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[KB1978]

Hello all

I’ve joined to get some advice really and I’m looking for others who are similar to me
I have hypothyroidism have been diagnosed with this for 3 years with fluctuating thyroid levels I take a combination of t3/t4 and I also have PCOS too
I was taken off metformin for PCOS at the beginning of the year to have a lot of bloods done my periods then stopped completely it’s now been 6 months (I’m 42) they increased my thyroid meds etc and I’ve finally had my bloods done
My hb1ac was around 41 for the past few months but that’s now increased to 46 and my glucose fasting test was 8.8 so they are now wanting me to have a test where I drink something inbetween and my bloods are done before and after
Does anyone gave PCOS and hypothyroid and is also prediabetic too? Just want some tips and advice really x thank you

 

[Brunneria]

Hi and welcome.

I don't have thyroid issues, but I do have PCOS.
It is quite possible that the metformin was keeping your HbA1c at 41, and without it you have risen to 46.

The drink test is called a glucose tolerance test, to see how your body copes with a sugary drink. The result (combined with the HbA1c test result) can be used to establish whether you are diabetic, or not.

From what you have told us, I think you have a strong argument to ask for the Metformin back, once the tests have been completed.

There are a number of lifestyle and dietary choices you can make which may well help the blood glucose, and the PCOS, since higher protein and lower carb ways of eating are gathering momentum for people with PCOS.

I am sure that someone with experience of thyroid issues will be along soon. I will tag in @DCUKMod and @JoKalsbeek since I know they have personal knowledge of this.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hello all

I’ve joined to get some advice really and I’m looking for others who are similar to me
I have hypothyroidism have been diagnosed with this for 3 years with fluctuating thyroid levels I take a combination of t3/t4 and I also have PCOS too
I was taken off metformin for PCOS at the beginning of the year to have a lot of bloods done my periods then stopped completely it’s now been 6 months (I’m 42) they increased my thyroid meds etc and I’ve finally had my bloods done
My hb1ac was around 41 for the past few months but that’s now increased to 46 and my glucose fasting test was 8.8 so they are now wanting me to have a test where I drink something inbetween and my bloods are done before and after
Does anyone gave PCOS and hypothyroid and is also prediabetic too? Just want some tips and advice really x thank you

Hello @KB1978 ,

Hypothyroid and PCOS here... Not prediabetic though. They never bothered to tell me I was, and ended up being an undiagnosed diabetic for a few years. Anyway... You have options. If you want to avoid diabetes entirely, a low carb diet should work. It'll also affect the PCOS and your thyroid though. I'm ultra-low carb right now and I actually have had some spotting happening, which is surprising after two decades of no periods. And my thyroid hormones are in the process of being adjusted. (And oh man, does that take looooong!). So if you opt for low carb to tackle the PreD and PCOS, test that thyroid every now and again too, as your needs might change as well, and your thyroid does affect your blood sugars too. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- this is the main dietary advice I tend to give people here. I've taken it to a more extreme version (Carnivore) lately, because it's helping with my other issues, which are non-diabetes related. But no need for you to go that far. Low carb/High fat and keto could well be enough to keep you from crossing the notorious diabetic threshold. You could just go back on metformin when all this testing is over and done with, but your HbA1c will eventually rise again. Anyway, there's options covered in the Nutritional Thingy I linked, so... Have a read, see what you think 'll work best for you.

Keep in mind being a prediabetic who knows they are, is a blessing. You're getting to tackle this thing before it becomes diabetes with damage done and complications already a sad fact.

Good luck!
Jo

 

[KB1978]

Hi Jo

Thank you that’s really helpful
I know I do need to work on my diet so this is giving the kick up the bum to do it and I know that this should level out the PCOS too which I’ve probably had all my life but has got worse as I’ve got older

Thank you x

 

[DCUKMod]

@KB1978 - My concoction is T2 diabetes, plus hypothyroidism. I also use dual therapy of T4+T3 for my hypothyroidism.

Do you know if your hypothyroidism is auto-immune (also often referred to as Hashimoto's Disease at all?

Regarding my T2 diabetes, I was fortunate enough to be able to make a seismic shift in my blood sugars by tweaking my diet.

I wasn't hypothyroid at the time I was diagnosed T2, but developed that some time later. Following my hypothyroidism diagnosis, my Endo recommended I adopt a gluten-free diet, which I have done

I was never diagnosed with PCOS, although after a hysterectomy, for other reasons, having held onto my ovaries, they we found to be pretty cystic for a while, until such times as I probably had my (completely symptom-free) menopause.

Your combination of challenges isn't altogether uncommon really. PCOS is pretty common, but not always diagnosed, and once our metabolic states go off kilter other things can creep.

Take some time on here and do plenty reading, and ask plenty questions. Every single one of us was in your position (give or take the odd additional condition!) at some point, so most, if not all of us will have had that, "Oh bother; how did that happen?" feeling in the past.

 

[KB1978]

Hi there thank you, so yes I have something called Ords thyroiditis which apparently is the same as hashis except without the swelling or goitre I also have a variant dio2 gene which is why they allow me to have t3 on the nhs which I’ve had to fight for and I feel marginally better on it but still not perfect though so me if the symptoms could be related to this or PCOS it’s hard to figure out what

I do know that a strict gluten free diet is the way to go which I know would also help with my thyroid too

I did wonder if I was going through the early stages of the menopause too as some of my symptoms seem related to that so brain fog periods stopped weight gain no energy tired sweating even when it’s cold
I don’t tend to get the typical diabetic symptoms of thirst going the loo etc

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi there thank you, so yes I have something called Ords thyroiditis which apparently is the same as hashis except without the swelling or goitre I also have a variant dio2 gene which is why they allow me to have t3 on the nhs which I’ve had to fight for and I feel marginally better on it but still not perfect though so me if the symptoms could be related to this or PCOS it’s hard to figure out what

I do know that a strict gluten free diet is the way to go which I know would also help with my thyroid too

I did wonder if I was going through the early stages of the menopause too as some of my symptoms seem related to that so brain fog periods stopped weight gain no energy tired sweating even when it’s cold
I don’t tend to get the typical diabetic symptoms of thirst going the loo etc

All of those symptoms you list could be connected (aside from feeling too hot - that's more usually feeling cold) with your hypothyroidism too. It could well be that you aren't optimally medicated for your thyroid.

Have you had your vitamins, minerals and full blood counts done recently? They can seriously impact on things - both the underlying condition, but also how well the thyroid meds work.

I haven't had the genetic testing done, for now, but my ability to convert T4>T3 is simply shocking. Getting T3 on the NHS isn't a journey I would wish on my worst enemy. It's just awful.

Have you tried gluten-free, or have you just not quite been able to get there yet?

 

[KB1978]

Hello

So my thyroid is def up and down I have heart racing too which I take propranolol for and I’ve ended up in a&e with a resting pulse over 150 but a clear ecg which I know is more a sign of overactive but I’m not quite sure I’m very up and down with my thyroid I’m under a consultant who has put it up and now put me on t3 too but a lot of my symptoms are thyroid related so achy joints extreme fatigue bloating constipation weight gain dizzy spells exercise intolerance bloated fingers
I’ve said for a long time that something else isn’t right but my hba1c was 41 back in august so they said it was ok now 4 weeks later it’s jumped to 46
I don’t really have all the diabetic symptoms So I’m not sure really I’m due to have a gtt next week
Yes I’ve had a wealth of tests last week to diagnose pcos all the normal ones plus hormonal cortisol everything really I also take a b complex vitamin d selenium and magnesium

I’m at a loss tbh it would make sense if I was diabetic but then I’ve felt like this for a while now and my tests always come back normal x