Things have been so busy here. 5 days until departure, and I'm starting to freak out at all the things that I need to finish before we go. Tomorrow we're doing a test pack of our suitcases, so hopefully I'll feel better once we've done that and see all the extra space and weight we have left (right? hopefully it's true and I'm not just dreaming.)
I'm 5 doses into this low dose naltrexone, and it is kicking my bum. I only started with 1.5 mg and take it before bed, but I am so tired during the day. My doctor said this is a side effect that should wear off, but man, this is really messing with my preparations that need to take place. I also seem to have had more headaches than usual since starting the LDN. I'm wondering if something else is going on (maybe a UTI??) that I need to get checked out before we go. I just hate that.
I got my blood spot results back this week and thought I'd share because I share all my other lab results here. This was a CD 3 blood spot that I did from Canary Club (along with the saliva tests I posted about earlier).
Free T4: 1.8 range: 0.7-2.5 (optimum 1-2 ZRT lab says)
Free T3: 3.3 range: 2.5-6.5 (optimum 3-4 lab says)
TSH: 1.7 range: 0.5-3.0
TPO (thyroid antibodies): 14 range: 0-150
LH: 11.5 (high) range: 1.6-9.3
FSH: 6.7 range: 2.4-9.3
Vitamin D2: <4 range: <4 if not supplementing
Vitamin D3: 55 range: 32-100
So what do you think about the results?
So it's no surprise the LH is high given my PCOS. I've often thought that the reason I don't ovulate during most cycles is because my LH is so high all the time it never increases to trigger the release of an egg. It's hard to get pregnant if I don't ovulate. That's why Clomid helped us get pregnant, I suppose. The FSH seems high to me because the last time I had it tested in 2008, it was 3.4, but it wasn't done on CD3. Does FSH increase with age? My Vitamin D has gone down from 67 when it was last tested in February, but Napro dr. said we'll retest when I see him again and see where it's at then.
So my questions are....how do you decrease LH? And how do you decrease DHEAS? Mine was dreadfully high (like off the chart high) from the saliva tests.
Back to Russia prep.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 I am weak, but Christ makes me strong. I'm relying on that strength to get me through.
Showing posts with label Health stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health stuff. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Saliva Results and DHEAS??
I picked up my camera yesterday! It's beee-u-ti-ful! I haven't had a chance to play with it or even assemble it though because work is busy. 3 more days and I'm free! Yippee!
I have made time, however, to check my online results from recent saliva testing. Us IF girls and test results, huh? I ordered a ton of tests through Canary Club and am still waiting to do the blood spot ones (Vitamin D, FSH and LH, thyroid, thyroid antibodies, etc.) I do have my saliva results back and need your help interpreting them! I did the saliva on Day 21 for all these tests and I'm pretty sure I hadn't ovulated yet. Here are my results and reference ranges.
Estradiol- 8.9 pg/ml range: 1.3-3.3 Premenopausal (Luteal) or 12-100 for follicular (High)
Progesterone- 42 pg/ml range: 75-270 Premenopausal (Luteal) (Low)
Ratio: Pg/E2- 5 range: Optimal: 100-500 when E2 1.3-3.3 pg/ml (Low)
Testosterone- 39 pg/ml range: 16-47 (for greater than 30 years old)
DHEAS- 39.9 range: ng/ml 3.9-11.4 (for ages 31-45) (High)
Cortisol Morning- 13.4 ng/ml range: 3.7-9.5 (High)
Cortisol Noon- 3.8 ng/ml range: 1.2-3.0 (High)
Cortisol Evening- 0.9 ng/ml range: 0.6-1.9
Cortisol Night- 0.3 ng/ml range: 0.4-1.0 (Low)
My diurnal Cortisol was actually not as off as I thought it would be. Given all my fatigue and foggy thinking and my crashing in the afternoon, I thought it would be way off. It actually follows the style of the range graph on the chart and is only slight off. But I'm wondering if that's because I had a wee little bit of caffeine that day? I had 1/2 cup of green tea after my 1st collection (but that was still 4 hours before my 2nd collection) and 1/2 cup of coffee after my 2nd collection (but 4 1/2 hours before my 3rd collection).
I'm not surprised about the estrogen since I am estrogen-dominant due to PCOS. That is evident by all of the white baby stickers on my Napro chart!
The one I'm confused about is the DHEAS. I thought if the DHEAS was high then the testosterone or Cortisol would be too? I do have PCOS, so is that why it's high? But I don't have insulin-resistance and am not overweight. I'm a thin, non-insulin-resistant PCOSer according to my doctor. I am on 1,000 mg of Metformin each day due to the PCOS and miscarriages. Shouldn't this help lower the DHEAS?
Update- I just went back and looked at my files and saw I had this test done before in blood form and my DHEAS 3 years ago was 370 ug/dl with a range of 96-512. It would seem that 370 ug/dl would equal 37 ng/ml, which is close to what the test results were this time with saliva. My napro dr. wasn't concerned about it at that time, but it was also "in range." The frustration is that after 3 years of Napro, I still haven't achieved a healthy hormone balance!
What does this high DHEAS mean? Anyone have any insight? Google hasn't been too helpful and I don't meet with my dr. for another 2 weeks. There's no way I can wait that long for answers:-) Help me out girls, or at least give me more tests to ask for or questions to email my doctor!
I have made time, however, to check my online results from recent saliva testing. Us IF girls and test results, huh? I ordered a ton of tests through Canary Club and am still waiting to do the blood spot ones (Vitamin D, FSH and LH, thyroid, thyroid antibodies, etc.) I do have my saliva results back and need your help interpreting them! I did the saliva on Day 21 for all these tests and I'm pretty sure I hadn't ovulated yet. Here are my results and reference ranges.
Estradiol- 8.9 pg/ml range: 1.3-3.3 Premenopausal (Luteal) or 12-100 for follicular (High)
Progesterone- 42 pg/ml range: 75-270 Premenopausal (Luteal) (Low)
Ratio: Pg/E2- 5 range: Optimal: 100-500 when E2 1.3-3.3 pg/ml (Low)
Testosterone- 39 pg/ml range: 16-47 (for greater than 30 years old)
DHEAS- 39.9 range: ng/ml 3.9-11.4 (for ages 31-45) (High)
Cortisol Morning- 13.4 ng/ml range: 3.7-9.5 (High)
Cortisol Noon- 3.8 ng/ml range: 1.2-3.0 (High)
Cortisol Evening- 0.9 ng/ml range: 0.6-1.9
Cortisol Night- 0.3 ng/ml range: 0.4-1.0 (Low)
My diurnal Cortisol was actually not as off as I thought it would be. Given all my fatigue and foggy thinking and my crashing in the afternoon, I thought it would be way off. It actually follows the style of the range graph on the chart and is only slight off. But I'm wondering if that's because I had a wee little bit of caffeine that day? I had 1/2 cup of green tea after my 1st collection (but that was still 4 hours before my 2nd collection) and 1/2 cup of coffee after my 2nd collection (but 4 1/2 hours before my 3rd collection).
I'm not surprised about the estrogen since I am estrogen-dominant due to PCOS. That is evident by all of the white baby stickers on my Napro chart!
The one I'm confused about is the DHEAS. I thought if the DHEAS was high then the testosterone or Cortisol would be too? I do have PCOS, so is that why it's high? But I don't have insulin-resistance and am not overweight. I'm a thin, non-insulin-resistant PCOSer according to my doctor. I am on 1,000 mg of Metformin each day due to the PCOS and miscarriages. Shouldn't this help lower the DHEAS?
Update- I just went back and looked at my files and saw I had this test done before in blood form and my DHEAS 3 years ago was 370 ug/dl with a range of 96-512. It would seem that 370 ug/dl would equal 37 ng/ml, which is close to what the test results were this time with saliva. My napro dr. wasn't concerned about it at that time, but it was also "in range." The frustration is that after 3 years of Napro, I still haven't achieved a healthy hormone balance!
What does this high DHEAS mean? Anyone have any insight? Google hasn't been too helpful and I don't meet with my dr. for another 2 weeks. There's no way I can wait that long for answers:-) Help me out girls, or at least give me more tests to ask for or questions to email my doctor!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
My Forced Diet Update
My "forced diet" is what I've been calling my food plan since I started going gluten-, dairy-, egg-, almond-, and sugar-free. This forced diet was in response to my food sensitivity test results that showed moderate to high levels of intolerances to all those foods.
I'm 2 weeks into this forced diet and I'm doing ok. I crave a lot of things that I can't have, but I've not given in to those cravings and have stuck to the plan to eliminate all of those food categories. I've eaten a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables each day, which is great for my health. Lentils and beans have become my protein friend along with meat such as chicken, steak, pork, and fish. Gluten-free breads are ok and coconut milk is a nice treat. I'm still discovering what I can and can't have as I read labels, but so far so good.
It's hard to say overall if I'm feeling tons better, but I don't have any GI issues- not that I had a ton before, but I have very few now. I've been working a lot, so I'm tired, but it will be interesting to see how I feel once I'm done working and sleeping a regular 8 hours a night. I do feel like I have a little more energy and my mood is way improved. My acne/skin issues have seemed to flare up though, so that's a little strange to me.
And the surprising part- two weeks in and I've already lost 3 pounds! And this is with my regular exercise being down. I seriously can't believe it. This is the best weight-loss plan I've ever been on, and I wasn't even trying to lose a whole lot of weight. The last time I was at this weight was Sept. 2009, when we first got pregnant (coincidence or connected to my lower weight? hmmm...food for thought...ha, ha). Before that, the last time my weight was this low was high school and that was 15+ years ago. My body is obviously loving this no processed food thing and I'm loving it too.
And the other good news is that I finally heard back from my dr. regarding my blood work for celiac disease. Given my high intolerances to wheat, gluten, rye, barley, and spelt, I was nervous that I might also have celiac disease, but I tested negative for the antibodies associated with the disease. Praise the Lord! One less health issue on my list. While I still need to follow a wheat-, rye-, barley- and spelt-free diet for the time being, I'm hopeful that I will slowly be able to add some of them back into my diet in moderation at some point.
So the moral of this story is find out your food intolerances and eliminate them to feel better, or just make up your own elimination diet to lose weight.
I'm 2 weeks into this forced diet and I'm doing ok. I crave a lot of things that I can't have, but I've not given in to those cravings and have stuck to the plan to eliminate all of those food categories. I've eaten a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables each day, which is great for my health. Lentils and beans have become my protein friend along with meat such as chicken, steak, pork, and fish. Gluten-free breads are ok and coconut milk is a nice treat. I'm still discovering what I can and can't have as I read labels, but so far so good.
It's hard to say overall if I'm feeling tons better, but I don't have any GI issues- not that I had a ton before, but I have very few now. I've been working a lot, so I'm tired, but it will be interesting to see how I feel once I'm done working and sleeping a regular 8 hours a night. I do feel like I have a little more energy and my mood is way improved. My acne/skin issues have seemed to flare up though, so that's a little strange to me.
And the surprising part- two weeks in and I've already lost 3 pounds! And this is with my regular exercise being down. I seriously can't believe it. This is the best weight-loss plan I've ever been on, and I wasn't even trying to lose a whole lot of weight. The last time I was at this weight was Sept. 2009, when we first got pregnant (coincidence or connected to my lower weight? hmmm...food for thought...ha, ha). Before that, the last time my weight was this low was high school and that was 15+ years ago. My body is obviously loving this no processed food thing and I'm loving it too.
And the other good news is that I finally heard back from my dr. regarding my blood work for celiac disease. Given my high intolerances to wheat, gluten, rye, barley, and spelt, I was nervous that I might also have celiac disease, but I tested negative for the antibodies associated with the disease. Praise the Lord! One less health issue on my list. While I still need to follow a wheat-, rye-, barley- and spelt-free diet for the time being, I'm hopeful that I will slowly be able to add some of them back into my diet in moderation at some point.
So the moral of this story is find out your food intolerances and eliminate them to feel better, or just make up your own elimination diet to lose weight.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Food Intolerance Questions
I finally got the full report in the mail from my doctor regarding my food sensitivity results, and I'm turning to you, my reliable internet source, to help me out with questions I have. I know some of you have had this testing done or are meeting with nutritionists, so I'm hoping you can help! I asked my Napro doctor some of these questions, but I'm not sure he'll know.
First of all, just to recap: I had IgE and IgG serum testing done on 96 general foods. I had no IgE (allergy, immediate reaction) responses, but several IgG (delayed reaction) responses. The lab, US Biotek, uses a scoring reaction class as follows (maybe this is the same for all IgG testing?):
Out of the 96 items tested, I have 19 that I should omit!! Here's my intolerance list according to the highest reaction number first:
The lab recommended I follow a 4-day rotation diet, where you are only eating the same food every 4th day. The point is to not develop new intolerances, but I'm wondering how important it is to follow a rotation schedule. I'm going to have a hard enough time finding enough things to eat and keep me full, do I also have to keep track of what and when I eat, so I don't double up on back to back days?
Here are some more of my questions:
-Since wheat gluten is on the list, does that mean I'm gluten intolerant?
-Since all of the dairy items are on my list, am I lactose intolerant?
-What is the difference between the three wheats tested- gliaden, gluten, and whole?
-What do you do with the lower reaction numbers of 1 and 2? I have corn, peanut, and crab as number 2s, and I'm wondering what that means for intolerance level.
-What effects your test results? Could me being on 1,000 mg of Metformin effect the results?
-Do I need to take a digestive enzyme and/or a probiotic to heal my digestive system? If so, any recommendations for good ones?
I'm glad I know all of this information because I do think there is a correlation with my overall health and fertility and all of these intolerances, but sometimes I feel like the more information I learn about my body, the more questions I end up having. Still, I'm glad I had the test done. It was less than $200 (insurance didn't cover exploratory testing like this) and I do feel like I'm on my way to a healthier, happier me. I just wish the process wasn't so long sometimes. Feel free to email me if you don't want to leave a long comment. My email address can be found in my profile. Thanks in advance, my internet "experts."
First of all, just to recap: I had IgE and IgG serum testing done on 96 general foods. I had no IgE (allergy, immediate reaction) responses, but several IgG (delayed reaction) responses. The lab, US Biotek, uses a scoring reaction class as follows (maybe this is the same for all IgG testing?):
- 0- no Reaction
- 1- very low reaction
- 2- low reaction
- 3- moderate reaction
- 4- high reaction
- 5- very high reaction
- 6- extremely high reaction
Out of the 96 items tested, I have 19 that I should omit!! Here's my intolerance list according to the highest reaction number first:
- 6: chicken egg white and chicken egg yolk
- 5: almond, gliadin wheat, spelt, whole wheat, milk
- 4: casein, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, goat's milk, whey, yogurt, kidney bean, wheat gluten, rye
- 3: sugar cane, barley
The lab recommended I follow a 4-day rotation diet, where you are only eating the same food every 4th day. The point is to not develop new intolerances, but I'm wondering how important it is to follow a rotation schedule. I'm going to have a hard enough time finding enough things to eat and keep me full, do I also have to keep track of what and when I eat, so I don't double up on back to back days?
Here are some more of my questions:
-Since wheat gluten is on the list, does that mean I'm gluten intolerant?
-Since all of the dairy items are on my list, am I lactose intolerant?
-What is the difference between the three wheats tested- gliaden, gluten, and whole?
-What do you do with the lower reaction numbers of 1 and 2? I have corn, peanut, and crab as number 2s, and I'm wondering what that means for intolerance level.
-What effects your test results? Could me being on 1,000 mg of Metformin effect the results?
-Do I need to take a digestive enzyme and/or a probiotic to heal my digestive system? If so, any recommendations for good ones?
I'm glad I know all of this information because I do think there is a correlation with my overall health and fertility and all of these intolerances, but sometimes I feel like the more information I learn about my body, the more questions I end up having. Still, I'm glad I had the test done. It was less than $200 (insurance didn't cover exploratory testing like this) and I do feel like I'm on my way to a healthier, happier me. I just wish the process wasn't so long sometimes. Feel free to email me if you don't want to leave a long comment. My email address can be found in my profile. Thanks in advance, my internet "experts."
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Food Sensitivity Test Results- Help!
I just got my test results back from the food sensitivity test I did two weeks ago. 96 areas were tested, and while I'm waiting for my doctor to mail me all of the exact results, he did say I had no foods with high levels of IgE (immediate allergic reaction), but I did have several foods with high levels of IgG (delayed reaction). Those foods are milk and all dairy products tested (including goat milk, casein, whey, cheese, cow's milk, yogurt), chicken eggs, almonds, and wheat. I also had moderate levels of reaction to peanuts and sugar cane.
Help me out, dear friends. What does all this mean?? Could the food sensitivities be the cause of my fatigue? Infertility? Miscarriages?
My doctor suggests eliminating all of these from my diet for a few weeks and seeing how I feel. I also have PCOS (but am not insulin-resistant), which means I try to stay away from foods high on the glycemic index. Am I going to be able to eat anything besides vegetables and meat? Is wheat the same thing as gluten? I'm also having a celiac panel test done tomorrow, so we'll see if I'm gluten-sensitive.
Help me out, dear friends. What does all this mean?? Could the food sensitivities be the cause of my fatigue? Infertility? Miscarriages?
My doctor suggests eliminating all of these from my diet for a few weeks and seeing how I feel. I also have PCOS (but am not insulin-resistant), which means I try to stay away from foods high on the glycemic index. Am I going to be able to eat anything besides vegetables and meat? Is wheat the same thing as gluten? I'm also having a celiac panel test done tomorrow, so we'll see if I'm gluten-sensitive.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Adrenals and Thyroid and Hormones- oh my!
I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. I have so many different post ideas swirling around in my head, and yet, I lack the motivation to put the ideas and words down on the computer. I think my health is really weighing me down and I dislike that in so many ways. So, I'm going to blog about my health (ie. vent my frustrations) with the hopes that getting it out well inspire me to continue on blogging about the other things I'm passionate about.
I've been on T3 since the end of February. I thought it was going to be the miracle drug for me. In addition to PCOS, infertility, and miscarriages, I suffer from extreme fatigue, cold hands and feet, and low body temps. All my thyroid tests have come back within range, but my Reverse T3 ratio was off, so I started the Napro T3 regime with my local Napro doc. I had made my way up to 22.5 mcg in the morning and 15 mcg in the evening. I was feeling better and more alert, but still not where I envision "normal" people are with their energy and alertness level. While I was feeling better, my cycles were getting crazier. They've always been crazy due to my PCOS, but on the T3 they seemed to get extra crazy. I had 7 days of mid-cycle spotting one cycle and then the next cycle I had brown bleeding every single day of my menses. I've had a few days of spotting mid-cycle before (2-3 cycles in the last 2 years) and a few days of B bleeding during my menses, but not every single day. It seemed like the hormone problems I have were magnified on the T3.
It was about that same time that I ran across something Sew said about adrenals running the thyroid and the thyroid running hormones. I began to wonder if we were attacking the wrong part of the equation....was working on the "middle" part throwing off my hormones? I began to ask (persistently) my Napro doctor about the adrenals. I'd asked him about it before it and got me a morning Cortisol blood test and 5mg of Cortisol, but I was even more pushy this time. Were we going about my fatigue the wrong way? Should we get the adrenals in line before messing with the T3?
He seemed to agree, or at least wanted me to stop pestering him, and now I'm weaning off of the T3 completely. He wanted to just increase my Cortisol dose to 10 mg, but I'm getting tired off the trial and error method, which is what I feel like we're doing right now. I want more tests because I want proof of what is really going on.
So I've convinced him to let me wean off the Cortisol, so I can get some tests done. I'm planning to do the 4 saliva Cortisol test from the Canary Club. Anyone know how long I should be off of the Cortisol before I do the spit test? I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm taking 10 steps backwards here. Why didn't my doctor do these tests before he started me on the meds? I really feel like Napro is lacking in the adrenal/thyroid area. Anyone else feel the same way? I realize my doctor is not an adrenal expert, but who is? Barbie gave me the recommendation of a thyroid doc 150 miles away from me, but I don't know if I want to start all over with a new doc.
I hate how persistent I feel like I'm having to be with my Napro doc, but I'm also growing impatient. I turn 33 this summer and am wondering if we're ever going to bring a baby home. When I first started Napro 2+ years ago, I was really willing to go slowly, wait, and be patient to determine what was wrong. I'm growing impatient! I also struggle with how much of my health I should take into my hands versus trusting in God to provide answers, work things out, etc. Should I be patient and rely more on Him? I keep telling myself, however, that I'm seeking answers for my long-term, overall health, which is true.
I would love to hear your advice, experiences, and encouragement because I feel so alone in this battle to discover what (else) is wrong with my body. I realize none of us are doctors, but I feel like I learn so much from your experiences with Napro and non-Napro doctors. I'm convinced that once we get to the bottom of the problems, we'll be able to fix them and then (Lord willing) have a healthy full-term pregnancy and an alert lifestyle. Oh....how I long for the day when I'm not tired!
I've been on T3 since the end of February. I thought it was going to be the miracle drug for me. In addition to PCOS, infertility, and miscarriages, I suffer from extreme fatigue, cold hands and feet, and low body temps. All my thyroid tests have come back within range, but my Reverse T3 ratio was off, so I started the Napro T3 regime with my local Napro doc. I had made my way up to 22.5 mcg in the morning and 15 mcg in the evening. I was feeling better and more alert, but still not where I envision "normal" people are with their energy and alertness level. While I was feeling better, my cycles were getting crazier. They've always been crazy due to my PCOS, but on the T3 they seemed to get extra crazy. I had 7 days of mid-cycle spotting one cycle and then the next cycle I had brown bleeding every single day of my menses. I've had a few days of spotting mid-cycle before (2-3 cycles in the last 2 years) and a few days of B bleeding during my menses, but not every single day. It seemed like the hormone problems I have were magnified on the T3.
It was about that same time that I ran across something Sew said about adrenals running the thyroid and the thyroid running hormones. I began to wonder if we were attacking the wrong part of the equation....was working on the "middle" part throwing off my hormones? I began to ask (persistently) my Napro doctor about the adrenals. I'd asked him about it before it and got me a morning Cortisol blood test and 5mg of Cortisol, but I was even more pushy this time. Were we going about my fatigue the wrong way? Should we get the adrenals in line before messing with the T3?
He seemed to agree, or at least wanted me to stop pestering him, and now I'm weaning off of the T3 completely. He wanted to just increase my Cortisol dose to 10 mg, but I'm getting tired off the trial and error method, which is what I feel like we're doing right now. I want more tests because I want proof of what is really going on.
So I've convinced him to let me wean off the Cortisol, so I can get some tests done. I'm planning to do the 4 saliva Cortisol test from the Canary Club. Anyone know how long I should be off of the Cortisol before I do the spit test? I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm taking 10 steps backwards here. Why didn't my doctor do these tests before he started me on the meds? I really feel like Napro is lacking in the adrenal/thyroid area. Anyone else feel the same way? I realize my doctor is not an adrenal expert, but who is? Barbie gave me the recommendation of a thyroid doc 150 miles away from me, but I don't know if I want to start all over with a new doc.
I hate how persistent I feel like I'm having to be with my Napro doc, but I'm also growing impatient. I turn 33 this summer and am wondering if we're ever going to bring a baby home. When I first started Napro 2+ years ago, I was really willing to go slowly, wait, and be patient to determine what was wrong. I'm growing impatient! I also struggle with how much of my health I should take into my hands versus trusting in God to provide answers, work things out, etc. Should I be patient and rely more on Him? I keep telling myself, however, that I'm seeking answers for my long-term, overall health, which is true.
I would love to hear your advice, experiences, and encouragement because I feel so alone in this battle to discover what (else) is wrong with my body. I realize none of us are doctors, but I feel like I learn so much from your experiences with Napro and non-Napro doctors. I'm convinced that once we get to the bottom of the problems, we'll be able to fix them and then (Lord willing) have a healthy full-term pregnancy and an alert lifestyle. Oh....how I long for the day when I'm not tired!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
T3 & Food Sensitivity Testing Questions and Advice Needed
Hi ladies,
Sorry I've been absent this week. I have several posts floating around in my head, but I just haven't made them a reality yet. It's been a busy week. I had an appointment with my Napro doctor this week, and that is usually a half day affair. So in between preparing lesson plans for a sub for the time I missed at work, preparing questions for my appointment, and then the travel time and appointment, it's been a busy couple of days.
I love my Napro doctor, but sometimes I feel like a 45 minute appointment isn't enough time to discuss all of my issues. Ever feel like that? And considering I drive 80 miles one way to see him, I wish I did have more time. I always have so many questions and concerns for him as we continue to try to get to the bottom of my health issues. This appointment was one where I definitely left feeling like I have more questions then answers.
The main focus was to discuss my thyroid results. I posted about them back here. He did agree that my Reverse T3 ratio was too high and agreed to start me on Dr. H's T3 regime. I know some of you are already doing this, so I'm interested especially in your experiences with T3. The problem is he doesn't have much experience working with the thyroid as his area of expertise is fertility and family medicine. He's also a researcher and spends a lot of time with current trends, so he's very aware of what Dr. H is doing with T3, but hasn't done it himself. I didn't want to ask, but I think I might be his first patient doing the T3 protocol, and my Dr. has been doing Napro for several years.
All of this makes me a little nervous. Do I try working with him for a month or two and see if the T3 makes a difference? He did say I need to monitor it closely, so things don't turn toxic. The toxic part freaks me out a litle bit. Right now the plan is to start with 7.5 mg of T3 two times a day (taken 12 hours apart). I have to check my temperatures and pulses 4 times a day and send him that information weekly and he will adjust the dosage accordingly.
I guess it's just something new, so I'm nervous. I want to get to the bottom of this cold sensitively and extreme fatigue. I keep thinking that there's no way I could be a mother with as tired as I am every day all day, so perhaps this is the answer, right? I still feel strongly that I need to get to the bottom of my health issues before I'm really gung-ho about trying to conceive again, so this could be a step in that direction.
Barbie, at Pray, Hope, Don't Worry, gave me the name of a thyroid doctor in my state, but he's 2+ hours away from me. I'm hesitant to go and see another doctor if my Napro one is willing to work with me. What do you ladies think??
Also, Barbie recommended that I do a 24 hour cortisol test from this place. I asked my doctor about this, and he said he wasn't sure how to test the cortisol since I'm on 5mg of it already. Is this something you think I should go ahead and test on my own? I think the test is only $100 and it's done over a 24 hour period with saliva testing. I've heard this method is more accurate than the blood test in the morning, which is the only cortisol test I've had done. Or should I just wait and see what happens with the T3 before doing more with the cortisol levels? Are T3 and adrenal issues connected or do they function separately? That is, could I have an issue with both the thyroid and adrenals, or would they be connected issues?
The good news is my D3 is up to 67 (range 30-80) now. It was March 2010 that I first had my levels tested and they were 21. I still wonder if that low level was one of the factors for my 1st miscarrage. I had my B12 tested for the first time and it was 746 (range 239-931). I asked about testing ferritin, but he said those results wouldn't change the course of treatment with the T3 that he was recommending.
The other thing I need to look in to is food sensitivity testing. It's something I've wanted to check out for awhile because of my fatigue. If the fatigue is not caused by thyroid issues, then I think it's either food related or endometriosis. Endo is the last option to explore because we have gotten pregnant twice before and because there's not a great Napro surgeon nearby. So I'm exploring the other options before deciding if laproscopy is something to persue. And ultimately, I know God is the one who creates life, so while I continue to advocate for my overall health, I realize a healthy pregnancy will come in His perfect timing.
Do any of you have experience with a food panel testing? I remember TCIE saying she had this done through Metametrix. My doctor said I could look into US Biotek. Basically, this is not something he's done a lot of either, but he's willing to. I need to get the info and research different prices and then he'll send the orders for the kit, if that's needed. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as well.
Thanks in advance, ladies. It's nice to have a network of informed, experienced women to ask my questions to.
Sorry I've been absent this week. I have several posts floating around in my head, but I just haven't made them a reality yet. It's been a busy week. I had an appointment with my Napro doctor this week, and that is usually a half day affair. So in between preparing lesson plans for a sub for the time I missed at work, preparing questions for my appointment, and then the travel time and appointment, it's been a busy couple of days.
I love my Napro doctor, but sometimes I feel like a 45 minute appointment isn't enough time to discuss all of my issues. Ever feel like that? And considering I drive 80 miles one way to see him, I wish I did have more time. I always have so many questions and concerns for him as we continue to try to get to the bottom of my health issues. This appointment was one where I definitely left feeling like I have more questions then answers.
The main focus was to discuss my thyroid results. I posted about them back here. He did agree that my Reverse T3 ratio was too high and agreed to start me on Dr. H's T3 regime. I know some of you are already doing this, so I'm interested especially in your experiences with T3. The problem is he doesn't have much experience working with the thyroid as his area of expertise is fertility and family medicine. He's also a researcher and spends a lot of time with current trends, so he's very aware of what Dr. H is doing with T3, but hasn't done it himself. I didn't want to ask, but I think I might be his first patient doing the T3 protocol, and my Dr. has been doing Napro for several years.
All of this makes me a little nervous. Do I try working with him for a month or two and see if the T3 makes a difference? He did say I need to monitor it closely, so things don't turn toxic. The toxic part freaks me out a litle bit. Right now the plan is to start with 7.5 mg of T3 two times a day (taken 12 hours apart). I have to check my temperatures and pulses 4 times a day and send him that information weekly and he will adjust the dosage accordingly.
I guess it's just something new, so I'm nervous. I want to get to the bottom of this cold sensitively and extreme fatigue. I keep thinking that there's no way I could be a mother with as tired as I am every day all day, so perhaps this is the answer, right? I still feel strongly that I need to get to the bottom of my health issues before I'm really gung-ho about trying to conceive again, so this could be a step in that direction.
Barbie, at Pray, Hope, Don't Worry, gave me the name of a thyroid doctor in my state, but he's 2+ hours away from me. I'm hesitant to go and see another doctor if my Napro one is willing to work with me. What do you ladies think??
Also, Barbie recommended that I do a 24 hour cortisol test from this place. I asked my doctor about this, and he said he wasn't sure how to test the cortisol since I'm on 5mg of it already. Is this something you think I should go ahead and test on my own? I think the test is only $100 and it's done over a 24 hour period with saliva testing. I've heard this method is more accurate than the blood test in the morning, which is the only cortisol test I've had done. Or should I just wait and see what happens with the T3 before doing more with the cortisol levels? Are T3 and adrenal issues connected or do they function separately? That is, could I have an issue with both the thyroid and adrenals, or would they be connected issues?
The good news is my D3 is up to 67 (range 30-80) now. It was March 2010 that I first had my levels tested and they were 21. I still wonder if that low level was one of the factors for my 1st miscarrage. I had my B12 tested for the first time and it was 746 (range 239-931). I asked about testing ferritin, but he said those results wouldn't change the course of treatment with the T3 that he was recommending.
The other thing I need to look in to is food sensitivity testing. It's something I've wanted to check out for awhile because of my fatigue. If the fatigue is not caused by thyroid issues, then I think it's either food related or endometriosis. Endo is the last option to explore because we have gotten pregnant twice before and because there's not a great Napro surgeon nearby. So I'm exploring the other options before deciding if laproscopy is something to persue. And ultimately, I know God is the one who creates life, so while I continue to advocate for my overall health, I realize a healthy pregnancy will come in His perfect timing.
Do any of you have experience with a food panel testing? I remember TCIE saying she had this done through Metametrix. My doctor said I could look into US Biotek. Basically, this is not something he's done a lot of either, but he's willing to. I need to get the info and research different prices and then he'll send the orders for the kit, if that's needed. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as well.
Thanks in advance, ladies. It's nice to have a network of informed, experienced women to ask my questions to.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Any Thyroid "Experts" Out There?
In the quest to find out why I'm so fatigued all the time, I had more thyroid tests done at my last NaPro appointment. I keep hoping we find something wrong because I feel like there is a missing link. If we find that missing link, I think I'll have a healthy, full-term pregnancy.
I've thought for awhile that I might have a thyroid problem because my waking temperatures are low pre-ovulation (96.9-97.4) as well as post-ovulation (98.7-98.2). I am fatigued quite often and am extremely sensitive to the cold.
Back in March 2009, I had tests done and here's how they came back:
TSH: 1.320 (range 0.47-4.68)
Free T4: 1.23 (range 0.78-2.19)
Free T3: 3.0 (range 2.4-4.2)
Everything was in range. Maybe all of the symptoms were in my head. Try not to think about it anymore. Get our first BFP September 2009. Missed miscarriage.
Still persist with the fatigue. March 2010 I have my vitamin D tested as well as my TSH again. TSH is 0.878 (range 0.47-4.68). Vitamin D is low at 21 (range 30-80). Yeah, low Vitamin D. Maybe that was the problem. I started on 2,000 units of a Vitamin D supplement daily. I retested the Vit. D level in May 2010 and it was only up to 34. Increase to 4,000 units daily. Retested again in August 2010 and it was at 47. NaPro Dr. still not happy with the number. Increase to 6,000 units daily. Will retest levels again soon.
Had a 2nd miscarriage in September 2010. In December 2010, I insisted on more testing because I really think there is still something wrong. Dr. started me on 5mg of timed-release Cortisol because my morning level was slightly high back in August 2009. At that time he said it was fine. It was 25 with a range of (5-23).
I'm still tired every day, however, and my body temps seem to indicate a problem as they still are low. I continue to show my dr. my temperature charts.
Here's my latest results as of December 2010:
TSH: 1.9 (range 0.47-4.68)
Free T3: 3.4 (range 2.4-4.2)
Total T3: 111 (range 80-200)
Reverse T3: 287 (range 90-350)
Help ladies! Anyone have experience in this area? I'm still waiting to hear from my NaPro Dr. about his thoughts on the T3 reverse numbers, but I also know he doesn't have a lot of experience with thyroid patients (even though he's been practicing NaPro for years). I'm really desperate for answers or more tests to suggest to my doctor. I like my NaPro doctor, but I also want to get to the bottom of why I'm so tired. I just feel like something is wrong and don't think I'll have a healthy pregnancy until we discover what that is. Plus, I could hardly imagine caring for a newborn when I'm as tired as I am every day. There's no way I could be a mom with this level of fatigue. Off to drink a cup of black tea as it's 4:00 and I need to make it through work and the night tonight. Ugh.
I've thought for awhile that I might have a thyroid problem because my waking temperatures are low pre-ovulation (96.9-97.4) as well as post-ovulation (98.7-98.2). I am fatigued quite often and am extremely sensitive to the cold.
Back in March 2009, I had tests done and here's how they came back:
TSH: 1.320 (range 0.47-4.68)
Free T4: 1.23 (range 0.78-2.19)
Free T3: 3.0 (range 2.4-4.2)
Everything was in range. Maybe all of the symptoms were in my head. Try not to think about it anymore. Get our first BFP September 2009. Missed miscarriage.
Still persist with the fatigue. March 2010 I have my vitamin D tested as well as my TSH again. TSH is 0.878 (range 0.47-4.68). Vitamin D is low at 21 (range 30-80). Yeah, low Vitamin D. Maybe that was the problem. I started on 2,000 units of a Vitamin D supplement daily. I retested the Vit. D level in May 2010 and it was only up to 34. Increase to 4,000 units daily. Retested again in August 2010 and it was at 47. NaPro Dr. still not happy with the number. Increase to 6,000 units daily. Will retest levels again soon.
Had a 2nd miscarriage in September 2010. In December 2010, I insisted on more testing because I really think there is still something wrong. Dr. started me on 5mg of timed-release Cortisol because my morning level was slightly high back in August 2009. At that time he said it was fine. It was 25 with a range of (5-23).
I'm still tired every day, however, and my body temps seem to indicate a problem as they still are low. I continue to show my dr. my temperature charts.
Here's my latest results as of December 2010:
TSH: 1.9 (range 0.47-4.68)
Free T3: 3.4 (range 2.4-4.2)
Total T3: 111 (range 80-200)
Reverse T3: 287 (range 90-350)
Help ladies! Anyone have experience in this area? I'm still waiting to hear from my NaPro Dr. about his thoughts on the T3 reverse numbers, but I also know he doesn't have a lot of experience with thyroid patients (even though he's been practicing NaPro for years). I'm really desperate for answers or more tests to suggest to my doctor. I like my NaPro doctor, but I also want to get to the bottom of why I'm so tired. I just feel like something is wrong and don't think I'll have a healthy pregnancy until we discover what that is. Plus, I could hardly imagine caring for a newborn when I'm as tired as I am every day. There's no way I could be a mom with this level of fatigue. Off to drink a cup of black tea as it's 4:00 and I need to make it through work and the night tonight. Ugh.
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