Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Katymac on February 07, 2024, 12:45:16 PM
-
I started the levothyroxine in November
I tried to see the gp about my menopause/hrt today but that "isnt important" apparently
I have postural hypo tension & unbelievably (for me norally 95/60) high blood pressure 180/95!!
Is it likely to be the levothyroxine?
-
Do you have any symptoms of possible over-treatment (e.g. too hot all the time, racing thoughts, unusual insomnia, jitters/anxiety, excessively hungry, trouble keeping hydrated, irritability, tremor in fingers when you extend your hand) & have you had a recent TFT to help work out whether the Thyroxine dose is right for you? Sorry if we've talked about your thyroid elsewhere - I lose track!
Wx
-
Oddly - it's tomorrow & my first after starting (25) - I think its subclinical hypothyroidism they are discussing
Along with a few other blood tests and a heart trace on Friday
I am always cold and have "cold flushes" I have racing thoughts but I have always had them they haven't changed, quite hungry, no tremor, I have disordered sleep and insomnia is part of that I actually think I'm calmer & less anxious (although I had put that down to changing my HRT)
-
You can indeed get raised BP with hypothyroidism but to leap from quite a low BP to very high made me wonder if your Thyroxine starting dose was too high for you. Only 25mcg is a modest dose though, but reasonable to start on, especially if the diagnosis was uncertain (subclinical rather than outright hypothyroidism). If you are still cold, feel calmer & no tremor, over-treatment seems less likely.
Good that you have a TFT & other bloods coming up soon & the ECG. That should all help throw light on it.
Wx
-
Im really tired and breathless atm and falling over a bit - which is why I went in the first place - its been creeping up on me since 2022
TBH I was hoping the thyroxine would be a quick fix, same as when I saw the meno consultant and they changed my HRT & added in testosterone (unreasonable expectations? me? never!)
I shouldnt feel old at 55!!
-
Bless you, only natural to want it resolved asap when you've been feeling bad for quite a while. Let us know how you get on.
-
Another thought - any chance your oestradiol dose is too high for you? Both low thyroid & high oestrogen can cause fluid retention & if your thyroid is failing your body might be struggling to cope with any possible oestrogen excess.
-
Maybe let me have a think, I guess it might have been OK before the levo but causing problems now?
Do t worry I'll let you know, you can't shut me up
-
My cholesterol is through the roof too! & every test except thyroid is back!
-
High cholesterol is often a result of hypothyroidism. Decent thyroid hormones are needed to clear cholesterol from the blood.
I reckon you aren't on a high enough dose of levo. High blood pressure can be a sign of being under-treated (as well as over-treated). But your thyroid tests will show something. Bear in mind that the NHS only tests TSH and (if you're lucky) T4. And it's T3 which is the active thyroid hormone. We are supposed to convert T4 into T3, but some of us (ahem) are rubbish at doing that and need T3 directly.
Which is all to say, if you want a very clear picture of what's going on with your thyroid, you'll need to get a full thyroid panel done privately because the NHS won't do it. Medichecks does one which includes T3 and thyroid antibodies...
It's all a nightmare really....
-
Ill have to be patient - I dont do patient well!!
Last time it was on the app the same time as the others
-
Agree with Joziel re raised cholesterol & hypothyroidism. Hope your TFT helps unravel what's going on Katymac.
Wx
-
Thanks, another set of results to add to my mess
004 Normal sinus rhythm
150 Left ventricular hypertrophy
275 Abnormal repolarisation, possible coronary
ischemia
284 Prolonged QT interval
I'm trying to work out when my bp was last tested
-
In Oct it was 114/67
-
And I had a 24 hr ecg in Feb last year which was "fine"
-
& new thyroid results are in
Serum TSH level 5.13 mIU/L [0.27 - 4.2]; Above high reference limit
Serum free T4 level 15.7 pmol/L [12.0 - 22.0]
And I *think* they have increased Mt levothyroxine to 50 I haven't got them yet and the note on the system is unclear
-
Today I picked up my prescription for 50mcg
Then at 4ish I got a phone call saying they were going to increase my Thyroxine by 25 to 75
Oh wow I said - Thanks so much, I really need the extra as I feel so crap atm
Oh have you noticed a difference she asked
I said well I didn't even know I had a thyroid problem before I started on the Levothyroxine in October and it hasn't helped much and I've been waiting for the blood test so I could get it raised but I thought it would only go up to 50
Oh she said so your normal dose isn't 50,
no its 25 I said
Oh she said then its only going up to 50
Bugger I said
-
As I said, you weren't on a high enough dose of levo. You might need more, but you don't want to increase too much all at once as that can cause side effects. Take the new dose for 6wks, go get bloods done again - and increase again if needed.