Periods getting worse and worse

[smiales01]

Hi,

My son is now 2 1/2, still breastfed. My period came back at about 21 months.

Pre pregnancy my periods were pretty easy, not heavy, no pmt, lasted 3 days.

Since they came back they have gradually got worse and worse, especially over the last 6 months. I have extremely bad pmt for a week prior, my mood is awful and my sugar cravings are even worse. I start getting very tired. Then I get nasty cramps and come on very heavily. The heaviness lasts probably 2 days then overall I feel a lot better. I use a mooncup so it's not as easy to say how much I lose. TMI but it's always full and when I go to the toilet with it out I lose a lot of blood then too. It can leak a little too which never used to happen.

Last night my cramps were so bad I was having to do my hypnobirthung breathing to help me through them! It felt like early labour. In fact I started to think I was miscarrying even though I knew I wasn't but it felt that bad.

I've been feeling a bit bloated / weird between periods too. Not painful but a bit tender.

Can anyone relate?

Oh no, double whammy. I just want these tests done so I have a full picture. I've felt totally crap this last week. Makes me wonder how much my mind takes over, I felt better pre diagnosis!

Had some results back, strangely my TSH has gone down to 3.44 so within range, ferritin is 74 which is loads better than the 33 it was last year but my TPO antibodies is 1300. Not seen Dr yet, bit confused by the TSH and the antibodies is red flagged and out of range (range 0-60) so that's an issue I presume.

Yes it is - Has anyone checked for goitre?

Hazy memory tells me (hazy mind you) that thyroids might respond to TPO antibodies by getting bigger (growing). They occur in hashimotos and graves.

Thus Tsh might reduce as thyroid pumps out more t4. However the antibodies are not going to come down .... (Some say gluten free might address this - I'm not sure it's mainstream medicine but happy to be corrected. Incidentally, coeliac disease can be slightly more likely to occur with thyroid disease and vice versa).

What has GP said? I'd be inclined to refer to an endocrinologist actually, or they might contact one for advice.

Looking back, I think my symptoms came and went a fair bit, including a bit of over active, before my thyroid gave up the ghost. Which I think is hashimotos, but I think I only actually had the other sort of thyroid antibodies, which I've never got my head around. Tg ab I think.

Growing a goitre that is.

I'm impressed by your GP though, running these tests, though nice does say if Tsh between 4 and 10 check for antibodies - not sure what they do if it then goes down?! Monitor I guess.

GP is pretty good tbh, very professional. She checked my thyroid and said very enlarged, actually said had I noticed my neck looking bigger! I totally haven't and boyfriend and mum can't tell externally either thankfully. That's Goiter isn't it?

Yes it is. I was told I had one and couldn't tell. Medical student house mate said "ooh yes you do!"

So what has GP suggested?

Please do get the BMA book by A toft on thyroid disorders. It will be helpful. British thyroid foundation will be too.

Haven't you noticed any symptoms? I get pretty constipated over Tsh 2. Brain fog is shit.

Honestly, yes I've felt 'not right' for ages. I'd put it down to being a mum. Hair loss, fatigue, memory, mood. I had been thinking is there more to this as my joints are pretty painful and I get a swollen/sore throat. I've gained a bit of weight but my diet hasn't been as good as it was so again I put it down to lifestyle.

I've rarely had to not do something due to exhaustion until maybe the odd couple of hours recently, I have noticed I've had more early nights (like 7.30pm) in the hope of feeling better the next day.

Years ago I had chronic fatigue, I was really depressed and poorly. I have had a niggle there's been more going on but my health had felt better since I got pregnant and having my son.

My hair and skin are bad, my eczema is bad.

So in short, lots of signs but all could be attributed to general being a mum. Or I've got so used to feeling not great I stopped questioning it.

That was mega rambling! Basically I've felt crap but assumed so does everyone else!

Not rambling at all - it was all in your first paragraph.

I do find it hard to work out 'how' I should feel now I'm a mum. I also never had the joint issues when hypo pre child but do now. Though this is improving (I had a bad blip where wasn't in enough thyroxine) I think crazy post baby cycle hormones don't help either, but I can't quite work out if bf contributes or potentially helps there.

Do try taking magnesium and calcium; this will also help due to thyroid anyway plus helps with hormones during bf. Omega oils too.

The good news is that you will feel better, but it can be a long road to recovery- partly as your thyroid is fluctuating and partly as it just does take time. T4 - thyroxine - has a long half life (7-10 days irrc) so takes a while to build up in your system. But, you can start to feel better after 3-4 weeks once started. Skin and hair can take longer. It does affect muscles - weaker, in extreme cases actual myopathy. So obviously it just takes time to recover through pacing and allowing the body to heal.

There can be a delay in symptoms thyroid wise - eg, if I stopped taking thyroxine I wouldn't notice symptoms till 2-3 weeks later. So you might be feeling worse now as Tsh was worse a couple of weeks ago.

When well I do exercise regularly as it really does help. (Swimming especially ) But thyroid levels do need to be good for this, plus it takes time to build up.

I'm odd - I don't naturally hold much weight. Weight gain in thyroid is mostly water retention. I swell up a bit but have only put on about half a stone max. What I notice the most is the muscle weakness - very noticeable when I've done yoga regularly. The tiredness comes partly from this and your thinking is greatly slowed down. So I personally think keeping strong is really important if you have thyroid issues. (When Tsh is good)

It's just horrid. And yes we do kind of get used to it and put up with it.

I think due to presence of antibodies you might be started on thyroxine? What have they said?

For reference; I don't think any of my thyroid works now and I'm on 125/150 alternate days. You might start on 25 and be monitored. But this will need to be adjusted and rechecked.

(Now that's rambling!!)

Thanks for all the info. Dr prescribed 25mg levothyroxine but I wanted these further blood tests before starting. Seeing her Tuesday to discuss latest results.

I've gained about a stone in a year, I've had crazy sugar cravings plus I went back to work so wasn't out walking with little one as much. However I wonder if it's connected as I hadn't had sugar cravings plus I was getting a bit depressed which then makes me eat. Happy = don't overeat, Miserable = bingeing.

I am feeling pretty poorly now, maybe it's a bit psychological. Not sure

There's bound to be a bit of it too, when you start tuning into the symptoms I think they feel worse. At the same time the symptoms are low mood and weight gain. And the longer you have them the more they affect you due to many reasons. One being a gradual downward spiral. Yes I definitely crave sugar more. It's all part of the endocrine system so somehow linked to insulin etc. There will be a bit of the shock thing going on too.

I think it's important you don't self blame. Thyroid disease sadly has the symptoms we associate with someone who isn't doing the right self care / is lazy/ etc. Therefore I think we tend to self blame when it's actually an illness. Believe me, I've been there - so badly I have a mild trauma about it! I thought I was a useless waste of space when I first became ill almost 20 years ago. Didn't get diagnosed for some time.

A GP told me that in the elderly it often presents as dementia. She admitted an elderly lady to hospital with dementia, only to find out it was thyroid disease.

God that's scary. I have been a bit scared by my lack of memory/general vacant feeling/inability to make decisions this last year. Just thought it was due to tiredness but maybe there's more to it.

Yes I totally relate to that feeling of laziness. Any illness that makes you look unhealthy (bad hair,skin, tiredness etc) makes me think it's my fault, get a grip and look after yourself. I hate feeling like this. It's not right.

Have you looked into the gluten thing? I'm sceptical about it but interested to know others experiences.

www.btf-thyroid.org

The leaflets and downloads are helpful. These guys are the charitable wing of the thyroid association. ( www.british-thyroid-association.org )

There's thyroid uk too - bit more radical and campaigning for t4/ t3 treatment. For most people t4 is ok. Some need a little t3 but this isn't properly on NHS - named patient basis. And jolly hard to get. There's a lot of debate about this - I feel it's important to let you know about this. Really the correct treatment for thyroid would be t4 with a slow release t3. The pharmaceutical industry haven't invented it yet - but if Tsh is kept low, around 1 or just below, for the majority of people t4 is great. I've had issues in the past in that Tsh would be around 2.5, and as in range assumed this was ok. But I wasn't. In reality, if on thyroxine, Tsh around 1 or 0.5.

This book explains the whole thing:
www.amazon.co.uk/Thyroid-Disorders-Understanding-Family-Doctor/dp/1903474191

I wish I'd had this book years ago!

If you wish to conceive again Tsh needs to be below 2 (in nice guidelines) and you must be monitored in first trimester, Tsh kept low. (Also in nice - though your GP seems to be on ball). I think it often needs to be increased by 30-50%. In the USA they take an extra 2 doses per week when bfp confirmed. Baby relies on your thyroid till around 20 odd weeks, then you slowly reduce.

Incidentally, the thyroid in normal people grows during pregnancy to accommodate this need and then slowly decreases. This might have been why you felt better in pregnancy? However the antibodies are causing havoc now. It's often triggered by pregnancy or menopause. In me it was when I was about 20 and possibly when started the pill or might have just been what happened in me.

Sorry if this is too much info - I could have done with a lot of guidance many years ago, and in pregnancy (as not all gps seem to know about the thyroxine increase - I had to make a fuss - and it's not part of the midwife care either) so I try to pass it on where possible.

I'm a gluten skeptic.

However! My mil became quite ill last year. Went through all sorts of tests. In the end she was told to try cutting out gluten and dairy. Now very well. But didn't have coeliac antibodies.

I haven't found any biological explanation for why going gluten free would fix anything thyroid. People say it reduces the antibodies. But in my limited a level biology understanding, the antibodies are different. As my thyroid is dead it's not going to help (I don't think?!)

There is however a higher likely hood of getting thyroid issues if you have coeliac and vice versa.

The only reason looking at diet could help when on thyroxine is that the thyroxine needs to be absorbed by the gut, and if you have any mild intolerance I guess it could hinder this.

But they don't know much about how autoimmune stuff works so I guess it's never going to hurt to try it. No GP or endo has suggested it or said there's a need. My gut issues resolve when I'm on the right level of thyroxine. And I've been very well on thyroxine when I have a good level of rest, exercise, yoga etc. My mil had terrible loose fatty stools.

I'm getting a second test for coeliac next week though to double check things haven't changed. But I've been having some difficult joint symptoms plus started to notice occasional gut issues (very fast esp if very gluteny meal). I might try gluten free just to see if what happens. However, I was diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome post baby so it's about keeping strong, good sleep, posture etc. And I've only been on a brown inhaler for 6 weeks. Coeliac test was suggested before asthma diagnosis. I suspect I've had mild asthma for years - no allergies though, just react to viruses and smoke. Maybe exercise. (I like to think it's as we had many animals and I was breast fed till I was 3!)

Hi,

Again thanks for the huge level of info!

Not planning on more children do not too worried about that.

Hmm I'm planning on seeing where the thyroxine takes me before making too many other alterations. Or do you think that's daft? By this I mean I'll be more aware of lifestyle but not going to drop gluten or anything. It's very drastic, big commitment. However if I'm still ill in a few months I'd consider it.

My Dr has suggested I stop breastfeeding now, partly due to the meds but also as she thinks maybe it is putting a strain on me. To be fair to her I may have led her to say that as I've been thinking it's what's making me feel so depleted. I've heard plenty of women say they bf whilst taking thyroxine though?

Interesting about the digestive stuff, again I've sort of not read into my situation. I get constipated but mainly if I'm dehydrated, I get loose stools randomly too. Again maybe related to hypo.

Do you think there needs to be one Hypo / Hashimotos thread? Reading through there seem to be a few posts which would be great to have in one place.

I've suggested a separate topic before actually but didn't follow it up.

Yes it's woefully badly handled in this country. When I get on my soap box, I sometimes feel it's slight misogyny as it's mostly women who suffer. The btf are running big campaigns to tackle it at GP level, including how it's treated in pregnancy. I luckily heard a radio 4 prog on it just before I became pregnant.

It could be worth doing your own research re gluten; non- mainstream sources all say gluten free if have hashimotos. I've never found it condoned by a medical person in relation to thyroid, other than the fact that there's a slightly higher % of the two co-existing. And it might help tummy; what helps my tummy and cOnstipation is correct level of Tsh. I think live yogurt/ pro bio tics really help me with wind / bloating. And porridge every morning!

It would make sense actually, men are still generally in charge unfortunately.

Hmm gluten, I won't mess about with it yet. Very early days and I'd like to give medication a chance before making such a big dietary change. Although that may seem backward! I mean I don't want to add in too many variables at the start.

I think a hypo section would be very handy. I'm on a Facebook group but tbh it's very negative. Nice people but everyone is so ill and talking about excessive weight gain. It's not easy reading.

I personally wouldn't do the gluten thing for that reason.

There's a lot of stuff in the Internet regarding hypothyroidism. I read most stuff with a pinch of salt until I either notice it in myself or find good scientific research. I have never really had an 'issue' with weight gain. I actually loose weight if hypo for too long, as my appetite goes and my metabolism slows. I get very weak. As I said earlier, I notice I look puffy as you get more water retention. I get 'cankles'.

Imo it's not about loosing weight. I think it's really important to be strong / do strength training with thyroid issues as either hypo or hyper causes muscle weakness. Plus cardio to help circulation. This is my theory (when Tsh and t4 and t3 good, though t3 has a very short half life and can vary during the day) . There are a very few people who have got 'conversion' issues. And apparently keeping ferritin over 70, good b12 (and folate apparently) and vit d helps with this - but the other side of this is that deficiencies in these cause similar symptoms and muscle issues, so must be explored. Also pernicious anaemia can co-occur (b12 issues).

Then - strong muscles, more energy, loose weight.

On good levels of thyroxine I used to cycle to work, swim a couple of times a week, do Forrest yoga, capoeira and then took up skipping to improve my stamina. But I noticed if thyroxine was off. There are athletes on thyroxine, Ellie Goulding is and Rachel s club seven (and many more I'm sure!) What I wasn't good at doing was then pacing myself when I had a blip. And you definitely cannot exercise easily when you are unwell. Hoover a room and you need to lie down. But with careful pacing and building you can get there.

My belief is also, if strong, any blips are easier to deal with/ recover from.

I had a blip post baby, my Tsh was 13 by 6 months and I was very weak. Just not quite enough thyroxine. I'd had a section and found it hard to both recover and get back into exercise. I think vit d wasn't great and later found ferritin a tad low. Then more recently the asthma! It's been a long road to recovery as for a while I was on far too much thyroxine (that was hell). It was like chronic fatigue syndrome I think. I couldn't load the dishwasher. I think it weakens the proximal muscles (according to patient. Co.uk) They tested me for Addison's disease. (Not that thank goodness). They decided I have hypermobility syndrome but I have noticed I seem to get weak at my joints when hypo. Now that's recovering I AM very flexible, but strong with it too.

Finally I'm starting to feel well and get strong slowly.

This is just my experience and knowledge after 20 years of the damn thing.

You do need to keep track of your Tsh and how you feel, what you notice. And your levels will need monitoring over the next few months and years, and dose adjusting.

Gone on a bit. Ds asleep in car. Thumb twiddling!!

I think these two documents are important reading.

http://www.thyroid-fed.org/tfi-wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/TFIsubstitutionnstatement2014.pdf

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3821462/

Yes, I'm incredibly weak. Like lifting a pan to serve dinner is a real struggle and has been for a long time. I've been wanting to start some weight training for a while as I'm not too bad on a day to day cardio basis. Not like I was 12 months ago but still active. My core is very weak, causing some lower back probs.

Maybe I need to see this as a life change, I've always thought I need to lead quite a low stress, holistic type lifestyle as I'm convinced my stressy past has really impacted on my health. Maybe now I'm self blaming, I don't know. I've had a rotten day today. Feel very low and incredibly tired. Joints are so painful.

I like the positive hypo stories, athletes, celebs (don't care about celebs generally but seeing someone in public eye looking well helps!) etc.

It can be sorted, so long as my Dr now doesn't want to medicate as my TSH is 'in range' this time....

My ferritin is 74 so it's a great improvement on 33 last summer but I've read ideally around 100 better. How do I get my b12 tested?

and more . It's fecking hard.

I've been trying to work out what might be suggested. Nothing on NICE actually. I think it's unusual to get a second test. But classic hashimotos. But first was out of range and antibodies high - they will be attacking the thyroid. Based on first test with info of antibodies plus symptoms, you should be treated.

I personally (I'm not a GP though) would take the thyroxine and see if GP gets back to you. I would have to have a dose raise of at least 25 if my Tsh were over 3, if not 50. I wouldn't feel well as no thyroid to make any t3. You will be getting some t3 from they round directly but not enough. You could be feeling rubbish from your thyroid faltering a few months ago as there's a symptom delay.

You could be feeling much better in a month with thyroxine. Either way you definitely need monitoring. It's usually after 3 months but could be sooner eg 6 weeks.

Alternatively discuss with GP - but be honest about symptoms!

I'd just ask about b12 and be honest about how crap you feel. Ask for it to be ruled out. Then just start taking extra - I take sainsburies version of berrocca as no calcium or aspartame- the other versions have either one or the other! Plus has other bvits - what you don't need the body wees out.

Health unlocked, the thyroid uk group are extremely helpful too. They often mention a sublingual b12 you can get. My b12 was great though so I haven't looked into it. I'd been taking berocca for 10 years without realising it could be beneficial to that extent!

What work do you do? It could be worth letting them know.

Re exercise - don't start anything new until you are genuinely feeling better. And it can take a while to feel up to it. I think that's why I like swimming as it can do very little or more if you fleel ok. And It takes time to build up anything. I found Forrest yoga good for abs and shoulders. I was told to do pilates which is fine but I always felt yoga was better. But that's just me. Anything should be gentle st first though - which pilates and restorative yoga can be.

Epsom salt baths (magnesium) really help with aches and pains, I couldn't believe how much! You can get magnesium sprays too which I found effective actually (and I was sceptical).

I hope you're ok

Reading your first message - I could believe how strong / strengthening Forrest yoga was! I'm a bit wary now of other types as Forrest are quite into protecting your back. A yoga pilates mix is good.

But get well first!