Does anyone know much about estrogen and progesterone issues?

[Coleyyywo]

Sorry I have posted so many questions and I think this may be in the wrong place but I was wondering if anyone might know.

I have had sore throat and achy body/muscles, I feel like I’m coming down with the flu, I’ve had this for a a year, there is no pattern but 80% of the last year I’ve had these symptoms and a few breaks in between (maximum a few days)

I’ve been referred to a rheumatologist but the waiting list is very long, so looking to go private however I’m not sure it’s a rheumatologist I need to see, I’m convinced it’s my hormones going crazy that’s causing these symptoms.

It was much worse during my pregnancy and came on during my pregnancy. (Had the same symptoms 2 years ago but wasn’t as intense and lasted a few months). I have had lots of tests, lupus, full blood counts, liver, and they have been okay.

I was thinking it could be thyroid but not so sure now, I’m going to order some further tests to check thyroid.

But I’ve been doing some research and found some women suffer with period flu, the symptoms sound very similar to mine, what causes it is estrogen and progesterone levels. However I don’t have symptoms before my period, it’s most days (although since giving birth 5 months ago, the last 4 weeks has been a lot better)

So my question is, does anyone know if estrogen and progesterone levels can go crazy and make people unwell, and if so how to I go about testing this privately?

Thank you for reading

[greygoose]

I have had sore throat and achy body/muscles, I feel like I’m coming down with the flu,

That sounds very much like thyroid to me - typical hypo symptoms.

[Coleyyywo in reply to greygoose]

Really, I have felt like it’s my thyroid, my TSH, FT4, FT3 we’re all in range but I didn’t have the antibodies checked for hashi’s. Which I plan to do soon! Thanks

[greygoose in reply to Coleyyywo]

Just because they're 'in-range' doesn't mean they're optimal. Can you give us the actual numbers: results and ranges, and let us have a look?

[Coleyyywo in reply to greygoose]

Yes of course,

TSH - 2.55 mu/L

FT4 - 15.2 pmol/L

FT3 - 4.8 pmol/L

Thanks

[greygoose in reply to Coleyyywo]

You haven't given the ranges, but your TSH is much too high for someone on thyroid hormone replacement. So, you are under-medicated. No wonder you're having symptoms.

[Coleyyywo in reply to greygoose]

Oh sorry please see ranges below

2.55 mu/L

TSH levels normal (normal

range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)

15.2 pmol/L

FT4 levels normal (normal

range 12 - 22 pmol/L)

4.8 pmol/L

FT3 levels normal (normal

range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

I’m not currently medicated, I’ve never taken medication for thyroid

[greygoose in reply to Coleyyywo]

Ah, ok, so...

TSH 2.55 (0.27 - 4.2)

FT4 15.2 (12 - 22)

FT3 4.8 (3.1 - 6.8)

Your FT4/3 are euthyroid (normal), but your TSH isn't. It's in-range, but the range is too wide, and your TSH is too high within the range, showing that your thyroid is struggling.

A euthyroid TSH is around 1, but your thyroid needs a higher TSH in order to maintain euthyroid levels of thyroid hormone. And, it's quite possible to have hypo symptoms with levels like this.

What time of day was the blood draw for this test?

[Coleyyywo in reply to greygoose]

This is very interesting, if I do the antibody tests will this give me a definite answer if its hashimoto? Or would I need to have a ultra sound scan to get definite answer?

Also do you know if hashimoto can disappear for long periods? I had these symptoms 2 years ago, they didn’t last more than a few months.

I did the finger prick test around 8am, before food and drink (apart from water)

[greygoose in reply to Coleyyywo]

OK, so whilst your TSH is high, it's not yet over-range, so doctors will tell you it's 'normal'. Sigh.

if I do the antibody tests will this give me a definite answer if its hashimoto?

It might. But, then again, it might not.

If the result is positive, then that is definitive, you have it.

If it's negative, it doesn't prove anything. And that's because antibodies fluctuate all the time, so they could be within range today, but over-range tomorrow.

Also, there are two types of Hashi's antibodies, but the NHS insists it only needs to test one of them. But if either of them are high, it shows Hashi's.

What's more, 20% of Hashi's people never even have high antibodies, and they are diagnosed by ultrasound. But, Hashi's will only show up on an unltra sound after some damage has been done to the gland. It won't show in the early stages.

do you know if hashimoto can disappear for long periods?

Not exactly 'disappear', no. But, as I'm sure you know, Hashi's can swing from hypo to false 'hyper'. And, on the return swing towards hypo, when most of the excess hormone has been used up or excreted, levels can stay at euthyroid for quite some time. That's when people start claiming to have 'cured' their Hashi's by whatever it was they were doing. But, eventually, they go back to being hypo again. So, sounds like that's what happened to you.

[HeartWoman]

This is interesting! I have been on estrogen for many years. Five weeks ago, my estrogen was reduced and I started progesterone as well. I have had a dry cough and nasal congestion for over a week now. I don't think I am actually sick. I also went over range on my thyroid and have wondered if any of those things are contributing to it. Years ago I was diagnosed with asthma. It was bad enough that I was on 2 inhalers and had a nebulizer. I went on thyroid meds and it went away. I got rid of my nebulizer. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not.

[greygoose in reply to HeartWoman]

Probably not.

[Maya_83 in reply to HeartWoman]

My son who's 9 always needs his inhalers. Probably x3 a day. His Tsh sits at 3.46 (0.27- 4.2) this reading since he was born.

They always says his thyroid is fine 😞