Is it my thyroid or my hormones?

[Bunbury952]

Hi, not sure if I’ve put this in the right place, but I’d be so grateful for any advice...I have been struggling with hypothyroid symptoms (feeling cold, water retention), but strangely the symptoms seem to be cyclical.

The cold feeling sets in after I ovulate and lasts until my period starts. This has been going on for at least two years...

Over the last year, I’ve started having terrible water retention which seems to start after my period. It’s all over my body (kidneys and heart are fine) and lasts a couple weeks.

I have Hashimotos and am currently on 75mcg of Levo. My GP has increased my dose twice and although I feel my energy levels have improved, it has not helped these symptoms. She wants to get my TSH down to 1 (currently over 2) and my T4 up from 13.2. So I will probably have to increase my dose again. Hopefully getting those levels right will help, but it’s discouraging that I haven’t seen any improvement from the increased dose.

And it’s also confusing that the symptoms seem linked with my cycle. I’m 39 so possibly peri menopausal. Is that perhaps the problem and not my thyroid?

Have you had your iron levels checked ?
I was getting swelling when my ferritin levels were low.

That’s interesting! Did your swelling come and go or was it all the time? And what was your ferritin level if you don’t mind saying?

My ferritin was 30 something...other iron levels were normal. I mentioned that to the GP and she said my ferritin was fine, though I have read that 30 isn’t optimal.

Sorry forgot to tag you in my reply @DinosaurDiana!

Mine was 5 !
And it was arm swelling at night, and ankles.

Oh my! I hope you were able to get it up and are feeling better!

My swelling seems to be all over. On the worst days even my toes feel puffy.

I think the wellwoman check on medichecks will check both your thyroid and your hormones. I can't quite remember how much this costs though off the top of my head.

Maybe do a symptom diary for a month or two to prove it.

Thank you @Chwaraeteg. I’ll look into that. They tested my FSH and it wasn’t elevated, but would be good to know what’s going on with oestrogen and progesterone levels.

And good idea @DinosaurDiana. I’ve been trying to keep a mental note of things, but probably better to write it down.