Endos don't want to be questioned! :-(

[TaraJR]

Advice please, I'm very new to this! These are my recent Genova 24 saliva results. I'm waiting for my hospital 9am Cortisol test results, but I know a lot of people don't think that's worth doing. I thought I'd come out low, especially in the afternoon as that's when I crash most days. But these are high! I sleep badly, waking every hour or sometimes after 30 minutes. I wake because I'm having a night sweat and palpitations. Though I've been like this ever since I stopped my HRT 8 years ago., so I thought it was menopause symptoms. But could it be an adrenal problem instead? I still get fatigue, after nearly 18 months. Also RLS, but magnesium level is good.

I've asked 2 endos about T3 and ferritin levels but they really don;t want to be questioned. And are fairly dismissive (even tho I was paying for one of the appointments!)

Hope this is enough detail for you to advise. My latest blood results were:

TSH 0.03 (0.35 - 3.5)

T4 20 (8.0 - 21.10)

T3 3.7 (3.8 - 6.0)

Ferritin 58 (23.0 - 300)

Red cell blood count 5.09 (4.0 - 10.0)

Haemoglobin 138 (120.0 - 150.0)

Vit D 223

Magnesium

B12 583 (130.0 - 1100.0)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Oh my goodness, your cortisol is high! Was there anything in the commentary?

I have recently had one of these tests done for the second time and my cortisol was higher and DHEA lower than the first one but cortisol not as high as yours. I'm currently taking advice from a private specialist and I'm no expert but you do have a problem there. You need some kind of adrenal support.

Take a look at what Dr Myhill says about adrenal tests drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Adrenal... and scroll down to "Interpretation Of The Adrenal Stress Profile Test for DHEA and Cortisol Levels" and look at number 4.

I very much doubt whether your Genova test will be accepted by yournGP or endo.

Your FT3 is very low, it looks like you are not converting very well.

Your ferritin is too low, should be around 70 for thyroid hormones to work, 100 even better. You need to supplement with iron. Some forms of iron can cause constipation and stomach upset bit if that's a problem you can get iron bisglycinate like Solgar Gentle Iron which is supposed to be non-constipating.

Your B12 could do with being much nearer the top of the range too, nearer 1000. You can supplement with Methylcobalamin sublingual, Jarrows and Solgar do that. Sprays are also available.

Hopefully someone will come along with some more advice for you.

[TaraJR in reply to SeasideSusie]

Oh thanks SeasideSusie. All the drs have said they don't know why I feel rough, and when I've queried things they got defensive eg " NO you don't need T3, and I'm happy with your ferritin." I've just bought B12 but haven't started it yet. How can I raise my ferritin, without making my other iron levels too high? That's what worries me, as we shouldn't go too high. Maybe I can try iron bisglycinate , will that be safe for me, raising ferritin without raising hemaglobin?

I need to be really well again soon - my Mum is 97 with shingles and bad cataracts, struggling in her own home, I may have to visit her, 150 miles away, And my daughter is now expecting twins in summer. I'll have a lot of knitting remaining!

So I really feel to be well and useful. Any ideas??

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to TaraJR]

There is a Ferritin supplement which is by Cardiovascular Research, I have used it in the past. I had to get it from iherb in USA as I couldn't find a supplier here. I don't know if not affects other iron results though as I haven't re-tested since I started supplementing a few months ago.

Even with Gentle Iron I still get constipated so at the moment I am off the Iron supplements and am using blackstrap molasses which has some iron in it (although a small amount but better than nothing) and am going to try eating liver occasionally.

[helvella Administrator in reply to SeasideSusie]

There are also haem (heme) supplements.

dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u...

Ferritin, haem and "the other" iron supplements are absorbed by separate mechanisms. Both ferritin and haem supplements wrap the iron up and reduce the impact of that iron on the rest of the gut.

[TaraJR in reply to helvella]

Thanks helvella this info is excellent.

Can you please clarify for me..?.. If I take the ferritin supplement, will that boost my ferritin AND other iron levels?

I'm worried about the others going too high as I know that can be dangerous. My haemoglobin concentration was 138 (120 - 150) This sounds good to me...?

Mean cell haemoglobin level 27.1 (27.0 - 32.0)

I wish I knew more what this means!

[helvella Administrator in reply to TaraJR]

If I have understood correctly, the ferritin does not transfer as fully formed ferritin from gut to bloodstream. It is broken down, passed across and the body does whatever it wants/needs with it.

However, I am most definitely no expert on iron and would be happy to be corrected.

[TaraJR in reply to helvella]

Thank you. This would be really good, if it's right! I wonder if anyone else knows... I might re-post with a different title! I SO much want to boost my ferritin but don;t want to make other levels too high...

[Clutter]

TaraJR, You aren't converting T4 to T3 well as T3 is below range. Ideally T3 will be in the top third of range 5.2-6.0. If your endos won't discuss adding T3 to Levothyroxine you might consider self medicating.

VitD is unusually high. Are you supplementing?

Ferritin is optimal half way through range. Supplement iron and take each tablet with 500-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation.

I think B12 583 is fine but it won't hurt if you want to supplement methylcobalamin.

I hope others will be able to advise about high cortisol.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[TaraJR in reply to Clutter]

From January to Easter 2015 I was at my worst, then my Vit D wads discovered at 18. I could barely walk anywhere. I took high level dosed and it was 250 in iuly and 223 recently, I'm not taking any D or K2 at the moment.

[Clutter in reply to TaraJR]

TaraJR, you won't need to supplement D3 until vitD drops below 75.

[Joanneconnor]

I got mine from Genova too

I have my adrenal test results back,

8am 24.15 (7.4-32.56) in range

11am 14.97 (2.76-11.31) high cortisol out of range

5pm 9.41 (1.38-7.45) high cortisol out of range

11pm 3.21 (0.83-3.86) in range

Dhea (mean) 1.62

Dhea cortisol ratio 0.088 (0.015-0.150) in range

Secretory igA 725 top of the range is 410 I think so way over, need to get stool sample done by doctors

I take magnesium, eat licourice, vid d d3 1000iu, omega 3

I take adrenal caps (raw gland concentrate with herb activators

Phosphatidyl serine complex ( these really lower cortisol)

I'm sure my cortisol has come down because I have a sore throat and a cough, and I haven't been ill for 5 years because of the high cortisol