I am so cold all the time

[StandingOnaCornerInWinslowArizona]

I am 53 in a few weeks and 8 years into Perimenopause so, in theory, I should be feeling on the warmer side of things during this stage of my life but it's quite the opposite.

I have always been a chilly person and I had put that down to years of being very low in iron stores. I had iron infusions and sorted out my heavy periods 3 years ago but I am still the same.

Obviously, it is much worse in Winter but I only ever feel warm during the heatwaves in Summer and then I flip to the opposite where I will feel so unwell as I can not seem to tolerate feeling very cold or very hot, there is no in-between for me.

But I don't know why I am like this? I move about and walk the dog every day, all of my blood tests always return as normal (thyroid, vitamin D, B12, Iron etc). I don't drink hot drinks as I have digestive issues and find warm fluids exacerbate those but I don't drink ice cold fluids either.

I go everywhere with a hot water bottle attached to me and not only does this ease my IBS and endometriosis issues but it keeps me from feeling miserably frozen. I wear many layers and socks etc from Autumn to Summer but I still never feel overly warm unless I am sitting right in front of my log burner or wrapped up in bed.

No one else I know feels this cold. Is it normal for some people to never feel warm no matter what they do?

Have you had your thyroid checked?

Several times, GP says they are all fine and within range.

i would ask for the actual readings op -or they may be on your nhs app.

Glad you’re keeping on top of basic bloods, but please look at your proximity to the lower level - you should be aiming for higher than that.
Particularly, ferritin levels; the NHS minimum (12 I think) is way too low according one of my consultants. We should aim for >75 as a minimum so if you’re not already there, please get some quality supplements to make up the difference.

Feeling cold can be related to hormonal issues. Have you considered HRT? Even if you’ve wanted to avoid it, being so cold is obviously having such a major effect on your quality of life, which may be completely avoidable with a standard script.

They are all on my patient access records but all show within range and ticked off as green with no action from the GP.

OP they may be very far from optimal as many of us thyroid patients know, an 'in range' value can be near the bottom/top and therefore indicate a problem. Particularly as active thyroid hormone isn't measured, and the range for a 'normal' TSH is ridiculously wide. So you may well have thyroid problems.

Being in range sometimes means that the GP hasn't asked for all the levels to be checked, and feeling cold all the time is a classic symptom of under active (I've just had a thyroxine increase due to this being one of the symptoms that my thyroid was again 'out of whack')

Echoing PPs- just because the NHS says thyroid is in range / no action needed, does not necessarily mean that your thyroid levels are within the optimal range. Find out what your levels are then do your own research as to whether your levels are actually not very good (even if the NHS thinks they’re not bad enough to take action). Unfortunately with a lot of conditions these days you need to research and advocate for yourself. And whatever the cause, you need to keep on telling your GP.

Only one or two appear on the lower end, most are within range, a few don't show ranges though.

My ferritin is 60 I believe but one of the reasons I had to have iron infusions in the end is because I couldn't tolerate any kind of oral iron. I have chronic digestive issues and they all made me feel dreadful.

I've so trialled various forms of HRT but they have made my endometriosis pain worse which is so annoying.

How do I get my GP to take it seriously though, if she says they are all within range she's not going to agree to any further tests is she? I can't afford to go anywhere privately.

Just checked
My serum TSH is 1.47 mIU/L (range 0.27-4.2)
Serum free T4 13.6 pmol/L (range 12-22)

Looked online, apparently these are classed as good levels although I do appear to have many thyroid issue symptoms (cold all the time, digestive issues, thinning hair, dry/itchy skin, low mood, anxiety, thirsty, visual issues, extreme tiredness etc) but I am also in perimenopause so wonder if that contributes to all of this too?

Aha. Yes your TSH is pretty much ideal. BUT, your free T4 is right down at the bottom of the range, no way you can be feeling OK with that. If you had free T3 tested I've no doubt it would also be very low. You aren't converting properly, in all likelihood (converting your T4 into active T3, that is). You need further test to find out just what your T3 level is (but unlikely to get that on the NHS as your free T4 is deemed 'normal'. The other point of note is that your TSH may not be responding to a low T3, if that's what is going on.

The only way to find out is a further test, you could try Medichecks finger prick full thyroid panel which includes FT3, as well as the main two thyroid antibodies that could also show you have a problem, or rule out autoimmunity. I do think your thyroid is the source of your problem.

Oh really? Tbh, I know very little regarding thyroid issues (although my sister does have hypothyroidism and parathyroid disease).

I'll have a look on the Medichecks website, thank you.

You could also wander over to Health Unlocked where you'll find a forum for thyroid issues, lots of people there can provide help. I have hypothyroidism and it really has opened the door to understanding how poorly women are treated and how many suffer in silence by not being diagnosed when they should!

I’m a similar age and also cold all of the time. I wear lots of layers including really good thermals every day, even in the house.

GentleSheep, I despair at the slow pace of Women's health issues, it took 30 years for me to get an endometriosis diagnosis that was despite being under the same gynae department for over 15 years. My health issues are always notched up as anxiety I've lost count at the amount of times I try telling health professionals that it's the symptoms causing me to have anxiety NOT the other way round.

I will go over to Health Unlocked, I have an account here, thank you.

nagnagnag Me too, love my thermals. Do you often feel very cold in your body, limbs and nose yet feel hot in the face and ears. I get this quite a bit and no idea why.

What time of day was your test done?

Health unlocked will say/ ask all this

family history is a bit of a red flag too.

I am hypothyroid and went through a fast medical menopause due to cancer; peri/ menopause did make me exceptionally cold - it’s slowly got better but the loss of one of the hormones definitely seemed to fuck my thermostat over.

The other thing I’ve noticed has made a big difference to my ability to deal with cold/ feel cold etc, when thyroid is definitely in a good spot, has been getting my b12 in upper ranges. Via many years of symptoms and testing via gp I worked out I wasn’t absorbing it as well as I should or needed more, or both. When I stop supplements it gradually drops. I’m at the highest levels for many many years and it’s made a big difference. However, as I always used to take a b complex or berocca I think I’d kept levels within a range that seemed to indicate I was “ok.” I only found out that my levels steadily drop despite a good diet when I stopped all supplements after breast cancer, which they suggest you do through treatments. You mentioned gut issues so you could be having some issues there. (I personally find a sublingual b12 tablet works, plus a b complex but it’s taken a long time to feel better. HU often recommend this too.)

anxiety is always a key symptom of something not being quite right as I can’t think straight and become hyper vigilant of mistakes etc. confidence tanks. Anxiety shoots up. Always worse when tsh isn’t great, PLUS high pressure at work. It’s fine when I’ve no pressure!

im 5 foot 2 and mid-thirties, when my weight was in the 8 - 9 stone range, I was always cold. Since reaching the 10 stone mark I’ve realised I am never as cold anymore. Not sure if weight may be a factor?
separate to this, I’m more aware of which types of clothes and materials let in more cold etc, before i probably wasn’t as aware

It would have been in the afternoon as I have some gut issues and tend not to go anywhere in the mornings due to my issues.

WarriorN My B12 is within range too but more on the low side, I will get some sublingual B12 and see if t hat helps.

Leeds157 I am 5 foot 6 and just under 9 stone so not underweight at all, I have always been slim, I have never been able to gain weight due to my digestive issues.

if you’re able to get a second test done at the gp, aim for as early as you can manage on a regular basis.

eg, I try to get a test between 9 and 9:30 after school drop off. When I didn’t have kids it had to be before 8 am for me to get to work but I’d aim for around then if in the holidays.

tsh can be higher in the morning and it might give a different picture.

Good ferritin and a diet that includes iodine or within multi vitamin is also important for people who do have a functioning or semi functioning thyroid. (Unless swinging back and forth with autoimmune TD.)

Great suggestions from previous posters. Have you tried yoga- specifically the heating breaths? Honestly feels a bit weird and definitely better practiced alone but strangely successful in warming you up! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jbtLH-3DfLc

Thank you, I will try that.

I was cold as long as could remember, my blood pressure is always on the lower side.
I started feel warm with the testosterone for my perimenopause fatigue. This winter was so good.
I am on HRT- mirena, estradiol patches and fifth months into testosterone. Need to mention - no flashes for me yet as I am under 50