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[Niknak42]

Hey all newbie here, needing some reassurance and advice

Back in November I had somewhat of a breakdown, the first couple of weeks were horrific, very little sleep and crippled with anxiety 
After having my bloods taken to check my thyroid levels and my FSH levels it was confirmed my thyroid was perfect and I'm on the right medication but my FSH levels were up to 37 and the doctor confirmed I was on the cusp of menopause.
I had been put on Propranolol a few months before because my migraines were becoming unbearable when I was due my monthly cycle which varied from month to month.
I started taking Utrogestan 200mg every other 2 weeks and I use Estradot 50mg patch.

The first month using I felt horrific, although my IBS calmed down massively and the night sweats stopped, the anxiety was still there.

The second month I felt amazing, everything stopped, the anxiety was under control give and take some days. I felt like a new woman.

I'm on my third month now and I've noticed symptoms are creeping back in. Very emotional, anxiety is becoming heightened again, I'm not sleeping great, everything is becoming a huge effort, my mood is low, but what I've noticed the most is how cold my hands and feet are getting, even when I'm in bed I wake and my feet are freezing 🥶

I'm due for my 3 month check up tomorrow and I'm armed with questions (poor doctor)   

Could the HRT be affecting my thyroid medication (100mg of levothyroxine), could it be my HRT is too high or low?

Any advice would be greatly received. I'm 42 so it's all very new and overwhelming 

Thank you xxx

[CLKD]

Yep.  Thyroid is a hormone that is well known to be affected during peri-menopause.  Which are the years leading up to the final period = menopause.  So your GP can't know if you are 'on the cusp' until you have been at least 12 months without a bleed.   Regardless of blood results ;-).

U may need a hike in the dose of your HRT.  MayB not all at once but gradually so that the body doesn't become overwhelmed. 


R your feet freezing?  Mine often feel cold but to touch they are warm.  Apparently  . 

Let us know how you get on tomorrow.

[Wrensong]

Hi Niknak42    So sorry to hear you have not been feeling great, but glad you have found us as there's always someone here to hold out a hand when we need it most.

everything is becoming a huge effort, my mood is low, but what I've noticed the most is how cold my hands and feet are getting, even when I'm in bed I wake and my feet are freezing

If there is not one already planned, do please ask your GP to do a TFT as it sounds as though your thyroid dose might now be a bit low for you.  Both HRT & Propranolol can affect thyroid levels. 

Propranolol reduces the conversion of Thyroxine into its more active form & because of this as you probably know, in addition to other uses it's sometimes prescribed when thyroid levels are too high.

Though transdermal HRT is said to be less likely to affect our thyroid status than oral oestrogen, IRL quite a few of us on this forum have found we've also had to adjust our thyroid replacement on transdermal methods, though my sense is it's mostly those of us who also take T3.  It's usual to test thyroid function 6 weeks after starting HRT & again at 3 months, just in case we need to tweak our dose.

Although Utrogestan is known for its sedative effects, some of us find it worsens sleep & it can also bring down mood, so this is something to bear in mind if it turns out your TFT is fine.  If need be there are other progestogens you can try once other possibilities for the way you're feeling have been ruled out, but I'd start with a TFT if I were you.  Progesterone can also slightly potentiate thyroid hormone, but given your coldness I wouldn't think that's a problem for you at this stage.

It's absolutely fine to start a new thread as you have, but we also have a thread called Thyroid Issues & Support you may like to have a look at some time.  We have quite a few women on thyroid meds & HRT so there's a wealth of collective experience out there & thyroid related posts might be more likely to get noticed by one of us there.

Please let us know how you get on.
Wx

[Niknak42]

Thank you both for getting back to me, I really do appreciate it  and lovelyto chat to you

I will be sure to look at the thyroid threads as well, the more information I can find I'm hoping I can understand a little more 

I've been asked back for bloods in a couple of weeks time, she wants to check my FSH levels to see if I'm lacking in either estrogen or progesterone, because I feel like I'm reverting back to how I was she wants to see what's changing, she's checking my thyroid as well although she feels that it shouldn't really effect this because I've been stable with 100mg for a few years so fingers crossed.

I've noticed this evening I've started bleeding, it's the fist time I've been interment with my DH since being on HRT over the weekend so as you can imagine seeing this freaked me out somewhat, is it normal to have this?  I don't want to go near him again if this is what happens..lol. xxx

[Wrensong]

Hi again Niknak42.  Thanks for the update.  Good to know your GP will be doing another TFT for you.

Re the bleeding - depends on the source.  I sense from what you say you feel this is vaginal in origin rather than uterine?  If so, it could be due to the fact that rather like the skin on the backs of our hands, the vaginal tissues become thinner as our own hormones decline at this stage of life, making them less robust & prone to dryness, inflammation & sometimes during penetrative sex, slight trauma, causing a little bleeding.  A good lubricant such as Sylk or one of the Yes range for use during intimacy is a must, but it may also be that you need some topical (vaginal) oestrogen such as Vagifem (tiny oestradiol pessaries) or Ovestin (estriol cream) as well as your systemic HRT.  These are very low dose & many of us find we need to use them as well as systemic HRT, which for some women can be inadequate to keep the vaginal tissues & bladder healthy as we age.  Please talk to your GP about it & maybe have a look at some of the many threads dealing with VA (vaginal atrophy) & GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause).  If you've not recently had a cervical smear this is something your GP may also want to check out for you.

If you feel the bleeding is uterine in origin & it's come at a time other than in response to withdrawal from Utrogestan when you'd expect it, as you were still having natural periods when you started HRT it may be that your own cycle is breaking through.  You could perhaps start another thread headed something like "HRT in perimenopause - synchronising cycles" to make contact with members with similar experience who can advise on how best to deal with this.  I started HRT a few years postmenopause so managing HRT while still having natural periods is beyond my experience.

I hope some of this helps.  Please don't be afraid to post about anything at any time, nothing is taboo & nothing too trivial & there will always be someone here who gets just how unsettling & bewildering a time it can be. 
Wx

[Jillyboo]

Niknak42 - I was stable on the same dose of thyroxine for over 20 years until I took the Covid vaccination - by pure co-incidence I had a blood test scheduled a few months after the second dose and wow - my TSH had shot up!  I'm now having to take a higher dose of thyroxine.  There are so many factors to take into consideration when on thyroid meds and HRT together.  Hopefully your blood tests will reveal something.