Under active thyroid or menopause

[artyjools]

Hi, I'm 50 and going through "the change" but I have thought for a long time that I might have an under active thyroid. I have loads of the symptoms - tiredness, night sweats, weight gain, blurred vision, brittle nails, dry skin. I have even recently developed plantar fasciitis - which is pain on the underside of my feet, which is also a symptom. I suffered from endometriosis, irregular periods and infertility before I had my kids -apparently they are all possible symptoms too. Generally, I feel very under par and lacking in any get up and go and I would like to feel better. I have had a number of tests, all of which have come back negative, so I feel embarrassed to bring this up with my doctor yet again.

I'm just wondering whether anyone out there found they had an underactive thyroid after having negative tests. I have read that tests are not always accurate.

Or perhaps this is just the menopause??

Yes I had a normal thyroid result initially and then had it rechecked about 18 months later when it had gone underactive.

First time, my TSH was around 4 (which technically is normal but heading towards hypothyroidism). The second result, it had worsened to 6.5 which was definitely hypothyroidism and they put me on thyroxine at that point.

Could be worth you getting it rechecked.

Do you know what your numbers were last time or did they just tell you it was all ok?

Thanks Doozle. No, I don't know the numbers - they just said it was okay. I'll speak to my doctor again. Did you feel you had symptoms before the second test and did the thyroxine help at all?

Yes was feeling very tired and I felt the thyroxine helped.

However the other thing was that I had very low ferritin (iron stores)as well and I started iron supplements at the same time. Can't help wondering if it was the iron or the thyroxine which made me feel better

Okay - thank you Doozle

I am currently waiting for blood test results on my thyroid and don't know what I will do if they come back fine as I have so many symptoms of an under active thyroid.

I hope you get the meds and support you need, artyjools.

Thanks Pink - and I hope you do too. I am having a test next week. I feel like you - looking for a reason behind it all.

sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Please keep having regular blood tests and ask specifically for them to check your thyroid function. I have under active thyroid and have to take daily medication. I have also just started HRT for menopause I have been told I am post menopausal but I had to have something to stop all the dreadful symptoms. I am 9 days into it and feel better! Please do not feel bad to go back to the doc and insist on a blood test next week.

Thanks Jaysea - glad its working out well for you. I had the test this morning - so I'll have to wait and see what the result is.

Hi Arty, just wondering how your results went.

Hi Doozle. It came back negative. To be honest, I was disappointed - how mad is that? I guess I just want an explanation as to why I feel so unwell. I'm going to have to go back to the docs.

Hi artyjools,

Are you me?

Another menopausal madam (49) here with most of the symptoms you describe, including bastard just-diagnosed Plantar Fasciitis.

I really understand why you feel disappointed at the negative test results - it's so miserable to feel constantly under par .

No thyroid problems AFAIK, although we do have a family history. I'm just sick of feeling knackered and PMT-ish all the time (and having sore feet.)

I've been trying the self-help route, taking St John's Wort for the glums (which does help, but you have to take it religiously) taking mineral + vit + omega-3 supplements, cutting down on booze (which seems to help with the night-sweats and hot flushes) and taking more exercise.

I've invested in some Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) trainers for my poor feet. The trainers are v.v. expensive, but my feet don't hurt after exercise now, and the trainers do seem to tone up calves and bum and improve posture as well.

Hope you get some answers soon. Are you going to enquire about HRT?

Hi MrsF. Sorry you are struggling too. I was wondering about those MBT trainers even before the sore feet - will certainly look into them now. This is the worst symptom at the moment. I truly feel like an old lady when I get up in the morning - and indeed any time I get up after having been sat down for a while. I cut the booze out completely for a while and didn't notice any improvements in my mood at all. In fact quite the opposite!!! Baaaaahhhh!!!!! I do walk a fair bit (have a dog) but I need to get off my (ever increasing) bottom and do more exercise.

Yes, I am considering HRT. I spoke to a woman recently who told me it changed her life almost immediately. What about you?

hi arty (and others).
so sorry to see that you are not feeling well.

an underactive thyroid can be very difficult to diagnose. one of the problems is that gps do not seem to agree on the levels that tsh should be, for a thyroid gland to be called hypo. in the us they use any value that falls out of the normal range 0.3-3. here in uk it is over 5, although once you have been given the label "hypothyroid" the experts like to keep you below 2.

personally i have been suffering from an underactive thyroid gland due to hashimoto's thyroiditis for the last 6 years and i do not feel well until my tsh is between 1-2. in other words: i would definitely ask for the value for your tsh arty now that you have been given a negative thyroid test, and challenge the gp if it is over 3-4.

Have taken thyroxine for nearly 20 years now. Totally certain that the dose doesn't need to be upped in fact two years ago it was slightly and I got a bit jittery rather like I was with the original overactive thyroid and the symptoms you have described didn't go away. Always carefully monitored and have v. good consultant. But do get tired, night sweats, weight gain, painful feet in the morning. Can't sleep always. Dry skin. Pretty sure it's the menopause though and that I should be taking more care of myself. Have struggled thus far without HRt and not starting now.

Thyroid problems can be avoided by a right consumption of food rich in iodine, avoiding radiation and also by taking supplements like Look at bovine thyroid. It can help cure thyroid diseases.

check out the live chat with Jane Clark I put a post on there for all of us with underactive thyroid troubles;)