New Member - No Doctor - Help Understanding Tests

[ASkepticalConsumer]

Greetings everyone!

I am a new member. You recently assisted me regarding my beloved mother in my post about Congestive Heart Failure (thanks so much). I take care of her and my 91 year old father (they are married 69.5 years!). I have them in their own home being together!

I would appreciate your interpretation of my recent blood work ordered by my former family doctor who closed shop before I could meet with her.

Right now I am without a family doctor, so you dear people are all I have.

I do not rely solely on blood tests which puts me squarely at odds with modern doctors.

I have two concerns; my thyroid and adrenal fatigue caused by 4 years of stress and taking care of my parents.

Dear folks - what do you think is going on with me?

Many thanks and I look forward to learning from you all!

Blessings always

______________________________________________________________

Symptoms

I am post menopause of 10 years, "sort of" use bioidentical estrogen, progesterone to fight my osteoporosis along with weight lifting.

I have most symptoms of hypothyroid like loss of body hair, outer 1/3 of eyebrows, fatigue, high cholesterol, stiff muscles, joint pain, brain fog, shallow breathing, tinnitus, digestive issues of all types, sleep apnea, osteoporosis and alternating depression and anxiety, cold hands and feet and on and on.

I have been diagnosed as a Hashi given previous blood tests and ultrasound. My beloved momma is a Hashi too.

Adrenal symptoms include weight gain around the middle that will not go away, shaking, sometimes high pulse, wake up at 2 am wide awake with heart pounding.

Thinking I also have blood sugar imbalance but the glucose fasting was ok at 5.3 (3.6-6)

The Data

Free T4 - 14 (12-22) - I consider this too low despite being in "normal range"

Free T3 - 4.4 (3.4-5.9) - This should be in the upper 1/4 of the range I understand

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies - 41 (<35) - In past has been as high as 85

T3 Reverse - 17.8 (9.2-24.1) - This is too high I believe linked to lower free T4?

TSH - 1.24 (0.35-5)

Sex Hormone Binding Globulin - 47 (22-142)

Thyroxin binding globulin (TBG) - 309 (260-575)

DHEA - 6.3 (0.51-5.56) Been high for at least 4 years which corresponds to my stress time frame, it has been as high as 8.3 but has come down a bit lately

Cortisol, morning - 343 (130-540)

Parathyroid PTH - 2.8 (1.6-6.9)

Progesterone - 1.9 (<0.7 post menopausal)

Estradiol - 36 (<202 post menopausal)

Free Testosterone - 20 (<30)

C-Reactive Protein CRP - 3.9 (<8)

ACTH Hormone - 5.6 (<10)

Vitamin D - 238 (76-250)

B12 - 907 (>220)

Ferritin - 129 (12-289)

Iron Plasma - 20 (6-27)

Transferrin Saturation - 0.35 (0.2-0.5)

Sodium - 138 (136-146)

Potassium - 4.4 (3.7-5.4)

Zinc - 13.5 (7.7-14.9)

Selenium whole blood - 2.8 (1.5-2.9)

Calcium - 2.47 (2.15-2.6)

Magnesium plasma - 0.84 (0.65-1.05)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Sorry you didn't get any replies

Your results don't have any glaringly obviously issues......but as you have Hashimoto's you may well benefit from starting on Levothyroxine

Your FT4 and FT3 are both towards bottom of range

But TSH is not raised.....this could be due to some degree of secondary hypothyroidism

You may struggle to get any medic to prescribe Levothyroxine.

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Have you been tested for coeliac disease?

Do you supplement vitamin D, B12 or iron?

Your results are pretty good, I assume due to supplementing

[ASkepticalConsumer in reply to SlowDragon]

Slow Dragon - Thank you.

It makes me scared about the secondary hypothyroid being a potential tumor on the pituitary tumor, OMG.

This secondary hypothyroid situation needs MORE attention.

I am in Canada, can not get a family doctor because there are none taking new patients, and there is no secondary private system here. Nothing period.

I supplement well, I am not on a gluten free diet. I have been tested for celiac and negative.

I was wondering why my free T4 was so low. My free T3, while in the low to middle range, seems better than one would think given my lowish free T4.

Do you think I have any conversion issues given my stress and poor digestive system?

I have every known system of hypothyroid as described above and including swelling in the face and feet, muscle cramps in the legs, nerve sensitivity in the feet etc.

I will frankly steal synthroid from my mother cause I have to know if this will help me.

Otherwise, I will get service in the USA.

Please everyone, help me, I am so sad and scared.

Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to ASkepticalConsumer]

Suggest you try strictly gluten free diet for at least 3-6 months

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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