Some of my DAILY symptoms included:
nausea
mental fog
poor short term memory
night sweats
joint/muscular aches
very strange dreams
thinning hair
mood swings
Daily morning temperature - low 97's
Daily resting pulse - low 50's
Diagnosis:
#1 Textbook symptoms of perimenopause (average age is 47, I'm mid-48)
#2 Because of my daily hormone fluctuations, my T3 has wandered out of range (too low) which brings back my symptoms of hypothyroidism because I need T3!
Treatment: Stay on the same dose of thyroid replacement and begin very low dose estrogen therapy to stop the DAILY hormone fluctuations as I transition into full menopause (average age is 52) and by doing that, helping my body convert T4 to T3 again. My doctor and I reviewed my past medical history carefully to determine if I have any risk factors to estrogen therapy. I have NO risk factors.
Estrogen Replacement: An FDA approved plant based estrogen spray. It's like perfume except it has no scent. I spray one "spray" on each forearm, let it dry a few minutes. DONE! I can exercise, shower, swim, etc. The drug is absorbed into the bloodstream through my skin! I would like to personally thank the research scientist out there who figured out this method of drug delivery.You rock!
Outcome: I have been on my HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for just over a week and I feel better than I have in MONTHS! The other good thing is that I'm not going to need to change the dose of my thyroid replacement. I've been on the same dose for over 2 years. We are going to check my T3 in 8 weeks to see where it's at, but I can tell you, I feel like a new person.
I accept that I am getting older and I want transition into each decade feeling as good as I can because I still have a lot of things I want to do. To do those things, I need to feel content and happy in my heart and mind as well as staying fit and healthy. I also dont want to be a burden to those around me with a long list of health problems as time goes on.
