How are your DHEA levels now? I have similar same DHEA levels now and I dont now where to start my recovery.
Glad to help out. The info i've gathered is from numerous websites but there is a lot more info out there. :) My doctor said no action needed when vitamin D levels were still clearly deficient *rolls eyes*
Thanks for responding, so interesting . I have been telling endocrinologists since 2009 (when I finally started researching after being told for 4 years that my TSH was fine at 1.89 while I had every hypo symptom) that I think I have a disruption in the hypothalamus/pituitary/thyroid loop and/or a conversion problem. I even lobbied my HMO to let me go to the pituitary center at Cedars Sinai here in LA...it took months to get permission and then (even though my cortisol was slightly high out of range) the endo there said I was fine because of my TSH. It's so frustrating. Not to mention that all the doctors would test T3 AFTER I had taken Cytomel and then say it was too high and lower it or take me off it and then I would quickly get a return of terrible symptoms.
I have a ba-gillion labs dating back to 2005 but I think this time if I find a new doctor I am only going to take these current labs and let them work from that. My Vitamin D is only 64 (30 - 100) though I am taking 20,000 units of D-3 sublingually, per day. I had to force my doc to even test it, and when she finally did, saying it was a superfluous test.... it was only 25. She was *shocked* I tell you. *shocked*
Rash and respiratory problems can both be related to low thyroid, and I have both. My eosinophil count is at the bottom of the range. Do you feel you're on the proper dose of thyroid hormones now ? How have you been tested for central hypo ? What thyroid meds do you take ?
Thanks for your help.
I just went through a bunch of allergy testing, also--not sure I trust it, either. I have atopic dermatitis and my sensitive skin is not supposed to be exactly reliable because it could react to things that I am not really allergic to.
I had the testing done because i have a condition called eosinophilc esophagitis---interestingly enough, I read somewhere that low cortisol can increase the amount of eosinophils you have and I have also heard that low thyroid can cause you to have more allergies-------wonder if my conditions are related to my central hypothyroidism--which is a form of hypopituitarism---I believe it was red star that pointed out to me what exactly central hypothyroidism meant---I just knew I had multiple endocrine issues and that it was related to my pituitary.
Your TSH is low along with your FT4 and FT3 , also, with Your DHEA being so low, I wonder if you might have a pituitary problem.
Those same 3 thyroid tests were all low together on me, also, as was my DHEA and my testosterone----evntually learned my progesterone was low, Vit D was low ferritin was low, etc. etc.
I take 30 mgs of DHEA daily because my levels had dropped so low. My own doctor had told me I was taking too much when i told him I had been taking 25 mgs--then he did blood work, saw how low it was, and raised it to 20, 3 months later, it had raised, but not enough--so now I take 30 mgs.
Excellent information, thank you !!! I'm seeing my gynecologist who ordered the DHEA test) next week and will discuss. I've been saying all along that this has got to be an adrenal/conversion problem. I'll print your information and take it with me, and also do some research too.
You're an angel.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is secreted by the adrenal glands, and also produced in the gonads (testes and ovaries), and brain. DHEA is precursor for steroid hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, an important regulator of the thyroid and pituitary glands, and is shown to lower LDL and total cholesterol and improve insulin resistance.
Causes of low DHEA include age (DHEA peaks at age 25 then declines at a rate of about 2% per year); prolonged stress, depression or anxiety; disease; sugar; nicotine; caffeine; alcohol; nutritional imbalances; a vegetarian diet low in cholesterol and healthy fats. Studies suggest that low DHEA-S might be a prognostic marker and sign of exhausted adrenal glands (Hunt et al. 2000; Beishuizen et al. 2002).
Symptoms of DHEA deficiency include:
Extreme fatigue
Exhaustion
Depression
Loss of libido (especially in women)
Erectile dysfunction
Memory problems
Joint pain
Dry eyes, skin and hair
Abdominal fat
Difficulty in losing weight
Mood swings
Hair loss (including armpit and pubic)
Elevated anxiety and stress levels
Trouble sleeping
Weakened immune system
Increased sensitivity to noise
Loss of muscle and bone mass
Less fatty tissue in the pubic region (flat mound of venus)
Life extension lists DHEA-S lab ranges:
Men:
Normal: 280 - 640 µg/dL
Optimal: 500 - 640 µg/dL
Women:
Normal: 65 - 380 µg/dL
Optimal: 250 - 380 µg/dL
Natural way to raise low DHEA levels include eating healthy fats such as eggs, coconut oil, nuts, and seeds that are high in omega-3 fatty acids; avoid sodas, sweets, and other junk foods that can stress the body; moderate exercise and reduce stress. There is also DHEA supplements available.
Life Extension DHEA supplement protocol:
Men: 25 mg three times a day
Women: 15 mg three times a day
A DHEA blood test should be taken 3 - 6 weeks after beginning DHEA to help determine optimal dosing. If side effects appear, it may be possible to add 7-Keto DHEA and reduce the dose of DHEA.
Side effects that have been reported with DHEA use including acne, increased facial hair, excessive sweating, breast tenderness, weight gain, changes in mood, headache, oily skin and changes in menstrual patterns.
Do not use DHEA if you are at risk for or have been diagnosed as having any type of hormonal cancer such as breast or prostate cancer.
Yes, had it done last October, when I had been off T4 for one month and hadn't taken T3 for 32 hours :
FERRITIN 115 ( 20 - 288 )
(Losing my mind, no lie. Can't think of anything else to test for. Maybe I'm one of those people who can't take T4 ? I found a test I had way back in August of 2009 for rT3, but they only tested T3 uptake, so I don't know how to factor the ratio. At that time, the rT3 was 186 with a range of ( 90 - 350 ) and my TSH was .012. sigh.)
Any recent test results for ferritin?