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[KaraShannon]

Hi all

I know there are a number of ladies here who are really experienced with thyroid conditions.  I wonder if you could share your experiences on:

1)  the thyroid treatment that works well for you (particularly if you have hypothyroidism / or hashimotos

2)  if any of your thyroid symptoms resembled menopause, which ones, which resolved with optimal thyroid treatment and which required HRT (if you went down that route)

I'd really appreciate it.  I'm beginning to think a lot of my symptoms might be my thyroid which has been underactive for the last 20 years but treatment has been enough.  I'm now on 175mcg and think I need to go higher (first planning on getting private thyroid testing done as TSH is normal and NHS doctors saying my treatment is adequate, I know why and not criticising, they have good reason but my retired doctor always treated me with more thyroxine than the blood test would suggest and he said long ago, about 8 years ago that if I have to go up to 200mcg or even 300mcg one day then it will be ok if I need it.  But after he retired another doctor warned me that over 200mcg can trigger Atrial Fibrillation and it's put me off.  I've now read that anything over 75mcg can trigger it and it's a cumulative thing, so perhaps I should rethink my whole treatment as I need to be on a much higher dose than 75 mcg anyway and as I already am, maybe going up to 200 mcg wouldn't hurt me and may help a lot.  With my fatigue and symptoms, I'm pretty sure I need more, I don't feel the same as I used to and the way I feel always used to be me being hypothyroid.  But of course peri / or menopause, not sure which now, has clouded things)

Thanks for any help or sharing of experiences. 

[VioletAquarius]

Hi

I can't help with your questions, even though I take 75mg levothyroxine. 

But thought I'd pop on and ask if you've have your iron and folate levels tested, this could be the reason for your tiredness.

[KaraShannon]

Thanks VioletAquarius

before the pandemic and lockdowns I was told I was borderline low folate, fine with iron.  They said as it was borderline it was ok to take supplements from over the counter.  I'm still doing that. I am planning to arrange a consult with the Newson Clinic and I'll see if they will also work with thyroid, otherwise I will arrange a separate test. 

[AKatieD]

I used to use NDT which worked for me. But then there were problems with various brands and so I switched to T3 only (tried adding T4 too but no noticeable affect so I dropped it again).

I take 100mcg of T3 daiy so your doctor would have a fit. Ignore what they say about doses. Nobody can tell the right dose for you just by the number on the packet. The right dose is what makes you well, informed by blood test levels for free T3 and free T4.

Original symptoms were coldness and tingling hands and feet but have not had them for years.

Then started to get osteoarthritis in knees even when on suitable thyroid treatment. Adding HRT has sorted this out.

Still got the weight issues but find it easier to lose now, if not keep it off

[KaraShannon]

I used to use NDT which worked for me. But then there were problems with various brands and so I switched to T3 only (tried adding T4 too but no noticeable affect so I dropped it again).

I take 100mcg of T3 daiy so your doctor would have a fit. Ignore what they say about doses. Nobody can tell the right dose for you just by the number on the packet. The right dose is what makes you well, informed by blood test levels for free T3 and free T4.

Original symptoms were coldness and tingling hands and feet but have not had them for years.

Then started to get osteoarthritis in knees even when on suitable thyroid treatment. Adding HRT has sorted this out.

Still got the weight issues but find it easier to lose now, if not keep it off

Interesting thanks.  The doctor is concerned that as my TSH is about 0.9, any further suppression of it can lead to AFib.  He said it's still less likely than more likely but the risk is greater.

They don't test for T4 and T3 anymore, perhaps I'll go to a private clinic.  I can't believe I'm saying that in Britain.