# Hashimotos, menopause, cholesterol?



## Mazan (Jan 22, 2016)

I am a return user, used to use this forum a lot back in around 2002 when I was first diagnosed with Hashimotos. Then I stopped using it after I felt OK and my thyroid condition no longer seemed a big issue in my life. it took a while for me to get diagnosed. I did not gain weight, was not constipated or cold. My main symptoms were aches and pains, palpitations, weak and dizzy spells, extreme tiredness, brain fog - at first doctors tried to blame stress, depression but I never took any of the medications they prescribed because I knew it wasn't. Eventually, as my symptoms got worse and more frequent a Dr. Saw my thyroid was enlarged (I hadn't noticed), it was 3 times normal size with some destroyed tissue but no nodules. I had antibodies and my TSH was around 11. At the time this board was very helpful as I realised that other people had similar symptoms. I gradually increased the thyroxine dosage until 125 when I felt fine and the doctor was satisfied with the lab results. He said he liked to keep TSH below 1 in hashi patients and mine eventually was and stayed that way for several years.

Then I got careless and stopped getting checked for several years. 3 years ago I went to see a different doctor as the first one had moved. This time TSH was 1.55, free T3 2.1, T4 1. Dr said all fine and I continued on the same dose, but on the doctors recommendation I changed to a local brand of levothyroxine, rather than the imported US one I had been taking before (which was much more expensive). At that time I was going through menopause but felt OK. After my periods stopped completely, a year and a half ago, I started getting hot flushes (not too bad) and frequent bad headaches, especially first thing in the morning, but often lasting all day, sometimes 2 or 3 days. More recently I have started to feel symptoms reminiscent of before I was diagnosed (tiredness, aches and pains especially in arms and upper body, palpitations). I had tests done yesterday and these are the results:

TSH 1.26 (0.4-4)
Free T3 1.9 (1.5-4.8)
Free T4 1 (0.8-2)
Anti- TPO 8 ( up to 35)

Dr. Says these are fine, but do they seem a bit low?

All other blood and urine tests fine except cholesterol which was high. Total was 218 (max 200) but LDL the bad one was 144 (max 100). the doctor did not seem too concerned and said I could lower it with diet, but I already eat quite a healthy diet (probably too much cheese though...). I am now 57, my blood pressure was fine 127/70, I am not overweight (53.5 kg, 117.7 pounds, my height is 1.63m, 5'4").

I know high cholesterol is associated with low thyroid hormones, but if I am on thyroid medication it should be OK? I did not have high cholesterol when I was first diagnosed or in the following few years.

Sorry this is long but I had to explain everything. Would be grateful for any advice or shared experiences!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome back -



> TSH 1.26 (0.4-4)
> Free T3 1.9 (1.5-4.8)
> Free T4 1 (0.8-2)
> Anti- TPO 8 ( up to 35)
> ...


Time to find a new doctor - you are hypo based on both your FT-4 and FT-3. I notice my cholesterol goes high when I am in a hypo state and is perfect when my thyroid labs are closer to 1/2-3/4 of ranges.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Mazan said:


> Mmmm interesting, I notice that when I was using this forum years ago people were concentrating more on TSH and now it seems more emphasis on T3. I've just been looking at some of my old test results and when I was first diagnosed my free T3 was actually higher than now - 2.2 (different lab but same ranges). T4 was 1, same as now! but TSH was 10.8 and TPO 40.4. the Dr. Started me on 50 and gradually increased the dose until my TSH was below 1, even if the the T3 and T4 were within normal limits. In subsequent tests when I was on 125, the free T3 was around 2.7 to 2.8.
> 
> is it normal to need an increase in dose after menopause? the dose I'm on already seems quite high for someone of my size (if it depends on size! I don't know)... I was thinking of maybe going back to the imported US medicines if I can still get them, perhaps the local (Ecuador) one are not as good. But even before I changed 3 years ago T3 had gone down from 2.8 to 2.1 - confused, don't want to go hyper, but concerned about the cholesterol and some returning symptoms...


I joined this board as they recommend today, medication dosing based off FT-4 and FT-3 levels. The "free" is the key word.

My opinion is based on what I experience and my lab results.

US manufactured brand is probably a good idea, although generics in my opinion for Levothyroxine is consistent enough, based on my experiences. I do use brand Cytomel but have heard positive experiences with generic as well.


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