Thyroid, Adrenal Fatigue, DHEA? Advice Please!

[SuperTonky]

The endocrine told me she doesn't think it's a thyroid problems because my TSH is not at least over 10 UIU/ml like most hypothyroid patients, and additionaly my TPO and TSI antibodies were not high enough.

She said testing rT3 is only useful in critically ill hospitalized patients?????

I asked her why then is my thyroid is enlarged, symptomatic, and varying abnormal/normal labs? Short version of the story is she said good luck.

I see my Urologist in 3 days for my 6 month lab/exam. They took my labs Friday which was only about 3 1/2 days after my last injection, they said it shouldn't matter...I'm so excited (sarcasm.) Maybe he will have some suggestions.

 

[SuperTonky]

The endocrine told me she doesn't think it's a thyroid problems because my TSH is not at least over 10 UIU/ml like most hypothyroid patients, and additionaly my TPO and TSI antibodies were not high enough.

She said testing rT3 is only useful in critically ill hospitalized patients?????

I asked her why then is my thyroid is enlarged, symptomatic, and varying abnormal/normal labs? Short version of the story is she said good luck.

I see my Urologist in 3 days for my 6 month lab/exam. They took my labs Friday which was only about 3 1/2 days after my last injection, they said it shouldn't matter...I'm so excited (sarcasm.) Maybe he will have some suggestions.

 

[wondering]

The short story is that meet Total test is about 600 on 100mg IM every 5 days. I still have alot of anxiety, mood issues, tremors, fatigue, Ed, sleep issues, blood pressure high, etc. I am even having some hoarseness in my throat near my thyroid. I'm trying to look at other hormones that could be contributing or my thyroid. I'm also looking into the possibility not adrenal fatigue, pregnenolone steal, or supplementing with HCG. m pretty lost in all the info. A more detailed history below.

At age 33, After years of depression, anxiety, fatigue, weight gain, sleep problems, ed, etc. I convinced my doctor to test my hormones. I was specifically interested in my Cortisol levels due to prolonged profound amounts of physical anxiety. The results of what he tested were;

Total Testosterone: 95 ng/dl (300 -1080)
TSH: 3.64 uIU/ml (0.30 - 3.18)
Free T4: 1.6 ng/dl (0.8 - 1.7)
LH: 3.4 IU/L (2.0 - 12.0)
FSH: 3.9 IU/L (1.0 - 8.0)
LDL: 152 ng/dl (0 - 130)
HDL: 40 mg/dl (> 40)
Chol/HDL Ratio: 5.5 (0 - 5.0)
Cholesterol: 218 ng/dl (0 - 200)
Cortisol: 14.0 ug/dl
Glucose: 88 mg/dl (70 - 99)
Iron: 66 ug/dl (50 - 150)
Iron Sat: 19% (20 - 50)

Doctor said my test was a little low and that the other out of reference results were not far enough to mean anything. He said to start on a very low dose of topical test. He couldn't answer most of my questions so I went somewhere else.

The Testosterone Clinic put me on 200mg of injectable Test Cypionate a week. And a small amount of HCG. After a few months I felt better than I had in 10 years. Energy, mood, and sleep were all much better. My Total Testosterone was usually about 500 ng/dl when due for the next injection. When I started having symptoms of what I later discovered was high Estradiol the clinics answer was to raise the Test to 220mg per week. Obviously my Estradiol went up higher, to 79 pg/ml (10-40) by the time we tested. Used Anastrozole to get it back down to 30 pg/ml. Then had Hematocrit and Hemoglobin increases. The whole time I had a terrible last 2 days before the next injection. I wanted to try more frequent dosing at smaller amounts but the clinic's business model wouldn't allow it.

Went to an Endocrinologist. She said she doesn't believe in HCG or AI use in men. Got an MRI on my Pituitary that didn't show anything. She cut my Test dose to 100mg per week. All of my symptoms returned. She tested me 2 days after my injection and Total Testosterone was 450 ng/dl. She said as long as I was above 300 ng/dl then it's not the problem. Said she couldn't do anything else for me and she wouldn't budge on dosing.

Went to a Urologist. He allowed me to try 100mg of Test every 5 days. He says he doesn't do HCG because you become desensitized to quickly anyway. My Total Testosterone got up to 609 ng/dl on next injection day. I have been on this dose for about 6 months. I was doing well. Energy was back, sleep was good, lean muscle mass increased. No hematocrit, hemoglobin, or estradiol problems. I had some ED and libido issues however. I should also mention I started a Blood Pressure medication and switched a few times because of these issues. I am on Losartan and Amlodipine because my doc said they are least likely to contribute to ED.

If you are still reading, bless you, and to get to the point of where I am now. I am still taking 100mg (.5ml of 200mg/ml Test Cypioniate) every 5 days. I take a multi vitamin and vitamin D (4000IUs a day) supplement. Still on the blood pressure meds. My most recent labs were Total Test 609 ng/dl and Estradioal 40pg/dl. For the last few months I have had an incredible amount or anxiety, depression, fatigue, brain fog, sleep quality is bad, ed and libido issues. My testicles are noticeably smaller, and my penis seems to be smaller most of the time especially in girth.

My Urologist said he cant do anything but his Physicians Assistant recommended I get my Total Test up to at least 800 ng/dl to rule it out as a cause. I've been reading a lot about Pregnenolone Steal, the role of DHEA, Progesterone, DHT and so many other things. I have read how HCG can mimic some upstream hormones as well. I can't tell you how profound my physical anxiety has been. My moods are terrible, my brain is so foggy, and the fatigue seems to be getting worse as the anxiety persists.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I try supplementing DHEA, Progesterone, DIM. Should I look for a doc that will prescribe HCG? Does anyone know of a doc that is familiar with and knowledgeable about all of this stuff in the Omaha/Lincoln Nebraska area? Should I look into thyroid or other possible causes? I am so lost with all of the information and so tired of seeing doctors that contradict each other and have no answers.

Sorry I know this is a long and rambling post. If anyone can help or has any questions I can clarify or give additional info. Thanks in advance

Become a patient of Dr. Saya at Defy. If you don't have a local expert, stop trying to convince your existing MD what needs to be done. Those efforts are often fruitless and you suffer needlessly.

Your T is low, so need to be raised.

Would like to see T3 - the relatively high T4 and TSH could show conversion issues - Iodine helps with that. Be careful about Stop the Thyroid Madness site...some helpful info there, but unless they have changed their tune, they always preached people need at least 180mg of Armour to feel well and some need 500 mg and that is pure nonsense.

May need a little hydrocortisone with the cortisol level. Is that a fasting test result?

 

[SuperTonky]

Become a patient of Dr. Saya at Defy. If you don't have a local expert, stop trying to convince your existing MD what needs to be done. Those efforts are often fruitless and you suffer needlessly.

Your T is low, so need to be raised.

Would like to see T3 - the relatively high T4 and TSH could show conversion issues - Iodine helps with that. Be careful about Stop the Thyroid Madness site...some helpful info there, but unless they have changed their tune, they always preached people need at least 180mg of Armour to feel well and some need 500 mg and that is pure nonsense.

May need a little hydrocortisone with the cortisol level. Is that a fasting test result?

The cortisol was fasted and at 8am. Since my original bloodwork with the low Test I have been on a few doses of injectable test cypionate. I am currently on 100mg (.5ml) injectable every 5 days. My levels are usually about 600 on the last day when I am due to inject again. I ended up at every 5 days because I was having significant drops at the end of a 2 week or 1 week dosing. The doc tried raising the dose first to 200mgs but I had significant estradiol and hematocrit problems.

Anyone ever have estrogen or free test elevations that caused an abnormal Thyroid Binding Globulin? It's my next thought since I've had both elevated estradiol and elevated Free Test at seperate times even though my total test was only about 450 and 600 at the separate times.