Post by robinann on Jan 2, 2009 5:26:25 GMT -5
This message is carried over from another chat room, as suggested from Lethal Lee - included is also the history of our chat so others can jump in.
Hey Lee
I would have bet lots of money that Lethal Lee was a man so, needless to say hearing you gave birth to twins and take HRT came as a shock...LOL.
I have TBO abs but not TG. Never tested for graves abs.
My AI testing was done via ITT. But like I said, and you agree, the test was invalid because I was already taking HC. When I had blood tests done before HC my ACTH was low yet my cort was normal. But my low ACTH didn't raise any red flags with the docs because they used a much lower end range value than what I have read as being normal lower end of the range.
Since the very first time I took T4 I haven't have a monthly cycle. I feel very strongly it was instant meno brought about by taking T4 and for that reason i feel docs have missed something. I have been given HRT but it makes me feel uncomfortable. I've done lots of research in this area, although I'm far from an expert. Yet when i talk to the docs about taking HRT their answers don't match with the research I have done. I asked my gyno about taking tri estrogen. She didn't have a clue what I meant and insisted I didn't know what I was talking about. For these reasons i am extremely reluctant to accept HRT from German docs. There seems to be this extreme disconnect between current technology and actual medical practice. (just to give you a prospective - several years ago a local dentist gave my then 6 year old daughter a amalgam filling). There is a lot of arrogance with German docs and it's really hard to not see this as ignorance so I have basically no trust or respect for local medicine. It was actually in one of Germanys most respected institutions that my ITT testing was done, even though I was still taking HC.
But to be fair to Germany - they have 2 types of insurance systems, private and state. I had a choice to take either system but since i didn't understand the whole system I took state - it seemed easier to deal with since my german isn't that good. 16 years later and now it is too late to switch to private and the state version won't do most of the testing you have mentioned below.
Regarding you comments about hashi swings. When I took T4 or T4/T3 or only T3 my TSH was surpressed and all of my thyroid blood values were within range yet I was 'swinging' then as much as I am now without thyroid meds.
I too am also not sure an endo is the best choice - I've tried many. But I'm going back to one I had in the past in hopes that he will retest my adrenals. Of the five or so endos I've been to he is the best. Since I stopped ALL meds a year ago I'm hoping my AI can be retested plus a new MRI.
Regarding my kidneys HC didn't stop the flank pain. I don't have a fever but since my normal temp is so low a fever wouldn't show up so easily.
It's funny but when I stopped AI and thyroid meds in Jan 2008, my temps actually improved for several months - it was almost normal. My temps bounce around a lot which is usually typical AI yet HC or pred didn't change that.
Now that I've stopped all meds about the only thing I can do is start over with testing. But I can't help but think there is a root cause that everybody is missing - I just don't know what it is and that is why I started looking into a kidney infection or HH.
Robin
--- In FHHF@yahoogroups.com, "Lethal Lee" <pricklefoot3@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Robin,
>
> What is MCS?
> Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
>
> The last 2 blood tests showed iron low. My ferritin was high normal
> than low normal. TIBC has never been tested.
>
> First thing you need to do is test complete Iron Panel (sometimes
> called Cumulative Iron Studies. Together with that CBC & ESR and
> Liver Function Test done at same time gives a more complete picture
> of what is going on there
>
> •Cumulative Iron Studies
> Total Iron
> Transferrin
> TFN Saturation % (aka Transferrin Iron Binding Capacity or TIBC in
> USA)
>
> •Full Blood Exam (FBE) & Erythrocyte Sedimation Rate (ESR)
> aka Complete Blood Count (CBC) includes
> Haemaglobin
> RCC
> Haematocrit (PCV)
> MCV
> MCH
> MCHC
> RDW
> ESR
> WCC
> Neutrophils
> Lymphocytes
> Monocytes
> Eosinophils
> Basophils
> Platelets
>
> •Liver Function Test (LFT)
> (USA- often part of Complete Metabolic Profile) includes
> AST
> ALT
> ALP
> GGT
> Total Bilirubin
> Protein
> Albumin
> Globulin
>
> "Dx includes: primary hypothyroidism with hashis
> My recent blood results for thyroid show I am HypoT with a TSH of 9
> but 2 months earlier my TSH was 18. I stopped taking thyroid meds 1
> year ago and my TSH is improving so I can't make sense of that. I
> have more typical hyper symptoms than hypo, like hyperdefication and
> rage (I'm never constipated) plus I only lose hair and gain weight
> when I take thyroid meds."
>
> I have Primary Hypothyroid with Hashis too. I am never constipated
> either. Whats going on with you is I suspect Hashis swings. Because
> you arent able to take Thyroid meds to suppress the TSH then the
> Anibodies are running rampant. And they wax & wanw so do your
> symptoms & TSH results.
>
> I wonder too if you might have the Trifecta? By that I mean as well
> as Hashis Abs (TPO Abs & TG Abs)you may also have Graves Abs
> (TSIAbs)? Have you tested those? It is not that unusual to have all
> three & will mean the Hyper Hypo swings can be quite severe.
>
> Certainly Hertoghe is familiar with RT3 testing. Didnt they do that
> for you? It is available in Europe I'm sure. In fact UK residents
> have to send samples to Europe for RT3 I think.
>
> "DX: Secondary AI
> I also took low dose HC and then pred for several years - no help
> there either. My adrenal testing was done after I already started
> taking HC so I don't put much faith in the test results."
>
> You say Secondary AI how was that DXed? I assume ACTH was low as well
> as Cortisol. Testing after already on steroids is invalid. You must
> be off them for at least two weeks before testing. What type of
> testing did you have done?
>
> Full testing includes
> Serum ACTH & 8am Cortisol.
> Saliva 4 x Cortisol
> ACTH Stim OR Insulin Tolerance Test
>
> In Europe Urine testing is used too. I know Hertoghe uses it. I'm not
> familiar with it or how to interpret it.
>
> In Europe they also test Total & Free Cortisol including Cortisol
> Binding Globulin in blood which is not available in USA or Australia
> (where I live).
>
> Have you considered retesting now that you have been off steroids for
> some time? certainly would be more valid than previously.
>
> "DX:Hyperprolactin"
>
> This is a concern. Did you have MRI with & without contrast to rule
> out Prolactin secreting Tumour?
>
> "DX:Premature menopause and a few more. But mostly I think they are
> symptoms and not the root cause."
>
> Yes I agree are all symptoms of severe endocrine HPA problems.
> Are you on HRT for Estrogen , Progesterone?
> What about Testosterone & DHEA?
> I am Menopausal & am on HRT for the lot. HRT has certainly got rid of
> all the symptoms there for me. Much improved quality of life.
>
> "It cost me lots of money to go to Dr. Hertoghe so I couldn't keep
> going there. At my request I was put on T3 instead of Armour since i
> had already tried Armour with no luck. I was told to start with 20
> mcg of T3 and slowly increase until I felt better. When I reached
> 140 mcg and still no improvements I had a local doc check my FT3
> levels. It was extremely high yet I did not feel hyperT at all. T3
> did nothing for me yet T4 puts me in the hospital."
>
> I recently did the same thing. I have been on T3 since early SEpt I
> too got to 140mcg & tested as very elevated FT3 without Hyper.
> However after ~6 weeks at this level I finally DID have a
> breakthrough. My Hyper symptoms were very subtle & not the usual so
> was easy to miss. I had to stop then restart on 80mcg where I am now.
> feeling best I have in years.
>
> "Dr. Hertoghe did lots of testing. Blood showed my cortisone was
> low and urine showed it extremely high. (I was at his clinic but I
> didn't actually get to see him - the waiting list is extremely
> long. However the doctor I did see actually talked to Dr. Hertoghe
> on the phone while I was in her office for a consult on my
> case...LOL...are you still impressed, does that count as well"
> This was testing while ON the HC/Pred? Not valid for DX then I would
> have thought. If low in blood but high in urine probably means you
> were hyper metabolizing it? Meaning you were burning through it very
> fast & not lasting long in your system?
>
> "Since the birth of my daughter in 1999 I have had chronic flank
> pain. Since the doctors have ignored this I have always thought it
> was a result of my pregnancy or AI. However about 2 weeks ago it was
> pointed out to me that this is often a sign of urinary tract
> infections or kidney infections. I googled this a found out that a
> major cause of kidney infection can come from a catheter inserted
> uring a hospital stay - I had one when my daughter was born via c-
> section 10 years ago."
>
> I have three children (including a set of twins) all born by C
> section too! I have had flank pain & low back pain for years too but
> this has all gone with Prednisolone & HC meds for the AI. I have
> never had a UTI without urination pain symptoms. Nor have I had a
> Kidney infection without fever symptoms. In either case Urine testing
> should show if there is active infection. I assume you have had this
> done?
>
> "It is my understanding that the kidneys play a major role in mineral
> balance. Since I stopped thyroid and adrenal meds i have been much
> more in tune with my symptoms and how they change with regards to
> what I eat. The only connection I can find is in regards to the
> mineral content of foods. I can't really find food allergies -
> although i know that I have a problem with lactose and I am
> currently avoiding gluten."
>
> I have been Lactose intolerant since the birth of my twins 16 years
> ago. Certainly Kidney function is very important. So is Adrenal
> function of course. Adrenals control Sodium Potassium balance too.
> That is done through Aldosterone & Renin system. Did you ever have
> those tested? I'm wondering if a lot of your problems was related to
> issues there? I have to have Florinef & take RX Potassium to treat
> those.
>
> "Some foods make me feel worse but at the same time some foods make me
> feel really good. Yet after a few weeks this pattern changes, as do
> my symptoms so I can't get to the root cause."
>
> Have you checked Liver Function? Do you support Liver at all? I use
> Milk Thistle & ALA for that. You may have issues with low stomach
> acid and/or digestive enzymes. I use Probiotics, some need HCl &
> Pancreatic Enzymes to deal with those issues.
>
> "I can have several weeks of dizzy spells, low BP, sugar cravings and
> then suddenly these changes and instead my arms go numb then this
> changes and suddenly I have depression, then insomnia, then I'm
> bright red like I've been in the sun all day, then I can hardly see,
> my ears start whooshing, etc... It's a long list of symptoms but
> they are always changing."
>
> Dizzy, low BP, noise/light sensitivity, tinnitis (whooshing) all
> sound like Aldo/Sodium issues to me.
> Sugar cravings, eyesight issues sound like Hypoglycemia.
> Insomnia can be many things. Low/high Cortisol, Hypoglycemia,
> imbalanced Sex Hormones & more. I had to optimise Sex Hormones to
> cure my insomnia.
> Depression again many causes. Low T3 being one.
>
> "At the same time i find iron rich foods bother me then this changes
> and i crave lots of salt yet the salt makes me feel really ill. Then
> I get diarrhea from high potassium rich foods. Several weeks ago i
> tried low dose calcium for a few days and I ended up having severe
> cramps and diarrhea for 2 weeks."
>
> If digestion is not good then you are going to have a lot of trouble
> breaking down food & absorbing nutrients. Same with Liver if you cant
> break down things & remove toxins all sorts of issues symptoms result.
>
> "In Nov my iron tested low so I took iron tablets for about 10 days.
> Since then I have felt much worse even though my TSH, FT3&4 have
> improved. Salmon used to make me feel really good now it doesn't.
> Rice worked for a while. Then it was chocolate. Brewers yeast was
> great for about 2 weeks now b vitamins make be ill. I have strange
> reactions to salt, calcium, vitamin c, magnesium, potassium,
> selenium and B vitamins."
> Again if digestion & Liver is suboptimal all sorts of issues will
> happen as a result.
>
> "Minerals need to work in balance and one of the antagonists for iron
> is Magnesium that is why I am assuming high iron means low
> magnesium - that doesn't mean I am right. I take magnesium
> supplements and it seem to help. I've also tried a few epsom salts
> baths. The other day about 1 hour after such a bath I started
> having the shakes because i felt very cold yet my skin was warm and
> every bone and muscle in my body hurt. I felt like my body was
> starting to shut down. I was debating about going to the hospital
> but after about 3 hours everything cleared up so I went to bed
> instead."
>
> Epsom Salts is Mag Sulphate. I cant tolerate it either. Not heard
> that Mag antagonises Iron. I know Calcium blocks Iron. Also Mag &
> Calcium have opposote affects & should not be supped together.
>
> "Are you aware of any type of kidney connection to anything I've
> mentioned above - like mineral imbalances or intolerance to meds?"
> I suspect Liver Function is impaired/sluggish, also stomach &
> digestion probably under par. This is the first things I had to fix
> too. I wonder too about your Aldosterone as mentioned above.
>
> "I will see my endo at the end of Jan. My GP wants to have me checked
> again via MRI to see whats up with my pituitary. I am hoping to push
> the endo to look closer at my iron. He should be well aware of the
> HH connection with adrenal and thyroid problems. At the same time i
> will see if my GP can send me to a urologists to see whats up with
> my flank pain. Since we are in the middle of the holiday season I
> felt it was better to wait until next week to go back to my GP."
>
> MRI with & without contrast would be a good idea. So would an
> Ultrasound of your Thyroid to check what damage uncontrolled Hashis
> may have caused. have you had ADrenals & Kidney U/sound to check no
> atrophy etc there?
>
> I avoid Endos personally not many get help there. I use my GP & a
> consultant MD specialising in Hormones & Nutrition for my & my
> familys needs.
>
> Perhaps the Endo would be willing to test blood sugars? Such as
> Fastinf Insulin, Fasting Glucose, hbA1C maybe even a Glucose
> Toleerance Test to rule out Diabetes & check for Insulin Resistance?
>
> "One other important point - I am an American but I live in Germany.
> Saliva testing is unheard of here. There has not been any mention of
> RT3 testing so I don't know if Germans have a clue in this area
> either."
> As I sail before RT3 is available & so is Saliva Testing. I;m sure
> you could find somewhere online. Or post on RTH or Vals group for
> more specific details of Labs.
>
> "I recently bought the Dr. House TV series season 1 for my husband for
> x-mas. In one episode i was shocked to see docs using what appeared
> to be paper thermometers to check patients in the hospital. In
> Germany they still do rectal - even with adults!!!! Yes, I know Dr.
> House is not real but i think it is fairly close in terms of US
> technology...or?"
> I'm in Australia. We use digital or Mercury thermometer. Mercury is
> more accurate than digital. I've never had my temp done rectally even
>
> "About 6 months ago I went to a doc for internal medicine and asked
> him to test me for HH. I wasn't close enough to death so he
> refused. Several years ago I went to an endo and told him I was very
> intolerant to T4 - he said 'that was my problem'. Recently I went
> to my thyroid doc, he was away and another doc was there instead.
> When i told her after i stopped thyroid meds I LOST 40 pounds she
> didn't blink an eye. I told her i couldn't tolerate T4. She told me
> taking T3 was 'old fashioned' and would only give me a Rx for T4."
> What can I say. Ignorance, arrogance & outright contempt for the
> patient you obviously have not found a decent Doc.
>
> "I have tested off and on for possible imflamation - in the form of
> elevated white blood cells. Almost all of my bloods test change a lot
> each time they are done. I even had 1 case where my FT4 went even
> lower when I started taking synthetic T4. Even though my TSH is high,
> my FT3 & 4 are only low normal and not below normal. Even when my
> TSH has gone up to 31 my FT3 & 4 never went below normal. Do you find
> that typical?"
> WCC is only one of possible tests for inflammation. Others like the
> ones I mentioned may be more diagnostic. TSH means nothing when you
> have Hashis. Neither does Frees really. Because the Abs interfer with
> everything you can only go by symptoms when dosing Thyroid meds. You
> may have both the Hashis & Graves Abs as well. Maybe you have Adrenal
> Abs too.
>
> "So - do you know of any type of kidney infection fitting into or
> explaining anything mentioned above?"
> Not really no. Compromised/low Liver, Kidney, Digestion, all caused
> by AI & Hypot would though.
>
> If you havent ruled out Celiac I would get that tested. Having Hashis
> other Autoimmune conditions is possible.
>
> You might want to post your Labs for more specific advice on the
> Forum I Co mod. Its owned by Chris Jackson who is Hypopit/Endocrine
> expert & is spin off from RTH Forums. Theres also lots of info on RTH
> if you havent seen it its worth a look. RTH took over when STTM
> forums closed. A lot of Mods moved over from STTM to RTH.
>
> See
> www.hormonesupportgroup.proboards.com/
>
> forums.realthyroidhelp.com/index.php?
> sid=da38f6d9e5b161facb04b597d26e7bf5
>
> Lethal Lee
Hey Lee
I would have bet lots of money that Lethal Lee was a man so, needless to say hearing you gave birth to twins and take HRT came as a shock...LOL.
I have TBO abs but not TG. Never tested for graves abs.
My AI testing was done via ITT. But like I said, and you agree, the test was invalid because I was already taking HC. When I had blood tests done before HC my ACTH was low yet my cort was normal. But my low ACTH didn't raise any red flags with the docs because they used a much lower end range value than what I have read as being normal lower end of the range.
Since the very first time I took T4 I haven't have a monthly cycle. I feel very strongly it was instant meno brought about by taking T4 and for that reason i feel docs have missed something. I have been given HRT but it makes me feel uncomfortable. I've done lots of research in this area, although I'm far from an expert. Yet when i talk to the docs about taking HRT their answers don't match with the research I have done. I asked my gyno about taking tri estrogen. She didn't have a clue what I meant and insisted I didn't know what I was talking about. For these reasons i am extremely reluctant to accept HRT from German docs. There seems to be this extreme disconnect between current technology and actual medical practice. (just to give you a prospective - several years ago a local dentist gave my then 6 year old daughter a amalgam filling). There is a lot of arrogance with German docs and it's really hard to not see this as ignorance so I have basically no trust or respect for local medicine. It was actually in one of Germanys most respected institutions that my ITT testing was done, even though I was still taking HC.
But to be fair to Germany - they have 2 types of insurance systems, private and state. I had a choice to take either system but since i didn't understand the whole system I took state - it seemed easier to deal with since my german isn't that good. 16 years later and now it is too late to switch to private and the state version won't do most of the testing you have mentioned below.
Regarding you comments about hashi swings. When I took T4 or T4/T3 or only T3 my TSH was surpressed and all of my thyroid blood values were within range yet I was 'swinging' then as much as I am now without thyroid meds.
I too am also not sure an endo is the best choice - I've tried many. But I'm going back to one I had in the past in hopes that he will retest my adrenals. Of the five or so endos I've been to he is the best. Since I stopped ALL meds a year ago I'm hoping my AI can be retested plus a new MRI.
Regarding my kidneys HC didn't stop the flank pain. I don't have a fever but since my normal temp is so low a fever wouldn't show up so easily.
It's funny but when I stopped AI and thyroid meds in Jan 2008, my temps actually improved for several months - it was almost normal. My temps bounce around a lot which is usually typical AI yet HC or pred didn't change that.
Now that I've stopped all meds about the only thing I can do is start over with testing. But I can't help but think there is a root cause that everybody is missing - I just don't know what it is and that is why I started looking into a kidney infection or HH.
Robin
--- In FHHF@yahoogroups.com, "Lethal Lee" <pricklefoot3@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Robin,
>
> What is MCS?
> Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
>
> The last 2 blood tests showed iron low. My ferritin was high normal
> than low normal. TIBC has never been tested.
>
> First thing you need to do is test complete Iron Panel (sometimes
> called Cumulative Iron Studies. Together with that CBC & ESR and
> Liver Function Test done at same time gives a more complete picture
> of what is going on there
>
> •Cumulative Iron Studies
> Total Iron
> Transferrin
> TFN Saturation % (aka Transferrin Iron Binding Capacity or TIBC in
> USA)
>
> •Full Blood Exam (FBE) & Erythrocyte Sedimation Rate (ESR)
> aka Complete Blood Count (CBC) includes
> Haemaglobin
> RCC
> Haematocrit (PCV)
> MCV
> MCH
> MCHC
> RDW
> ESR
> WCC
> Neutrophils
> Lymphocytes
> Monocytes
> Eosinophils
> Basophils
> Platelets
>
> •Liver Function Test (LFT)
> (USA- often part of Complete Metabolic Profile) includes
> AST
> ALT
> ALP
> GGT
> Total Bilirubin
> Protein
> Albumin
> Globulin
>
> "Dx includes: primary hypothyroidism with hashis
> My recent blood results for thyroid show I am HypoT with a TSH of 9
> but 2 months earlier my TSH was 18. I stopped taking thyroid meds 1
> year ago and my TSH is improving so I can't make sense of that. I
> have more typical hyper symptoms than hypo, like hyperdefication and
> rage (I'm never constipated) plus I only lose hair and gain weight
> when I take thyroid meds."
>
> I have Primary Hypothyroid with Hashis too. I am never constipated
> either. Whats going on with you is I suspect Hashis swings. Because
> you arent able to take Thyroid meds to suppress the TSH then the
> Anibodies are running rampant. And they wax & wanw so do your
> symptoms & TSH results.
>
> I wonder too if you might have the Trifecta? By that I mean as well
> as Hashis Abs (TPO Abs & TG Abs)you may also have Graves Abs
> (TSIAbs)? Have you tested those? It is not that unusual to have all
> three & will mean the Hyper Hypo swings can be quite severe.
>
> Certainly Hertoghe is familiar with RT3 testing. Didnt they do that
> for you? It is available in Europe I'm sure. In fact UK residents
> have to send samples to Europe for RT3 I think.
>
> "DX: Secondary AI
> I also took low dose HC and then pred for several years - no help
> there either. My adrenal testing was done after I already started
> taking HC so I don't put much faith in the test results."
>
> You say Secondary AI how was that DXed? I assume ACTH was low as well
> as Cortisol. Testing after already on steroids is invalid. You must
> be off them for at least two weeks before testing. What type of
> testing did you have done?
>
> Full testing includes
> Serum ACTH & 8am Cortisol.
> Saliva 4 x Cortisol
> ACTH Stim OR Insulin Tolerance Test
>
> In Europe Urine testing is used too. I know Hertoghe uses it. I'm not
> familiar with it or how to interpret it.
>
> In Europe they also test Total & Free Cortisol including Cortisol
> Binding Globulin in blood which is not available in USA or Australia
> (where I live).
>
> Have you considered retesting now that you have been off steroids for
> some time? certainly would be more valid than previously.
>
> "DX:Hyperprolactin"
>
> This is a concern. Did you have MRI with & without contrast to rule
> out Prolactin secreting Tumour?
>
> "DX:Premature menopause and a few more. But mostly I think they are
> symptoms and not the root cause."
>
> Yes I agree are all symptoms of severe endocrine HPA problems.
> Are you on HRT for Estrogen , Progesterone?
> What about Testosterone & DHEA?
> I am Menopausal & am on HRT for the lot. HRT has certainly got rid of
> all the symptoms there for me. Much improved quality of life.
>
> "It cost me lots of money to go to Dr. Hertoghe so I couldn't keep
> going there. At my request I was put on T3 instead of Armour since i
> had already tried Armour with no luck. I was told to start with 20
> mcg of T3 and slowly increase until I felt better. When I reached
> 140 mcg and still no improvements I had a local doc check my FT3
> levels. It was extremely high yet I did not feel hyperT at all. T3
> did nothing for me yet T4 puts me in the hospital."
>
> I recently did the same thing. I have been on T3 since early SEpt I
> too got to 140mcg & tested as very elevated FT3 without Hyper.
> However after ~6 weeks at this level I finally DID have a
> breakthrough. My Hyper symptoms were very subtle & not the usual so
> was easy to miss. I had to stop then restart on 80mcg where I am now.
> feeling best I have in years.
>
> "Dr. Hertoghe did lots of testing. Blood showed my cortisone was
> low and urine showed it extremely high. (I was at his clinic but I
> didn't actually get to see him - the waiting list is extremely
> long. However the doctor I did see actually talked to Dr. Hertoghe
> on the phone while I was in her office for a consult on my
> case...LOL...are you still impressed, does that count as well"
> This was testing while ON the HC/Pred? Not valid for DX then I would
> have thought. If low in blood but high in urine probably means you
> were hyper metabolizing it? Meaning you were burning through it very
> fast & not lasting long in your system?
>
> "Since the birth of my daughter in 1999 I have had chronic flank
> pain. Since the doctors have ignored this I have always thought it
> was a result of my pregnancy or AI. However about 2 weeks ago it was
> pointed out to me that this is often a sign of urinary tract
> infections or kidney infections. I googled this a found out that a
> major cause of kidney infection can come from a catheter inserted
> uring a hospital stay - I had one when my daughter was born via c-
> section 10 years ago."
>
> I have three children (including a set of twins) all born by C
> section too! I have had flank pain & low back pain for years too but
> this has all gone with Prednisolone & HC meds for the AI. I have
> never had a UTI without urination pain symptoms. Nor have I had a
> Kidney infection without fever symptoms. In either case Urine testing
> should show if there is active infection. I assume you have had this
> done?
>
> "It is my understanding that the kidneys play a major role in mineral
> balance. Since I stopped thyroid and adrenal meds i have been much
> more in tune with my symptoms and how they change with regards to
> what I eat. The only connection I can find is in regards to the
> mineral content of foods. I can't really find food allergies -
> although i know that I have a problem with lactose and I am
> currently avoiding gluten."
>
> I have been Lactose intolerant since the birth of my twins 16 years
> ago. Certainly Kidney function is very important. So is Adrenal
> function of course. Adrenals control Sodium Potassium balance too.
> That is done through Aldosterone & Renin system. Did you ever have
> those tested? I'm wondering if a lot of your problems was related to
> issues there? I have to have Florinef & take RX Potassium to treat
> those.
>
> "Some foods make me feel worse but at the same time some foods make me
> feel really good. Yet after a few weeks this pattern changes, as do
> my symptoms so I can't get to the root cause."
>
> Have you checked Liver Function? Do you support Liver at all? I use
> Milk Thistle & ALA for that. You may have issues with low stomach
> acid and/or digestive enzymes. I use Probiotics, some need HCl &
> Pancreatic Enzymes to deal with those issues.
>
> "I can have several weeks of dizzy spells, low BP, sugar cravings and
> then suddenly these changes and instead my arms go numb then this
> changes and suddenly I have depression, then insomnia, then I'm
> bright red like I've been in the sun all day, then I can hardly see,
> my ears start whooshing, etc... It's a long list of symptoms but
> they are always changing."
>
> Dizzy, low BP, noise/light sensitivity, tinnitis (whooshing) all
> sound like Aldo/Sodium issues to me.
> Sugar cravings, eyesight issues sound like Hypoglycemia.
> Insomnia can be many things. Low/high Cortisol, Hypoglycemia,
> imbalanced Sex Hormones & more. I had to optimise Sex Hormones to
> cure my insomnia.
> Depression again many causes. Low T3 being one.
>
> "At the same time i find iron rich foods bother me then this changes
> and i crave lots of salt yet the salt makes me feel really ill. Then
> I get diarrhea from high potassium rich foods. Several weeks ago i
> tried low dose calcium for a few days and I ended up having severe
> cramps and diarrhea for 2 weeks."
>
> If digestion is not good then you are going to have a lot of trouble
> breaking down food & absorbing nutrients. Same with Liver if you cant
> break down things & remove toxins all sorts of issues symptoms result.
>
> "In Nov my iron tested low so I took iron tablets for about 10 days.
> Since then I have felt much worse even though my TSH, FT3&4 have
> improved. Salmon used to make me feel really good now it doesn't.
> Rice worked for a while. Then it was chocolate. Brewers yeast was
> great for about 2 weeks now b vitamins make be ill. I have strange
> reactions to salt, calcium, vitamin c, magnesium, potassium,
> selenium and B vitamins."
> Again if digestion & Liver is suboptimal all sorts of issues will
> happen as a result.
>
> "Minerals need to work in balance and one of the antagonists for iron
> is Magnesium that is why I am assuming high iron means low
> magnesium - that doesn't mean I am right. I take magnesium
> supplements and it seem to help. I've also tried a few epsom salts
> baths. The other day about 1 hour after such a bath I started
> having the shakes because i felt very cold yet my skin was warm and
> every bone and muscle in my body hurt. I felt like my body was
> starting to shut down. I was debating about going to the hospital
> but after about 3 hours everything cleared up so I went to bed
> instead."
>
> Epsom Salts is Mag Sulphate. I cant tolerate it either. Not heard
> that Mag antagonises Iron. I know Calcium blocks Iron. Also Mag &
> Calcium have opposote affects & should not be supped together.
>
> "Are you aware of any type of kidney connection to anything I've
> mentioned above - like mineral imbalances or intolerance to meds?"
> I suspect Liver Function is impaired/sluggish, also stomach &
> digestion probably under par. This is the first things I had to fix
> too. I wonder too about your Aldosterone as mentioned above.
>
> "I will see my endo at the end of Jan. My GP wants to have me checked
> again via MRI to see whats up with my pituitary. I am hoping to push
> the endo to look closer at my iron. He should be well aware of the
> HH connection with adrenal and thyroid problems. At the same time i
> will see if my GP can send me to a urologists to see whats up with
> my flank pain. Since we are in the middle of the holiday season I
> felt it was better to wait until next week to go back to my GP."
>
> MRI with & without contrast would be a good idea. So would an
> Ultrasound of your Thyroid to check what damage uncontrolled Hashis
> may have caused. have you had ADrenals & Kidney U/sound to check no
> atrophy etc there?
>
> I avoid Endos personally not many get help there. I use my GP & a
> consultant MD specialising in Hormones & Nutrition for my & my
> familys needs.
>
> Perhaps the Endo would be willing to test blood sugars? Such as
> Fastinf Insulin, Fasting Glucose, hbA1C maybe even a Glucose
> Toleerance Test to rule out Diabetes & check for Insulin Resistance?
>
> "One other important point - I am an American but I live in Germany.
> Saliva testing is unheard of here. There has not been any mention of
> RT3 testing so I don't know if Germans have a clue in this area
> either."
> As I sail before RT3 is available & so is Saliva Testing. I;m sure
> you could find somewhere online. Or post on RTH or Vals group for
> more specific details of Labs.
>
> "I recently bought the Dr. House TV series season 1 for my husband for
> x-mas. In one episode i was shocked to see docs using what appeared
> to be paper thermometers to check patients in the hospital. In
> Germany they still do rectal - even with adults!!!! Yes, I know Dr.
> House is not real but i think it is fairly close in terms of US
> technology...or?"
> I'm in Australia. We use digital or Mercury thermometer. Mercury is
> more accurate than digital. I've never had my temp done rectally even
>
> "About 6 months ago I went to a doc for internal medicine and asked
> him to test me for HH. I wasn't close enough to death so he
> refused. Several years ago I went to an endo and told him I was very
> intolerant to T4 - he said 'that was my problem'. Recently I went
> to my thyroid doc, he was away and another doc was there instead.
> When i told her after i stopped thyroid meds I LOST 40 pounds she
> didn't blink an eye. I told her i couldn't tolerate T4. She told me
> taking T3 was 'old fashioned' and would only give me a Rx for T4."
> What can I say. Ignorance, arrogance & outright contempt for the
> patient you obviously have not found a decent Doc.
>
> "I have tested off and on for possible imflamation - in the form of
> elevated white blood cells. Almost all of my bloods test change a lot
> each time they are done. I even had 1 case where my FT4 went even
> lower when I started taking synthetic T4. Even though my TSH is high,
> my FT3 & 4 are only low normal and not below normal. Even when my
> TSH has gone up to 31 my FT3 & 4 never went below normal. Do you find
> that typical?"
> WCC is only one of possible tests for inflammation. Others like the
> ones I mentioned may be more diagnostic. TSH means nothing when you
> have Hashis. Neither does Frees really. Because the Abs interfer with
> everything you can only go by symptoms when dosing Thyroid meds. You
> may have both the Hashis & Graves Abs as well. Maybe you have Adrenal
> Abs too.
>
> "So - do you know of any type of kidney infection fitting into or
> explaining anything mentioned above?"
> Not really no. Compromised/low Liver, Kidney, Digestion, all caused
> by AI & Hypot would though.
>
> If you havent ruled out Celiac I would get that tested. Having Hashis
> other Autoimmune conditions is possible.
>
> You might want to post your Labs for more specific advice on the
> Forum I Co mod. Its owned by Chris Jackson who is Hypopit/Endocrine
> expert & is spin off from RTH Forums. Theres also lots of info on RTH
> if you havent seen it its worth a look. RTH took over when STTM
> forums closed. A lot of Mods moved over from STTM to RTH.
>
> See
> www.hormonesupportgroup.proboards.com/
>
> forums.realthyroidhelp.com/index.php?
> sid=da38f6d9e5b161facb04b597d26e7bf5
>
> Lethal Lee