posted
Trying to get at the root of what is causing some new symptoms. Is it really hypothyroid or is the underlying problem adrenal fatigue?
I'll be honest, even after some general reading I don't understand how the adrenal glands affect body systems - I just understand that they can cause some of they symptoms I'm having and if adrenal fatigue is the cause that I may not want to be treating hypothyroid symptoms with synthroid as this could be masking the adrenal problem and making things worse.
I need someone who understands this to explain it to me in simple terms!
I have been treating lyme and co for a year and am finally starting to feel like I'm getting a handle on these infections. I am feeling a lot better than this time last year - almost back to 80%, think I have knocked down Babs and Bart and am currently hitting Lyme hard with Ceftin, Probenecid and Bactrim, seeing some marked success, especially in neuro symptoms.
However, I have had long standing difficulty losing weight, sensitivity to cold, fatigue and mild depression that have not responded to the Lyme and co treatment thus far. I initially attributed these to Lyme and figured eventually they would resolve.
Recently however I have started losing significant amounts of hair, they hair I have left has become coarse and my skin is dry. Off and on palpitations as well. Fatigue and depression on the rise.
Saw the LLMD a week ago and he ran labs. Here are the results I'd like someone to help me with.
Free T4 0.88 TSH 2.080 Cortisol 9.7 Thyroid Peroxidase AB 73 - normal is 0-34 (This is thyroid antibody)
LLMD put me on 25 of Synthroid.
I go to see the endo tomorrow - not sure what he will make of all this, I think he is fairly conservative and my TSH is "normal".
Wondering if the high antibody levels are truly a sign of hypthyroid issues or if adrenals come in to play here too?
Very confused and hoping for some help.
Aimee
Posts: 239 | From Virginia | Registered: Jun 2009
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posted
I would read Dr. B's guidelines page 6 where he discusses having Free T3 and Free T4's tested. You may also want to investigate stopthethyroidmadness.com
Adrenals and thyroid work or don't work together. It appears that you may have hashimoto's disease because of the antibody's test (someone else may be better at telling you about that)
Your symptoms sound like you may have an adrenal thyroid problem. IMHO endo's are not very helpful (too conservative). TSH is also not reliable. Most labs have not changed their range upper level 5 to 3 which was changed in 2003.
You may also want to RT3 tested as many Lyme people can't convert T4 to T3. T3 is what will help your mood and you are currently only on T4. Your head may spin reading everything on the stopthethyroidmadness.com site but you will be doing yourself a favor reading it before you see the doc.
Dr B also states how many Lyme people do not feel well until they deal with adrenal thyroid hormone insufficiency. good luck
Posts: 28 | From maryland | Registered: May 2010
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TPO antibodies suggest Hashimoto's as solar said. However, elevated antibodies can indicate other conditions as well as Graves. Are you familiar with Mary Shomon? Here's a link to some info:
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