Re: OT Vitamin tests

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

Make sure you test " Vitamin D3 25 Hydroxy " Quest Labs apparently changed their

guidelines and testing techniques after that whole fiasco a couple of months

back.

Also, DHEA is produced in Adrenals.

Many of us with chronic disease have adrenal insufficiency or " adrenal issues "

and thyroid issues as well. Not too mention what happens to our adrenals due to

steroids or just the stresses of being ill.

You can check cortisol in blood but it is pretty useless- you're much better off

doing a saliva test and a cortisol urine collection test.

Sex hormones are also very important to check as it is totally related to our

state of health.

All of these things when looked at can explain mood, energy swings and

exhaustion as well as a whole host of other problems.

Ionized Calcium, Ionized Magnesium, Ferritin, Selenium, CoQ10, folic acid, iron

levels (including TIBC)

Whole thyroid Panel and hormones like estradiol, progestrone, testosterone (both

free and total for all of them)

That's what I can think of for now.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

Make sure you test " Vitamin D3 25 Hydroxy " Quest Labs apparently changed their

guidelines and testing techniques after that whole fiasco a couple of months

back.

Also, DHEA is produced in Adrenals.

Many of us with chronic disease have adrenal insufficiency or " adrenal issues "

and thyroid issues as well. Not too mention what happens to our adrenals due to

steroids or just the stresses of being ill.

You can check cortisol in blood but it is pretty useless- you're much better off

doing a saliva test and a cortisol urine collection test.

Sex hormones are also very important to check as it is totally related to our

state of health.

All of these things when looked at can explain mood, energy swings and

exhaustion as well as a whole host of other problems.

Ionized Calcium, Ionized Magnesium, Ferritin, Selenium, CoQ10, folic acid, iron

levels (including TIBC)

Whole thyroid Panel and hormones like estradiol, progestrone, testosterone (both

free and total for all of them)

That's what I can think of for now.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

Make sure you test " Vitamin D3 25 Hydroxy " Quest Labs apparently changed their

guidelines and testing techniques after that whole fiasco a couple of months

back.

Also, DHEA is produced in Adrenals.

Many of us with chronic disease have adrenal insufficiency or " adrenal issues "

and thyroid issues as well. Not too mention what happens to our adrenals due to

steroids or just the stresses of being ill.

You can check cortisol in blood but it is pretty useless- you're much better off

doing a saliva test and a cortisol urine collection test.

Sex hormones are also very important to check as it is totally related to our

state of health.

All of these things when looked at can explain mood, energy swings and

exhaustion as well as a whole host of other problems.

Ionized Calcium, Ionized Magnesium, Ferritin, Selenium, CoQ10, folic acid, iron

levels (including TIBC)

Whole thyroid Panel and hormones like estradiol, progestrone, testosterone (both

free and total for all of them)

That's what I can think of for now.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Ann,

B12 is also important to check.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Ann,

B12 is also important to check.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Ann,

B12 is also important to check.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Jodi, thanks for your response. I'm going to double check at the lab that the test is the 25 oh and not the 1,25 test. He also wrote up b12 and magnesium and selenium and calcium and ferritine but only because he had no idea what was available. He's my GP, not a specialist, and my Gastro says none of this is important.

About the adrenal insufficiency, that's why I wanted the DHEA, (which he wouldn't write up) because I've taken long term prednisone and have Hashimoto's thyroiditis.. I had the 24 hour urine cortisone test and it came back normal. Is DHEA a better test?

Ann,

Living in Italy

Undiagnosed Crohn's since 1977 Diagnosed 15 years

Sacroiliitis 25 years

Rheumatoid arthritis 25 years

Pyoderma Gangronosum 2 years

SCD since July, 2008

Meds: None

To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2009 10:16:37 PMSubject: Re: OT Vitamin tests

Hi Ann,Make sure you test "Vitamin D3 25 Hydroxy" Quest Labs apparently changed their guidelines and testing techniques after that whole fiasco a couple of months back.Also, DHEA is produced in Adrenals.Many of us with chronic disease have adrenal insufficiency or "adrenal issues" and thyroid issues as well. Not too mention what happens to our adrenals due to steroids or just the stresses of being ill.You can check cortisol in blood but it is pretty useless- you're much better off doing a saliva test and a cortisol urine collection test.Sex hormones are also very important to check as it is totally related to our state of health.All of these things when looked at can explain mood, energy swings and exhaustion as well as a whole host of other problems.Ionized Calcium, Ionized Magnesium, Ferritin, Selenium, CoQ10, folic acid, iron levels (including TIBC)Whole thyroid Panel and hormones like

estradiol, progestrone, testosterone (both free and total for all of them) That's what I can think of for now.Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

> Hi Jodi, thanks for your response. I'm going to double check at the lab that

the test is the 25 oh and not the 1,25 test. He also wrote up b12 and magnesium

and selenium and calcium and ferritine but only because he had no idea what was

available. He's my GP, not a specialist, and my Gastro says none of this is

important.

My GI says none of it is important either. My current GI says he doesn't treat

this stuff so as long as I go to a qualified doc it doesn't matter to him. GI's

only care about the GI. That's all. They could care less about how comfortable

we are as human beings etc.. If we're not sleeping " take a pill " if something

hurts " take a pill " etc.. There are so many integrative and natural sometimes

even synthetic is called for.. that we can do to improve our quality of life.

Can you maybe see an Integrative Doctor? I know there are some of the best in

Italy that also do some really cool homeopathy and laser therapy.

> About the adrenal insufficiency, that's why I wanted the DHEA, (which he

wouldn't write up) because I've taken long term prednisone and have Hashimoto's

thyroiditis. I had the 24 hour urine cortisone test and it came back normal. Is

DHEA a better test?

Very likely with the Hashi's and long term Pred usage- you have side line

hormone and Adrenal issues and if this is addressed you will feel loads better.

I was getting a handle on some of these issues and then LDN kind of messed it up

for me (that is because my Thyroid values changed which opened the floodgates

like a domino effect) But the LDN has really helped the auto-immune problems-

even helping now during allergy season.

The 24 hour urine cortisol test together with a cortisol saliva test is very

important. The DHEA is a different test all together. Even if your results

aren't significant on paper they can be significant for -you-. Also, remember

that when doing the cortisol testing it's important not to be in extraordinary

times of stress like life circumstances or a very bad bout of pain. If it is on

going pain that you live with thats a different story.

There is a great online Yahoo Group that is very active that talks about all of

this stuff and they have some great files as well;

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Great info Jodi! I signed up for the adrenal/thyroid group. What doc do you go for for LDN? I know my GP would not know what to make of it but someone told me of a good immunologist/allergist who I'm thinking of asking about it.

Did the LDN heal your thyroid? Did it help with CD? Someone suggested that I see a homeopath but I don't know what they do. My friend who suggested him says he uses herbs and I was thinking that may be illegal on SCD, do you know what a homeopath does?

Ann,

Living in Italy

Undiagnosed Crohn's since 1977 Diagnosed 15 years

Sacroiliitis 25 years

Rheumatoid arthritis 25 years

Pyoderma Gangronosum 2 years

SCD since July, 2008

Meds: None

To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2009 11:16:28 PMSubject: Re: OT Vitamin tests

Hi Ann,> Hi Jodi, thanks for your response. I'm going to double check at the lab that the test is the 25 oh and not the 1,25 test. He also wrote up b12 and magnesium and selenium and calcium and ferritine but only because he had no idea what was available. He's my GP, not a specialist, and my Gastro says none of this is important. My GI says none of it is important either. My current GI says he doesn't treat this stuff so as long as I go to a qualified doc it doesn't matter to him. GI's only care about the GI. That's all. They could care less about how comfortable we are as human beings etc.. If we're not sleeping "take a pill" if something hurts "take a pill" etc.. There are so many integrative and natural sometimes even synthetic is called for.. that we can do to improve our quality of life.Can you maybe see an Integrative Doctor? I know there are some of the best in Italy that also do some really cool homeopathy and laser

therapy.> About the adrenal insufficiency, that's why I wanted the DHEA, (which he wouldn't write up) because I've taken long term prednisone and have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I had the 24 hour urine cortisone test and it came back normal. Is DHEA a better test? Very likely with the Hashi's and long term Pred usage- you have side line hormone and Adrenal issues and if this is addressed you will feel loads better. I was getting a handle on some of these issues and then LDN kind of messed it up for me (that is because my Thyroid values changed which opened the floodgates like a domino effect) But the LDN has really helped the auto-immune problems- even helping now during allergy season.The 24 hour urine cortisol test together with a cortisol saliva test is very important. The DHEA is a different test all together. Even if your results aren't significant on paper they can be significant for -you-. Also, remember that when doing

the cortisol testing it's important not to be in extraordinary times of stress like life circumstances or a very bad bout of pain. If it is on going pain that you live with thats a different story. There is a great online Yahoo Group that is very active that talks about all of this stuff and they have some great files as well;http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ NaturalThyroidHo rmonesADRENALS/Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

> Great info Jodi! I signed up for the adrenal/thyroid group. What doc do you

go for for LDN? I know my GP would not know what to make of it but someone told

me of a good immunologist/allergist who I'm thinking of asking about it.

I go to an integrative doctor (an MD) that works with LDN. If you join the LDN

group they can give you info about docs in your area or give you info that you

can give to your doc about LDN. Some people go to a doc just to prescribe it

and don't really go back to those docs for treatment. IMO it's one of these

drugs that the patient has to be responsible for much of the leg work etc. Very

worth it for me. I happen to be very lucky that I have a very knowledgeable doc

about many subjects who is very open minded etc. She is a major supporter of

the SCD.

> Did the LDN heal your thyroid? Did it help with CD? Someone suggested that I

see a homeopath but I don't know what they do. My friend who suggested him says

he uses herbs and I was thinking that may be illegal on SCD, do you know what a

homeopath does?

The LDN has really helped with the CD, lower back pain (I also got special

orthodics that really help my lumbar too) It also mitigates crazy responses I

normally have to things like new foods, chemicals etc. It modulates the immune

response and I really see how it helps me with that.

About my Thyroid and hormone issues the LDN has actually complicated the

situation for me. Which is a bit frustrating. But because it has helped the CD

and my lower back so much I am trying to work through it. I swing between being

VERY hypothyroid to Hyper so my meds are routinely adjusted. Also my energy

levels have totally gone crazy since LDN- this is also due to LDN affecting my

Thyroid which has affected my menstural cycle (which I always had a problem with

and then I started the SCD and treated my HypoT and I started getting my period

regularly first time in my life. In the past Thyroid was treated but it never

helped my period situation. It is a direct result of the diet) Anyway, these

Thyroid swings have really bothered hormones and Adrenal issues.

I also found out on LDN that I have Lyme Disease Co-infections which I cannot

treat conventionally.

So LDN has not been a clear cut experience for me at all. But it is totally

helpful.

Homeopaths are great! But in your situation I would look for an integrative doc

that tinkers with the homeopathic modality not just a classical homeopath.

Since you are in Italy some of these docs use the Bio-Photon or Hyper-Photon

Laser Technology in their practice which could totally help your situation.

I would hold off on an herbalist for sure- full of illegals and can be very

harsh on GI system. Homeopathy on the other hand deals with dilutions and it is

very easy today to get homeopathics in an ethanol solution instead of the sugar

pellet. Since you are in the EU you can get the very best homeopathics from

Germany and if you are alcohol sensitive you can just use the evaporation

method.

But first thing first I would look for an integrative doc that will help you

decipher your tests and if not use the online group I sent. But perhaps you

need some natural bio-identical hormones for your adrenal issues.

Jodi