New test results and getting stuck

[hoalarg]

Please could you help me with recent blood tests. I am getting stuck with things and I don't know what to do next. I have added a brief history below.

Thyroid and adrenal type symptoms led me to take a blood test in March.

27th March, 2017

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE

*

8.22 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.2

FREE THYROXINE

*

11.9 pmol/l 12.0 - 22.0

FREE T3

4.4 pmol/L 3.1 - 6.8

I also did a cortisol/Dhea test and it showed borderline cortisol and low DHEA. I tried DHEA but I felt rough so stopped.

Then I started taking adrenal cortex as recommended by Dr P. After examination, he felt that my thyroid had capacity and was being knocked out by adrenals. He diagnosed me with adrenal fatigue, possibly for 30 years. He put me on adrenaline iii. I am now taking 750mg a day. I also take magnesium, vitamin E and C, B complex and milk thistle. I've been gluten, dairy and sugar free for 3 yrs.

My iron and ferritin is fine. My B12 was very high last time I took a blood test. I haven't check D but I do supplement it.

I then decided to try ndt and raised the dose very slowly. I got some good gains early on but then my adrenals crashed. I then tried ashwagandha herb which has helped my mood a bit. I raised my ndt slowly and got to 1 1/2 grains. I then went back to 1 grain due to the adrenal issues. Then I took another test below.

7th August, 2017

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 1.72 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

FREE THYROXINE *11.4 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 61.2 nmol/L 59.00 - 154.00

FREE T3 4.3 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 10.1 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 9 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

So it doesn't look like I have improved, in fact apart from TSH reading I have worsened.

A few symptoms have improved, such as itchy ears and needing less sleep. Muscle pains have reduced a little. I have loads of symptoms, mainly feeling cold a lot, problems with mood ( I have taken antidepressants low dose for 15 years), and anxiety. These are all symptoms I've had all my adult life.

I know my adrenals need more help. Apart from taking hydrocortisone, I'm not sure what else to do. Until I address this, I don't think I can get to optimum dose.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[fibrolinda]

I found Holy Basil helped my adrenal so I could raise NDT and get my t3 up. Worth a go?

[hoalarg in reply to fibrolinda]

Thanks for that. I have considered holy basil before and wondered if it'd help.

[Justiina]

Antidepressants can affect adrenal glands. They can decrease the cortisol. That's why they sometimes help if one is very stressed as high cortisol causes depression/anxiety but eventually cortisol is just too low.

I am not sure if it would be possible for you to get off of them or maybe try another type of ad's?

[hoalarg in reply to Justiina]

I have twice unsuccessfully tried to come off them. Both times I took a significant dive emotionally and had to return. They also have fluoride of course.

[Justiina in reply to hoalarg]

Yeah unfortunately some contain fluoride. That's why I suggested if it was possible to find other type of ad's if it's impossible to come off of them altogether.

[Serendipitious]

hoalarg,

I would have thought that Adrenavive iii would help you. Are you still taking Adrenavive iii? Perhaps your dose needs to be adjusted? Can you contact Dr P or another thyroid friendly doctor and do this?

How much are you currently taking?

[hoalarg in reply to Serendipitious]

750mg currently

[ABDC]

This is a letter I read about Hashimoto's and it fit to a tee, let me see if I can write it out. Bare with me.

[ABDC]

Hi! My name is Hashimoto's. I'm an invisible autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland causing you to become hypothyroid. I am now velcroed to you for life. If you have hypothyroidism, you probably have me. I am the number one cause of it in the US and many other places around the world. I'm sneaky, I don't always show up on blood work and others around you can't hear or see me; but your body and brain feels me. I can attack you anywhere and anyway I please. I can cause severe pain or if I'm in a good mood, I can just make you ache all over. Remember when you and energy ran around together? I took energy from you and gave you exhaustion!! Try and have fun now. I can take good sleep from you and in it's place, give you brain fog and lack of concentration. I can make you want to sleep 24/7, and I can also cause insomnia. I can make you tremble internally, or make you feel cold or hot when everyone else feels normal. I can give you swollen hands, feet, face, eyelid swollen everything!! I can make you feel anxious or depressed, or any other mental health problem. You know those crazy mood swings? That's me. Crying for no reason? Angry for no reason? Irritable, everything looks black, feels like you can't find anything positive to hold onto? Relatyproblems because your partner or friends don't understand? No sex drive, feeling flat emotionally? You can thank me for all of this. I can make your hair fall out, thin, become dry and brittle, cause acne, dry skin the sky is the limit with me. I can make you gain weight and no matter what you eat or how hard you exercise, I can keep the weight on you. I can also make you lose weight-I do t discriminate. Some of my other autoimmune disease friends often join me, giving you even more to deal with. If you have something planned or are trying to look forward to a great day, I can take that away. You didn't ask for me, I chose you for various reasons. That virus or viruses you had that you never fully recovered from, or maybe it was the years of abuse and trauma (I thrive on stress) you may have a family history of me which is more common than most realize. Whatever the cause IM HERE TO STAY!!!! I hear your going to see a Dr to try and get rid of me, you will be put on the wrong medication at first until you find someone to help you effectively!! You will be put on pain pills, sleeping pills, energy pills, antidepressants. There are so many other ways I can make you sick and miserable, the list is endless, that high cholesterol, gallbladder issues, blood sugar issues, heart issues among others? That's probably me. Can't get pregnant or have had a miscarriage, shortness of breath, or "air hunger", liver enzymes elevated, TMJ, hives, headaches, vision problems, YEP THATS's me causing all of this. I told you, the list was endless. I can cause medical problems from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. You may be given a TENS UNIT, get massaged, told just get sleep, eat right and exercise properly I will go away. You'll be told to have positive thoughts, you will be poked, prodded and most of all not taken seriously when you try and explain just how debilitating I am and how I'll and exhausted you really feel. The Dr will probably give you a referral to see a psychiatrist!! Your family, friends and co-workers will listen until they get tired of hearing about how debilitating and tired you are. Some will even say" oh your just having a bad day" or " You can't do what you use to 20yrs ago" not hearing you say 20 days ago. They will also say " if you would just get up and move and get outside and do more" you would feel better. They do not understand that I take away the "GAS" that powers your body and mind to enable you to do those things. Some will even begin to talk behind your back, calling you a hypochondriac or crazy, while you are slowly losing your dignity trying to make them understand; especially if your in the middle of a conversation and can't remember what you were going to say. They will not understand having this disease impacts your body from brain to feet and that every cell and every body system and organ requires proper amounts of the right thyroid medication.

The only place you will get the kind of support and understanding in dealing with this disease is with other people that have it. They truly understand what you are going through.