# Recent Labs: Is this Menopause or a Thyroid Problem?



## Reporter (Mar 17, 2011)

Hi - I went to the doctor to check my thyroid levels and told her that I felt my levels were too low causing the absence of periods (I haven't had one since June, this year. After my TT last Aug., I was without a period until February this year. Had a normal one until June (had two in June) and haven't had one since. Before the TT, they were normal.

Labs were done. Here are the results:

TSH 0.04 (that's always low)

FT3 2.1 (2.3 - 4.2)

FT4 1.4 (0.8 - 1.8)

FSH 62.0 (23.0 - 116.3 postmeno)

LH 40.0 (10.0 - 54.7 postmeno)

Ferritin 48 (10 - 232)

Vit D 32 (30 was the low end)

I know that I'm not officially in meno but maybe around meno as I'm 44. My thoughts are that my thyroid levels are causing this. I feel fairly well as I'm able to run but I do have a cold intolerance, some body aches and brain fog at times.

A FEW QUESTIONS:

Would correcting the thyroid abnormality also correct the menstrual cycle abnormality and FSH, LH levels?

I have a prescription for Cytomel 5MCG. Take one once a day. Synthroid 100MCG, once a day. My weight is 145. My FT3 has been on the lowest end of normal all year, but this time is a bit lower. The FT4 stays about the same: 1.4 - 1.8. Is 5MCG enough to correct the deficiency?

Thx so much.


----------



## my3gr8girls (Mar 18, 2016)

I am no expert on hormones, but it looks like from your labs that you are postmenopausal. Both the FSH and LH reference ranges show normal for postmenopausal if I'm reading that correctly. From my experience and from what I've read, hypothyroidism causes heavier, longer periods. I think thyroid hormones do affect other hormones in your body too so maybe the hypothyroidism threw you into early menopause. Again, I'm no expert. Just guessing. That said, you are clearly hypothyroid according to your FT3 and FT4. The 5 mcg of cytomel certainly won't hurt but it may not be enough to help. I take 88 mcg of levothyroxine and 15 mcg of cytomel and I still don't feel quite optimal. Is your doctor open to increasing the cytomel if you don't get improvement with the current dose? What other symptoms do you have?


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I don't know much about menopause. I'm just wondering....are you symptomatic? Or just trying to see if you are or are not menopausal?


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> I have a prescription for Cytomel 5MCG. Take one once a day. Synthroid 100MCG, once a day.


When in relation to your labs did you take your Synthroid medication? How about your Cytomel?

Perimenopause wreaks havoc on monthly cycles.

Are you taking Vitamin D supplements? How about iron? When in your cycle were your labs drawn?


----------



## Reporter (Mar 17, 2011)

Well the thing with the cycle irregularity, they were never irregular until the month after my TT (last Aug). I missed four months. During this time I was also hypo taking 50 mcg of Levo then increasing to 100. My then endo started me on 5mcg of Cytomel in January to be taken once daily, and although that is a baby dose, that next month my cycle returned. It was normal until June. I've not had once since.

Maybe it's because I was not taking the Cytomel regularly and as prescribed due to some side effects. I'd been "experimenting" with 5mcg, increasing to 7.5. 5mcg didn't seem to be enough, 2.5 added seemed to be too much. Maybe the TSI hadn't simmered down enough. Also I was low in Ferritin and still so hypo and T3-starved, maybe all of that contributed to the symptoms. I do agree, though, that Cytomel should be taken at least twice daily. Once-a-day dosing makes me fatigued. I am currently taking Cod Liver for D3, liquid iron, and Selenium.

I only have hypoT symptoms like muscle pain and weakness, cold intolerance and brain fog but if I take Cytomel, I get some relief but I don't feel 5 mcg is enough.

The day of the test I'd not taken T4 nor T3 for at least 12 hrs as I take my meds at night on an empty stomach. Labs were drawn around 9AM.

Received a rtn call from the doctor. Says many physicians don't like running FSH and LH because the levels can fluctuate and that the high levels and absence of cycles can be due to hypothyroidism just as I experienced the four months following my TT last year. She said correcting the thyroid deficiency may correct the menstrual cycle irregularity and if the levels do not decrease, that likely it's a normal hormonal fluctuation associated with perimenopause which at 44, it's highly likely that I am.

I hope I explained all of this in a way that makes sense. Thx.


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I had the opposite happen - my cycles increased in flow. I was low ferritin after every cycle and took iron supplements for 1 year post TT but they made me so ill I opted for ablation. My doctor was resistant on female hormone testing as well - he's a guy.

I believe it was coincidental to the TT or possibly the shock to my system threw my body into peri menopause. Who knows??

You are 44 and may be experiencing something similar and you are also low in ferritin and somewhat hypo and also have been having alot of thyroid hormone changes. Consider it a blessing that Ms. Flow has taken off a few months.


----------



## Reporter (Mar 17, 2011)

I


----------

