I am a 48 yr old women. Advice on blood work would be so appreciated.
T3 reverse 20 8-25ng/dl
TSH .02 .4 -4.50 miu/L
T3 total 111 76-181 ng/dl
T4 total 6.4 4.5-12.0mcg.dl
I have been taking 10mg of DHEA every other day. I take Cytomel 20mcg in the a.m. and 15 mcg in the p.m. Synthroid 125mcg daily and one tab if Ioderal (12.5mg) I have pituitary dysfunction. I also take bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. I am on 10mg Lexapro and 300mg buproprion. Any advice on how my numbers look would be so appreciated,. I have also taken Cortef prn for the past 5 years for adrenal fatigue. Im off of it now.
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You can't really believe either of them, because they've done the wrong labs. It should be the Free T3 and 4, not Total.
Your rT3 and TSH are fine, but if you still need all that antidepressant, then maybe your FT3 is not fine - although you're taking a decent enough dose.
Your endo is probably saying you're not fine, because of that low TSH. Endos know very little about thyroid, and believe that a low TSH means you're over-medicated. They don't seem to realise that it's going to be low on 35 mcg T3, whether you're over-medicated or not.
But, on the other hand, how much does your holistic doctor really know about thyroid? Did he prescribe the Ioderal? If so, I wouldn't trust him, either!
Why not trust someone prescribing Ioderal? I felt some of the best I did on Levo when my Iodine was over range on Ioderal. Since stopping it due to cost, I've gotten an enlarged thyroid and trouble swallowing, and an Iodine level dropping below sea level... Is there a better form? I'm about to starting taking iodine again...in some form, for sure. I'm not a seaweed person, and I don't like the seasoning blends with kelp, etc. Not sure how to get more natural iodine...
Why? Because iodine is really not recommended for hypos unless you've tested deficient for iodine. Having an iodine level over range, is certainly not recommended. Were you tested before you started? Does your doctor really know what he's doing with iodine? If your hypo was caused by low iodine, then taking iodine should make you euthyroid, so levo wouldn't be necessary. If you didn't have low iodine, then taking it plus levo - which also contains iodine - will over-stimulate your gland, and stimulating a sick gland is not recommended. It will just burn out faster. Excess iodine could also trigger Hashi's. And, if you have a pituitary disfunction causing your hypo, then what exactly is iodine supposed to do? Are you at least taking selenium with it?
Could you be more precise, please? What do I think about what, exactly?
Also, because you didn't type in the link correctly, I just got a Google page of various articles, and I'm not sure which one you're referring to. When you put in a link, it's best to put it on a new line - or at least leave a space after the last word in your sentence, and then click on enter, so that you have another line space after the link. Otherwise, it won't work properly.
No, you do not need to worry. Iodine functions as an adaptogen – meaning it “knows” what does not belong and works to destroy the bad bacteria in the gut. It does not destroy the good bacteria (probiotics). Remember, this is a natural element and not a drug.
Anti-bacterial drugs are broad spectrum in most cases and work by removing all bacteria whether it is good or bad. This is why natural remedies are often the best option
Iodine is a very potent bactericide. It seems unlikely that it only kills "bad" bacteria. Indeed, do we even have an acceptable definition of "bad" bacteria in the gut? Many bacteria are perfectly normal, possibly even with some benefits, until something goes wrong.
Earlier in the paper, it is pointed out that kelp is a poor form because it contains arsenic. Doesn't the same argument apply - that arsenic is a natural element not a drug? Sadly, that doesn't stop arsenic being a serious poison.
I suspect that iodine is possibly more broad-spectrum than most anti-biotics but I'd like to see some proof (either way).
I agree with all that Helvella has said. There were lots of little things I thought, no, that's not right. But, above all, I read it all through to find a reason why anybody would want to take iodine, what are the advantages? And, there was no mention of that. It's a question that nobody has ever answered satisfactorily, as far as I'm concerned. What is it supposed to do, apart from being one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone?
If you have a good reason to take it, then I suppose their explanations on how to take it safely are good. But, that doesn't tell me why anybody would want to take it if they weren't deficient. And, far from a protocol for healing Hashi's - has that ever been proved? - I've always read that excess iodine can trigger Hashi's.
As for adaptogens, ashwagandha et al, it's my experience from reading, over the years, that they don't do what it is claimed they do. They are supposed to balance hormones - i.e. lower them if they are high, increase them if they are low. But, it's always seemed to me that they are far, far better at lower hormones, than raising them. But, I'm not saying that from personal experience, because I couldn't take them at all, they just didn't agree with me. Or, perhaps that does prove my point, because I always had low thyroid and low adrenals. Who knows!
I thought TSH was ignored in favour of Free T4 and Free T3 in patients with pituitary dysfunction?
TSH is suppressed and it maybe that which is concerning your endocrinologist. Suppressed TSH of itself doesn't mean you are overmedicated as long as Free T3 is within range. Unfortunately your labs measure Total T3 not Free T3 but I don't think TT3 111 indicates over medication.
Unless you have been tested and found to be iodine deficient you should be getting sufficient iodine via Levothyroxine and Cytomel and diet. High dose iodine can induce autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).
Thanks so much for the replies. I feel good. My concerns are some symptoms im having and wondering if they are from the meds. I think i have diabetes insipidus. I drink over 2 gallons a day and can not go for 40 min with out peeing. I do think the anxiety is genetic as my whole family seems to have it. I will ask to get tested for Free T3 next time. Sounds likd I should stop the ioderol. But any advice on if the meds could be causing the excessive thirst and urine output?
Over medication can cause excessive urination but not, as far as I'm aware, excessive thirst. Excessive thirst and urination can be due to diabetes so ask your doctor to do HbA1c blood test.
Those practioners who are keen on iodine believe that you should drink more (pref water and sea salt) as well as taking selenium in order to pee out the halides. I have no idea whether than happens, but worth bearing in mind. If you have a pituitary problem you could well have diabetes insipidus and would need to be treated with ADH (vasopressin).
Taking so much iodine (or indeed any iodine) many not be a good idea unless you are actually deficient in iodine - it may only be half a tablet but it is a LOT of iodine. I note that you ahve secondary hypo, but are you sure that you don't have thyroid antibodies also? If you do, iodine is generally contra-indicated.
I do not have hashimotos. So many of my issues are because of the pituitary disorder. I am going to stop taking the iodine. What would i notice if i was over supplementing with iodine? I've been on it for 5 years. Now im nervous. I have never been tested for iodine def.
It is possible that you need it, but it's best to have a test. Abdominal pain, delirium, fever, vomiting and shortness of breath are some symptons of acute iodine overdose. In some people it can cause hypothyroidism or decreased output and synthesis of thryoid hormones - it used to be (and some times still is) used as a treatment for an overactive thyroid. I'd decrease gradually and see how you go.
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