Re: Re: Results from Dr. Christensen

[Guest guest]

Both your Free T3 and Free T4 are below mid-range so it's possible you might benefit by taking replacement thyroid hormone. BUT, if you have adrenal issues, those should be resolved first anyways and in my experience the adrenal problems can really contribute to fatigue. Also, your ferritin is WAAAY low and that can very often be the source of fatigue. 

Another thing to consider wrt to your adrenals is caffeine consumption. If you find you need caffeine in the a.m. to get going that actually increases the stress on your adrenals and thus cause the fatigue later in the day. It sounds silly but if I have too much caffeine in the a.m. I have alot of fatigue later in the day.

B.

 

I finally got all of my thyroid results in and I need help interpreting. With these results, is it likely that I am having thyroid issues or not?

(I had not started any meds when I did the labs...)

TSH 3rd Generation - 1.84 (0.40 - 4.5 mIU/L)

Free T3 - 311 (230 - 420 pg/dL)

Free T4 - 1.1 (0.8-1.8 ng/dl)

T3 Uptake - 30 (22 - 35%)

Thyroglobulin Antibodies - <20 (<20 IU/ml)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - <10 (<35 IU/ml

Ferritin - 14 (10 - 154 ng/mL)

I'm taking DHEA & progesterone twice a day, Armour 30mg in the morning, b-vitamins, vitamin d, iron & multivitamins. Some symptoms have subsided but I am still getting sleepy from the hours of 11 - 3 during the day. The doc's office tells me that it doesn't appear to be my thyroid causing this problem, but more like my adrenals since the saliva tests showed them as depressed during those hours.

What do you think???

Thanks,

~P

>

> Hello all,

>

> I posted my " New to the Group " intro in message #38085.

>

> I'd like to post my experience with Dr. C along with my results &

> treatment plan.

>

> 1) Office Visits: I had very pleasant office visits. Her office is

> really nice and her method is to educate her patients. I felt as if she

> over did it a little because I have done extensive research on my own,

> however I was delighted that she took that approach. During my initial

> visit as well as my follow-up visit, I felt rushed as she tried to pack

> so much information into the 1 hour (50 min) appointments. At the first

> appointment, I asked if she could give me something for immediate

> relief, to no avail. She likes to receive all tests results before

> prescribing anything.

>

> 2) Labs Ordered: CBC, CBC w Diff w Plt, Lipid Panel, TSH 3rd

> Generation, Free T3, Free T4, Thyroid Antibodies, Thyroid Peroxidase AB,

> Homocysteine Plasma, & Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy

>

> 3) Saliva Tests Ordered: ZRT Hormone Evaluation, Diagnos-Tech Adrenal

> Test

>

> 4) Lab Results: All normal with the exception of - Vitamin D

> 25-Hydroxy of 11 (Range: 20-100 ng/ml)

> TSH - ? (Lab failed to run this test)

> Free T3 - ? (Lab failed to run this test)

> Free T4 - 1.1 (0.8-1.8 ng/dl)

> T3 Uptake - 30 (22 - 35%)

> Thyroglobulin Antibodies - <20 (<20 IU/ml)

> Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - <10 (<35 IU/ml

>

> (Went back to lab today to have them do TSH, Free T3 and Ferritin)

>

> 5) Saliva Results:

> ZRT

> Estradiol - In Range, 1.7 (1.3 - 3.3 Premenopausal Luteal)

> Progesterone - Out of Range, Low, 13 (75 - 270 Premenopausal Luteal)

> Ratio: Pg/E2 - Out of Range, Low, 8 (Optimal: 100-500 when E2 1.3 -

> 3.3 pg/ml)

> Testosterone - Out of Range, Low, 15 (16-55)

> Test indicates: Hypometabolism, Low Cortisol, Estrogen

> Dominance/Pregesterone Deficiancy

>

> Diagnos-Tech Adrenal Test

> Free Cortisol Rhythm: Morning & Noon - Depressed, Afternoon - Normal,

> Midnight - Elevated

> Signs of adrenal deterioration with low free cortisol

>

> DHEA: Borderline Low

> Reflects Limited adrenal response

>

> Insulin: Normal when Fasting - 3 (3-12 uIU/m), Depressed non-fasting -

> <3 (5-20 uIU/ml)

>

> Progesterone: Normal - 22 (22-100 pg/ml)

>

> Total Salivary SIgA: Depressed - 8 (25-60 mg/dl)

> Chronic defects in cortisol and/or DHEA levels

>

> Gliadin: Negative - 12 (Borderline 13-15 U/ml)

>

> 6) Treatment Plan: In addition to multivitamin and iron supplement for

> iron-deficiency anemia (I take Garden of Life Vitamin Code Women's

> Formula and Raw Iron)

>

> Metagenics Vitamin D 5000mg - 2 times a day for 2-3 months

> Progesterone Restored Balance Cream - for 2nd half of cycle

> Biosom DHEA Spray - twice a day

> Armour Thyroid - 30mg once a day

>

> Follow-up in 3 months.

>

> I am very satisfied with Dr. Christensen so far. She is very helpful

> and I have utilized many of her suggestions on food & supplementation

> with success. I was happy that she prescribed the Armour nad that it

> only cost me $7!

>

> I will report how I am feeling on all this as I start to feel better and

> any other updates.

>

>

> Thanks for the support!

>

> ~P

>

[Guest guest]

You will find that Dr. C will want to use natural products and lifestyle adjustments to address the adrenals. She had me use the Biosom DHEA spray - that did not work for me at all as it got converted straight to testosterone, but since yours is low, it might help you alot.  Also B vitamins and vitamin C are important for adrenal function. 

As far as ferritin, it can take some time.  If you are not consuming foods that are high in iron, you might want to consider doing so. Red meat has some of the highest iron levels. I was never a big meat eater, but find that I do much better when I regularly consume red meat.  I also take higher doses of replacement iron including a beef liver extract.  Beans are also a good source of iron as are many nuts and seeds, in particular pumpkin seeds (which .  Also blackstrap molasses - I use that in baking - it's particular good in pumpkin items along with nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. You can drizzle over fruit and bake. 

One very important thing to consider if you have difficulty getting your iron levels up is whether you have a leaky gut and thus have intestinal damage and not be absorbing key nutrients.  Gluten intolerance/celiac can be a key contributor. While your results were negative, they are just one point below the borderline.  One thing to keep in mind is that the saliva tests (looks like how yours was measured) are not necessarily that accurate. Some of us do NOT produce high levels of antibodies in our saliva. The most accurate test is through enterolab: www.enterolab.com.   Dr. C used to use them and I'm surprised she no longer seems to be (she was actually a resident under Dr. Fine, so knows his research well). 

B

 

Hmmm...what more can I do to address the adrenals AND to ge my ferritin levels higher?

~P

> > >

> > > Hello all,

> > >

> > > I posted my " New to the Group " intro in message #38085.

> > >

> > > I'd like to post my experience with Dr. C along with my results &

> > > treatment plan.

> > >

> > > 1) Office Visits: I had very pleasant office visits. Her office is

> > > really nice and her method is to educate her patients. I felt as if she

> > > over did it a little because I have done extensive research on my own,

> > > however I was delighted that she took that approach. During my initial

> > > visit as well as my follow-up visit, I felt rushed as she tried to pack

> > > so much information into the 1 hour (50 min) appointments. At the first

> > > appointment, I asked if she could give me something for immediate

> > > relief, to no avail. She likes to receive all tests results before

> > > prescribing anything.

> > >

> > > 2) Labs Ordered: CBC, CBC w Diff w Plt, Lipid Panel, TSH 3rd

> > > Generation, Free T3, Free T4, Thyroid Antibodies, Thyroid Peroxidase AB,

> > > Homocysteine Plasma, & Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy

> > >

> > > 3) Saliva Tests Ordered: ZRT Hormone Evaluation, Diagnos-Tech Adrenal

> > > Test

> > >

> > > 4) Lab Results: All normal with the exception of - Vitamin D

> > > 25-Hydroxy of 11 (Range: 20-100 ng/ml)

> > > TSH - ? (Lab failed to run this test)

> > > Free T3 - ? (Lab failed to run this test)

> >

> > > Free T4 - 1.1 (0.8-1.8 ng/dl)

> > > T3 Uptake - 30 (22 - 35%)

> > > Thyroglobulin Antibodies - <20 (<20 IU/ml)

> > > Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - <10 (<35 IU/ml

> > >

> > > (Went back to lab today to have them do TSH, Free T3 and Ferritin)

> > >

> > > 5) Saliva Results:

> > > ZRT

> > > Estradiol - In Range, 1.7 (1.3 - 3.3 Premenopausal Luteal)

> > > Progesterone - Out of Range, Low, 13 (75 - 270 Premenopausal Luteal)

> > > Ratio: Pg/E2 - Out of Range, Low, 8 (Optimal: 100-500 when E2 1.3 -

> > > 3.3 pg/ml)

> > > Testosterone - Out of Range, Low, 15 (16-55)

> > > Test indicates: Hypometabolism, Low Cortisol, Estrogen

> > > Dominance/Pregesterone Deficiancy

> > >

> > > Diagnos-Tech Adrenal Test

> > > Free Cortisol Rhythm: Morning & Noon - Depressed, Afternoon - Normal,

> > > Midnight - Elevated

> > > Signs of adrenal deterioration with low free cortisol

> > >

> > > DHEA: Borderline Low

> > > Reflects Limited adrenal response

> > >

> > > Insulin: Normal when Fasting - 3 (3-12 uIU/m), Depressed non-fasting -

> > > <3 (5-20 uIU/ml)

> > >

> > > Progesterone: Normal - 22 (22-100 pg/ml)

> > >

> > > Total Salivary SIgA: Depressed - 8 (25-60 mg/dl)

> > > Chronic defects in cortisol and/or DHEA levels

> > >

> > > Gliadin: Negative - 12 (Borderline 13-15 U/ml)

> > >

> > > 6) Treatment Plan: In addition to multivitamin and iron supplement for

> > > iron-deficiency anemia (I take Garden of Life Vitamin Code Women's

> > > Formula and Raw Iron)

> > >

> > > Metagenics Vitamin D 5000mg - 2 times a day for 2-3 months

> > > Progesterone Restored Balance Cream - for 2nd half of cycle

> > > Biosom DHEA Spray - twice a day

> > > Armour Thyroid - 30mg once a day

> > >

> > > Follow-up in 3 months.

> > >

> > > I am very satisfied with Dr. Christensen so far. She is very helpful

> > > and I have utilized many of her suggestions on food & supplementation

> > > with success. I was happy that she prescribed the Armour nad that it

> > > only cost me $7!

> > >

> > > I will report how I am feeling on all this as I start to feel better and

> > > any other updates.

> > >

> > >

> > > Thanks for the support!

> > >

> > > ~P

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>