Poor absorption of thyroid hormone- can sex hormones help?

[Dee8686]

Hi,

I posted my latest thyroid results yesterday which show that I’m still really hypo despite large increases in thyroid hormone dosage. My numbers simply aren’t budging much despite increasing meds. I’m curretly taking 50mcg levo and 20mcg t3 and still really hypo.

It has been suggested that I have poor absorption of thyroid hormone. I am addressing my gut and taking the correct steps to heal it if it needs healing.

I also wondered though, can sex hormones, if out of whack, also affect absorption of thyroid meds? I know my sex hormones are out of whack because my monthly cycle is often non existent - which in turn I know can be down to being hypo.

But- had anyone increased their absorption of thyroid hormone by balancing their sex hormones? Could that be preventing me from absorbing and utilising thyroid hormones correctly? Any info appreciated. I’m feeling rather sad today!

[Dee8686]

greygoose and SlowDragon just copying you both in as you were so helpful yesterday x

[greygoose in reply to Dee8686]

I'm afraid I don't know. But it seems rather unlikely to me that sex hormones would have an effect on absorption at gut level.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I think you are probably still under medicated. Need to increase Levothyroxine slowly. 50mcg is only a starter dose

Increase slowly either 25mcg or 12.5mcg. Retesting in 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

[hobbycat]

In the book ‘What the doctor might not tell you about the menopause’ Dr Lee suggests that sex hormones do effect thyroid meds.

[Dee8686 in reply to hobbycat]

Thank you - I bought his book, but not this one. Does he say it affects absorption of hormones? I have his other book!

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm not sure whether they can affect the absorption of thyroid hormones but know if one hormone is out it has a knock on affect on your other hormones. Hope you feel better soon 😊

[Dee8686 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I’m wondering if this is the case for me. That would also agree with the comment above too. X

[Highland49]

I read somewhere that oestrogen blocks thyroid hormone. I was prescribed HRT instead of levo, which made my lethargy and breathing much worse. I wouldn't recommend starting on hormone treatment unless you have had your hormone profile fully checked.

[Taloula18]

Have you checked your adrenals? The saliva test through medichecks showed me that I had low cortisol and supplementing with Cortrex is helping. There's a section on the Stop the Thyroid Madness website on adrenal fatigue which I found helpful

[sarosent]

Dee, look up Estrogen Dominance. Maybe that's what is happening ?

I take Chastetreeberry to help increase progesterone.

This is one theory:

forefronthealth.com/hypothy...

Excerpt:

In hypothyroidism your body is unable to detoxify estrogen efficiently, causing estrogen to build up in the body and become excessive.

This excessive estrogen blocks thyroid function and drives hypothyroidism in a number of ways, including:

Inhibiting the proteolytic enzymes that allow your thyroid gland to release its thyroid hormone, directly blocking your thyroid gland.

Blocking your liver from converting inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 thyroid hormone your cells need to survive.

Blocking your metabolism and preventing you from using thyroid hormone efficiently.

[Dee8686 in reply to sarosent]

Thanks for that. I’m having a hormone panel done next week. I know sec hormones are off as I’m not having regular periods. It’s just odd that I’m taking a large dose of t3 and even that’s not effective really yet. Would you think it would still effect that even though that’s the active hormone?