Irregular/Asymptomatic Periods + Levothyroxine?

[goddessdeath.livejournal.com]

I don't know how rare/common it is to be on Levothyroxine, so I'm not certain if this is a place to post this and perhaps get some feedback, but I figured it can't hurt to try.

I saw an endocrinologist back in October because I've been tested for thyroid hormone levels (TSH, TSH-4 and whatever else) and, at first, she put me on Metformin twice per day. That was fine, but nothing happened as far as any weight loss or anything like she said it probably would help with.

In mid-November, she gave me a prescription for Levothyroxine (which is a synthetic thyroid hormone). Since then, I've noticed that I have NO PMS symptoms whereas I used to have the typical sore breasts, cramps (sometimes for a week or so ahead of time), my ankles would swell, bloating, etc. I was also about two weeks late for my period. It should've arrived just after Thanksgiving, but didn't show up until December 8.

Now, once again, here it is around the time I should be either having a period or experiencing symptoms, but I have neither one. I'm guessing it's going to arrive whenever it feels like it again. I have not had a chance to contact the doctor since she's around different clinics/offices throughout the week and my schedule is full all the time during the day. I do have an appointment in February, when I will mention it, assuming I still have insurance at that point and can go ahead with the appointment (that's a long story.)

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else on here is taking a synthetic hormone (like Levothyroxine) and whether it affected their periods.

Comments

[uepianogirl.livejournal.com]

I am on Levothyroxine, as well as birth control. My periods still happen at the same times each month, probably because of the birth control. However, the past couple of months, my periods have been a lot lighter and my PMS symptoms are still there, but not near as bad as they were before. It's totally possible that the medicine is affecting your periods.

[goddessdeath.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the response! I think that might be the case that is has helped ease my PMS symptoms, too.

[ldy-shadow.livejournal.com]

I'm on 120 mcg of levothyroxine and it's evened out my hormones considerably.

[goddessdeath.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input!

[archangelbeth]

My periods have normalized once I got started taking Unithroid (one of the brands of levothyroxine). Do you know what your TSH levels are? (And T3 and T4, too...) You may be on an insufficient dosage. You may also not be reacting optimally to synthetic thyroid -- I think many to most people are, but that leaves a decent number who need Amoure or whatever it's called, a natural thyroid that includes both T3 and T4.

Is it possible that November was sufficiently stressful to have delayed your period on its own? Have December and January been stressy as well?

There's also people over at http://community.livejournal.com/thyroid/ who might be able to have more data, if you haven't checked over there. (You may have. I sometimes have a memory like a steel sieve.)

[goddessdeath.livejournal.com]

OOoh, thank you for the link! I haven't seen that actually.

I don't know offhand what my TSH, T3 or T4 levels were when they were last tested. I know it wasn't significantly low, but low enough that she felt I could start on the Levothyroxine. I might have to mention the Amoure (I'll have to look into it since I haven't heard of it yet.)

My months are ALWAYS stressful, so unless it's unusually stressful, I don't usually see a change in cycles.

[mercy-rain.livejournal.com]

I might have to mention the Amoure (I'll have to look into it since I haven't heard of it yet.)

Armour, actually (yes, the same company that makes meat products). It's porcine thyroid, and many people find that it works better for hypothyroid than the synthetics. But a lot of endocrinologists aren't especially keen on prescribing it unless synthetics aren't working well.

[eilan.livejournal.com]

I've been on Synthroid (0.075mcg) for quite a few years now, and have been on bc (Alesse) for almost 8 years.. the last 2 years I've gotten.. oh maybe 3 periods.. and they're mostly just spotting. I'm not sure if my thyroid intake and my lack-of-period are related, but they could be. I never put those together...

[sonarafaey.livejournal.com]

I've had hypothyroidism since birth, so I can't really compare how my periods were before meds. However, my periods have always been irregular, heavy, and long with horrible cramping. (45-60 day cycles), while taking synthroid the whole time. It wasn't until I got on birth control that everything became regular and bearable.