Re: Dr Simone Scumpia

September 21, 2004

I personally think that Dr. Scumpia had the right idea, yet, made the

mistake of not doing adrenal testing first, #1, then #2, did not test often

enough and had you going upward a little too fast. If he had called for

testing sooner, between each of these changes, with the changes going much

longer inbetween, this probably wouldn't have happened. It sounds like this

Dr. actually goes by symptoms instead of labs, BUTTT, made these errors in

judgment. What you're NOT saying is what that particular doctor DID about

your adrenal situation, with the DHEA and such. The fact that your cortisol

was overboard at a crucial time of day shows that it could " handle the

situation " , with the thyroid hormones being overboard, but it doesn't

explain why the cortisol is too high that time of day. Could you give some

more details on what happened with this doctor and you after the fact? Did

you cut your thyroid hormone back or what? Were you ever tested for

antithyroid antibodies? What was the diagnosis of your cause of hypo? Did

he give you testing for B12, Ferritin, and Folic Acid, as well or not? The

nose bleeds stump me, though I think that anemia could certainly cause this,

as it is vitally important to test for these nutrients during hypo. The doc

ran all the right thyroid tests, except for the antibodies, and side issues,

like the nutrients, which are very common with hypo.

Dr Simone Scumpia

> Hello,

> My name is and I live in Leander, Tx. I am preparing to make an

> appt to see Simone Scumpia MD, FACE, FRCP. Her office is located in

> Austin, Tx and I am wondering if y'all have any info about her

> practice or her as a dr.

>

> I was seeing Dr. Manzanero and was taking armour. He started me out

> at 15 mg and told me to up it by 15 mg each week. He said as soon as

> I got hyper symptoms, to go down 15 mgs and we'd test my lab ranges.

>

> I was up to 2 1/2 grains a day but out of nowhere, had

> nosebleeds......but no other side effects. When we tested my thyroid

> ranges, I was over the top of the allowable ranges by huge amounts.

>

> I started the armour in May 2001 and we didn't test until September

> 2001.

>

> My lab results in Sept were:

>

> FT3 8.6 2.3-4.2 PG/ML

> FT4 2.5 0.8-1.8 PG/ML

> TSH 0.01 0.4-6.0 PG/ML

>

> My next lab results were in November.

>

> FT3 5.4 (2.3-4.2 PG/ML

> FT4 1.8 (0.8-1.8 NG/DL

> TSH <0.01 (0.4-6.0 MCIU/ML

>

> He didn't test my adrenals until after I was taking the armour. My

> chiropractor didn't like that at all. He said to always test adrenals

> before treating your thyroid.

>

> My adrenal test follows.

>

> 7:00-8:00 AM 27 Elevated 13-24nM

> 11:00-12:00 PM 3 Depressed 5-10 nM

> 04:00-05:00 PM 7 Normal 3-8 nM

> 11:00-11:59 PM 1 Normal 1-4 nM

>

> Cortisol Burden 38 23-42

>

> My DHEA was 2 Depressed DHEA Adults (M/F) 3-10

>

> Total Salivary SIgA: <5 Depressed Normal: 25-60 mg/dl

> Borderline: 20-25

>

> Gliadin Ab, SIgA 2 Negative Borderline:13-15 U/ml

> Positive: > 15 U/ml

>

> I know this is lots to look at but I have been lurking and enjoying

> all of the input that you give to us. I also am trying to think

> positive in getting healthy but some days I just feel like throwing

> in the towel.

>

> Anyways, I am hoping to get my health back soon. I am having trouble

> sleeping at night, and waking up tired. I also am drained if I work

> out at all. I am currently using a mini trampoline for 10 minutes a

> day and listen to upbeat music.

>

> I hope to learn more and more each day from this group.

>

> Thanks for any ideas and input.

>

September 21, 2004

Yep, I messed up on my post, with which doctor was first, duh!

Re: Dr Simone Scumpia

I have only heard about Dr. Scumpia from a few people. Folks either love her or they hate her. I will be interested in hearing youe reports on your visits with her.

As for Dr. Manzanero not testing/treating adrenals before prescribing thyroid, I am afraid this is par for the course. Very few docs deal with the adrenals at all. Even fewer do so before treating thyroid.

Nosebleeds are a specific symptom of overmedication.

What was his response to your over range Free T3? What symptoms of overmedication were you told to watch for?

At what point did you decide that you could not work with him? He is one of the few docs willing to work with folks to find a protocol that works for them, one of the few willing to Rx any thyroid medication the patient may need, one of the few to test adrenals at all.

September 21, 2004

Yep, I messed up on my post, with which doctor was first, duh!

Re: Dr Simone Scumpia

I have only heard about Dr. Scumpia from a few people. Folks either love her or they hate her. I will be interested in hearing youe reports on your visits with her.

As for Dr. Manzanero not testing/treating adrenals before prescribing thyroid, I am afraid this is par for the course. Very few docs deal with the adrenals at all. Even fewer do so before treating thyroid.

Nosebleeds are a specific symptom of overmedication.

What was his response to your over range Free T3? What symptoms of overmedication were you told to watch for?

At what point did you decide that you could not work with him? He is one of the few docs willing to work with folks to find a protocol that works for them, one of the few willing to Rx any thyroid medication the patient may need, one of the few to test adrenals at all.

September 22, 2004

Hi ,

Dr. Manzanero is a good dr but I think he should have tested my

adrenal glands first. The reason he didn't was because he didn't

accept insurance so we thought we'd start off on the Armour and see

how that went. I wish he had said we'll test them first and then

treat the thyroid.

He didn't test my folic acid, B12 levels or the antithyroid

antibodies. He had suggested we take 5 mgs of DHEA and then go up to

10 but no more than that. When I tried the DHEA, I got pimples and

they were everywhere on my face. I weaned off of them and so far I

haven't taken anything else for it. He also said I could try the

Pregnenolone augmentation but I thought the members of the

Shomon site didn't like that idea. I wish I could remember why we

went against that idea.

I really liked Dr. Manzanero but I also had gone to my chiropractor

who specializes in naturopathic care. His name is Dr. Van

Wagenen. His office is located in Austin, Tx. His phone # is: (512)

250-9799. He is AWESOME! I am thinking of going to see him (or Dr.

Scumpia) because he said when he tested me thru the Bio Meridian

Testing, he thought it was more my pituitary that was messed up. At

that point, I felt like banging my head against the wall! He also

said that he didn't want me to take thyroid for the rest of my life

so we'd treat the problems thru proper diet and supplements. He

weaned me off of the armour and I did feel much better for quite a

while but I haven't gone to him for a bit and now I am starting to

feel old.

I like Dr Van Wagenen but it can get expensive to keep going to him.

When I started seeing Dr. Manzanero, my TSH was 3.85. Now it's 2.2

but I am due to go in and get the adrenals tested among many other

things. Is there a guide somewhere on this site that tells you what

tests to ask for when you go to your dr? I just saw Dr. Ehrin

and asked for the ferritin test to see if I was anemic and they

didn't even run it...... grrrrr...... they ran the regular red blood

count and said I'd need to make another appt to discuss it. I won't

go back to see them.....they didn't even take my blood pressure when

I went in.

Anyways, thank you for your time and I hope to get things in motion

soon. I'll let y'all know what happens.

:0)

I

> I personally think that Dr. Scumpia had the right idea, yet, made

the

> mistake of not doing adrenal testing first, #1, then #2, did not

test often

> enough and had you going upward a little too fast. If he had

called for

> testing sooner, between each of these changes, with the changes

going much

> longer inbetween, this probably wouldn't have happened. It sounds

like this

> Dr. actually goes by symptoms instead of labs, BUTTT, made these

errors in

> judgment. What you're NOT saying is what that particular doctor

DID about

> your adrenal situation, with the DHEA and such. The fact that your

cortisol

> was overboard at a crucial time of day shows that it could " handle

the

> situation " , with the thyroid hormones being overboard, but it

doesn't

> explain why the cortisol is too high that time of day. Could you

give some

> more details on what happened with this doctor and you after the

fact? Did

> you cut your thyroid hormone back or what? Were you ever tested for

> antithyroid antibodies? What was the diagnosis of your cause of

hypo? Did

> he give you testing for B12, Ferritin, and Folic Acid, as well or

not? The

> nose bleeds stump me, though I think that anemia could certainly

cause this,

> as it is vitally important to test for these nutrients during

hypo. The doc

> ran all the right thyroid tests, except for the antibodies, and

side issues,

> like the nutrients, which are very common with hypo.

>

> Dr Simone Scumpia

>

> > Hello,

> > My name is and I live in Leander, Tx. I am preparing to

make an

> > appt to see Simone Scumpia MD, FACE, FRCP. Her office is located

in

> > Austin, Tx and I am wondering if y'all have any info about her

> > practice or her as a dr.

> >

> > I was seeing Dr. Manzanero and was taking armour. He started me

out

> > at 15 mg and told me to up it by 15 mg each week. He said as soon

as

> > I got hyper symptoms, to go down 15 mgs and we'd test my lab

ranges.

> >

> > I was up to 2 1/2 grains a day but out of nowhere, had

> > nosebleeds......but no other side effects. When we tested my

thyroid

> > ranges, I was over the top of the allowable ranges by huge

amounts.

> >

> > I started the armour in May 2001 and we didn't test until

September

> > 2001.

> >

> > My lab results in Sept were:

> >

> > FT3 8.6 2.3-4.2 PG/ML

> > FT4 2.5 0.8-1.8 PG/ML

> > TSH 0.01 0.4-6.0 PG/ML

> >

> > My next lab results were in November.

> >

> > FT3 5.4 (2.3-4.2 PG/ML

> > FT4 1.8 (0.8-1.8 NG/DL

> > TSH <0.01 (0.4-6.0 MCIU/ML

> >

> > He didn't test my adrenals until after I was taking the armour. My

> > chiropractor didn't like that at all. He said to always test

adrenals

> > before treating your thyroid.

> >

> > My adrenal test follows.

> >

> > 7:00-8:00 AM 27 Elevated 13-24nM

> > 11:00-12:00 PM 3 Depressed 5-10 nM

> > 04:00-05:00 PM 7 Normal 3-8 nM

> > 11:00-11:59 PM 1 Normal 1-4 nM

> >

> > Cortisol Burden 38 23-42

> >

> > My DHEA was 2 Depressed DHEA Adults (M/F) 3-10

> >

> > Total Salivary SIgA: <5 Depressed Normal: 25-60 mg/dl

> > Borderline: 20-25

> >

> > Gliadin Ab, SIgA 2 Negative Borderline:13-15 U/ml

> > Positive: > 15 U/ml

> >

> > I know this is lots to look at but I have been lurking and

enjoying

> > all of the input that you give to us. I also am trying to think

> > positive in getting healthy but some days I just feel like

throwing

> > in the towel.

> >

> > Anyways, I am hoping to get my health back soon. I am having

trouble

> > sleeping at night, and waking up tired. I also am drained if I

work

> > out at all. I am currently using a mini trampoline for 10 minutes

a

> > day and listen to upbeat music.

> >

> > I hope to learn more and more each day from this group.

> >

> > Thanks for any ideas and input.

> >

September 22, 2004

What is the Bio Meridian test? What does it involve?

Re: Dr Simone Scumpia

> Hi Jan,

> The reason I stopped going to Dr. Manzanero was because of my lab

> results and because I had such horrible nose bleeds. My husband was

> mad that my lab results were so out of range and he thought I should

> have been tested much sooner than I was. I guess we shouldn't all go

> by symptoms alone but to get tested more frequently. He didn't test

> more frequently because he didn't accept insurance so we took the

> symptom route.

>

> I also had gone to see Dr Van Wagenen during that time period to get

> the Bio Meridian Test. He said that the armour made my nose bleeds.

> He weaned me off of the armour and started me on supplements. He said

> my pituitary gland was more to blame than my thyroid. He treated my

> pituitary glands and I did really good for a long time. I stopped

> taking some things that he sold to me and I think things are way out

> of balance now. I'm going to go back to someone soon tho. I really

> like Dr. Van Wagenen, and so does my husband. I need to ask how he

> checks adrenals....thru the Bio Meridan Testing or thru lab work.

> I'll keep y'all posted on when I call his office.

>

> Thanks for all of the great info that y'all post thru this group. I

> love reading everyone's posts.

>

September 22, 2004