Thyroid and Perimenopause

Hi joy, yes I am of menopausal age and actually logged on here today to see if any one has used Bach’s rescue remedy which could help with sleepless nights!   I got diagnosed with follicular thyroid cancer in beginning of February and am on 100mcg of thyroxine and I would say since I have been on thyroxine my sleep has been really badly disturbed by hot flushes and restlessness :( I have tried to tire myself out during the day in the hope that I get a good nights sleep but this has not worked! Someone recommended bach’s to me and I think I am going to give it a go (it is all natural ingredients so hopefully will be ok).  I would love a good nights sleep

Hi Joy,

Have you had the FSH blood test to confirm that this is the menopause? I'm aware it's not completely accurate but it would be good to be sure that's what's going on before trying to find something to take.

Also, do you have your most recent thyroid function test results? If you have particularly high FT4, that could be contributing to the hot flushes too. So long after your thyroidectomy, the docs should be easing off on your TSH targets so you might be able to bring that dose down a bit too.

But everything really does depend on the blood test results.

Hi

I can't see any reason why Bach's wouldn't be OK for you - but it's always worth mentioning anything like this to your doctor next time you see them. I think it's only alcohol and plant extracts. As a rule though, just because something is 'natural' doesn't guarantee it's not going to interfere - lots of cases of St John's Wort and cannabis messing with medication in unhelpful ways. 

You're still in the early stages of getting used to thyroxine. I know for the first 6 months or so I was also getting the hot flushes at night and I think it's pretty common that it happens. I'd put it down to a combination of your body adjusting to the medication and good, old-fashioned night terrors brought on by fear of what might happen (and usually doesn't). 

Hi barbara

thanks for your reply. I will check with the doctor before i get anything to try and help me get a good nights sleep.  You mention that if the TF4 is high this can cause flushes, my TF4 was 23, I know this is slightly high, but don’t know the normal range - is this high enough to cause hot flushes? 

Thanks

I wouldn't have thought that was high enough - but we're all different and it's more likely the 'getting used to life on T4' is more to blame than the actual FT4 reading. Do you know your TSH?

My TSH was 0.62, I know they are aiming to get it to 0.10. I suppose I just have to learn to be patient until the balance is right. 

Hi sus17, I have never heard of Bach’s, I too do try to tire myself out but nothing works, it’s a nightmare. Thanks for your input I hope it works for you and you get your well deserved good nights sleep 

Hi, yes my latest FSH showed I was post menopausal, much to my delight, but then I had the dreaded period, so that’s not it.  my surgeon always wanted my TSH levels to be 0.03 to keep the cancer suppressed. I was very fortunate from day one for the thyroxine to not really interfere with my life and it hasn’t for 16 years but since I’ve hit  menopausal age it’s a nightmare! I need sleep lol