Hypothyroidism? Premenopausal?

[kskennedy2000]

Hello, I am a 42 year old woman.  I not had a period in two months and am having menopausal symptoms, i.e. hot flashes, headaches, weight gain, irritability, etc.  

I had my annual check-up with my OB/Gyn and he ran some blood work.  The nurse called me with the results and said everything was normal except my Vitamin D levels, and for that I have started taking supplements.  She could give me no reason for why I have stopped having a period beyond her explanation of stress.  I am having a hard time with that reasoning.  The reference ranges that the lab uses says that my TSH is in range, but upon my research I have found that that may not be the case.  Also, my Estradiol level seems low to me.  Could someone look at my test results and give me some feed back? Thanks.

Vitamin D,2  --  23 ng/mL
FSH  --  10.7 mlU/mL
TSH  --  3.87 mlU/L
Estradiol  --  33 pg/mL
HCG  --  <2

[goolarra]

I found this about FSH:

•Female:◦Before puberty: 0 - 4.0 mIU/ml
◦During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml
◦Women who are still menstruating: 4.7 - 21.5 mIU/ml
◦After menopause: 25.8 - 134.8 mIU/ml

I'm no expert on FSH, but it should be high if you are post-menopausal.  However, I've also read that a single FSH reading during peri-menopause is very unreliable.  It can change from day to day as can estrogen levels.

Your vitamin D is below range, and once again, many people will still have deficiency symptoms even in the lower part of the "normal" range.  A level of 50-70 is the recommendation for the proper metabolism of thyroid hormones.  Doctors will often recommend doses of 50,000 IU per week until levels start to come up, cutting back as they rise.  You might discuss this with your PCP or with a dietician instead of your OB/GYN's nurse.  It could take your D a long time to rise supplementing only 7,000 IU per week.

    

[kskennedy2000]

The lab's reference range for FSH is 1.5 - 116.3 mlU/mL

I am supplementing my Vitamin D with 1000 units per day (as directed by the nurse).

[goolarra]

TSH is at best a screening test.  TSH is a pituitary hormone and a very indirect measure of thyroid function.  Many years ago, AACE recommended that TSH range be changed to 0.3-3.0.  Most labs and doctors have been very slow to adopt that new range.  According to the new range, your TSH is high (indicating hypothyroidism), but as I said, TSH, by itself, isn't adequate testing.

If I were you, I'd have TSH repeated and ask your doctor to test free T3 and free T4 at the same time.  FT3 and FT4 are the actual thyroid hormones, and their levels affect how you feel.  Keep in mind when you get your results that FT4 should be around the middle of the reference range and FT3 should be in the upper half of the range.  Most of us still have hypo symptoms any lower than that.  When you get results, if you post them with reference ranges, we can help you interpret them.

Your vitamin D is very low.  Low levels of vitamin D can prevent thyroid hormones from getting into cells and make you feel hypo even with adequate blood FT3 and FT4 levels.  How much are you supplementing?

What's the reference range on your FSH?