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[Saab]

Hi !
I am new to the thread and wondered if anyone had any experience with Hashimoto underactive thyroid and HRT (klivotane?)
I have been on iHRT for 3.5 months and thyroxine for years and years. Everything was going well - night sweats went, hair growth slowed down, moods better and then literally 2 weeks ago I have the worst muscle aches in my legs - I exercise regularly and like to run but it's so painful especially if inactive and then move? No other pains and joints are fine - I just don't know if this is HRT affecting thyroid? Thanks if anyone knows anything !!

[Hurdity]

Hi Saab

 

Looks like your post got missed.

From what I've read if you take oral HRT in particular this can affect thyroid hormones so it is recommended to get your levels checked and monitored regularly after starting HRT if you are Hashimoto's as you might need to adjust your dose slightly ie increase it?

Hurdity x

[Wrensong]

Hi Saab & welcome! 

Hurdity is right, HRT can increase need for Thyroxine & in my experience not just oral HRT, though that is said to be more likely to affect thyroid status in women on replacement than transdermal forms.  Exogenous oestrogen increases thyroid binding globulin, effectively making less thyroid hormone available for use in the body.  I did find that my thyroid meds needing adjusting while my body adapted to HRT (patch) & that changes to my HRT regime sometimes also meant thyroid meds needed tweaking again.  Important to check via frequent TFT's until you are settled on an HRT regime that works for you, your thyroid levels are optimal & you feel your symptoms of both conditions are under control.

I'm not sure about leg pain if you think this is muscular, though insufficient thyroid medication can cause the body to be under par in so many ways.  I did find that swollen calves were a sign of oestrogen dominance for me in peri (long before I started HRT) & this made my legs ache to the extent I had to regularly put my feet up for the first time in my life!  So if there's any chance your HRT is too heavy on the oestrogen I guess this could be a reason for your leg pain, especially if they look/feel swollen.

Do make sure you have a TFT to get an idea of what's going on & let us know how you get on. 

[Foxylady]

Thanks for the comments on this thread ladies. I have underactive thyroid, been on Thyroxine for almost 20 years, 10 weeks into Everol sequi 50. I have a GP review next week will ask him about getting my TFT's checked. I would never have thought of that, just saying to OH these forums are so informative.

[Wrensong]

Good idea Foxylady.  My Endo likes them done @ 6wks & 3 months after any HRT change, but if you have been feeling fine then I expect your GP was just intending to check @ 3 months.  If at all!  Maybe not, as your HRT is transdermal & that's generally thought not to interfere much with thyroid.  With any luck, like Stellajane, you may not need to muck around with thyroid meds at all.  How have you been feeling on the HRT?

[Foxylady]

Thanks wrensong. Is there a particular guideline that says about monitoring TSH when on HRT? I would say that I hadn't noticed any difference until last week, I had 4 night where there was a def improvement in my sleep, it didn't last over the weekend and Monday but last night was good again so I'm assuming its the HRT starting to kick in. I have made a few lifestyle changes including diet, weight loss was started on fluoxetine the week before HRT and marked improvement in flushes and mood. Fingers crossed re not having to make any changes re thyroxine been on same dose for years.

[Foxylady]

I just googled thyroxine & HRT came across this which is of interest to me as I had recently started taking soya Alpro yoghurt!!

Despite the possible benefits, there have been some concerns that soy may adversely affect thyroid function and interfere with the absorption of synthetic thyroid hormone. However there is little evidence that soy foods or phytoestrogen supplements affect thyroid function in people with normal thyroid function. In people with borderline thyroid function and low iodine intake, soy foods may increase the risk of hypothyroidism. Therefore, it's important for people who regularly consume soy food to ensure their intake of iodine is adequate. There is also evidence to suggest that soy foods may inhibit the absorption of thyroxine and increase the dose of thyroid hormone required by hypothyroid patients.

It is on the British Thyroid Foundation website.

[Wrensong]

Foxylady - the attached link from NICE mentions the effect of oral HRT on Thyroxine & Liothyronine, but if you are on transdermal I haven't been able to pull up anything on that, though have only done a quick Google this evening. 

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/interaction/hormone-replacement-therapy.html

An earlier para on the BTF website page where you saw the soya info also refers to HRT-Thyroid meds interaction, so I guess you have read that already. 

I was aware of the soya concerns wrt thyroid health & meds, though did have soya milk rather than dairy for a few years while on Thyroxine & I think if your blood levels are OK you should be able to continue soya if you really want to.  Personally I now stay away from soya milk etc, partly because of the thyroid situation (I am a poor converter & need T3 as well as Thyroxine), partly for other health reasons.  I am wary of foods thought to be high in phytoestrogens.  I would not try to compensate by taking iodine supplements as that can also interfere with thyroid function when on meds for a thyroid condition. 

I work on the basis that the fewer supplements & funny foods I put in my body , the less complicated the picture, given I need thyroid meds & HRT.  The body is so complex & all manner of interactions are possible.  But that's me being wary!

[Foxylady]

Thanks Wrensong, No you are right. I decided after reading about it lastnight on this thread and on thyroid websites to stop the soya, If HRT in itself can affect the levels why would I risk it further by adding soya in the mix, that's my thoughts anyway!! Will have a look at the nice link when I get back from work. Have a good day!

[Maxwin]

Following this with interest, I was fed up with being bloated so tried soya milk 2 months ago and just this week tried soya yoghurt (not that nice).  I am on HRT 25 patch and take 50 micrograms of levothyroxine per day.  I feel I have started sleeping better lately and deffo not so bloated, maybe coincidence.  What other types of milk could I try, don't have a lot just make my own latte with de-caf coffee once a day.

[Wrensong]

Maxwin, I would say  rice milk if you were drinking it cold in smoothies/shakes, but in my experience it tends to curdle when heated.  I found it a bit sweet tasting (naturally sweet - not sweetened) & it's sort of thin compared with other milks, but you get used to it.  If you don't mind trying dairy other than cows, goat milk's an option, but an acquired taste!  Bizarrely, the full fat tastes less goaty than semi-skimmed to me.  Buffalo milk is another option if you can get it - our nearest Waitrose used to sell it.

[Foxylady]

Hi Wrensong, I came across a page on this site alphabet of medical conditions in relation to menopause & under Thyroid it says to check levels after 3 months on HRT (as you have been advised. I will be 11 weeks next weeks so perfect timing finding out!). I may well have read it some months ago and as you will appreciate with brain fog etc have forgotten, I knew that being hypothyroid the advice was to take HRT transdermally which is why I asked GP for that but obv didn't connect it

[Wrensong]

I know just what you mean about the fog, Foxylady.  If you feel OK, you may be just fine on the HRT without any adjustment to thyroid meds needed, but wise to ask your GP to do a TFT if they don't suggest it.  My TSH went quite high at one point, to my surprise, as I hadn't felt as bad as I'd expect for a TSH that high & I am vigilant by nature!  Good luck with it & I hope your HRT does the trick.