Is this menopause or something else?

[sincitylover]

Last period end of May - took two pg tests - negative.

Usually regular as clockwork but approaching age of menopause though blood test last year showed no sign.

Have had a fair amount of abdominal pain esp around time of period - should have been about 24/6.

One other complicating factor is took T3 (cytomel) instead of usual thyroid medication for one month on private px - could that have affected cycle? Im not continuing eith it as its too pricey.

Am going to see gp on Monday but not knowing is doing my head in.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

How old are you?

[sincitylover]

Im old - 50 so it could well be the menopause.

had pains yesterday around ovulation time. So we'll see in two weeks time.

Don't really know what Im expecting - have no other regular symptoms - such as hot flushes etc

[echt]

Sounds like menopause: the hot flushes didn't kick in for me until about 6 months after my last period, but every case is different.


You are not old, OP. I am 56 and refuse this description.

Am very sorry that old should be an insult, but it is in this culture, so you know what I mean.:)

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I am 47 and haven't seen a period for 18 months or so. Currently I am having around 5 hot flushes a day. Not nice at all. They started a couple of weeks ago just in time for summer.
Your GP will be able to do blood tests to check.

[chaoswoman]

I assumed periods stopping, feeling hot, sweating and other symptoms were menopause and ignored for many months. When I eventually dragged myself to the doctor, blood test showed OVERACTIVE THYROID. I am sure it is nothing that can't be treated, only your doctor will be able to tell you for sure.

[Elibean]

You are a spring chick (am 51 )

I had no hot flushes with menopause, and my periods stopped quite suddenly really - as did my sister's. Its definitely possible, but sounds as though you may have skipped a period - and are going to have one in 2 weeks.

If you don't, go see the GP - always worth getting checked out!

[sincitylover]

Update - went to gp today - didnt want blood test as I had one last year. And Im always having to have bloods for so many things couldn't really face one more. Anyway it could be the menopause of course so agreed to watch and wait.

I think I have got a lot of psychological/emotional issues to do with menopause to do with my fertility and really wanting third child - anyway got into work and have started my period so maybe it was the T3 medication which halted the flow - very potent stuff - which I'm not going to take anyway. Chaos interesting too much of the T3 could have caused an overactive thyroid (mine's underactive) - I cut the dose in half whilst taking it as it made me feel wired and palpitations. But did give a bit more clarity - shame it's so expensive.

Got a lecture about taking Armour thyroid (which is dessicated porcine thyroid) - although she did concede that some Eastern European patients prefer and are used to a T3/T4 combo and also proved that she had a very dogmatic view of thyroid issues by focusing solely on TSH results and not how the patient actually feels.

Overall though she's quite a nice gp. I'm sure I'm a bit of a nightmare for her but I do like to research things a bit especially as the original px (levoythyroxine) didn't really work.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

Sorry, I can't get the idea of porcupine thyroid out of my head.
Menopause aside, can you be referred to an endocrinologist for your thyroid problems? My mum has an underactive one and sees the consultant once a year.
I hadn't realised that there were cardiac issues involved.

[sincitylover]

at porcupine. You probably already aware its not actually porcupine it's pigs thyroid gland. Its an old fashioned drug and believe it was px in the UK until synthetic thyroid was invented.

I think you can get heart palpitations with over active or with an too high does of medication for underactive.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

just re read that. Of course it's porcine, not porcupine. FFS, I worked as an RGN for a long time.

[sincitylover]

calm down not sure what the FFS was for - I thought you did realise what it actually was but sometimes translation gets lost in print so was just being sure.

Wasn't meaning to come over as offensive in any way by clarifying.

(And of didn't know you had a medical background).

[sincitylover]

Oh just having re read your post maybe you are blushing about porcupine so my following post was off!! Sorry now I'll have one too!!

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

Unable to message at the moment due to the Murdoch hacking of MN.
The FFS was aimed at myself for my thickery.