[Anonymous May 3, 2004 at 11:48 pm Post count: 93172]

#1023531

Menopause has just hit me like a ton of bricks & I’m thinking of taking some sort of hormone replacement therapy to counteract the symptoms. I had RAI in Dec ’99 & after quite a rollercoaster ride have finally been pretty stable on my synthroid dose for the last year or so. I’ve read on some posts recently that some of the “natural” hormones (like Estroven or soy products) have caused some problems with thyroid levels, so I’m wondering if all HRT might cause that? Has anyone tried the bio-identical hormones? (mimic the real hormones the body makes) Any info anyone can give would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Julie

[Anonymous May 4, 2004 at 8:45 am Post count: 93172]

#1086033

Julie,

I had a recent experience with soy. I had a day last week that I was totally exhausted. I couldn’t think. I had to be at work that day even though I was not that productive. I read a message on this board regarding soy and thought about what I had for breakfast. I had one of the soy sausage patties. I’m on Weight Watchers and the soy patties are fewer points than a real sausage patty. I had waited an hour from taking my Levoxyl to eat. It wasn’t long enough. The soy must have bound with my Levoxyl so I didn’t get the benefit. I won’t be having those soy sausage patties for breakfast anymore unless I take my pill earlier. Last night, I did have a soy burger and I’m fine. I actually feel better this morning than I have for a couple of days. It appears that I can have soy but later in the day.

I can’t offer any words of wisdom about HRT’s except that you may need to keep an eye out on your thyroid levels to see if the HRT’s may cause your dosage to change.

With Graves and menapause, you hang in there and do something special for yourself today. Watch the sunset. Go for a walk. A bubble bath with candles.

Linette

[Anonymous May 4, 2004 at 3:36 pm Post count: 93172]

#1086034

Hi I take synthroid and I am on the estalis patch it is a hrt patch. 3 months after starting hrt i went to my endo for blood tests and had to have my synthroid changed from 100mg to 112 mg.

Also take note that calcium and syntrhoid do not mix well. wait at least 2 hours before taking a calcium pill.

coco

[Anonymous April 16, 2007 at 7:44 am Post count: 93172]

#1086035

Hello. I have a question regarding hormone replacement. I have read that a change in hormones, such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause, may cause graves disease to become active. So, even though my thyroid levels are in the normal range and my eyes are considered stable, could a change in my hormones(progesterone, estrogen..) cause my eyes to become active again? Hope this makes sense. Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous April 16, 2007 at 12:04 pm Post count: 93172]

#1086036

Hi, I can share that I started HRT in December and my TSH was finally in the normal range in Dec. We rechecked the TSH in Feb and I moved more into the center of the normal range, which is what the doc wanted. I saw my eye doc in Jan and he said my eyes were out of the ‘hot phase’. This was the first time he said that, so for me they didn’t upset the balance.

The HRT’s are great!! I am taking them for menopause and with all the changes, it is nice to get something that is calming some of this mood stuff down. My husband really appreciates it.

Good luck,
Cindy

[Anonymous April 16, 2007 at 12:48 pm Post count: 93172]

#1086037

Hi millie39,

Changes to “other” hormones (estrogen, etc.) only have the capability to affect our thyroid hormone levels. Changes in thyroid hormone levels do NOT trigger changes in the eye disease. The eye disease follows its own, weird, individual course for each patient.

An increase in stress might increase some eye symptoms, but as far as I know, once you have gone into the “cold phase” of the eye disease, you are not expected to return to the “hot phase.” That’s why they can consider surgery after you’ve gone into the cold phase, because they are confident that it will not trigger problems.

~Ski
NGDF Assistant Online Facilitator

[Anonymous April 17, 2007 at 7:14 am Post count: 93172]

#1086038

Thanks for the responses!

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