Thyroid and HRT- how will it work?

[dusty97]

I was just thinking about this while I was talking to my friend who is probably going to start their HRT within the next few months. I most likely have hypothyroidism (my first two tests came back confirming this, we're just waiting on the third and final one for formality's sake), and I know it has a big impact on many of the body's natural hormones.

Does anyone have any experience with this and how it affects or delays HRT, or even if it rules it out as an option? I haven't talked to my Dr about this, because I'm not out besides here and close family and friends. I'm not asking for like an exact medical opinion or anything yet (I'll talk to my dr about it when that time comes), moreso just asking if anyone has dealt with this already.

I'm going to do what I have to for the thyroid above all, as my physical health is most important. It'd just be nice to know what to expect in regards to being trans...

[Joelene9]

  This is a question for your doctor! Everybody is different with the thyroid meds as with their other medical problems concurrently. My TSH and prostate (PSA) was high when I first went on HRT at age 58. Both went down to normal levels 6 months after. A year after that, my TSH went high again and the doctor put me on thyroid, still on HRT. 3 years later I was off of that due to a nasty rash on my face as indicated warning on the bottle. My TSH is still high and I have been off of HRT due to feet swelling the past 7 months. A more serious problem has cropped up and a new thyroid med is delayed until the DNA test results come in for prostate cancer. A biopsy is next if this shows a positive result. My PSA was low while on HRT.

Joelene

[Janes Groove]

There is a study that shows many post menopausal women with compromised thyroid function have decreased thyroid hormone levels after beginning estrogen supplements and need to increase their thyroid supplement as a result.

My thyroid levels went down after I started HRT and my thyroid supplement had to be increased by 33%.

[LizK]

I have exactly the same and there really is no issue as far as HRT and the complications with medication go. I have been on thyroxine for awhile...good thing is once you get the levels sorted you start to see improvements with weight loss, better nails, hair and skin I was referred by my Transphobic Dr to a 2nd Endo to have him say that the combination is fine and can be easily managed by your GP. The Key thing for you to remember is when your thyroid goes out of whack it can cause all those things that I have mentioned as  improvements to be worse...nails hair etc The guy who did my hair                                                                                                                                     implants warned me if my thyroxine levels were not maintained then I could end up with getting hair loss.

Well worth keeping up the blood test and making sure your levels are stable and with normal limits. Some Drs have no clue about this so it is always worthwhile to get a second opinion.

Liz

[Kylo]

One thing I do know is that low estrogen or estrogen deficit can cause temporary hypothyroidism. I.e. if you are taking estrogen regularly and then you quit it, it can impair your thyroid function for a while. It follows that HRT might actually improve your situation somewhat.

Although I take male HRT in the past I used estrogen as preventative contraception; I knew I had to get rid of it to start transition - but the doctors did not seem to know/care that it not only becomes addictive to the system (i.e. severe withdrawal) after long term use but messes the thyroid up when you stop taking E until the body adjusts. (A period of about 8 months to a year). It's actually taken me 2 years to get better as a result, although T helped a great deal in restoring things to a normal state. From that experience I'm fairly sure the thyroid is directly impacted by the level of sex hormones somehow. No specialist has been able to give me the mechanism, but I am sure they are closely tied and the thyroid suffers with a lack of them in the system.

[dusty97]

One thing I do know is that low estrogen or estrogen deficit can cause temporary hypothyroidism. I.e. if you are taking estrogen regularly and then you quit it, it can impair your thyroid function for a while. It follows that HRT might actually improve your situation somewhat.

Actually I'd be losing the estrogen too, lol. I guess my nick-name is ambiguous.
So I guess that answers it, it would probably throw it off a bit, but if I already were on meds then it seems like it might just be a matter of adjusting them to work right. Definitely something I'll talk to the specialist about when my results get back, if they're positive.