suddenly dry skin and constipation

[TereG]

In the last month to 6 weeks I have started having extremely dry skin mostly on my face.  I've also had some breakouts.  (I'm 41, female.)  I usually lean more toward diarrhea, but now I am more constipated, very unusual for me.  (I have ulcerative colitis also.)  I take Remicade infusions every 8 weeks; 50 mg of 6MP daily; and toperal for high blood pressure.

My thyroid test last week (TSH) was 2.941.  They said the range is .350 to 5.5 so I am in the normal range.

I am also somewhat tired.  My weight is on the high-normal range.

Any ideas?!  Thank you!  I have a GP/Internal Med doc as well as my arthritis doc and gastrointerologist, but sometimes I feel like I have to visit them all and tell them the symptoms before I get a resolution.

[Rite760]

Hi can I also suggest you get yourself checked for a premature menopause. I started it at your age and my symptoms were similiar. Now 3 yrs on it has also triggered a faulty thyroid as these two conditions often run together. However, it has taken 3 yrs for the thyroid to start playing up after the onset of the premature menopause, all my thyroid tests came back normal until now. Also I suffer from IBS and since I started the menopause it has played havoc with my guts. This is apparently due to the fact that we have oestrogen receptors in the gut, and so when you start menopause, especially an early one, it can make existing bowel problems much worse. Of course in your case, it may turn out to be not related, but it's worth getting a menopause profile done with another thyroid one. Hope this helps.

[helen1207]

ask your doctor to give you a thyroid anti-body test. you normal blood work might look normal, but if you have anti-body, you will feel hypo, with all those symptoms you are having. i would suggest to rule that out.