I am post menopause and was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease 8 months ago--Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  I have been on Synthroid and Cytomel and was still having some bad symptoms.  After much blood work, I have been diagnosed with another autoimmune disease called "Mixed Connective Tissue Disease".  This is a rare disease and I would very much like to hear from anyone else that has this or has any information on this.  My doctor says that many women develop autoimmune diseases during or after menopause.  Please help me if you can.  This has been a long road and it seems to be getting longer!  Thanks, Ga Girl

Hi GA girl,   I have Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.  I truly believe that falling/fluctuating hormones for some of us is almost a disease in itself.  In my travels around different forums (Lyme, FMS, CFIDS, etc.), it seems like when women hit perimenopause, everything falls apart in the worst sort of way.  I believe there is a subset of us women who are truly dependent on female hormones to keep other diseases from happening.  I was on the combipatch and .6 Premarin (unapposed) for awhile,  and  many of my FMS symptoms were held at bay.  When I finally came off the extra estrogen.......well, it's been awful, and continues to spiral downward.  I'm still on a combipatch, but I know I would probably feel better on higher doses..........But I chose to "withdraw" from the extra Premarin, thinking that it's the "natural" thing to do, and once I got over that transition, things would settle down for me............But it hasn't worked out that way.  At this point, even though I feel horrible, I'm trying to figure out other ways of dealing with my situation, other than going up on the hormones.  Maybe I'm just stupid, I don't know.    I feel that in some of us, our female hormones were keeping us working in a normal manner.  Now that they're diminishing, it allows all sorts of funky things to do mischief in our bodies.    Are you on any HRT?      Also, maybe these diseases just happen to people once they reach a certain age, I don't know.  All I know is my life is miserable........and I'm sure your's is too.   I wish I could give you better suggestions.  How are you dealing with your "mixed bag"...so to speak?  Are you just treating each symptom?   Have you been tested for Lyme disease?  

GaGirl,

I'm 49 and have had neurological problems for the past 5 years off and on.  Everything started about the same time my periods started getting irregular.  I just ignored most symptoms, or chalked them up to hormonal fluctuations.  Until last summer when I got hit hard and had trouble walking.

Now they tell me after much testing that its probably MS.  I won't say I haven't ever had problems before.  Had a few episodes in my 20's and 30's with numbness and vertigo, etc., but they always seemed to pass.

But I definitely believe the hormone fluctuations triggered the exacerbations that I've experienced.  I'm interested in seeing how things develop after menopause.

Did you know that they are experiementing with estriol as a treatment for MS?

Ga Girl,I feel for you...I too have been diagnosed with autoimmune disease. I've just began naturethroid, it's like armour without the same kind of fillers. As tired as I was before the meds...I'm 10x's more tired with them.I was wondering what kind of symptoms led the doctor to test for the "mixed connective tissue disease"? And what kind of a test does it involve? Are you on hrt as well? I'm just wondering if maybe I should give up the hrt until these meds can have a chance to work. I can't seem to pinpoint if we're suppose to up the thyroid meds if we're on estrogen or up the estrogen. You're right...this can be a very long road. Hope yours ends soon happily.

Thank you everyone for your replies.  I'm sorry I have been so long in getting back to this thread. For some reason I could not find it!  I guess maybe that is meno related!  Next week I go to the "top" rheumatologitst.  He has talked with my doctor and seems to believe it is Lupus.  I have had every kind of blood tests known to man and it means something when the anitbodies come back in a certain pattern.  I think that the estrogen has protected us for all of these years too and now that it is depleting, we get hit with a lot of things.  Dawn, I have worried about MS and have not had an MRI, but my doctor says no.  I guess it is the tingling in my hands and sometimes my left leg (even though I had back surgery on that side) that bothers me.  The thing is, this tingling sensation came on last year (14 months to be exact) and has not left. I would think if it were MS that it would not be with me all the time.  I don't seem to have any weakness, but fatigue. I know that comes with thyroid trouble and Lupus as well.  I wish you luck with your journey. May God bless all of us going through this.Ga GIrl

I'm sorry Psalms.  I meant to say something about the estrogen and thyroid medication.  I am on Synthroid and Cytomel.  I find that taking HRT (or at least the ones I have tried) seems to make some of the symptoms worse.  I just don't seem to be able to hit on the right thing.  I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Do you have tingling or mouth problems or anything like that?  Or does your neck give you trouble sometimes?  Thank you for replying--sorry I took so long!  Could this be due to meno, thyroiditis or Lupus!!!Ga Girl

Hi Ga Girl,

I have had chronic fatigue syndrome the past 14 years.   I have fatigue that comes out of nowhere and feel drained even after a pretty good lifestyle and eating habits etc.

It definitely gets worse with hormonal changes but even correcting for that it is still there.   So I think if you have a preexisting disorder the menopause thing can make things worse.

I am looking into supplements that help the immune system.   I am using aloe right now and will see.   The theory is that the immune system is affected by how the gut handles food and viruses and candida etc.  If we have leaky gut,  things get in the bloodstream and cause the immune system to be constantly activated...

I am on Armour thyroid and have never noticed a big help with that other than being cold a lot and trouble handling summer heat.   I don't think it helped fatigue.

I think fatigue is part of autoimmune disease and people try so many things to help.   I was helped with colostrum in the past but it triggered hot flashes again for some reason.

I would love to have normal energy levels.... dealing with a chronic condition involving having strategies in how to maximize the energy I do have has been challenging and frustrating.    In general it doesn't seem the medical establishment has answers for chronic immune things so I read where people try so many natural things with varied results but sometimes real improvement.

I think I e-mailed you with my gyn's name months back but it has turned out to be more than menopause for you....Aren't you in Atlanta?

Take care...

Georgia Dove~~  

Hi Nancy:Yes, I went to the gyno you recommended and I liked him, however, like you say, my problems turned out to be a lot more than menopause.  I tried a couple of different patches and then the bi-est with testo, but all of them seemed to aggravate other symptoms.  Hopefully, when I go to the rheumotologist next week, I can get some answers.  I believe he will hit me with some major drugs to arrest the Lupus or Mixed Connective--I'll let you know.  I am on Synthroid and Cytomel.  How did you know you couldn't take this form of thyroid meds?  I am interested because this is all I have tried and I don't know what it's done for me except that my hair quit coming out.  Let me know what you find out about the aloe.  Thank you for your concern.  This being tired all the time is something that I was never use to before and it is depressing.Ga Girl

Ga Girl,

I never took the synthetic version of thyroid because the environmental allergest I saw at the time said the natural form is better .    Then the regular gp who diagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome and my doctor now continued it.

I don't seem to do well on the synthetic version of anything else so I didn't want to try that and see if I had heart palps or anxiety like I do on some synthetic drugs.

I am on a clustered water product now which is supposed to help hydrate you better and better absorb nutrients.    I am sweating more in the heat which is good and my thyroid is a little higher than it was on my blood work last week so I may need to reduce it.

The aloe and water was recommended by a Dr. Wheeler I came across doing a search.   He has helped many people with immune problems and even his own.    I am sort of skeptical but when you have fatigue you will almost try anything.

I have a friend tremendously  helped by NADH which is one supplement tried for chronic fatigue.   It is a coenzyme used for energy at the cellular level.   I have another CF friend who has seen some difference with it.   It is a coenzyme.

The aloe, water, and NADH are things I have been researching lately.   I have not tried the NADH.

Good luck with your doctor's appointment....maybe there is something specific for your condition that will help your fatigue....I really know how it is because for years back it was fatigue all the time and it was very very difficult.    

Hi again everyone,   I just wanted to mention that it takes several months for hormone adjustment to stabilize.  I guess that's one reason I hate changes in HRT, and refuse to change from my patch to oral, because all hell breaks loose for several months after I make a change.......then it settles down a bit.   I understand totally with your constant fatigue.  I HATE it.  I can only do a fraction of what I used to do.  I have two younger teenagers, and it's soooooo hard to come up with the energy I need.  Consequently, I'm always frustrated, angry, etc.   I have noticed recently that when I get a flare-up of all my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms, it is initiated by a GI flare up........so it wouldn't surprise me if our guts can cause alot of problems.  Unfortunately, I have some food issues that are very hard to overcome.  I know I should give up carbos, but it's sooooo hard.   What's strange is I've also noticed that when my gut flares up (TONS of gas, bloating, incredible fullness in my chest), that my appetite also goes crazy..........like my body is soooo hungry because maybe it's not getting the nutrients it needs.   It's all so complex.  I'm at a disadvantage also because I have such cognitive problems with FMS and perimenopause, that I can't even figure some of this stuff out myself, and I'm constantly forgetting what I have tried and what I need to do.  Bummer.    It definitely adds to the frustration to have conventional docs who NEVER believe in any of these alternate theories (leaky gut, yeast, etc.).    Also, I always have a reprive of my fatigue in the summer.    So I think sunshine is very important to our bodies too.  

Thanks Nancy for the tips.  I have heard about the aloe and I may give it a try.  Let me know about the NADH.  You get to the point that you would eat "dog poop" if someone told you it would make you feel like you did 10 years ago!  That is where I am at now.  Did  Dr.Mc tell you about the aloe? I know he got me started on USANA and I did for several months.  Once I started having all this trouble, I stopped.  I wasn't sure what was what and wondered if I might be allergic to something--then found out it was all of this other stuff!  Let me know if you find anything that really works.  Are you plagued at all with dizziness?  Also, are you on HRT?  I wish I could find one that I think really would work and I could rid myself of some of this tingling, etc.  Thanks for your help.Ga Girl

Ga Girl,

It was a Dr. Wheeler, a chiropracter in Oregon, that sells the aloe product I am trying  and his particular brand of activated water.   He even will e-mail you with advice. I heard back from him yesterday...   So far I have had some effects from the aloe I believe to be candida dieoff.    Dr. Mac did not recommend this as have not had to see him lately.    Time will tell if this helps....I don't think all aloes are alike....some whole leaf kinds can irritate the gut from what I read in different places.   If you want Dr. Wheeler's website, just e-mail me.

Dr. Wheeler believes particular diseases cannot be cured but that the body given the right immune help can overcome or heal autoimmune disease.    There are testimonials for all kinds of reversals including cancer, chronic fatigue...etc..etc.    

I use the compounded HRT with natural progesterone cream and the smallest amount of estrogen.    The estrogen stopped the dizziness I was having.

My friend on NADH had some tired days but she was at a family reunion eating foods that did not agree.   So the supplements don't substitute with having to have a nutritious diet apparently.    Still I am encouraged to see her helped at all on this product as it can take weeks to months to see the full effects.

I don't think anything that is really nourishing will be that fast but it will be a slow healing experience.

Take care...and hang in...

Dawn:

My mother had a hysterectomy 16 years ago and was'nt feeling the same for a few years after it.  Then about 13 years ago they diagnosed her with MS as well.  I do think it had to somewhat with the hormones.  She takes the Betaseron injections every other day, but i don't see that it has really helped that much.  She had to go on total disability several years ago because she has lost control of her right side.  I'm still waiting for the miracle cure for her and others.