Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Yet another Thyroid Update (with numbers)!

To begin with, my bloodwork came back from endocrinologist and there are no signs that I have a paraganglioma!  Which is great news!  Which means we can proceed with a biopsy of my thyroid nodules in 2 weeks on February 3rd.

Today I had a follow-up with my NFP doctor.  She asked if the endocrinologist had discussed my thyroid bloodwork and I told her that he had told me that it was all normal.  She laughed and said, it is definitely not normal!!  Basically I am hypothyroid.  My Free T3 and Free T4 were in normal range, but my total T3 was 71 which is low (normal is 76-181) and my Reverse T3 is 13.  She explained a chart of thyroid function and dysfunction which I can't really explain...it seems to come down to the fact that my T3 to reverseT3 ratio is not normal....mine is 5.5 and normal is 10 or higher. 

SO.....long story short, I am starting Armour at the smallest dose (15mg/day) for a week to help my thyroid and then she is bumping it up to twice that.  She wants to be cautious, because with my blood pressure on the high side, she doesn't want it to jump.

I am also low on iodine and vitamin D, low-ish on B12, low on estrogen (during my cycle) but everything else seems to look good.

Here are the supplements/medicines I will start on:

Iodoral 12.5mg/daily for 2-3 months to get my iodine levels up.

B Complex daily to boost my B12.

Vitamin D prescription 50,000 units 1/wk for 4 months and an extra 5000units daily.

Niacin no-flush, slow-release 1/day as a starting point to work on lowering my blood pressure

Armour 15mg/day for 1 week then 30mg/day

HCG shot on P+3, 5, 7, 9 of my cycle to make my body make more estrogen

B6 Sustained 500mg/day to increase mucus in my cycle

She threw around the idea of doing an adrenal function test, but because insurance doesn't cover this it would be about $180.  Not sure if we will do it or not.  Adrenal fatigue she said could be caused by stress over many years, which she noted I have had lots of stress (of losing babies) but overall we think that I've handled it pretty well....so not going to check adrenal function as of yet.

I go back in 4 weeks to check on blood pressure again.

Thanks for the prayers!  I feel like we are headed in the right direction.

6 comments:

Kate said...

Thank you so much for letting us know!!! I've been thinking of you!! Let us know how the vitamins, etc. work out...we will keep praying! Love, kate

Billie Jo said...

I prayed for you and offered my Holy Eucharist at mass on Saturday...
I'm glad things are going well, and that you have such good doctors to work with.
Have a cozy evening, and I will continue to pray.

Sew said...

What are the Ft3 and Ft4 numbers?

Sew said...

Can you get your aldosterone checked? Along with an adrenal saliva?

Angela said...

Thank you so much Kate and Billie Jo!
And yes, they did check aldosterone and it was normal (didn't get a number), and the adrenal saliva test is $180 out of my pocket...so still debating that one. I don't know if I wrote down the Ft3 and Ft4 numbers.

Sew said...

I know of a place that is cheaper...email me. It is so important that adrenal test! They can order it through labcorp and then your insurance pays for it as well. You can try that!