Re: ENDOCRINOLOGIST APPOINTMENT

[Guest guest]

He should know what he's doing, but -as I've mentioned before - do get tested

for prolactin, SBHG, LH, FSH. i imagine he'll do these as standard. but if

not do ask for the prolactin - could be pushing your Testosterone down. and high

SHBG affects your free testosterone levels - very important: you may have low

saliva testosterone but normal serum testosterone. CBG *as well as* cortisol

would be good. 24 hour urinary free cortisol but doubt he'll do that, think

they only do it for suspected cushing's. I doubt he'll believe in adrenal

fatigue...

i would make sure you tell him all of your symptoms, don't rely on him to ask

questions which'll identify the problem as you or he may miss something crucial

during the consultation.

you could do worse than read Dr Hertoghe's book and see if you identify with any

of the deficiency symptoms in there, though beware that NHS doesn't really treat

some of the deficiencies.

Chris

>

> Hi, []

> I have my first appointment with an endocrinologist in 2 months time

> ........... Finally!

> Should I request certain tests or should I just let him ask questions

> and fix me?

[Guest guest]

Write down a list of all your symptoms and signs. Check these

against those in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk

under 'Hypothyroidism' Take your basal temperature before getting out of bed in

a morning for 4 or 5 mornings. If these are 97.8 degrees F (36.6 degrees C) or

less, then list these too.

List every member of your family who has a thyroid or autoimmune

disease as this can come down the family line.

List the blood tests you need to be done. These should include

TSH, free T4, free T3, and tests to see whether you have thyroid antibodies.

These are TPO and TgAb.

List also the following specific minerals and vitamins you need

testing to ensure none of these are low in the reference range. These are iron,

transferrin saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate,

copper and zinc and tell the endocrinologist that you are specifically asking

for these because it is known that should any of these be low in the reference

range, no amount of thyroid hormone (not even your own) can be fully

utilised in the cells - where it matters.

Having a high free T4 is an indication it is not converting to

the active thyroid hormone T3, so it is important to get your free T3 tested to

see where it is in the range. You may well need treating with T3 and not T4.

Write down any questions that you need to ask and if possible,

take somebody with you. Doctors always pay more attention to those patients who

have somebody sat there, especially if that somebody has a note pad with pen

poised taking notes.

Go to the FILES section of this forum web site http://health./group.thyroid treatment

and click on the FOLDER 'Information for Patients' and on the page that

opens, click 'First Visit to Endocrinologist' and read the information from

there.

Ask that the endocrinologist put your letter of requests into

your medical notes.

Good luck Adam, and if you need to know anything else, just

shout.

Luv - Sheila

Hi,

I have

my first appointment with an endocrinologist in 2 months time ...........

Finally!

Should

I request certain tests or should I just let him ask questions and fix

me?

I have

adrenal fatigue, high T4, very low Testosterone and more.

Adam

[Guest guest]

Hi Adam, that is a bit high isn't it. I am wondering if you had a TSH result

and a free T4 result from about the same time as the urine tests? I was just

curious how they compared, that's all.

I am no expert on growth hormone or pituitary problems, either. I have tried

taking growth hormone in physiological doses (actually, subphysiological doses-

smallest dose i could) and while it worked, it felt like a miracle cure! Did

you ever get hit in the head? I have read that can stop the pituitary working

as well.

I was just curious about the DHEA dose because I was told a dose for a man of 32

would be about 35mg , which is what I'm on. That gives me DHEA-S blood results

in the middle of the lab range. I know how hard it is to exist though when you

have hormonal problems so it is good that you have something that makes you feel

a little better (DHEA) just be wary of the dose. I think DHEA can lower

cortisol though -it is confusing as some people say they'd never take DHEA while

they had adrenal fatigue, but some doctors would never give HC without giving

DHEA, too. I have felt the benefit of taking DHEA and pregnenolone (50mg a

day, initially 100mg a day) and both help me.

Yes, the endo should be able to look at your pituitary function for you. Have

you seen this website, it might help a little:

http://www.pituitary.org.uk/content/view/19/28/

>Can an endo check the health of the pituitary? Could this be causing my

> health problems?

If you look at the symptoms of hypopituitarism, do any of them match yours? Of

course, you have to be wary when considering conditions , you could drive

yourself mad thinking 'have i got this' 'have i got that' but on the other hand

some people do not get the help they need from their doctors and do need to

research stuff for themselves. I wish this was not the case. As an example, I

was off work with a year with fatigue - I asked the mental health professional

could it be sleep related as as i wake up gasping for breath. he said no, very

unlikely - it's just stress and depression, i've been doing this job 20 years.

I know the symptoms. well i nearly didn't go to the appointment - he was very

dismissive; he didn't just say it as matter of fact or in a reassuring way ( " you

are depressed and i can help you " ) but was really rather unpleasant. Anyway,

i went to the sleep assessment and found I was stopping breathing 90 times an

hour. Every hour. Anyway, I'm just using this as an example.

Ok the reason I mentioned pituitary is that you have mentioned you have low

testosterone and low cortisol saliva - perhaps your pituitary isn't telling your

body to produce these hormones? this is only one of many possibilities, of

course but you might want to be aware so you can read about it and see if it

fits.

Hope this helps a little.

chris

>

> My T4 level is 2268 pmol/24h (Ref: 347 - 1994). On the Genova

> Diagnostics Thyroid Hormones 24 Hour Urine test result, iit is in the

[Guest guest]

Hi Adam

Is it ok if I reply directly to your email account?

(on eurostar)

[Guest guest]

Yes, any time. Adam Is it ok if I reply directly to your email account?

[Guest guest]

Done, check your spam folders...

>

> Yes, any time.

> Adam