having T3. Do you mind is I ask how much Levo you are on?
I was on Levo for 16 years.T3 for 2,T4 +T3 for a short while(get tachycardia episodes & ectopic beats on levo)Now on NDT.I took 125mcgs levo for years.
Now 68.Kept my womb etc by getting my GP to send me to Royal London Homeopathic Hospital's gynae!Still got fibroids!
Sounds like you have been through quite a lot, I am really sorry to hear. I hope you’re on the right track now and feelin on top of things. Do you think you feel better after menopause with the Hashimotos? I am confusing myself - the symptoms even though I have Hashimotos are so similar to Perimenopause, so maybe that’s my problem. But I guess like researcher uk and others said I won’t know until I get T3 tested. Take care
In 2012 I was refused at a blood donor session because of anaemia, I was 49 and having much heavier menstruation than ever before, it promoted me to get a BUPA medical from which I waa diagnosed with borderline Hypothyroidism. Fortunately I’d already read up on it and knew the GP was wrong to say “wait and see’ and the BUPA doctor advised treatment so I’ve been on Levothyroxine since and my periods settled down and never had anaemia since although I supplement. I hit menopause last September and health has worsened particularly cognitive function and anxiety, I’ve taken all advice here regarding supplements, and have felt a big improvement since starting T3 and HRT a couple of months ago. It’s a balancing act, and a must moving target 🤣 but private blood tests have really helped and shown me I have high thyroid antibodies caused by Hashimoto’s The problem with HRT is NHS just provide standard dose not specific to your own deficiencies. I’d definitely recommend getting a full thyroid blood test including T3, mine was low with T4 at top so a higher Levothyroxine wouldn’t help but looks like you have room to increase. You’re doing all the right things
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