FSH Levels

I just had my FSH level and it came back 149 which said is was menoapuse and high, I have not had a period for about 6 months and i am 53.  My thyroid came back for the TSH level of 2.99. Mine has always been usually 1.8 or 2.0  I have gained about 14 pounds, doing nothing different, I exercise and follow weight watchers. My blood pressure has gone from normal to about 140/90 most days.  Can this be from low estrogen or low progestrone nad would any of those help me or do I also need thryoid.  I also have RA and take enbrel and methotrexate which I have been on for over 5 years.
Thank you
Becky

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

Your FSH is in the menopause range. Estrogen and progesterone are not usually used to treat the types of symptoms you are describing.

People with rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases often have other glands affected such as their thyroid gland. Overall, about 5% of women have thyroid disease and most of the time it is low thyroid versus high thyroid. To see the exact level of your thyroid function, more tests would be needed such as T4, Free T4 and T3. A TSH of 2.99 is still low but yours seems to be on the rise and needs to be followed and further evaluated. Also, talk with your doctor about Enbrel and see if he/she thinks it could be contributing to some of your symptoms.

Your increase in blood pressure could be due to your increase in weight, or it might be due to other problems. It's not possible to say from just this much information.

Because you have a number of symptoms and many of them are new, it is important to talk with your doctor to see if something new is happening to your body either due to a new condition or a change in your current situation. It will require someone who is familiar with you sitting down and going over your history, your laboratory tests and getting a good examination.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD