Been suffering for 5 years with long and heavy periods sometimes up to 8 weeks at a time. Finally told earlier this year the cause was several large fibroids. Had a myomectomy 4weeks ago, to solve the problem but sadly it seems to have not worked. Been back to hospital twice now due to heavy bleeding and pass huge blood clots. They can’t give me any answers and have just put me on Norethisterone for 3 months continuously. As I also have an under active thyroid I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience? And also if any who has taken Norethisterone has felt depressed whilst on it and very tired. I can’t stop crying and have no interest in anything at all and wondered if they were side effects of having synthetic hormones in my body. Been to my GP but they were not really helpful even though I explained how I was feeling.
Thank you in advance for any advice offered.
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Lordy40
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Heavy periods are classic sign of being hypothyroid
Can you add your most recent Thyroid test results TSH, FT3 and FT4 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies
Vitamin D, folate, B12 and very likely too low ferritin
These Vitamins must be optimal for thyroid hormones to work well. Obviously heavy periods tend to lower ferritin and iron
So for full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.
All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting.
If on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get antibodies tested, if never been done.
Thank you for your reply, I will contact my doctors and ask for my latest test results. Had full blood count done at hospital in last two weeks and they said they came back normal, though they didn’t share what the result ranges were with me, I will do some investigating.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges
UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up. They can no longer charge for printing out, rules changed after May 25th 2018
How much Levothyroxine are you taking
Come back with new post once you have most recent results and ranges for TSH, FT3 and FT4, plus have you also had thyroid antibodies tested
Also vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested. Add results and ranges if you have them
Thank you slowDragon I have ordered a medichecks kit which covers all those areas for testing. Once done I will post a new post with results. I currently take 150mcg a day of levothyroxine.
I was so sure the Myomectomy would sort out the fibroid issue and I am just upset it didn’t but the gynae team can give me no answers, just that there maybe a fibroid they couldn’t remove that is causing the problem. Having read of online about being given Norethisterone to stop bleeding I wonder if they think I’m in peri menopause as I’m 43 but they haven’t told me that.
I also had this very badly. I had the lining of the womb taken off, called endometrial ablation ....where they also discovered I had some large fibroids which had not shown up on the scan, this gave me light flow so was marvellous. I have Hashimotos too but no one has spoke of the connection that I believe is there. I also suffered bad acne from teens to menopause, carpal tunnel, persistent sinusitis and frozen shoulder which are also connected to low Thyroid but no Doctor ever connected the dots!
I hope you get good advice on here. Good luck, you will get there 😀
Oh your question made me recall the terrible years I had with heavy periods and also bleeding at unexpected and awkward times. I cant describe the embarrasment this caused. I linked the additional cascades to stressful situations. In the end they diagnosed fibroids And ended up with a hysterectomy. People treated me as if I had lost something but I was delighted ! No more anaemia or worse, the carrying of giant sized pads everywhere ...
No one mentioned thyroid link, I am hashis, over this time but years later went to see a private Thyroid doctor in Glasgow , he since died, bless him, and he said it def. was very likely linked to my underactive thyroid. I believe if I had know about alternatives to Thyroxine then, I might have not had the issues described, to the extent they were anyway.
Thank you. Sounds very similar to what I’m gong though now, had an under active thyroid since 18 but always felt quite well on levels I’m on. Just the last few years it’s been bad, there is a genetic link to fibroids on my maternal side which I feel is causing the problems. I really hope they do a hysterectomy as I can’t carry on like this, I can’t go out anywhere without planing toilet stops and it’s just affecting my whole life. They said they only did the Myomectomy because I would still like the Chance to have children but if I’d know if wouldn’t work I would have just gone for the hysterectomy. I can’t keep taking time off work for treatment etc.
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