New Labs- Please help review

[laura1967]

I went to new doctor and these are my new lab results....
TSH-3.059  range this lab hasn't updated yet
free T4-1.37  "     <0.61-1.76
free T3- 3.5   "    
TPO Ab- 118         Which autoimmune is this?? Hashimotos?
Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglob- 96   so this is negative- which one is this?
Iron Serum- 179    
Ferritin- 38  
Cortisol AM-23.3   High reading for second time.....what does this mean?
I seemed to have gone a little hypo suddenly...weird as I just went to an upcrease in dosage 2 months ago. Now for my newest ultrasound results:
Very small nodule measuring 5.0 x 4.0 mm,  there is suggestion of a very tiny area of cystic degeneration within the nodule. The lesion has diminished in size. Other solid nodule noted prior is not clearly identified on current exam.
Echogenicity of thyroid is homogeneous.
Sorry this is so long....she is putting me on 60 mg of armour from my 75mcg of synthroid. Thank you for everyones advice in advance!!

[stella5349]

I think you will be very pleased with you Armour - let me know.

[laura1967]

thank you stella!! I will probably be bugging through the next few weeks as I start the armour. Yes the nutritional part is critical....have been plugging away at that for the past 4 yrs and have done many detoxes as well. Yes i agree that I probably had Graves at the beginning now that I look back.
PS...my Tsh went up to 3.059 even though my synthroid had been increase 21/2 mos ago. I swing all over at times, but lately just keep going more and more hypo as time goes by. This is probably normal for hashi's. Thanks again!

[stella5349]

Holistic medicaine is very helpful with thyroids. Bio identical doctors look at the system as a whole and not by a number. Most endo's treat on thing at ONE time and our bodies are not built that way.

Acupuncture and magnetic therapy have been very helpful solving symptoms of thyroid disease - but I do not have any data to back it up as a cure.

As a body becomes hypo - magnesuim-copper-and zinc minerals spill out of us in urine and the body becomes depleted.

We can not process bad carbs anylonger as normal people due so our diets HAVE to change to get the body balanced again.

Just a few more thoughts -

[stella5349]

TSH over 3.0 is classified as subclinical hypo and your TPO's suggest Hashimoto is the culprit.

TSI is the indicator if you had Graves disease - running the TSI would indicate to me you may have had Graves first then swung to Hashi aas the antibodies kill off the gland.  I would recommend an uptake scan to clarify.

Your FT3 is low to me - and you do not have enough of T3 unbound to relieve your hypo symptoms

Execellent levels of cortisol with 23.3 in the AM - I was at a 9 in the AM and have/had adrenal fatigue - I am repairing that damage now - but your looks great! as stated high in the am ( you are at the top) mid range 11-14 in afternoon and low 2-6 evening is normal. Looking at the blood draw on cortisol you do not have adrenal fatigue.

Ferrtinin is good too.

Good move on your endo's part moving you to Armour due to your low FT3 that may help. The one grain (60mg) Armour should be (in dosage- not meds) to 100 mcg of Synthroid - so you may feel a tad hyper within 48 hrs after administration of meds.

I totally agree with above split this dosage as 30 mg AM and 30 4 to 6 hrs later. I believe you will see a big difference within days.

Good Luck

[laura1967]

thank you....Yes most endos leave a lot to be desired. That is why I found a new internal med doc who treats with bio-identical hormones to get me on course before I see the new endo.  :)    I need him to read all my ultra sounds and tell me what my latest one means. This new endo actually reads the films, not the report from the radiologist. We will see. Tomorrow morning I start my Armour....I think I will split it like others do. My dr just prescribed it in the am. But I think it is best to split dosage from what I have read. I tried the chiropractic route for thyroid for a year before going on synthroid. The thyroid is one of the very few things that can't be treated holisticly....if you have a true blue thyroid disorder. If someone is just borderline, they can do it naturally for a period of time, until there thyroid decides to do its own thing. Good nutrition and good supplements are important. I found good ones after yrs of research...that is very important. Our poor immune systems are already stressed enough!  :)

[peggy64]

Laura,
you are more than welcome!!

I hope your endo is a great thyroid dr. I don't want to discourage you, but it is rare to find a good endo that knows his thyroid....

I have been contemplating seeing a chiropractor for thyroid issues. I heard they can help if you find one that knows about them.......Peggy

[estrelinha]

Hi
Cortisol AM I think it means In the morning (am), is it right? is in micrograms/dL? if so the normal is 5 - 25 microg/dL, cortisol gets lower during the day, at night is almost zero.
Ferritin is our iron stock,  38 is OK but could be higher (80) (normal is 20-200) . When ferritin is low and you have anemia oral iron is indicated.  
Iron serum don't worry as soon as your ferritin is low, are you taking oral Fe?
TSI indicates Graves (tyroxicose), that I've learned here in the forum, but usually people with Graves, ferritin is high. About the nodules as soon they don't grow, cytoloy  is recomended when it's 10mm.

[laura1967]

to put up with my other question....so you can see labs

[laura1967]

thank you peggy for your reply. It seems from the TPO Ab results that I do have hashi's.
Maybe that explains when I have a week of bad fatigue, headaches, bad fogginess, hard time thinking at times, sinuses and ears always plugged. I remember when I went on synthroid 2 1/2 yrs ago that I would get palpitations and racey feeling with every increase as they put me on it. Great....very uncomfortable feeling. She doesn't want to do anything about the nodule right now...I have a history of them, and so far they always dissolve eventually. This one seems a little weird though. This new doc was an internist. I am also seeing a new endo on the 25th. We will see what he has to say. I decided after 2 1/2 yrs of getting worse to fire my crappy doctors and get new ones. :)
Hopefully AR-10 will take a look at these labs....he seems to be a guru. :) Also I think he has hashis. Thanks again Peggy!!

[peggy64]

Hi Laura,

One of the things I would suggest, is that you divide the dose of armour. I have a pill splitter. I take 30 mg a day, and it seems to help me better with the palps and anxiety if I split it up, sometimes into 4.  It has been reported that it is best to allow it to dissolve under your tongue.

I don't want to scare you, just that you be prepared, sometimes, (usually) the T3 in armour that is not in synthroid, will take some getting used to. Heart palpitations, anxiety, and maybe some others.

DId your dr seem to think you might have hashi? Have you noticed any difference in your symptoms?

What did the dr want to do about the nodules?

WHew, you must be pretty overwhelmed with all this, but just know we are here for you!!