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Hashimoto's and Heavy Periods

Carrigon

Senior Member
Messages
808
Location
PA, USA
I went off the thyroid med for awhile, and sure enough, massive bleed out. I am totally trapped taking the drug. Even though I don't feel I need it as often as I used to. But not taking it, I get severe, really, really severe heavy periods worse than if I got stabbed in an artery. When I regularly take levothyroxine, my periods are normal to light and sometimes I barely get them. Go off it, and scary bleeding.

I talked to my doctor about this, and she was like, you can a "procedure" or surgery or take more hormones and possibly get cancer or a blood clot or stroke. Or just stay on the lev. Great choices.

As I've been bleeding out badly for 48 hours and more now, I caved and took the lev.

There's alot of literature out there on thyroid disease and heavy bleeding. Unfortunately, it is a symptom of Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism if you do not treat it. And as I don't want to be chopped up, do a procedure, or take more scary things, I think I'm stuck with the lev. And I already have side effects from it. The levothyroxine is the cause of my acid reflux. So that's right here now. It's given me a headache. I feel like crap on it. It also messes with my joints. But if it keeps the periods regular or at least lighter, I'll take the monster pill.

I'm just so sick of suffering with stuff. And now I have to pray the heavy bleeding subsides on its own. It's so bad that I can't go anywhere. I hate this. I haven't had this in a few years. I only had it before I took the lev and wasn't treating the Hashimotos. After I started with the lev, I didn't get it like that again for years.
 

Mya Symons

Mya Symons
Messages
1,029
Location
Washington
Hi Carrigon. I also hate Levothyroxine and Synthroid etc etc. They all have the same main ingredient and I never felt better taking any of them. I feel like the hypothyroid symptoms never went away. I also had heavy bleeding. However, eventually it did not matter whether or not I took the thyroid meds, I started to bleed heavily anyway. So, I ended up having one of those procedures and now feel much better, at least in that respect.

You know what else I hate--the fact that there are 3 or 4 different drugs for erectile dysfunction and there is only one for hypoactive thyroid disease (One that 99% of the doctors are willing to prescribe. The ONLY one they are willing to prescribe because it is "measurable."). Did you know that synthroid and generic synthroid is the third largest selling drug in the U.S.? You think that somebody else would get on this and make a better pill when there is such a big market. Monopoly??
 

Carrigon

Senior Member
Messages
808
Location
PA, USA
Armour worked great on me until the FDA forced them to reformulate. Then it didn't work at all and I got severe leg and hip cramps from it. So the doc stuck me on the Lev again.

Still have the bad bleed out. And I got nervous today from some legal stuff that has to do with my mother's estate and that kicked the cramping and bleeding in even more. So I'm just dying. I managed to get out and buy some of that Pamabrom stuff. I hate this. And the thought that I can still get this for years and years, UGH.
 

Mya Symons

Mya Symons
Messages
1,029
Location
Washington
Is Armour Thyroid a possibility for either of you? I have been told it is the preferred form for PWME. Might work better for you....

Sorry I can't give you more info -- this has been a bad cognitive week. :headache: You can probably do a search here at PR....

No, unfortunately it is not a possibility for me. I cannot afford the expensive alternative doctor fees and they are the only type of doctor who will prescribe something like that. Hopefully someone will come up with something better that insurance co's will be willing to pay for. But, I'm not holding my breath.
 

Mya Symons

Mya Symons
Messages
1,029
Location
Washington
Armour worked great on me until the FDA forced them to reformulate. Then it didn't work at all and I got severe leg and hip cramps from it. So the doc stuck me on the Lev again.

Still have the bad bleed out. And I got nervous today from some legal stuff that has to do with my mother's estate and that kicked the cramping and bleeding in even more. So I'm just dying. I managed to get out and buy some of that Pamabrom stuff. I hate this. And the thought that I can still get this for years and years, UGH.

When I had my hysterectomy, they found scar tissue hiding behind my uterus. As I understand, scar tissue is very common with CFS because the natural killer cells are responsible for cleaning up the uterus. When the natural killer cells are not working, the scar tissue happens.

It is very nice not to have to worry about that pain and inconvenience anymore. I still have the CFS, Fibromyalgia and arthritis pain, but the period pain had become so bad that I was overdosing on pain meds. It was horrible. Have you considered a partial hysterectomy (leaving the ovaries in). It sounds drastic, however, life is so much better afterwards that it is worth it.
 

ahimsa

ahimsa_pdx on twitter
Messages
1,921
When I had my hysterectomy, they found scar tissue hiding behind my uterus. As I understand, scar tissue is very common with CFS because the natural killer cells are responsible for cleaning up the uterus. When the natural killer cells are not working, the scar tissue happens.

Scar tissue is also quite common for women with endometriosis, a very common co-morbid condition for patients with ME/CFS.
 

Carrigon

Senior Member
Messages
808
Location
PA, USA
I went back on the lev crap. And the bleeding stopped. But now I have all the lev side effects. I'd rather take pills and cut the estrogen in my diet before doing anything drastic. Soy and milk products are full of estrogen and they do make me bleed.