I don't suffer PMS symptoms regardless of my thyroid levels. Japanese women rarely suffer hot flashes (there is no word in Japanese for hot flashes!) during menopause due to the high amount of soy in their diet (soy is a phytoestrogen).
I had peri menopause symptoms long before my thyroid stopped functioning.
I went through menopause pre-hypo, when my thyroid hormones were presumably "naturally" balanced. The only "symptom" I had of peri-menopause was a shortening of my cycle that started about ten years before the actual (non) event. As far as menopause symptoms were concerned, my periods stopped...end of story.
Margaret Mead also found that women of the South Pacific experienced no symptoms with their periods. It was a totally foreign concept to them.
Thanks for the comments.
For what I understand you are saying perimenopausal symptoms could occur despite good thyroid function (or feeling well on a specific dose before) so probably thyroid medicine should not be increased thinking symptoms are thyroid related, because ultimately is age related (menopause)
I found an old article that talks about the use of soy to lessen peri symptoms. I read that there are good sources of soy and other not so good.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-07-31/features/0207310356_1_asian-women-hot-flashes-menopause
I have read some progesterone creams have soy as ingredient, maybe for the same reasons.
I have personally avoided all sources of soy because I have been told that causes and/or worsen hypothyroidism. Dr. Oz suggested having any food containing soy (if hypo) four hours after thyroid medicine to avoid interfering with absorption (two portions per day, a cup of soy milk and 1/2 cup of tofu for example). Who knows, I still don't find the courage to add soy to my diet.
Thanks!
As you can see goolarra had no symptoms of peri-menopause, while I had horrible symptoms, but both occurred "pre-thyroid". I ended up having a hysterectomy at age 46, which threw me into "instant" menopause, and I wasn't diagnosed with thyroid condition until age 58.
Menopause isn't necessarily "age related". I've known women who have gone through menopause at very young ages. I have a very good friend who actually went through menopause in her mid 30's.
While peri-menopause and hypothyroidism can share some symptoms, they also feel very different from each other (at least, in my experience). They can also share symptoms with other conditions, as well.
I, personally, would not increase my thyroid med, to alleviate peri-menopause symptoms. You have to consider your actual thyroid hormone results, as well as your symptoms.
I, too, avoid as many sources of soy, as I can, but only partially because of my thyroid med....
There are hundreds of phytoestrogens including soybeans, whole grains, seeds (especially flax), nuts (especially walnuts) and many herbs such as black cohosh, dong quai, red clover, Korean ginseng.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Barb, I am still increasing my meds because I would like to reach where I was before my old endo dropped my meds to almost nothing and I started to feel weird and bad. But I am testing almost every two or three months to not over do it.
Red Star, that is excellent information. Since soy is not an option, and I am afraid to even try it, I did some research online about milled flax seeds which I started to eat for the first time like a month ago (mostly because of the omega 3 and fiber in it). After the reading I think I will increase to 10 grams ( I think that the recommended for menopause is 40 grams per day) for day, because I was doing it only like twice a week. We will see how it goes.
It is the mood swings that is been bothering me the most.
Thanks!!!