Post by jacintaknx on Mar 16, 2009 6:18:34 GMT -5
Hi Lethal Lee,
I stated writing this and then went to check my past thread and you had just replied to me. Thankyou!
HELP!
I went to the doc today and I thought she would be helpful. Boy was I wrong. She said because my T4 was at 20 (9-19) that I was now overloading my body with "this natural supplement" and I need to stop taking it immediately and all of my symptoms can be related to too much armour and stress. Thats it! I asked her for a liver function test and she said you had one in August and it was normal so you dont need another one. I told her about my recent intolerance to alcohol (2 drinks and my heart rate sits at 110 for at least 3-4 hours after the fact. Ive tried many different drinks but all the same)All she said about my intolerance is "thats just your bad luck!". Im not kidding.
We dont have a large choice of docs in a small country town. I told her of my symptoms and they are as follows
shakiness, heart palpitations, feeling of panic, weakness, inability to handle stress, emotionally hypersensitive, extreme fatigue, hyper feeling, clumsy, jumpy, intolerance to bright lights, dizziness,lightheadedness from laying to standing, waking in the middle of the night for several hours, difficulty at times falling asleep, sensitive to cold, constipation, depression (was on anti-depressant for 3 years), huge craving for salt (I have it in my purse, car, bag in case I dont have any), low blood pressure, impaired vision (I had laser eye surgery 3 years ago after my eyes had been stable for 3 years and great up until about 6 months ago and theyve gone that downhill I had to get glasses again recently), suspect haemochromatosis-theyre still waiting for second bloods to come back), lowered libido and theres probably a few more.
Ive done some research over the weekend and I came up with a few ideas I wanted testing for and they include
low cortisol
low aldosterone
testosterone deficiency
pituitary hypothyroidism
hypothalmic dysfunction
androgen insufficiency
hypoadrenalism
Ive had some tests but wanted to get the following as was basically told no and stop taking armour that will fix up all of your problems (I take 4 grains a day) Oh and learn to deal better with stress! (Im a teacher so its a little difficult)
Ill get the tests you have said if I can find a doctor to help at our hospital. The doc gave me a pathwest form today which says anti thyroid antibodies, TFT's, ? hyperthyroidism not on any medication (She told me to stop all armour)
HINT: if Doc puts on the Lab form "suspected Hyperthyroid" lab will allow the FT3. & Medicare will cover it.
He should also write "possible Thyroid autoimmune attack?" and they should allow TPOAbs, TG Abs & TSI Abs (these are Hashis & Graves antibodies).
If he writes "thyroid resistance?" they should allow RT3.
However depends on whether your lab can arrange to send blood to Eastern States to be tested (is not tested in WA at all). Takes some weeks to get results. NOT covered by Medicare cost me ~$45.
Does the above cover what you have said?
Can you post previous Thyroid labs including prethyroid meds? When posting results please indicate how much & which Thyroid med you were on at the time.
I dont know what I have kept. I dont think I thought at the time about 11 years ago that this would be an on going thing. I have moved a fair bit so Ill have to see if I have kept anything. Im not a very organised person.
NOTE: Always test Thyroid early am take last dose of Armour at least 12 hours before blood draw.
How much Armour were you on when this test was done?
How long before the blood draw did you take your last ARmour dose?
I was on 4 grains with this test. I had had my 2 grains at 7 am and had the test done at 3pm. I didnt know about not taking it 12 hours before but I will next time.
Reproductive Hormones
DHEA Sulphate ............2.4 (0.8-10.2) *17% in range optimal top 25%
Total Testosterone...... 0.6 (<3.2) Range?
SHBG............................ 97 (30-90) *elevated
Free Androgen Index......1 (1.0-7.0) *bottom of range
Oestradiol...................350 Luteal (350-800) *bottom of range
Progesterone................25 (>4) Range???
FSH.................................4 U/L (2-10) *25% in range
Cant make out your Total Testosterone nor the Progesterone ranges??? FSH is low despite bottom of range Estradiol result.
DHEAS is certainly far from optimal. Total Testosterone looks really low too & may be deficient (top of range is 3.2 cant make out bottom of range). No Free Testosterone but with elevated SHBG & FAI of only 1 guaranteed you are VERY deficient there.
Dont know why SHBG is so high. Elevated Estradiol can cause high SHBG but yours is bottom of range!!! Cant make out your Progesterone result at all???
Im sorry about the ranges but I posted them exactly the same as was on my results. The doc couldnt make out these results either but she gave me a scipt for that testosterone cream. Do you think that will help?
Why no LH done???
I dont know?
You definitely need DHEA & maybe even Testosterone. Howver is not good to do HRT there if ADrenal Cortisol is not optimal. Need to test that first. Plasma ACTH & 8am Cortisol blood tests & a Saliva 4 x Cortisol & DHEAS Test is what you need next.
I will try and get these done. Otherwise I may have to fly to Perth.
i dint know my laying down standing BP I will ask when I find a different doc.
Thankyou so much for your advice. I will try and get the rest of the tests you advise. Should I get off armour or not do you think?
Just found some old results
03/09/07 on 100mcg thyroxine and 3 grains
Free T4 22 (9-19)
TSH 0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Free T3 11 (3.0-5.5)
21/02/08 on armour 3 grains
Free T4 (9-19)
TSH <0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Free T3 6.5 (3.0-5.5)
18/08/09 on 4 grains
Free T4 14 (9-19)
TSH 0.08 (0.40-4.00)
13/02/09
Free T4 20 (9-19)
TSH <0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Doc wont do Free t3 as you can see from last 2 results
Thanks for everything. I know its much more than stress and she made me so upset today and then I came home and got on the computer and found your reply. Its so nice to know someone actually understands and wants to help! ;D
I stated writing this and then went to check my past thread and you had just replied to me. Thankyou!
HELP!
I went to the doc today and I thought she would be helpful. Boy was I wrong. She said because my T4 was at 20 (9-19) that I was now overloading my body with "this natural supplement" and I need to stop taking it immediately and all of my symptoms can be related to too much armour and stress. Thats it! I asked her for a liver function test and she said you had one in August and it was normal so you dont need another one. I told her about my recent intolerance to alcohol (2 drinks and my heart rate sits at 110 for at least 3-4 hours after the fact. Ive tried many different drinks but all the same)All she said about my intolerance is "thats just your bad luck!". Im not kidding.
We dont have a large choice of docs in a small country town. I told her of my symptoms and they are as follows
shakiness, heart palpitations, feeling of panic, weakness, inability to handle stress, emotionally hypersensitive, extreme fatigue, hyper feeling, clumsy, jumpy, intolerance to bright lights, dizziness,lightheadedness from laying to standing, waking in the middle of the night for several hours, difficulty at times falling asleep, sensitive to cold, constipation, depression (was on anti-depressant for 3 years), huge craving for salt (I have it in my purse, car, bag in case I dont have any), low blood pressure, impaired vision (I had laser eye surgery 3 years ago after my eyes had been stable for 3 years and great up until about 6 months ago and theyve gone that downhill I had to get glasses again recently), suspect haemochromatosis-theyre still waiting for second bloods to come back), lowered libido and theres probably a few more.
Ive done some research over the weekend and I came up with a few ideas I wanted testing for and they include
low cortisol
low aldosterone
testosterone deficiency
pituitary hypothyroidism
hypothalmic dysfunction
androgen insufficiency
hypoadrenalism
Ive had some tests but wanted to get the following as was basically told no and stop taking armour that will fix up all of your problems (I take 4 grains a day) Oh and learn to deal better with stress! (Im a teacher so its a little difficult)
Ill get the tests you have said if I can find a doctor to help at our hospital. The doc gave me a pathwest form today which says anti thyroid antibodies, TFT's, ? hyperthyroidism not on any medication (She told me to stop all armour)
HINT: if Doc puts on the Lab form "suspected Hyperthyroid" lab will allow the FT3. & Medicare will cover it.
He should also write "possible Thyroid autoimmune attack?" and they should allow TPOAbs, TG Abs & TSI Abs (these are Hashis & Graves antibodies).
If he writes "thyroid resistance?" they should allow RT3.
However depends on whether your lab can arrange to send blood to Eastern States to be tested (is not tested in WA at all). Takes some weeks to get results. NOT covered by Medicare cost me ~$45.
Does the above cover what you have said?
Can you post previous Thyroid labs including prethyroid meds? When posting results please indicate how much & which Thyroid med you were on at the time.
I dont know what I have kept. I dont think I thought at the time about 11 years ago that this would be an on going thing. I have moved a fair bit so Ill have to see if I have kept anything. Im not a very organised person.
NOTE: Always test Thyroid early am take last dose of Armour at least 12 hours before blood draw.
How much Armour were you on when this test was done?
How long before the blood draw did you take your last ARmour dose?
I was on 4 grains with this test. I had had my 2 grains at 7 am and had the test done at 3pm. I didnt know about not taking it 12 hours before but I will next time.
Reproductive Hormones
DHEA Sulphate ............2.4 (0.8-10.2) *17% in range optimal top 25%
Total Testosterone...... 0.6 (<3.2) Range?
SHBG............................ 97 (30-90) *elevated
Free Androgen Index......1 (1.0-7.0) *bottom of range
Oestradiol...................350 Luteal (350-800) *bottom of range
Progesterone................25 (>4) Range???
FSH.................................4 U/L (2-10) *25% in range
Cant make out your Total Testosterone nor the Progesterone ranges??? FSH is low despite bottom of range Estradiol result.
DHEAS is certainly far from optimal. Total Testosterone looks really low too & may be deficient (top of range is 3.2 cant make out bottom of range). No Free Testosterone but with elevated SHBG & FAI of only 1 guaranteed you are VERY deficient there.
Dont know why SHBG is so high. Elevated Estradiol can cause high SHBG but yours is bottom of range!!! Cant make out your Progesterone result at all???
Im sorry about the ranges but I posted them exactly the same as was on my results. The doc couldnt make out these results either but she gave me a scipt for that testosterone cream. Do you think that will help?
Why no LH done???
I dont know?
You definitely need DHEA & maybe even Testosterone. Howver is not good to do HRT there if ADrenal Cortisol is not optimal. Need to test that first. Plasma ACTH & 8am Cortisol blood tests & a Saliva 4 x Cortisol & DHEAS Test is what you need next.
I will try and get these done. Otherwise I may have to fly to Perth.
i dint know my laying down standing BP I will ask when I find a different doc.
Thankyou so much for your advice. I will try and get the rest of the tests you advise. Should I get off armour or not do you think?
Just found some old results
03/09/07 on 100mcg thyroxine and 3 grains
Free T4 22 (9-19)
TSH 0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Free T3 11 (3.0-5.5)
21/02/08 on armour 3 grains
Free T4 (9-19)
TSH <0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Free T3 6.5 (3.0-5.5)
18/08/09 on 4 grains
Free T4 14 (9-19)
TSH 0.08 (0.40-4.00)
13/02/09
Free T4 20 (9-19)
TSH <0.01 (0.40-4.00)
Doc wont do Free t3 as you can see from last 2 results
Thanks for everything. I know its much more than stress and she made me so upset today and then I came home and got on the computer and found your reply. Its so nice to know someone actually understands and wants to help! ;D