Lab Result questions

[Breathe111]

Based on these lab results, what would you suggest?  (Armour, Naturethroid?... More iodine to help increase thyroid production? (What are your feelings on Potassium Iodide SSKI?  I've read that 1 drop daily could help thyroid?)

(The doctor who ordered these labs (of course) said they are 'normal').........I don't agree .   Do you?
(I don't think they're optimal as I have many hypo symptoms---- but have noticed that if I do take extra iodine-- or any extra thyroid 'boost'-- my heart may start racing faster--- and often times I actually feel worse-- more tired, more lethargic--- so I end up stopping the thyroid supplement )

TSH  .809 (.358 - 3.74)
freeT3   2.93 (2.18 - 3.98)
free T4  .92 (.76 - 1.46)
B12   549  (193 - 986)

[gimel]

From an internet site, info on potential causes.

"Causes and symptoms
There are three major mechanisms which lead to the development of hypopituitarism. The first involves decreased release of hypothalamic hormones that stimulate pituitary function. The cause of decreased hypothalamic function may be congenital or acquired through interference such as tumors, inflammation, infection, mass lesions or interruption of blood supply. A second category of causes is any event or mass which interrupts the delivery of hormones from the hypothalamus. These may include particular tumors and aneurysms. Damage to the pituitary stalk from injury or surgery can also lead to hypopituitarism.
The third cause of hypopituitarism is damage to the pituitary gland cells. Destroyed cells can not produce the pituitary hormones that would normally be secreted by the gland. Cells may be destroyed by a number of tumors and diseases. Hypopituitarism is often caused by tumors, the most common of which is pituitary adenoma.
Symptoms of hypopituitarism vary with the affected hormones and severity of deficiency. Frequently, patients have had years of symptoms that were nonspecific until a major illness or stress occurred. Overall symptoms may include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, weakness, decreased appetite, weight loss and abdominal pain. Low blood pressure, headache and visual disturbances are other associated symptoms."

[Breathe111]

Yes, the iron..... my ferritin was as I said at 9..... then now after the Feraheme infusions (3 weeks later)  it's at 342 --- which honestly I think (and I can tell by the way my body feels)---- that it's bordering on being 'toxic' now.   The MD said that iron toxicity doesn't happen until it reaches 1000 or so----- but I find that hard to believe.  Also,  I'm concerned about the 'nano-particle' additive coating that is added to Feraheme (which I didn't learn about until after the infusions)  (polyglucose sorbitol carboxymethyl ether)------ I'm highly sensitive to 'drugs'---- and I'm wondering if I'm having delayed reactions to whatever this is in it--- or just the fact that the ferritin level is so high now so quickly after being so low for so long.

So----( from what I've read)----- one of the reasons the pituitary isn't functioning could be due to a some physical abnormality of it (like a tumor or cyst?).... exposure to radiation--- or some brain injury...?    
Can something like other hormones being out of balance--- or even something with your overall nervous system--- cause it to slow down in function as well--?  Or is it usually always something physical (like a growth of some sort )......?

[gimel]

Supplementing with thyroid won't affect whatever dysfunction there is with the hypothalamus/pituitary system.    Since T4 med is easies to administer, due to slow build up in serum levels, I think I would start with that and give it 4-5 weeks and then re-test and see if your body is adequately converting T4 to T3.  

Yes, it is probable that taking the thyroid med will suppress your TSH, but there is no need to be concerned about that.  Doctors don't understand that it is a normal response, especially with central hypothyroidism, and that a suppressed TSH is not a concern unless the patient is having hyper symptoms, due to excessive levels of Free T4 and Free T3.  Following is a link to a scientific study about that, followed by an excerpt from the study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12481949
"Suppression of TSH by thyroid replacement to levels below 0.1 mU/L predicted euthyroidism in 92% of cases, compared to 34% when TSH was above 1 mU/L (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, in central hypothyroidism baseline TSH is usually within normal values, and is further suppressed by exogenous thyroid hormone as in primary hypothyroidism, but to lower levels. Thus, insufficient replacement may be reflected by inappropriately elevated TSH levels, and may lead to dosage increment."

One other thing that occurred to me is that it is recommended to stop iron supplements for several before testing ferritin or other serum iron tests, in order to avoid false high results.  

[Breathe111]

Also, won't taking thyroid drive the TSH even further down than it is?   Should I be concerned about that?   (I know the (medical) doctors would look at that and probably tell me stop the thyroid if the TSH keeps going down

If it lowers the TSH, does that mean the pituitary is making even less?
(I guess I'm wondering how to 'fix' the pituitary aspect of this so that it functions normally again ) ---

[Breathe111]

I've had a suspicion that my pituitary is involved.....
I had the ACTH Stim test done-- however that came back 'normal'---- so the doctors pretty much dismiss the pituitary involvement because they're so focused on diagnosing by the TSH and ACTH 'technical' labs......

If I supplement with thyroid --- would that help bring the pituitary back into balance----?  (And I'm imaging one of the dessicated ones with a combo of T3 and T4 (Armour, Naturethroid.... would be better than only T3 or only T4) ?   (I'm not sure of the details of  that.....)

[Breathe111]

Thank you so much to all who have answered........ so much appreciated.

[vino14]

Hi, just wanted to say that I supplement with Logul's Iodine 5% , I was deficient in iodine hair test. My doctor told me to take between 4 and 8 drops a day.  Because I was taking Armour at that time I was having such a negative reaction with both at the same time, made me really tired and sleepy and didn't know about supporting vitamins for the iodine, because of the detoxing halides. After I got switched to a different med I started really slow with the iodine and got the vitamins to help with detox. If the detox of halides happens too fast you get  a Herx reaction. It also helped with topical application on a wart removal.  Now I take 6 to 8 drops everyday and after 4 months on that amount hair test came back  a little higher. I can lower it to 6 drops a day now, even 4 for maintenance. Iodine it helps  breast tissue (I didn't know the breasts needs just as much iodine as thyroid gland) and the whole body, but especially reproductive organs. Do some reading on iodine benefits, David Brownstine has few books on it. I took the shortcut and watched some of his  clips on youtube. I do  "feel " better with it than without it, for me it has not been a WOW  journey, with anything about thyroid(hypo),  but it helps at least with breast tenderness.  The formula contains potassium iodine and iodide, one is used for storage and one form for immediate use.(can't remember which one) It didn't surprise me I was so deficient , I  don't eat much seafood or  any iodine rich foods. So for me the supplement is the best form. Some people say that people that are iodine deficient don't sweat, in my case was true, not to mention the freezing to death. I wish I would have known about iodine a long time ago. I do give some to my kids, Iodoral four times a week, my older son says he likes how it makes him feel, I do suspect he has thyroid issues too. Sometimes I put some in my husband's coffee as  well. Hope this info is helpful to you. If you decide to try it, do  an extensive reading on the topic before trying it.  I don't have flouride in the water  where I live, makes it easier; flouride along with other halides expels the iodine from the body.

[gimel]

Your TSH level, along with having hypo symptoms, appears to be central hypothyroidism.  Central is a dysfunction of the hypothalamus/pituitary system that results in inadequate TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland.  As a result your Free T4 level is only at 23% of its range, which is far below the recommended minimum of 50%.  In addition your body seems to be trying to compensate by converting T4 to T3, since your Free T3 is at about 42%of its range, which is still too low for many people.  

In addition, hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin (as you already know).  D should be about 55-60, B12 in the upper part of its range, and ferritin should be about 70 minimum.  So you need to supplement those as needed to optimize.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can get some good insight from this link written by a good thyroid doctor.

http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html

So you need to have a discussion with your doctor about central hypothyroidism and all the hypo symptoms you have and request to be started on thyroid meds and increased every 5-6 weeks to optimize your Free T4 and Free T3 levels.  I would not continue with any iodine or thyroid "boost".

[Breathe111]

No, currently I'm not on any thyroid meds.   (I recently had an Iron IV infusion of Feraheme as my ferritin level had dropped to a 9.....now it's 342......which somewhat concerning me now).

My symptoms are first and foremost Hair Issues...hair loss, severe breakage at the roots, the texture feels 'gross' to me---- not normal hair growth.  It literally 'hurts' to move my hair at this point -- it has become very brittle.    My scalps feel odd as well--- seems to be accumulating an unusual white film-like substance (I don't think it's dandruff)----- my face and scalp often feel 'numb' as well--- moving the muscles in my face feels difficult (hard to tell if I'm raising my left-- or right eyebrows).......

Have a tendancy toward feeling cold...... always hands and feet rather cool to the touch.  I sweat very very little .  Tongue looks somewhat swollen to me.  My face often looks more 'puffy' than it used to be.    

[gimel]

Are you taking thyroid med currently?  Please tell us the symptoms you have.