|
Post by barbara on Jan 3, 2009 23:53:27 GMT -5
Hi, Lee, thanks for the great info!
I'll try to include what you asked for: 09/16/2008: Testosterone 63 (14-76) Calc Free Testosterone 0.7 (0.3-1.6) SHBG 75 (18-114) Estradiol 12 (0.0-30.0 postmeno) FSH 115.4 (41-121 postmeno) LH 45.7 (14-61 postmeno) Progesterone 0.8 (<0.7 postmeno) Prolactin 2.1 (2.0-27.0)
I was taking "Super Trio" (Nature's Sunshine) which contains a lot of herbals, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements. However, it also contains 100 mcg's of iodine; my throat started swelling up even more, and I recently stopped this supp until I can figure out if it was the iodine or something else causing it.
I take two (and sometimes three) 2,000 iu gel caps of D3 every day, and also try to sit in the sun for at least 30 minutes a day. I was taking the calcium with breakfast and lunch, and the magnesium caps at night. I also take selenium (was told it would help decrease thyroid antibodies), B-12, Hema-Plex, etc, as explained in a post earlier in this thread. I can see that I need to increase the Vit A.
The health food store where I shop has been closed for the holidays. I plan on going there Monday to get the potassium, etc, and if they don't have a comparable mag to the one you suggested above, I will try to order that one.
I did have a couple of other questions a post or two back in this thread (I think Dec 29?)dealing with the HC, etc, if you have a moment to reply, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks again, Barbara
|
|
|
Post by barbara on Jan 4, 2009 0:03:45 GMT -5
Christine, thanks for replying! I don't think that my stomach or system is too acidic, as the PH strips that you pee on don't seem to indicate a problem. I have had an extremely sensitive stomach/intestinal system for all of my life. I will try the aloe vera, tho, and probably the HCl; thanks for suggesting that!
Barbara
|
|
|
Post by Lethal Lee on Jan 4, 2009 2:01:32 GMT -5
Hi Barbara
My 8:15 am cortisol was 11.7 (4.0-22.0), and ACTH was 12 (5.0-27.0). I am taking 25 mg of HC (divided doses) and 2 1/2 grains of Armour (divided). My Free T3 has gone from 2.7 to 3.92 (both ranges 2.3-4.2) in a little less than three months. My Free T4 is now 1.2 (0.8-1.8). I don't want to wind up with a Reverse T3 problem, but with the continuing problems, do you think I should increase the HC, or Armour, or leave things alone for now?
Was this the question re HC that you meant? I would hold off Armour & HC adjustments for now.
Reason being I think you need to work on some other things first. Priority is Low Aldo/Sodium & Potassium. From your symptoms that is severely impacting your health & a source of stress. Eliminating that stress will likely reduce demands for Cortisol so further HC increases may not be needed. Possibly you may need Florinef. This should be sorted out before any thing else
The HC has stopped my 10-year history of daily diarrhea and my skin discoloration is becoming more normal. Is there anything particular in the HC that would cause this? It is a wonderful change! Maybe it will help with the malabsorption problems.
Low Cortisol affects everything. So does low Thyroid. Cortisol HRT would allow Thyroid Hormones into cells hence increasing metabiolism, improving Liver function, digestion & much more. So low on effect for you is improved bowel function!!!!
My sex hormones appear to be ok for being surgically post-meno for over 25 years, no HRT since the early 90's (had been premarin). I had a complete hyst because of huge cysts throughout my uterus and ovaries, as well as an abnormal pap.
09/16/2008: Testosterone 63 (14-76) Calc Free Testosterone 0.7 (0.3-1.6) SHBG 75 (18-114) Estradiol 12 (0.0-30.0 postmeno) FSH 115.4 (41-121 postmeno) LH 45.7 (14-61 postmeno) Progesterone 0.8 (<0.7 postmeno)
I think you need to reconsider Sex Hormone HRT. I think this is the second priority for you. While younger folks can wait for Adrenal & Thyroid treatment to possibly fix issues here for you & me this isnt gonna happen (Menopausal or Hysterectomy). No HRT since the early 90's is far far too long to be without these hormones.
A lot of the symptoms of low hormones here impact on health & cause symptoms. Unless theses are fixed no way to know what symptoms are actually low Cortisol or low Thyroid. Very difficult then to judge optimisation for Thyroid or Adrenal meds too.
Free Testosterone is far from optimal (optimal top 25%) DHEAS I cant see any results for. Likely is low as well. HC will reduce these too. Both are important to optimise.
Similarly for Estrogen & Progesterone. Postmeno ranges mean DEFICIENCY you want higher than that definitely. As you are postmeno & have complete Hysterectomy anyway you NEED these Hormones. No doubt this has contributed maybe caused Osteoporosis.
Look into BIOidentical HRT for these Hormones. Have you researched symptoms of low/ suboptimal Sex hormones & seen how many apply to you? Please do so so you can make an informed decision there. It certainly has made a huge difference to me.
Prolactin 2.1 (2.0-27.0) (I wonder why this one is so low altho in range?) Low here is not really a concern. High on the other hand can be (Pit Tumours for example) so need for worry here
I don't think that my stomach or system is too acidic, as the PH strips that you pee on don't seem to indicate a problem. I have had an extremely sensitive stomach/intestinal system for all of my life. I will try the aloe vera, tho, and probably the HCl; thanks for suggesting that
Note Urine acidity has nothing to do with stomach acidity. Healthy is supposedly GOOD/high stomach acid levels and low acidity elsewhere in the body.
Urine acidity will be lowered with Sodium (Sea Salt or Sodium Bicarb) supping.
Stomach Acid does reduce with age & is one of common reasons for malabsorption. The other is gut flora balance & Liver Function.
Probiotics for gut, Liver support (like Milk Thistle) & HCl & Digestive Enzymes for stomach are all a good idea.
|
|
|
Post by barbara on Jan 4, 2009 12:53:39 GMT -5
Hi Lee,
I didn't include my DHEA results, as they were older. In June, 2007, serum DHEA was 132 (26-200), and saliva testing in July, 2007, was 3 (range 3.0-10.0). The doc that took me off the premarin in the 90's said my hormone levels were "just fine" (that was when there was the big scare about HRT). Of course, at all subsequent checks over the years, I was "in range" and therefore not treated. In May, 2007, a doc ran an "Estrogens, Total", which showed a result of 154 (<40 postmeno). Again, I was told this was fine!
I posted to Chris in Oct, 1998; this was his reply: "Your FSH and LH are what would be expected (high) in menopause. Your testosterone looks pretty high, talk to doc about treating your sex hormones and lowering testostosterone down the road after your cortisol and thyroid are well treated. Even for postmenopause, your prolactin is very low, also points to hypopituitary."
So, now I am even more confused, if that is possible, especially re: the testosterone! I know that my skin and body have aged quite quickly (I have more facial wrinkles now at 57 than my Mom had in her 80's when she died of a fairly rare brain disease!). There is a doc down in Austin that I want to make an appt with; however, he does not take insurance, so I will have to wait until I get my tax refund. He is supposed to be great with bioidenticals, AI, thyroid, adrenals, etc. I certainly hope so, I could use a good doc for a change!
I research sometimes for hours a day. I print what I feel is relevant and have shown it to several of my old docs. They normally just laugh at me and say you can't believe what you read on the internet, even if it comes from well informed medical sites! That "God-complex" again, I would think.
As far as the acidity issues, I probably phrased that wrong. My urine showed a more or less acid/alkaline balance. I have always been told I had high acidity in my stomach, causing GERD and a burned esophagus. I took Nexium 40 mg twice a day for a long time, stopping that mid-year last year. I need to schedule another test, I think, to see if it has balanced out better. I would much prefer to treat it naturally as opposed to scripts.
So, for a recap, I will leave the HC and Armour where it is for now, continue with the sea salt and other supps that I have been taking, increase the B12, will get the potassium, mag, A, HCl, etc; try to get re-tested re: aldosterone/renin re: florinef; and will make an appt for the end of Jan/first of Feb for the bioidentical HRT -- and, of course, keep researching! I think that about covers it, right? Hope I didn't miss anything!
Thanks again for all your great info, Barbara
|
|
|
Post by chorton28 on Jan 5, 2009 10:42:07 GMT -5
Lee, you are right on the money with the Vit. A and D working together. I just read a brand new article from Mercola.com about cod liver oil not having the right combination of the two and the D was not being absorbed correctly. Yes, there is a strong correlation between the A and D. You are verrrry good. Christine
|
|
|
Post by Lethal Lee on Jan 6, 2009 2:27:05 GMT -5
Hi Barbara,
That sounds like a good plan let us know how things go with that & the Docs.
As far as previous results I wonder if it was TOTAL Testosterone rather than FREE Tetsosteone that was high? Total really means nothing its the free Thats available for use. Its SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) thats binds Testosterone & is why Total & Free results differ.
Similarly for DHEA. You need DHEA & DHEAS to know whether you may have issues there. Saliva I dont trust for Sex Hormone or Andogen mesurement. My Saliva & Blood results are WAY different. Once on any transdernals or sublinguals only blood can be relied on anyway.
In any case you need recent full testing to know what is happening NOW. That plus symptoms should determine what & how much HRT you need.
|
|
|
Post by barbara on Jan 6, 2009 12:55:17 GMT -5
Hi again, Lee,
The labs that Chris commented on were the same ones I posted here; I have not had them re-tested yet; will try to do so soon. Medicare is picky about how often you can do labs, and I cannot afford them otherwise.
I had quite a scary episode last night and don't know what to make of it. WHENEVER I lay down, my heart starts thumping really hard and I get an uncomfortable pressure-type pain in my upper left chest and deep in the left side of my back. My BP rises mainly at night (has for a number of years), and somewhat normalizes during the day.
I have increased my late afternoon/evening sea salt from 1/4 to 1/2 tsp and still take between 1/2 and 3/4 earlier in the day; I also eat a light snack at bedtime and only drink water.
Last night when the thumping started, I just tried to ignore it and finally fell asleep. I woke up about two hours later with a nasty pain in my left knee like someone hit me with a baseball bat, tried to get up to go pee and physically could not move for several minutes. When I was finally able to get out of bed and limp to the bathroom, I felt very light headed and disoriented. When I laid back down a couple of minutes later, I felt like I could not breathe, very labored breaths (did not start feeling like that til I got back into bed and laid down). I had a restless rest of the night, and when I got up at 6 a.m. to get my granddaughter ready for school, I still had the discomfort in my chest, my eyes were both swollen almost closed (right worse than left) and my right hand and fingers were so swollen I could hardly bend them, BP was 171/114 P 102, temp 95.9 (never goes over 97.7). I have had chest x-rays and cardiac testing (including stress test) in the near recent past and no problems have ever been indicated. The knee pain had also reduced to a milder throb.
About two hours after I was up, the swelling in my eyes has decreased some and it was almost completely gone away in my hand (altho my right hand is considerably colder than my left!). My BP is now 152/96 pulse 108; the systolic drops on standing, diastolic and pulse both increase.
Any ideas??? Too much salt? This BP thing at night/early morning is gonna drive me crazier than anything! The docs even refuse to check the cyst on my adrenal to see if it may be causing the problem!
Thanks, and sorry to pester you, Barbara
|
|
|
Post by Lethal Lee on Jan 6, 2009 13:21:53 GMT -5
Hi Barbara,
I dont like the sound of that at all. Is this pain similar to what you've experienced before? Ok I reread the entire thread. Is it possible the pain is related to the degenerated discs you have?
Its wierd that laying down increases BP & HR. Usually if it is electrolytes it is the opposite.
The fact that your BP Systolic is dropping while Diastolic increases is puzzlimg not at all sure what that means.
Fluid accumulation on one side of body probably the side you are lying on is worrying too. Means circulation is not right. I dont want to worry you but that may be something to do with Heart Function. I reasise you've had some Cardiac testing but perhaps you need more investigation of that.
Remind me do you take BP meds at all? I checked back & you mention Clonidine taken at night. Are you on a high dose or low dose of that? Are you still taking it? Have you checked to see IF it is bringing your BP down?
While it would be great (or at least better than some other alternatives) if it was all just related to Aldo ,Renin & electrolytes I do not want to advise you erroneously that it is just that. Its not the normal presentation of symptoms. Again I could be wrong & it is just those.
I will PM Chris & ask that he looks at this thread & see if he can comment or make any other suggestions.
|
|