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[hoalarg]

Hi Everyone.

I have not been diagnosed by my GP. I have had lots of blood tests over the years but nothing has shown - no surprise there! I am starting to wonder how long my thyroid has been playing up for? Decades? Who knows...

But I have seen Dr P recently and he said that my underactive thyroid was being caused by hypoadrenal symptoms and therefore wants me to address that before any thyroid medication. He has put me on a higher dose of adrenal cortex - was on 400mg per day of ACE, now up to 650mg using adrenavive iii. My results are high TSH 8.2, with a range up to 4. My T4 is slightly below range - range low is 12 and I am 11.

He wants me to keep a diary of BP, pulse and temps. I have also just done a Adrenal stress index 4 point test and 24 hour thyroid T3/T4 ratio test; these were recommended by him.

Since increasing my dose of adrenal cortex I have felt a little bit out of it (but then I wasn't exactly with it before). I have decreased my dose by 100mg to see if that helps as I thought that such a big increase might have been too much, too soon.

My worst symptoms are: temps in low 36 range so I'm freezing cold a lot; low mood and anxiety (for decades); itchy ear canal and eczema on face (again decades of this). I have a multitude of other symptoms but they are the worst.

Any advice or input would be gratefully received.

Thanks.

Adam

[Clutter]

Hoalarg,

Did Dr.P. say how long you should address the hypoadrenal symptoms before addressing the low thyroid?

[hoalarg in reply to Clutter]

Hi, no he didn't say. He said my adrenals were in a bad way, said that I appear to have thyroid capacity although it's underperforming. I guess he might know more from the cortisol and thyroid test?

[Clutter in reply to hoalarg]

Hoalarg,

Perhaps you should contact him and ask. I was under the impression that adrenals may need supplementing for a couple of weeks before commencing thyroid replacement but not necessarily much longer.

[humanbean]

With a TSH of 8.2 I think you should be treating your thyroid.

I realise that low cortisol levels can make tolerating thyroid hormones difficult, but you have to bite the bullet sometime.

You might find this link from another forum interesting - it shows lots of reason for people having low thyroid problems :

forums.phoenixrising.me/ind...

[hoalarg in reply to humanbean]

Thanks for the reply. I feel like I should treat the adrenals first, but then I look at this forum and see many treating the thyroid will much lower readings. I'm confused.

[humanbean in reply to hoalarg]

Most people know nothing about their adrenal health before treating their thyroid. GPs don't investigate, and they seem to consider it to be unimportant (which of course is not true).

But I would think you could put treatment for low adrenals in place, then start treating your thyroid a week or two later, in addition to the adrenal treatment.

[hoalarg in reply to humanbean]

Ok. Thanks for your thoughts. As you say adrenals are underestimated. I have actually been treating my adrenals for a few years, with thorne cortex, but Dr P said that was a low dose and thorne were not that strong.

[shaws Administrator]

I am sure you will have quite a few ticks when you look at the following link

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Low temp, low pulse, are also symptoms of hypo. I am sure Dr P will put you on the right road and hope you begin to get back to good health sooner rather than later but it cannot be rushed, slow and steady is best.

[hoalarg in reply to shaws]

Hi, I have 28 of the symptoms your link took me to. The thing is, adrenal and thyroid symptoms really overlap as you might know, so by looking at one you're looking at the other too.

[shaws Administrator in reply to hoalarg]

I know of two doctors and both had different views. One that adrenals should be dealt with first and the other was that if you began thyroid hormones the adrenals would sort themselves out.

[hoalarg in reply to shaws]

That's interesting, and definitely food for thought. It's so hard to make the right decisions when your sick. Were these doctors who treated you? Thanks.

[shaws Administrator in reply to hoalarg]

yes - sorry for delay in responding

Trying to fix my adrenals caused me to have more palpitations. Taking something other than levothyroxine stopped them.

[hoalarg in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the message. My pulse has increased quite a bit since the adrenavive cortex. Do you think I could take dessicated thyroid with the cortex?

[shaws Administrator in reply to hoalarg]

I am not medically qualified but if you take NDT first thing and adrenavive cortex lunchtime I think that would be o.k.

I'd put up a new post asking this question as those who have taken adrenavive cortex will respond.

[hoalarg in reply to shaws]

Thanks. I'll create a new post to check.

[Essjay16]

Hi hoalarg. You have had a lot to put up with over the years. Quite a few of your symptoms are like mine. Just wanted to ask you, you mentioned eczema on your face. How does it present itself? I have started getting redish patches either side of my mouth. Just wondered if this could be eczema.

[hoalarg in reply to Essjay16]

Hi Essjay, It's on my right eyelid and the corner of the eye. I have had it for years now, eczema in the ears for about 20 years. Crazy.

[Essjay16 in reply to hoalarg]

Have you been given anything for it?

[hoalarg in reply to Essjay16]

Oh yes, mainly steroid drops and cream. It works but I don't want to rely on them.

[humanbean in reply to Essjay16]

Essjay16

Reddish patches either side of your mouth sound like Angular Cheilitis to me.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angul...

[Essjay16 in reply to humanbean]

Human bean.

Thank you. I have seen a similar article a while back. One is nowhere as severe but I do think it is down to a deficiency/digestion issues/immune system. Can't wait for my results to get to the bottom of it all.