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Original poster

Perimenopause or hypothyroidism symptoms? (title edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

35 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 20:18

I’ve managed to pre-book a telephone appointment for two weeks today for this list of symptoms which I am convinced is the start of perimenopause- (in fact not even necessarily the start as I have had this for at least a year).

11 months ago I had a raft of blood tests as I had a week long anxiety attack and spontaneous panic attacks. All came back clear. In October I had pretty much a breakdown but I think that was more due to my horrible job which I have now left)

I am going to ask that they test me again and test me for Perimenopause. What else do I need to ask for?

symptoms:
-increased general anxiety, especially when driving, and health anxiety.

  • intrusive thoughts/ very dark thoughts/ unable to stop thinking about eg, dh or dc dying or being hurt, or me dying or getting cancer. When it’s bad it’s literally all day.

-weird pulsing feeling at the base of my throat which I think is palpitations (except I don’t have other symptoms eg dry mouth or sweaty hands that normally present with palpitations) - occasional but at least 10-15 times a week, sometimes all day
-I have a very low heart rate, like 35-37 bpm, I had an ecg last year which ruled out any heart issue but the gp basically brushed me off with ‘you’re super fit’ when I was feeling so utterly unwell and my resting hr was 33bpm 🤷‍♀️
-brain fog
-night sweats one or two times a month when I’m due on
-insomnia sometimes- used to be terrible but i have worked very hard to get more sleep
-period regular but has changed to two days that are so heavy I can’t go out, then about a week of v light.
-so so tired. I exercise, I eat well but I am
just exhausted. I have cut down my running significantly this year because of this and yet I still feel tired
-unable to lose weight unless I cut calories dramatically (eg 1000 a day which is insanely low- I’m 5’7 and 11st)
-lack of libido (but I’ve never had a particularly high sex drive)
-hair loss (coming out in handfuls when I wash my hair)
-increased hirstutism
-aching joints and tired legs , restless legs

I’ve been feeling like this for at least a year because it was a year ago (august) that I had the tests. I have called the gp because of the anxiety because it is having such a huge negative impact on my life now. But when I mentioned it to a friend they instantly said Perimenopause, and when looking at this list of symptoms I am inclined to agree.

I am only 39 (40 next week) . I eat well, I exercise daily, I have a pleasant stress free life and no health concerns. 3 kids but as kids go they are easy going, happy marriage. No stresses basically, except the normal.

I’d be very interested in other women’s views on this, and advice on what to ask the gp for, and what to ask them to test me for.

OP posts:
Teaandsympathy · 11/07/2023 20:30

Hey op you sound similar to how I felt a year ago. everything from the anxiety to hair loss. I’m 39 too (not 40 till next year). Drs we’re as useful as a chocolate teapot. Nurse did ask if I was stressed and on reflection it was partly that. Though my bloods were normal I did a bit of dr Googling and started taking magnesium supplements and spatone (for iron) as well as cbd oil. Also make sure I take my vitamin D regularly in the winter. I also overhauled my diet - changed from toast/ cereal, sandwich, pasta being an average day to fruit and yoghurt, hearty salad or soup, stir fry being an average day and completely avoiding ultra processed foods- loads and loads more veg and other plants than I’d been eating before even though on paper I’d been having my 5 a day. I also started walking almost every day (just 20-30 mins during the week) and resistance training a couple of times a week. I didn’t do these things overnight but slowly plugged away adding things gradually. Though you say you exercise already. A year on and I feel like a brand new person. Occasional I slip back into old habits and I start to feel anxiety creeping by back in and I know to tighten up my habits again.

Gobimanchurian · 11/07/2023 21:03

I have most of those symptoms to a lesser extent. My thyroid was flagged on recent bloods so I'm going back for a second test soon (6 weeks later). All the symptoms match hypothyroidism, have you been tested?

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 21:16

@Gobimanchurian yes one of my tests was for thyroid which they said was normal. I did originally believe it might be thyroid related, I also have other symptoms of thyroid including losing the hair on my outer eyebrows, but they said it’s not thyroid.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 21:23

@Teaandsympathy I already do much of what you have written there- I walk or run daily, I do hiit/resistance classes, I don’t eat much gluten and very few bread/pasta/flour products and very few ultra processed foods. I take a multivitamin and a slow release iron tab (otc not prescribed).

OP posts:
hopsalong · 11/07/2023 21:32

I'm sorry, but if your resting heart rate is under 40bpm then perimenopause isn't your main concern (tbh, I think you're a bit young). You need to see a cardiologist.

hopsalong · 11/07/2023 21:39

Tbh, if my heart rate were 33 I would be heading to A and E. It sounds as if that's normal for you, but it isn't in any way normal. An incredibly fit athlete might have a heart rate in the 40s, but not in the 30s. And non-athletes don't have such a slow heart rate unless they have a heart condition. Your GP sounds like a complete twat. It's not surprising that you've been having brain fog and other symptoms -- your brain is hardly getting any oxygen! See eg www.brighamandwomens.org/heart-and-vascular-center/diseases-and-conditions/bradycardia-slow-heart-beat
I would measure your heart rate now and go to A and E or an urgent care centre in the morning if it remains this low. You need to be taken seriously and to see an expert.

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 21:42

@hopsalong you say that but then I had an ecg last year and they basically said there’s no abnormalities. In my ecg my heart rate was just over 40 bpm and I had got to the gp, had loads of bloods taken, moved to a different room and then given the ecg which they read for literally 30 seconds if that, and that was still how low my hr was, they were absolutely not interested in it whatsoever 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
lljkk · 11/07/2023 21:49

It always impresses me when people who are utterly exhausted all the time do lots of exercise and also can barely eat any food without gaining weight. Freaks of nature.

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 21:49

@hopsalong its not 33 right now, that was during a particular time last year when it was especially low.
According to my Garmin my average resting HR over the last year is 41. I don’t know how accurate that is as it’s only a Garmin but it’s fairly consistent measurement over 12 months.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 11/07/2023 21:53

@lljkk i don’t get what you’re getting at. I exercise for 30 minutes a day and otherwise I have a sedentary wfh job. I gained a stone last year not changing my food or exercise regime at all.

OP posts:
sentinent · 11/07/2023 21:57

Thyroid function, Iron, Vit D, Vit B12
Take Magnesium to help with palpitations and anxiety

lljkk · 11/07/2023 22:08

ah, my bad, I thought you meant lots of exercise.

Why does the doctor think you're so fit when you only do 30 minutes/day of exercise?

When did you "cut down on the running" then, the reduction must be entirely > 1 year ago since exercise routine hasn't changed in last 12 months? Not "cut down this year"?

1 stone in last year, I guess that's 14 lbs over 52 weeks?
0.27 lbs/week, just call it 1 lb every 4 weeks,
3500 kcal/4 weeks, 875 kcal, 117-125 kcal/day extra

117-125 kcal/day excess energy intake could be easily be covered off by running less but eating the same.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 12/07/2023 04:38

Do you know what your actual thyroid function test results were - the numbers, with ranges? Thyroid dysfunction is treated appallingly by a lot of GPs in the UK, and many people suffer for ages before the blood tests reach (terribly) low levels.

PostOpOp · 12/07/2023 06:19

BatshitCrazyWoman · 12/07/2023 04:38

Do you know what your actual thyroid function test results were - the numbers, with ranges? Thyroid dysfunction is treated appallingly by a lot of GPs in the UK, and many people suffer for ages before the blood tests reach (terribly) low levels.

This.

I'd ask for thyroid to be retested. I'm guessing it was TSH alone that was tested. It can be quite useful but it's not a full thyroid test. However, if your symptoms have persisted for 11+ months, then you should see a different TSH figure now (the number would be higher indicating lower/less thyroid function).

So explain you feel at least as bad as before and you want thyroid and peri menopause tests plus anything else the Dr recommends to get to the bottom of it (Vit B, D, iron?). List things you've had to stop/reduce/not start because of how you're feeling. Think about that in relation to how you used to feel. If you get told to relax, meditate, do yoga, etc tell them you will but you also want to rule out any underlying cause of how you feel, because it's interfering with your ability to live a normal life.

hopsalong · 12/07/2023 07:34

GPs are not cardiologists and often fucking useless at interpreting ECGs. I had one a few months ago and the GP accepted the computer report as true -- it said that I had had a silent heart attack in the past and now had damaged heart muscle. I knew this was not the case and about an hour of Googling told me why the computer had interpreted it wrongly. The hospital cardiologist then confirmed that the computer report was wrong.

I promise you that a resting heart rate of around 40bpm is not normal even for elite athletes, though some may fall into this range. It is completely abnormal for someone who is unfit and is a sign that your heart isn't working properly to pump blood around your body.

Vintagecreamandcottagepie · 12/07/2023 07:44

I just had to check this was the menopause board!

Op, it could be something else, especially with the low heart rate. But equally it could be the start of perimenopause. Do you know what age your mum's periods stopped? If she was earlier than average, you may well be perimenopausal.

My knowledge is limited as to how useful the tests are to check.

But I'm sure someone who knows more will be along soon. It's (usually) a very helpful board.

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/07/2023 08:05

Thank you all.

@Vintagecreamandcottagepie no I don’t know, I vaguely recall her being around 50 but I don’t know if that was full menopause, we’re not especially close and don’t really discuss these things

@hopsalong I am really starting to feel like they hugely fobbed me off last time. I’ve read a bit about thyroid last night and one of the big symptoms that even nhs website says is a sign of more serious/untreated thyroid is low heart rate. They basically painted it as not just a ‘nothing to worry about’ thing but actually as if it was a sign of good health.

@PostOpOpyour advice is great, thank you. I’m going to try to bring my appointment forward to speak to someone sooner and will try to get more details of what my results were last time.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/07/2023 11:35

so… update. I got a phone appointment with a gp and they are going to refer me for full bloods and then a follow up face to face appt where she will go through the results with me and potentially give me something for anxiety if nothing else glaring shows up.
She again said that the resting HR of 40 bpm is ‘my normal’ and that she isn’t concerned about it necessarily, just that ‘active’ people have a lower RHR. I was very clear about what activity I do and she still drew this conclusion so I don’t really know what to think. They are going to do thyroid check and other blood tests and hopefully that will pick up anything abnormal.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 03/08/2023 17:03

So my results are back.
all normal except for my thyroid FSH is raised, slightly. It’s 5.6 when cut off for “raised” is 5.3. However as I have as the dr put it, a symptom of hyperthyroid in the fact I’m having palpitations, they will retest me in 3 months and if it’s still higher they will consider medication.

I did point out that I have several symptoms, as are on my records. Several of which are significant and indicative of untreated hypothyroidism including my low RHR.

I just feel exhausted by the whole thing . I’m now scared to take anything for anxiety if they offer it because it’s not really advised if symptoms are due to other underlying conditions. I had managed to placate myself with the fact that maybe this was peri and that maybe they might help me. Now I’m just in 3 month’s limbo, I’m just going to have to feel like this for 3 months aren’t I? Or feel worse?I have a face to face appt on Monday and I will ask more questions there.

OP posts:
tigertummy · 02/12/2023 19:37

Hi @thenewaveragebear1983

I know this in as old thread... I'm experiencing exactly the same things you've mentioned. Did you ever get to the bottom of any of it?

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 02/12/2023 20:04

@tigertummy so…..
I had HRT and all my anxiety symptoms have gone.
i still have a super low RHR,
i went to a chiropractor about some chest/ rib pain and she put all my ribs back into position and since then I’ve had virtually no palpitations or breathlessness.
I still haven’t had my 2nd thyroid blood test, I really need to do it.

since going on HRT I had an improvement in a lot of symptoms but they’ve gradually started creeping back in- irritable bladder, restless legs, tiredness, brain fog etc. the anxiety is the only one that’s gone really. I’m tired all the time still. I really do need to get the thyroid check.

I just had a 24 hour ecg which I will get results for in Jan, they did identify I had a missing/irregular beat along with the deathly slow heart rate.

OP posts:
MumsyMoves · 02/12/2023 20:05

I'm also here for a bit of solidarity.

OP... I had tears reading your OP. I could have written this. I have other symptoms too which I am hoping are peri or stress related and nothing more sinister (awaiting scan) but my goodness, when I am having a bad week, it is overwhelming. My thoughts completely take over my day to day. I'm currently convinced I'm not going to be here next Christmas. I know these thoughts are irrational but on the whole they are dictating my days at the moment. If this is peri, I am so scared of the next 10 years.

tigertummy · 02/12/2023 21:14

Thanks @thenewaveragebear1983

@MumsyMoves I feel exactly the same!!

MumsyMoves · 02/12/2023 21:42

tigertummy · 02/12/2023 21:14

Thanks @thenewaveragebear1983

@MumsyMoves I feel exactly the same!!

💐 Have you been to see your doctor at all? Are you on any HRT or anxiety medication?

tigertummy · 03/12/2023 07:00

This has been going on for over 6 months. I have hypothyroidism and I saw an endocrinologist who tweaked my dosage and recommended vitamins which improved things for 2 months but then everything got worse again. GP keeps saying I have anxiety and that's all it is but I just know there's more to it. I'm 36 so they don't think it could be perimenopause but all the women on my mums side went through it early

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