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[pepperminty]

I've had the 24hr catecholamine urine test for tumours and adrenal stuff, and it was normal and found nothing.

It's worth doing a 4-point saliva cortisol test because high cortisol can cause a lot of these symptoms. You do it at home and spit in a little tube 4x in one day, then post it off. I had high cortisol at the 5pm and night time tests, but it was normal in the morning and midday. Since my GP was only testing my morning cortisol with bloods, they just weren't seeing the high cortisol later in the day (which is a huge cause of insomnia). I started several cortisol reducing supplements a few weeks ago - holy basil, ashwaganda, phosphatydeserine/PSP and zinc.

I increased my estrogen to 8 pumps and I'm doing better now than I have for the last 2 years since all this began. I estimate my estrogen is around 400pmol now. It has taken determination and courage on my part to keep increasing it, what with people on social media freaking out, GP saying I'm taking so much more than the licensed dose etc etc. Newson Clinic would say 'if symptoms continue, increase again' - but since I didn't know if the symptoms were due to estrogen (or thyroid), increasing felt a bit risky - but I did it anyway because I was desperate to try everything. Glad I did now... I've just had the best sleep in ages, it's gradually improved since I increased to 8 pumps.

I have now just stopped T4 and am on T3 only, which is very controversial - but I am just converting my T4 to rT3, like I was with my own T4 before. I have freezing feet, and can only eat one small meal a day without putting on weight. Even on quite a high dose of T3 (30mcg) and 50mcg of T4 - because my body is hellbent on making rT3 from that T4. I don't feel any better on that combo of thyroid meds than I did before starting any medication at all. (Assuming the night time symptoms are low estrogen, which I think they were.) 

Hi Joziel,

It is the absorption and some absorb better than others. It should be individualised , but the NHS tend to err on the side of caution. The cortisol tests are a good idea and something I am considering.

PMX

[Silverleaf]

Hi Joziel and Pepperminty
I agree with your comments, it's very individual and the lack of NHS advice is so concerning, especially when the focus is TSH and thyroid range driven. I worry it's T4 focus only.
In terms of HRT in my case, I really have had a rollercoaster because sex hormone bloods were never taken before the trial. What I do know is when I came off HRT my testosterone was super high, off the range. My oestradiol dipped to 36 pmol/l and now has been stable at 72 pmol/l since Sept last year. However with all this rollercoaster hormone issues, life got more stressful this week. My breast screening mammogram came back with a recall. So on top of waiting for results to an adrenal incidentaloma I now have the worry of mammograms, ultrasound and possible biopsy. I contacted the Breast Clinic and they said something abnormal has showed where previous mammograms have not. As for getting menopause advice, I have reached out to dedicated professionals but yet to hear. To be honest the mammogram news has taken centre stage xxx

[pepperminty]

Hi Joziel and Pepperminty
I agree with your comments, it's very individual and the lack of NHS advice is so concerning, especially when the focus is TSH and thyroid range driven. I worry it's T4 focus only.
In terms of HRT in my case, I really have had a rollercoaster because sex hormone bloods were never taken before the trial. What I do know is when I came off HRT my testosterone was super high, off the range. My oestradiol dipped to 36 pmol/l and now has been stable at 72 pmol/l since Sept last year. However with all this rollercoaster hormone issues, life got more stressful this week. My breast screening mammogram came back with a recall. So on top of waiting for results to an adrenal incidentaloma I now have the worry of mammograms, ultrasound and possible biopsy. I contacted the Breast Clinic and they said something abnormal has showed where previous mammograms have not. As for getting menopause advice, I have reached out to dedicated professionals but yet to hear. To be honest the mammogram news has taken centre stage xxx

So sorry that you have this extra worry. Hopefully you will get some news soon. Fingers crossed for you

PMX

[joziel]

Silverleaf, thinking of you...

Be assured that something like 94% of women survive breast cancer. It's one of the most survivable cancers. And you don't even know that's what you have yet. So don't panic!!

[Goldenfish]

@Silverleaf it's been a while since the last post, but I wanted to drop a line and see how the things have evolved with Silverleaf. I am having the exact same symptoms, am 50 and menopausal. Doctors can't seems to find the reason.

[joziel]

Goldenfish, I'm not Silverleaf - but I did have those exact same symptoms as well and it was hell and, like you, doctors could find no cause (and I saw a lot).

It was only when - all things excluded and with nothing else to do or try - we got my estrogen up considerably on HRT, that it all went away (almost). I am now on 200mcg patches plus 4 pumps of gel and finally this hell seems to be coming to an end. I'm pretty sure it was all hormones and not thyroid, but due to trialling some thyroid meds (part of my attempts to try everything), I failed to recover thyroid function when I came back off the thyroid meds. So I've had to go back on thyroid meds as well now. But I don't think thyroid was the cause of these horrific symptoms for me, originally.

If you have not tried HRT and above the licensed dose, then I would strongly recommend that. You will need to go to a private menopause clinic like Newson Health.

My reasoning was that, if it didn't work, I would just come down on it again. But it was something which had to be tried - like everything else.