Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHormonal ChangesShared SymptomsDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hormonal Changes
Shared Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are at increased risk ofthyroid disease, but there is no clear evidence that former causes the latter. Still,menopauseand thyroid disease are intertwined. Not only do their effects overlap, but thyroid hormones andestrogencan influence each other and exacerbate symptoms.
Whether you already have an established diagnosis of thyroid disease when you reach menopause or you develop it during this new period of your life, it can be tricky to pinpoint which of the two issues is causing symptoms such as trouble sleeping and weight changes.
Furthermore, the medical management of thyroid disease can have an impact on menopausal symptoms, and vice versa. Tests that measure your thyroid hormones can help sort out the cause and guide your treatment.
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Impact of Hormonal Changes
Thyroid disease can occur due to under-activity or overactivity of thethyroid glandin the neck.
It can also develop due to under activity or overactivity of thepituitary glandor thehypothalamusin the brain (which release hormones that stimulate the thyroid gland). Conditions like a goiter (enlarged thyroid), a thyroid tumor, or disease can lead to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
These thyroid hormone regulators, especially the hypothalamus, also influence estrogen activity throughout a woman’s life, including during the perimenopausal phase.
Estrogen hormones and thyroid hormones act on many cells and organs of the body. Both of these types of hormones affect menstruation, bone structure, body temperature, metabolism, energy, and mood. Given this, the symptoms of these conditions overlap substantially and have a compounding effect.
From the time you start to have the earliest signs ofperimenopauseto years after menopause, you can experience weight changes, sleeping difficulties, mood swings, vaginal dryness, urinary infections, and more.
Changes in Menstruation
Hyperthyroidism can result in irregular or frequent periods, while hypothyroidism may cause increased or decreased bleeding and/or frequency of your periods.
Energy Level
Generally, perimenopause and menopause are associated with low energy, as is hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism often results in high energy, but it’s typically pretty unfocused and unproductive.
Sleep
Women may have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep during perimenopause. Many women complain of waking up too early in the morning after menopause.
Hyperthyroidism typically causes insomnia, while hypothyroidism results in an increased need for sleep.
Thyroid Disease and Sleep Problems
Weight Changes
Most women experience weight gain during perimenopause with stabilization of weight after menopause.
Hypothyroidism often causes weight gain, and hyperthyroidism usually leads to weight loss.
Mood
Perimenopause is associated with mood swings, and menopause may increase the risk of depression.
Hypothyroidism can result in depression, while hyperthyroidism may lead to anxiety, or rarely, an elevated, happy mood.
Body Temperature
Women who are perimenopausal may feel cold all the time. But women can also experience hot flashes during the perimenopausal years, and sometimes after menopause too.
Hypothyroidism may make you feel cold, and hyperthyroidism can make you feel hot and sweaty.
Digestive Problems
Hyperthyroidism may cause diarrhea, and hypothyroidism often causes constipation.
Women who have digestive issues like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may experience changes in symptoms during perimenopause and after menopause.
The Link Between Thyroid Disease and Menopause
When it comes to determining whether menopause, thyroid disease, or both are contributing to your symptoms, diagnostic tests are helpful.
Thyroid Testing
Diagnosis of thyroid disease requires blood tests that measure thyroid hormones.
Sometimes, these blood tests are followed up with imaging tests of the brain and/or neck to visually evaluate the brain or thyroid gland.
Interpreting Thyroid Test Results
Hormone Level Testing
Menopause is not an illness. Nevertheless, it is something that hasclinical diagnostic criteria, which relates to a woman’s history of the symptoms and their correlation to her age.
If yourmenopausal or perimenopausal symptomsare following an atypical pattern, you may need blood tests to assess your estrogen levels or imaging tests so your medical team can visualize your uterus or ovaries.
A uterine or ovarian tumor may cause changes in hormone levels, with effects that may mimic perimenopause or menopause.
Additional Tests
If you have been diagnosed with perimenopause, menopause, or thyroid disease, your healthcare provider may screen you for complications.
You may have bone X-rays to search for earlyosteoporosis. While osteoporosis (frail, thin bones) doesn’t produce noticeable symptoms, it increases the risk of bone fractures. Menopause, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism can all increase the risk of osteoporosis.
And you will likely have your blood pressure monitored for the detection of early hypertension. Menopause and hyperthyroidism are both associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
These issues lead to serious consequences, including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
You might also be asked about your mood so your medical team can identify signs of depression or anxiety.
Finally, further testing may be needed if there is a serious concern regarding menopause or thyroid disease. For example, you might need a biopsy of your thyroid gland if neck swelling or the appearance on an imaging test raises the suspicion that you could have a tumor.
If you have thyroid disease, you need to betreated:
When you are treated for your thyroid disease, your medical team will monitor your thyroid hormone levels to assess the effects of the treatment. Of course, keeping an eye on your symptoms (and reporting any new ones or worsening of existing symptoms) is important too.
Regardless of your thyroid status, you may benefit fromestrogen replacement therapy, which can help alleviate the effects of perimenopause or menopause. Keep in mind that you might not need this type of hormonal treatment forever. Some women use estrogen supplementation during the symptomatic phase of perimenopause and menopause and are able to discontinue treatment, while others need treatment for the long term.
Hormone Replacement Therapy: What to Know
Symptomatic Treatment
If you develop effects such as hypertension, vaginal dryness, urinary infections, insomnia, mood changes, or osteoporosis, you may need treatment for these symptoms in addition to your thyroid treatment or estrogen hormone supplementation.
For example, women who have depression may benefit from taking an antidepressant. And osteoporosis may be treated with prescription therapy likeFosomax (alendronate), which helps prevent bone breakdown.
A Word From Verywell
Symptoms related to menopause vary in severity and duration from one woman to another. Whether you have thyroid disease or not, it is important to describe your symptoms to your healthcare provider and not to assume that it’s all “just menopause” or that you will get over it.
Once you’re diagnosed, there are treatments that can reduce your health risks and make you more comfortable. Keep in mind that when it comes to treating your perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, what’s right for you may not be the same as what’s right for your mom, sister, or friend.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lu Y, Li J, Li J.Estrogen and thyroid diseases: an update.Minerva Med.2016;107(4):239-44.Stuenkel CA.Subclinical thyroid disorders.Menopause.2015;22(2):231-3.doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000407Panda S, Das A.Analyzing Thyroid Dysfunction in the Climacteric.J Midlife Health.2018;9(3):113-116.doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_21_18Uygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004Additional ReadingUygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lu Y, Li J, Li J.Estrogen and thyroid diseases: an update.Minerva Med.2016;107(4):239-44.Stuenkel CA.Subclinical thyroid disorders.Menopause.2015;22(2):231-3.doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000407Panda S, Das A.Analyzing Thyroid Dysfunction in the Climacteric.J Midlife Health.2018;9(3):113-116.doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_21_18Uygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004Additional ReadingUygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lu Y, Li J, Li J.Estrogen and thyroid diseases: an update.Minerva Med.2016;107(4):239-44.Stuenkel CA.Subclinical thyroid disorders.Menopause.2015;22(2):231-3.doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000407Panda S, Das A.Analyzing Thyroid Dysfunction in the Climacteric.J Midlife Health.2018;9(3):113-116.doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_21_18Uygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004
Lu Y, Li J, Li J.Estrogen and thyroid diseases: an update.Minerva Med.2016;107(4):239-44.
Stuenkel CA.Subclinical thyroid disorders.Menopause.2015;22(2):231-3.doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000407
Panda S, Das A.Analyzing Thyroid Dysfunction in the Climacteric.J Midlife Health.2018;9(3):113-116.doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_21_18
Uygur MM, Yoldemir T, Yavuz DG.Thyroid disease in the perimenopause and postmenopause period.Climacteric. 2018;21(6):542-548.doi:10.1080/13697137.2018.1514004
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