Non alcoholic fatty liver disease with Hashimotos. Drs tell me I'm perimenopausal I'm only 38 sigh!

[Shineyhappypeople]

Diet tips welcome for nafld any supplements needed for this? How long does it take for nafld to go away on its own?

My periods are very irregular: every 2 to 2 and a half weeks it's happening.

What supplements you recommend for nafld?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you now taking and which brand

Please add most recent thyroid and vitamin results

what vitamin supplements are you taking

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

[Shineyhappypeople in reply to SlowDragon]

175 mg of T4 and 20 mg of T3. Awaiting results back from test as we speak.

[humanbean]

One thing I came across very recently was articles saying that the name of NAFLD is being changed or has been changed. Since knowing the appropriate names for something helps with searching for information I thought I'd pass this along :

medscape.com/viewarticle/99...

thelancet.com/journals/lang...

Of course, the old name will hang around for a long time, so people have the problem of having to search for two names for the same condition.

[Shineyhappypeople in reply to humanbean]

That's some title unbelievable

[humanbean in reply to Shineyhappypeople]

Yes, I don't think I'd remember it.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to humanbean]

Added for search purposes: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD instead of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

[Torquaygirl]

can’t help with supplements but the British Liver Trust have great advice on diet and offer great support

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

[Zazbag]

Have you been tested for PCOS? It sounds like you have insulin resistance.

[grumpyold]

I know how you feel. I was perimenopausal at 37. It was all done and dusted by the age of 43.

Hashimotos was diagnosed when I was 44.

I was told I had NAFLD when I was 60. I have been taking choline with inisitol ever since. I can't prove to what extent it has worked, but I no longer get the upper quadrant pain I used to.

[sparkly]

I was diagnosed NAFLD a few years after diagnosed low thyroid on routine bloods done every time I had endo appointment. Scan showed fatty liver and gallstones ( never had any pain or symptoms from either) as diet alway low fat, low calorie, low carb, low everything so bad diet wasn't the reason (know now that is a very bad diet)Alway had high and low cholesterols, high crp, likely insulin resistant, couldn't lose weight, slightly raised BP but not on meds, larger waist circumference compared to rest of body so basically metabolic syndrome . Having all this stops you losing weight but you have to lose weight to reverse these..vicious circle

I've been on hrt 6 years not knowing perimenopause was causing so much issues with taking thyroid medication back then.

18 months ago started on testosterone that changed everything for me. February started exercising doing simple weight training in the garden. Increased stupidly low calories, high protein diet, 2/3 water daily, 7 hours sleep, limit alcohol. Only lost a couple of lb and weight constantly fluctuating daily but body shape started to change.

Then end of May a changed brand of T3 and felt so much better but 9 days later I started taking berberine supplement, 1 before each meal. Now I can't say for certain it was the berberine as I'd just changed brand of t3 but finally my weight slowly has been coming down. My last couple of bloods show liver enzymes are good, my cholesterol good and hoping my HDL and LDL are better normal next time and endo doing fasting glucose.

He believes I could have reversed the fatty liver now but only a scan would confirm that.

Read up the potential benefits berberine can have on insulin resistance, liver, blood sugars, cholesterol, BP, PCOS, just metabolic syndrome in general. These can be reasons why we struggle with weight and this can help with these issues, I really think it has in my case but lifestyle changes may also need to change

[gabkad in reply to sparkly]

Sparkly, how did the body shape change?

Do you think it's the testosterone or the huge dietary changes?

My GP categorically refuses to prescribe testosterone. I have an appointment with a sports medicine doctor coming up soon due to yet another stupid injury (this one resulted in lack of sensation in my left foot: L5 impingement...it's about 75% improved after almost two months but I'm really tired of all the injuries I get) and maybe she is more amenable.

[sparkly in reply to gabkad]

No due to lifting weights. My clothes were looser but scales not moving

[gabkad in reply to sparkly]

I could do with clothes fitting looser.

[sparkly in reply to gabkad]

Clothes looser and now scales moving in right direction too. Only took 13 years 🤦‍♀️Testosterone has enabled all this to happen though as didn't have the energy before I was on it.

If you are already on hrt then don't given up getting it prescribed. It can literally change lives.

I hope in the future when it is licensed for female use then testosterone will become standard along side oestrogen and progesterone therapy. Women should at least have the chance to trial it

[gabkad in reply to sparkly]

66th birthday is coming up. I've been on HRT for now going on 21 years. Not because I had early menopause. I was using for seven years before menopause and it's great. Just I'm 100% sure I need testosterone. Probably could have benefited from it for the past number of years just I had no idea. Until early 2020 my 'drive' was fine. I had to get an increase in progesterone and I don't know if that's done me in or what. I reduced the dose from 200 mg to 100 mg but it hasn't made any difference. At first I thought maybe the transdermal progesterone was the problem in not being absorbed well and that's why I had to go on oral micronized. But I find it hard to believe that only 100 mg progesterone is responsible for my retired sex drive.

It's terrible how women's needs are discounted. Years ago a neurologist who is only a few years older than me told me she'd never use HRT because it can cause dementia. It's actually the opposite. smh. I'm sure testosterone is right up there in preventive maintenance of our brains not just our bodies.

A friend of mine who has Addison's disease responded to my interest in testosterone that in her opinion (she's a research scientist) it's placebo. How is it that people get so damned opinionated about something they know so little, or nothing about? I keep sending her research papers and it's like she's got a mega sized blind spot. Meanwhile apparently testosterone might actually be good for her with her condition. She can't grow muscles despite doing upper body weight training.

[sparkly in reply to gabkad]

Sorry I've only just seen this.Yes I agree progesterone won't be the reason why. Not sure what hrt your on but they say estradiol needs to be adequate before testosterone added. Don't suppose you've had that tested recently?

My estradiol was 312 when testosterone was added and it worked fantastic for me. Also if shbg is high a lot of ladies don't get any benefit from testosterone.

Also postcode lottery as to if icb allowed to prescribe. If they can then whether secondary prescribes first then GP or if GP can alone. Almost as bad as getting t3 prescribe.

Don't give up though it can be life changing for some.

[gabkad in reply to sparkly]

I've had fsh and lh tested. It's as if I am pre menopausal. It means the HRT is correct. But getting testosterone is nigh on impossible. The women doctors are all youngsters who have no idea whatsoever. I'm scoring zero out of three so far. I will persist.

It is quite maddening when men who have erectile dysfunction get a prescription no problem but women who need more drive are denied any help. Wow. Talk about sexist misogyny. I guess at my age I'm not supposed to get it on.

Recently I got sciatica and was prescribed pregabalin. Might as well have a wooden pudendum. Cannot have an orgasm for love or money. I stopped cold turkey after I got up at 5:30 a.m. to feed the cats, lost my balance and ended up flat on my back. Good thing my boyfriend was here. What about if I would fall, injure myself and there's nobody here? Honestly these doctors do not provide sufficient information so a patient can make informed consent. I was just at the pain management clinic and the young female doctor had nothing to say when I told her that pregabalin not only does nothing for the pain but turns me into a sexless zombie who could crack their head open.

Am I angry? You bet I am.

[sparkly in reply to gabkad]

You could ask to be referred to your local hospital menopause/women's health clinic but waiting lists are ridiculous now, some saying 2 years 😢Or go private which is wrong I know but thousands are forced to. Other option is go through superdrug. They offer blood test (wouldn't advise finger prick) and if low 1 months supply ( 3 sachets of testogel) testosterone for £18. This really is annoying as I full box of 30 only costs the nhs £30 ish so they really are milking it. Men they only charge £56 for 30 sachets.

[gabkad in reply to sparkly]

I live in Canada. 1 year waitlist to see the gynecologist who may or may not prescribe. Right now I have been the recipient of 'no' so often I need to screw up my courage to call the gynecologist. I don't think I can cope with a fourth 'no' right now.

Penises are way more important.

[sparkly in reply to gabkad]

So you don't have it easy over there either 😢Good luck and hope you get it eventually

[chrisbuy63]

Hi, do some research on Berberine. It does have a lot of good reviews and can help with fatty liver and blood sugars etc. I have been taking it before my main meal. It helps me.

[Hookie01]

My advise would be to use as little supplements as possible as they all contribute to clogging up the liver to a certain extent and there is no real evidence they work. I basically tried to adopt a plant based diet, so no processed food, dairy, sugar etc. Go as natural as possible. I haven't been 100% but have had great results. Still a long way to go, but so much less bloating and pain. Good luck.

[humanbean in reply to Hookie01]

My advise would be to use as little supplements as possible as they all contribute to clogging up the liver to a certain extent and there is no real evidence they work.

I would disagree there is no evidence of supplements working. I feel hugely better with better levels of vitamins and minerals than I had before I started my supplements.

I would agree I haven't done a Randomised Controlled Trial with 5000 subjects, but I'm happy with the result of my n=1 trial. The people who do RCTs often get funded by Pharma companies and they would want the results to show no benefit because vitamins and minerals can't be patented and have tons of competition, so opportunities for making a killing with a vitamin or mineral product are limited.

[Hookie01 in reply to humanbean]

Sorry, I didn't mean all supplements aren't affective, I meant supplements to help with a fatty liver. There is little evidence of that. Obviously vitamins and minerals do help in other ways. Just getting over covid, brain is fried lol.

[WitchingHour2point0]

There is a link between early menopause and hypothyroidism; both can be autoimmune.

I'm 37 and just started HRT. Reckon I've been perimenopausal for 2 years

[Shineyhappypeople]

Many thanks people