Hi Mookie,
BUT Guess what??? I did have more labs and your not going to believe it but here it is----
Na ..............138 (137-145)
Potassium....3.9 (3.5-5.1)
Chloride......103 (101-111)
CO2............. 27 (22-32)
anion gap....8.0 (7-16) this i can't believe but am so grateful!
BUN.............. 13 (8-26)
CREAT..........0.6 (0.6-1.0)
Calcium........9.0 (8.9-10.3)
Mag..............2.4 (1.8-2.5)
protein.........7.7 (6.1-7.9)
albumin........4.3 (3.5-4.8)
Glucose........ 98 (74-99) non-fasting drawn after lunch
Comments-the BUN has improved, Sodium & Potassium still low but a bit higher than before. You are feeling better too with less PVC's so obviously you are feeling the benefit!!!!
Mag is looking good too. Calcium still low but keep on the Vit D & Vit A & you WILL see improvements there I'm sure!!!
Thyroid Labs from 2/09/09TSH........0.070L (0.4-4.0)
t3...............116 (97-219)
Ft3.............278-(210-440)
Comments-dont worry about TSH it will get completely suppressed on Armour. Just look at your Frees & pay attention to symptoms. Ft3 still suboptimal. Still room to improve there keep raising gradually to eliminate all HypoT symptoms. Optimal is top of range, some need slightly over.
DHEA-S-33 (19-231)
Comments- DHEA is lowered by Adrenal Meds (due to lowered ACTH). I agree DHEA HRT is good idea. Raising to 15 mg sounds OK. Do retest ALL Sex Hormones in ~6 weeks to evaluate results of the increase on your DHEAS, Free & Total Testosterone, SHBG, LH, FSH, Estradiol & Progesterone.
Now, I'm very happy w/ my chemistry report and since I hate drinking and the taste of sea-salt. I found at my local health food store a himalayan sea salt tab that I take now 3x a day w/ meals....Now that it's winter I don't think my requirements are high. But I do live in a very warm climate and am moving to a new home in town soon. Never heard of a Sea Salt tab. Do check to see what processing it has been through? It needs to be unrefined, unbleached, with no added excipients binders etc.
We built a sea-salt pool. Do you think that will help me this summer?I wouldnt think so. We have a Sea Salt Chlorinated pool too. The Sea Salt is processed into Chlorine via a Salt Cell. It is better than the liquid Chlorine pools. The Chlorine levels are much higher in the latter & smell on skin & hair is really noticable. Swimming in the OCEAN would help some maybe???
Also, I've continued w/ the Potassium 40 meq am 20 meq in the aft 40 meq in the eve. I'm shocked that my requirements are so high....I still don't understand it completely...but am trying. I wonder if I have other hidden Kidney troubles.Well there's nothing obviously untoward in results, just the low Potassium & Sodium as far as I can see. Give it some time. Optimising Sodium & Magnesium can help with balancing Potassium too. You may see the Potassium levels rise more as you "tweak" the Florinef & Sea Salt. Keep up the Mag supps too.
I feel right now that I am peeing a lot less than I have previously. Which makes me happy too!!!All good. If you are still peeing too much adjust Florinef either by breaking up am dose into two or adding 1/4 tab later in day/evening. Experiment a little & just take it slow, do small adjustments & give it time to evaluate effects.
Finally I've started to taked religiously Betaine HCL w/ pepsin (650mg) 3x a day.w/ meals. I feel that my anion gap results changed either due to the betaine hcl or the salt caplets......What do you think?Yes may very well be!!! I often recommend HCl and/or digestive enzymes. Hypos have so many issues with malabsorption due to low stomach acids & low bile levels. Probiotics are a good idea too. I forget if you take them? I use Diary Free kind as I am Lactose Intolerant.
It may be that you will be absorbing your supps & meds a lot better so just a word of warning there. You may find you need to adjust down on some things!!! Or at least find that you are getting more benefit out of what you are taking...maybe that Potassium will rise without addfurther adjusting dose for example?
Now about the thyroid issues...about a week ago I think I was hyper and had a swollen thyroid....and massively had to cut down on my armour.... I think it was a hashi's thing or whatever...but now I feel like I'm hypo....usually get constipated....and now am slowly increasing my armour again. I am on 1 grain in the am and 1/2 grain in the late afternoon...My labs were right b4 I went into some hashis hyper mode.....then crashed right after that.Mmmmm. Interesting wouldnt have thought with that FT3 result that dumping wasn't a possibilty. BUT you may well be right it amy have been Hashis related.
As various nutrients get optimised then body utilises things better. Maybe you had some clearing of RT3 as things become more balanced=less stress=less RT3?
Finally does my lowish DHEAS level mean that I am on too much Cortef? I am on 25 mg Cortef split in 4 doses with more in the am and lower doses in the evening. I increased my dhea supplement from 5 mg to 15 mg per day and will see how that goes. I know that in the past I've had trouble with dhea giving me cystic acne on the back of my neck.....isn't that weird???No I do not think 25mg HC is too high. Is in fact the MINIMUM we suggest for Women. DHEA is lowered by HC no gettting around that. It is not usually a problem unless it was already lowish before HC started? That is usually a Secondary AI (Hypopit) indication.
Do follow up testing as I indicated above in 6 weeks time. You need to see if DHEAS & Free Testosterone is optimised. May need dose adjustment up or down depending on results & symptoms.
The Acne can be a sign of too much. But also may just be a transitory thing. It can also be a bit of a detox reaction as things get more balanced more toxins are pushed out. The skin is the largest excretory organ & a lot of detox comes out through the skin.
I am maintaining the Florinef dose of 0.1mg and have been good w/ that. MY PVC'S Have diminished quite a bit but are not gone yet...as I think there is tweaking that needs to be done here. But all in al I think that I feel generally better.It does sound like symptoms are improving & results are slowly improving too. I'm so glad the PVC's are down. Hopefully tweaking Florinef will get rid of all of them!!!
oops....I forgot to mention that I've had some early am waking between 3am and 5am....sometimes I can fall back asleep and other times I can't....do you think I need to switch to a longer acting steroid?Possibly. Maybe you need a touch more HC? You are doing 4 doses currently maybe adjust them up a touch or add in a 5th dose. How much do you take before bed? Some find 2.5-5mg at bedtime helps sleep.
It may be low blood sugar too. When Cortisol is low hypoglycemia is possible. So make sure of a snack with that last HC dose before bed.
It may be because Aldo as it is lowest at night time. That can raise Adrenaline a touch. Thats why a second dose of Florinef in evening or close to bedtime can be helpful.
Have next to bed some Salted water, a small snack, a small 2.5mg HC dose. Try each when you wake & see if any help you get back to sleep.
What other suggestions do you have for me? I have been soaking in all your information and appreciate ALL you have
done to help me. I feel as though you really care! Thank you!Well no other suggestions at present. Just what is mentioned above.
I hope to see an even better update in another week or two!!!!
When is the big move to your new house?
You will be sure to take real good care of yourself & stress dose for the extra stress wont you?