# Husband hyper?



## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

My husband is displaying hyper symptoms from fast talking, to warmer than usual (he rarely sweats), constant appetite but losing weight, plus multiple loose stools daily, needing less sleep, and very active. We paid for labs to be run and they came back:

TSH 1.53 (0.45-4.5)

FT3 3.2 (2.0-4.4)

FT4 2.9 (1.2-4.9) Index

FT4 1.39 (0.82-1.77) Direct

T4 9.2 (4.5-12.0)

RT3 22.7 (9.2-24.1)

T3 Uptake 31 (24-39)

TPO <5 (0-34)

TBG 19 (13-39)

Anti TgAb <1 (0-0.9)

HA1c 5.8 (4.8-5.6)

The only other labs we have are from

July 2013 He was not feeling hyper at this time.

TSH 1.510 (.45-4.5)

FT4 1.35 (0.82-1.77)

B12 488 (211-946)

Vit D 52 (30-100)

and Oct 15, 2013

TPO 7 (0-34)

Based on these labs, should we test for TSI? Everything except the H1ac looks good to me. Is this in any way related to hyper?

Usually he is very sluggish, sleeps three hours every afternoon and still sleeps easily at night, so this new level of activity and other symptoms are like he's a completely different person. He's had adrenal tested (by saliva testing over 24 hr period) and he barely has any function so he's been supplementing for several months with a product that's supposed to improve that and we generally eat a very clean diet focusing mostly on fruits and vegetables (goal of 10 servings a day - more vegs than fruit). Any ideas?


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

> He's had adrenal tested (by saliva testing over 24 hr period) and he barely has any function so he's been supplementing for several months with a product that's supposed to improve that


His labs really aren't showing signs of hyperthyroid. You could run the TSI, but it might not be revealing.

Is this "supplement" in any way a steroid? Low adrenals are generally treated with some form of steroid. That would explain the energy, appetite and blood sugar--they raise all of it.

Are you using a doctor for any of this?


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Hello. The supplement is from a naturopathic doctor. It's herbs like ashwagandha, ginseng root, holy basil leaf, etc. The only other thing he takes sometimes is melatonin to help him stay asleep.

The reason I was wondering about the TSI is because he seems to going from one extreme to the other a couple times a year and the TPO was negative.

What would you do?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I was also wondering about steroids, as the few times I've taken a steroid for inflammation throughout my life, it's made me very, very energetic. (And dare I say I loved it???)

Like Lainey, I don't see anything "alarming" in your husband's thyroid labs at this point...but I'm no doctor.

I know almost nothing about TSI, so I'm unable to make a recommendation on that.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Octavia said:


> I was also wondering about steroids


There aren't any steroids in the supplement and he isn't taking anything else, if that is what you mean. I did just read last night that ashwangdha (the main ingredient of the supplement) should not be taken by people with autoimmune issues, but at this point he doesn't appear to have that problem either.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

What are the stimulants in his life such as caffeine -- 5 hour energy? Monster? Nos? Something else? Something with Don Quai, some HCG or Omnitrition product that contains ginseng or another herb that does the things you've listed that indicate some sort of boost? I would have him look closely at the ingredients in everything he consumes.


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

From what I've read about Ashwagandha, some people say they feel really well while they are taking it , but when they stop they have a slump,

People appear to have varying reactions to this herb.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Swimmer said:


> What are the stimulants in his life such as caffeine -- 5 hour energy? Monster? Nos? Something else? Something with Don Quai, some HCG or Omnitrition product that contains ginseng or another herb that does the things you've listed that indicate some sort of boost? I would have him look closely at the ingredients in everything he consumes.


Hi Swimmer. I know that many people use those types of drinks and other things, but we don't. He has one cup of black tea in the morning - that's his only stimulant. We're together every day all day long too so I know he isn't getting something I'm not aware of... there is ginseng in the supplement as I mentioned in a previous post. Can ginseng make that big of a change? He's been taking the supplement almost a year and doesn't take more than recommended.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

piggley said:


> From what I've read about Ashwagandha, some people say they feel really well while they are taking it , but when they stop they have a slump,
> 
> People appear to have varying reactions to this herb.


Hello Piggley. From your reading does it indicate why people respond differently to it?


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

Hi Thumper,

Wish I could find where I read those remarks -but I think it was an Adrenal fatigue page and a few people were just sharing their experiences with it. A couple felt a bit saggy when they stopped taking it -others were not at all affected. Probably depends on the dose and how the Adrenals are in each person really.

Extremely popular for treating Adrenal fatigue, so cant be too much of a problem

If you look up raysahelian.com he has a page about Ash, he just suggests best to take a break from it every month to avoid overstimulating the Thyroid- probably that's for people taking large amounts though.

Cheers


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

piggley said:


> Extremely popular for treating Adrenal fatigue, so cant be too much of a problem
> 
> If you look up raysahelian.com he has a page about Ash, he just suggests best to take a break from it every month to avoid overstimulating the Thyroid- probably that's for people taking large amounts though.
> 
> Cheers


Thank you for the interesting site info. I too was taking the same supplement and went hyper, but unlike those who commented that it went away after stopping it, mine didn't and I've been treated with anti thyroid meds. If I hadn't had my experience I wouldn't have known that my husband was having similar symptoms. I ended up with positive antibodies for TSI, but at this time my husband doesn't show hyper by the labs, just in his symptoms. This morning I had him stop the supplement and we'll see if he responds. In his case, his adrenals were basically toast, they were so low in cortisol, which is why the supplement was taken, and perhaps this is the real person he is supposed to be and the supplement just made his adrenals function normally. Perhaps it's time to retest the cortisol levels?


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

Good luck with it Thumper, gosh you have both been through the mill with your Adrenals.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Hi, maybe the ginseng has built up in his system, maybe he needs a break? It might be worth a try.

quoting from a website, "*Ginseng side effects, safety, danger, risk*
*High dosages of ginseng can cause overstimulation, restlessness, rapid heart beat, anxiety, headache, and insomnia. Just with any medication or supplement, the right dosage can be quite helpful while an excessive amount can lead to unpleasant adverse effects. Discuss with your doctor before using a ginseng product if you have a heart condition, are taking blood pressure pills, hormone medications, anti-depressants, or have a serious health condition.
* *Insomnia is a common side effect from ginseng overuse, particularly Asian ginseng-especially when it's combined in high doses with other herbs or nutrients that cause alertness. Althea, a 38 year-old owner of a garden shop in Maui, says, "I took ginseng that was recommended by a Chinese physician for fatigue. I took it for two weeks. I felt really better emotionally, mellow, and with increased energy. Then I started to have increased sleep problems and insomnia. I went three days being so mentally and physically overstimulated that I hardly got any sleep. I imagine this is what being on "speed" must feel like. I stopped taking the ginseng and within two days I slowly returned to my normal state."
This story confirms my recommendations that dosages of nutrients and herbs have to be constantly evaluated since they can build up in the system. *Patients being treated with the blood-thinning drug Coumadin (warfarin) should probably avoid using ginseng, since ginseng seems to reduce the drug's effects. Ginseng use for two weeks was tied to a significant reduction in the INR, meaning that the blood was now less thin and more prone to clotting.
Ginseng should be used cautiously in those with heart disease. Keep the dosage low in order to prevent heart racing or high blood pressure. Will a multi vitamin supplement taken along with panax ginseng make you shaky? Several years ago I tried it and it made my shaky. Yes, too much ginseng can cause side effects including nervousness and anxiety."


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Thanks Swimmer, a break seems like a good idea and we'll give that a try. I really appreciate that information. Thank you for the research.


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