# Lab Results?



## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

Hi everyone. I just thought I'd post my latest labs and get some feedback.

TSH 0.54 (Range 0.35 - 5.50)
Free T4 18.3 (9.0 - 25.0)
Free T3 4.4 (3.5 - 6.5)
C Reactive Protein 3.5 (Range <3.0)
Ferritin 48 (Range 10-120)

So my results are better on 100mcg of Thyroxine a day but even though I am definitely feeling somewhat better, I don't feel I am there yet. Still quite symptomatic. My doctor is quite happy with where the results are though and wants to keep the medication where it is. I had been hoping to maybe try Armour but I don't know if this would help any or not so I haven't pushed that angle with him yet.

Do you think my Ferritin number is high enough? I don't really understand the difference between Ferritin & Iron. My iron levels are good at the moment being on the higher end of the scale. If I needed to get my Ferritin up what do you actually take to do that?

I think I am going to see a naturopath and try and get to more of the cause of things. My Cortisol saliva tests are quite low and my testosterone is high.
Cortisol Morning: 16 (Range: 5.3 - 61.8)
Evening: 3 (Range: 1.2 - 12.3)
Testosterone: 172 (Range: 10 - 90)

I have been reading Dr. Kharrazian's book and also "Stop the Thyroid Madness" and have gone gluten free and am trying to stay off all grains altogether. But I still feel like things aren't quite right.

Anyway any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Lisa.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Your T3 is still pretty low on in the "normal" range. Without T3, your body is not able to function properly. That's where Armour comes in. Right now, you are only getting T4 with thyroxine. The theory is that your body is supposed to make T3 from T4, but some of us don't, and a medication like Armour that provides T3 and T4 can really help you feel better. Some people opt to stay on thyroxine and add a synthetic T3-Cytomel-instead.

I can't comment much on the other tests, but I know I could barely function when my T3 was low, and when I switched to Armour, there was a huge difference.


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## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks Lavender, your comments are what I was thinking, but it is so hard to convince doctors to let you try Armour!!


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

It might be easier to convince them to let you try Cytomel (T3) as a trial. It has made all the difference for me. Either dessicated thyroid or synthetic T3 might make a difference in your symptoms.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

I know, I had to find a new integrative medicine doc to get Armour. She took one look at the bloodwork my old endo and PCP told me were "normal" and said, "you had T3 before they took out your thyroid. I'm going to prescribe Armour." I could have hugged her right then and there, except that she doesn't seem like the huggy type.

It's made a world of difference, and was well worth the 2 months I spent waiting for an appointment. She's continued to work with me to fine tune things, and has not blown off my continuing symptoms, which has been a huge relief after years of docs telling me nothing was wrong.

Ask around, I'm sure you'll find someone who practices alternatively. The friend who recommended my doc doesn't even have a thyroid issue, just complicated medical issues.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

livinginhope said:


> Hi everyone. I just thought I'd post my latest labs and get some feedback.
> 
> TSH 0.54 (Range 0.35 - 5.50)
> Free T4 18.3 (9.0 - 25.0)
> ...


Ah; bummer! Your doctor is happy? And you are not. That means you must find a doctor who is not happy until you are happy.

I find you to be undermedicated. Not sure you need exogenous T3; it appears you are converting but you need more T4. Doc should have titrated your T4 upwards a bit.

You would want your FT3 @ mid-range, preferably a bit higher. As per your lab ranges, mid-range would be 5.0. Most of us feel best above the mid-range at about 75% of the range given.

Ferritin could be just a tad better. 50 to 100 is good; the closer to 100,the better.

Cast iron cookware, raisins, dark greens like mustards, chard, beets and beet tops, collards and turnip greens. Spinach. Molasses. Multi-vitamin w/iron.


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## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks guys - you are all so helpful.

I've had bit of a breakthrough with finding a helpful doctor. My husband is doing insurance assessing at the moment so he goes to people's homes to see what they need fixed. Anyhow he just happened to talk to a lady yesterday and she mentioned for some reason that she had Hashi's and hubby told her that I have been diagnosed fairly recently but struggling to get the right kind of help and she gave him 2 names of doctors in our area who are apparently fabulous. She said one is better than the other but when I rang up the better guy has closed his books (of course!!) to new patients. Bummer!! I can get into the other guy though, he is a medical doctor but also practices alternative medicine. She also said there is a great doctor about an hour away, she didn't elaborate on him though so I'm not really sure exactly what sort of doctor he is. So I'm not sure who to go to now but hubby said she was very willing to have a chat to me about it all so I might give her a ring and find out a bit more about these doctors.

So I am feeling a bit more hopeful now. It really is a long hard, frustrating road with this thyroid business. :confused0033:


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

livinginhope said:


> Thanks guys - you are all so helpful.
> 
> I've had bit of a breakthrough with finding a helpful doctor. My husband is doing insurance assessing at the moment so he goes to people's homes to see what they need fixed. Anyhow he just happened to talk to a lady yesterday and she mentioned for some reason that she had Hashi's and hubby told her that I have been diagnosed fairly recently but struggling to get the right kind of help and she gave him 2 names of doctors in our area who are apparently fabulous. She said one is better than the other but when I rang up the better guy has closed his books (of course!!) to new patients. Bummer!! I can get into the other guy though, he is a medical doctor but also practices alternative medicine. She also said there is a great doctor about an hour away, she didn't elaborate on him though so I'm not really sure exactly what sort of doctor he is. So I'm not sure who to go to now but hubby said she was very willing to have a chat to me about it all so I might give her a ring and find out a bit more about these doctors.
> 
> So I am feeling a bit more hopeful now. It really is a long hard, frustrating road with this thyroid business. :confused0033:


Talk about happenstance! You must let us know and I am saying a prayer for you re all of this. You do need a breakthrough here w/ a good and caring doctor.


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## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks Andros - I will let you know. I have an appt on the 1st June. Just by chance I've been hearing other people talk about this doctor too and how wonderful he is. Fingers crossed. xx


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

livinginhope said:


> Thanks Andros - I will let you know. I have an appt on the 1st June. Just by chance I've been hearing other people talk about this doctor too and how wonderful he is. Fingers crossed. xx


My fingers are crossed as well.


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## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

So just thought I'd update you on my visit to the new doctor. He is a medical doctor who also practices environmental & functional medicine as well. So I had an hour long consultation and he was quite good. He thinks that the first problem to fix is my adrenal fatigue which showed up in the 24hr saliva test and also severe symptoms of course. He advised me to read ''Ádrenal Fatigue - The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" which I am in the process of doing and I highly recommend it. He has also prescribed for me supplements to help fix it which the author Dr James Wilson has formulated especially for adrenals.

Also he highly recommended I go gluten free of course. He also gave me a food guide of things that are "low reactive foods" in our body and he gave me a recipe to have for breakfast which is a type of superfood smoothie which looks disgusting but actually tastes really nice. I did mention to him about maybe increasing my dose of Thyroxine or adding a T3 and he said that's a possibility but he wants to get my adrenals on better track first, and I thinks that's probably a good idea. I also have to get my blood sugars going better as I am having lots of problems with that.

He also ordered a hair analysis test, and various other blood & urine tests that normal doctors never order. I haven't got all the results of them back yet.

So I feel like I am on a better track now, just have to get myself organised better with food etc. I had a bad night last night. I didn't feel very well at work all day and even left a little early because I just couldn't concentrate and felt soooo tired even though I'd gotten 8 hours sleep the night before. Got home and was shaking and felt sick in the stomach and couldn't stop crying. I swear I feel like I should get locked up!! Anyway my husband came home and got me something to eat and a valium & after about an hour I felt much better.

So fingers crossed that I am on the right track now, because I am so tired of feeling like crap and not being able to cope with simple everyday stuff. I feel like a nervous wreck all the time. hugs1


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

livinginhope said:


> So just thought I'd update you on my visit to the new doctor. He is a medical doctor who also practices environmental & functional medicine as well. So I had an hour long consultation and he was quite good. He thinks that the first problem to fix is my adrenal fatigue which showed up in the 24hr saliva test and also severe symptoms of course. He advised me to read ''Ádrenal Fatigue - The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" which I am in the process of doing and I highly recommend it. He has also prescribed for me supplements to help fix it which the author Dr James Wilson has formulated especially for adrenals.
> 
> Also he highly recommended I go gluten free of course. He also gave me a food guide of things that are "low reactive foods" in our body and he gave me a recipe to have for breakfast which is a type of superfood smoothie which looks disgusting but actually tastes really nice. I did mention to him about maybe increasing my dose of Thyroxine or adding a T3 and he said that's a possibility but he wants to get my adrenals on better track first, and I thinks that's probably a good idea. I also have to get my blood sugars going better as I am having lots of problems with that.
> 
> ...


Oh, my gosh! It sounds like you found a gem!! Are you feeling better? You sure sound like it.

What is in that smoothie; inquiring minds always want to know. LOL!!


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Your doctor's not anywhere near Ohio, are they?


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## livinginhope (Mar 5, 2011)

Ok Andros - here's the smoothie recipe.

1 cup rice or almond milk
handful of blue berries or goji berries (i use frozen ones mostly)
2 tablespoons organic Chia seeds or Flaxseeds
1 teaspoon Maca powder
1 teaspoon Spirulina or Vital Greens
1 tablespoon protein powder (no artificial sweeteners or sugar)

Blend until smooth. I have this for breakfast everyday with a boiled egg on the side and it has really helped my morning blood sugar problems.

Sorry Lavender, he's in Australia.

As a side note I was talking to a 'friend of a friend' who has Hashi's and she has recommended a female medical doctor who specialises in female thyroid problems and she prescribes dessicated thyroid meds. I am so relieved as I was beginning to think i was never going to find a doctor who would prescribe them for me. So I have an appt to see her next week. I swear I am going to go crazy soon if I don't get some of these symptoms sorted.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Bummer. He sounds like a gem. And that smoothie sounds interesting. I have been feeling very ill lately and that sounds easy to make an nutritious.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

livinginhope said:


> Ok Andros - here's the smoothie recipe.
> 
> 1 cup rice or almond milk
> handful of blue berries or goji berries (i use frozen ones mostly)
> ...


Um, yum! That sounds delish. Thank you for sharing the recipe. And I am so glad it is helping to stabilize your morning glucose.

Sounds like you have this............... Somogyi Effect Do you?

http://diabetes.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/somogyi.htm


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