Hormones

[Guest guest]

Hi all, not a single doubt in my mind that hormones play a major role

in regulating the immune system. Don't mean to get off-topic, but it

became apparent to me when I knew for a fact that some women with

autoimm. alopecia universalis (no hair anywhere) get full regrowth

during pregnancy, only to lose it all again postpartum. In fact, for

those women, the only time they have hair is during pregnancy.

The other two diseases which respond positively to pregnancy are RA, as

you know, and MS. There's a full-text article available on the net

which is informative - also fairly scientific in its wording - but may

be of interest nevertheless.

Title is " Sex Differences in Autoimmune Disease: Focus on Multiple

Sclerosis " . It does discuss RA and SLE also, but its focus is MS. I

would suggest, if you're interested, printing it out to read later.

It's 19-pp total, and the first 14 are text - last 5 references.

http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/983519.shl

Starla

[Guest guest]

I am guilty of this, don't know how to copy so this is a test to see if it

worked, I just highlighted the bottom paragraph, if it didn't work, sorry.

J (still learning this thing)

Bias wrote:

> From: PBias@... ( Bias)

>

> I know of quite a few women that went back on the pill for the relief it

> gave to their arthritis.

>

> Personnally, while not on the pill I get a " great " day where I can do

> more than normal at mid-cycle.

>

> If it's hormones then the men suffering from arthritis would be left

> high and dry.

>

> The problem is it is so different for each person.

> The pill developers want to make a profit so they target a large user

> base w/ similar symptoms.

>

> What happens when you get the sniffles?

> Do your meds not seem to work as well?

>

> Does it drive you up the wall?

>

> Mood swings or pain swings?

>

> Pat Bias

>

> note: please try to edit the letters you are responding to. Just copy

> the pertinent information and reply to it. Some of us think we are

> getting triplicate messages but find responses at the top or at the

> bottom and get confused. thank you. It will keep us from losing members

> that get frustrated scrolling thru previously read messages to see your

> replies.

>

> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

,

I'm sure or a can find some information for you. It is kind

of strange, isn't it? T

>

>

> I have noticed postings relating pregnancy to remissions, and

flares

> soon after delivery. I have not had children, however, I

> consistently have flares leading up to " that time of the month. "

Is

> that a common experience?

>

> I'm fairly new to this group, and perhaps it has been discussed

> before, but it seems to me that hormones might play a significant

> role in this disease....coupled with the fact that autoimmune

> diseases affect so many more women than men. I have not seen much

> documentation of this relationship in books and articles addressing

> possible causes of RA. Perhaps this group can enlighten me on the

> subject!

>

> Thanks,

> in Fort Worth, Texas

[Guest guest]

,

I'm sure or a can find some information for you. It is kind

of strange, isn't it? T

>

>

> I have noticed postings relating pregnancy to remissions, and

flares

> soon after delivery. I have not had children, however, I

> consistently have flares leading up to " that time of the month. "

Is

> that a common experience?

>

> I'm fairly new to this group, and perhaps it has been discussed

> before, but it seems to me that hormones might play a significant

> role in this disease....coupled with the fact that autoimmune

> diseases affect so many more women than men. I have not seen much

> documentation of this relationship in books and articles addressing

> possible causes of RA. Perhaps this group can enlighten me on the

> subject!

>

> Thanks,

> in Fort Worth, Texas

[Guest guest]

I was 61 when I got RA, well past menopause. I didn't breastfeed my

three children, for what it's worth. It wasn't encouraged in that time

period. I also had to go back to work in a few months.

Sue

On Saturday, March 12, 2005, at 08:08 PM, karenkeeney wrote:

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times as

> often as in men. Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

[Guest guest]

I was 61 when I got RA, well past menopause. I didn't breastfeed my

three children, for what it's worth. It wasn't encouraged in that time

period. I also had to go back to work in a few months.

Sue

On Saturday, March 12, 2005, at 08:08 PM, karenkeeney wrote:

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times as

> often as in men. Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/2005 7:15:22 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Sharon

writes:

Researchers are definitely trying to learn more about what is the

link between changing hormone levels and RA.

Interesting. I developed RA 2 years after a hysterectomy. Hmmmmmmmm.

Thanks for the cool link!

Love and Prayers,

Beth

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/2005 7:15:22 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Sharon

writes:

Researchers are definitely trying to learn more about what is the

link between changing hormone levels and RA.

Interesting. I developed RA 2 years after a hysterectomy. Hmmmmmmmm.

Thanks for the cool link!

Love and Prayers,

Beth

[Guest guest]

,

What are some of the symptoms of menopause, if I may ask? Tawny

--- In , " karenkeeney " <karenkeeney@y...>

wrote:

>

>

> Hi there,

>

> My mother and grandmother started showing symptoms around

menopause,

> and that's where I am now.

>

> Researchers are definitely trying to learn more about what is the

> link between changing hormone levels and RA. This comment is from a

> researcher about a study that suggested women who had breastfed had

a

> lower risk of developing RA:

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times

as

> often as in men. Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

>

> Also, here's a link where you can do a search on current clinical

> trials. It's pretty interesting to see what researchers are

> investigating. There are quite a few studies for rheumatoid

> arthritis, including some where they are looking for people to be

> participants.

>

> http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/

>

> Best wishes,

>

[Guest guest]

,

What are some of the symptoms of menopause, if I may ask? Tawny

>

>

> Hi there,

>

> My mother and grandmother started showing symptoms around

menopause,

> and that's where I am now.

>

> Researchers are definitely trying to learn more about what is the

> link between changing hormone levels and RA. This comment is from a

> researcher about a study that suggested women who had breastfed had

a

> lower risk of developing RA:

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times

as

> often as in men. Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

>

> Also, here's a link where you can do a search on current clinical

> trials. It's pretty interesting to see what researchers are

> investigating. There are quite a few studies for rheumatoid

> arthritis, including some where they are looking for people to be

> participants.

>

> http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/

>

> Best wishes,

>

[Guest guest]

--- In , " karenkeeney " <karenkeeney@y...>

wrote:

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times

as

> often as in men.

Most autoimmune diseases occur in women 9:1 to men.

> Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

I wish that explained all cases. I am 29 years post menopause and I have just

developed RA. However, because I do have other autoimmune diseases, it only

stands to reason more would develop.

Nina

[Guest guest]

>

> " Female sex hormones have long been thought to play a role in

> rheumatoid arthritis, which is diagnosed in women up to four times

as

> often as in men.

Most autoimmune diseases occur in women 9:1 to men.

> Rheumatoid arthritis often develops when hormone

> levels are changing, such as in the first few months after giving

> birth and around the time of menopause. " (The study is in the

> November issue of a medical journal called " Arthritis and

> Rheumatism " .)

I wish that explained all cases. I am 29 years post menopause and I have just

developed RA. However, because I do have other autoimmune diseases, it only

stands to reason more would develop.

Nina

[Guest guest]

TSH and Free T4 (storage thyroid hormone)in range...but below range

Free T3 (active thyroid hormone) is called " functionally hypo " ...and

needs treatment.

Geez..i never quit hearing how badly hypo is treated - or rather

not treated. I'm assuming you would have lots of hypo symptoms at

that point.

If your Total T3 was that low, than your Free (unbound and available

for use by the body) T3 is even lower.

The reference ranges are actually skewed towards hypo anyway - in

that folks with thyroid antibodies and family history of thyroid

dysfunction were not excluded from the population sample....so

usually if someone is in the lower 1/3 of the reference ranges with

symptoms, they are hypo.

btw, hypo used to be diagnosed by symptoms...the TSH test that was

developed in the '70s has caused big problems these days. In my own

case for example, evidently my pituitary became hypo itself and

could not produce TSH according to the severity of my hypo. This

supposedly happens in about 1/3 of the cases.

With 40% of the population estimated to be hypo (dang those

environmental toxins), that starts amounting to a substantial amount

of folks who are not being diagnosed properly and then treated.

Cindi

Cindi

, " Lambert " <manditenerife1@...>

wrote:

>

> I have been reading the posts and wondered if anyone (possibly

Sherry) knows

> at what point, a blood result on a T3 should be addressed?.

>

> Before explant, I had some blood work and my T3 was asterisked as

it was

> below the normal range. The doctor just said it was nothing to

worry about

> My T4 was within the normal range.

>

> Does it depend on each individual?

>

> Thank you

> .

>

[Guest guest]

I'm sorta curious too...if your T3 was that low before an explant

surgery...did you have some major problems recovering? That's what

i would expect, but I was just wondering.

Cindi

>

> I have been reading the posts and wondered if anyone (possibly

Sherry) knows

> at what point, a blood result on a T3 should be addressed?.

>

> Before explant, I had some blood work and my T3 was asterisked as

it was

> below the normal range. The doctor just said it was nothing to

worry about

> My T4 was within the normal range.

>

> Does it depend on each individual?

>

> Thank you

> .

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cindi,

I don't know nothing about hormones. My Doctor just said that it was not low enough to be worried about and is reluctant to treat it. The test was done before I got REALLY sick. I had lots of different symptoms but after some months, I felt really ill, lots of things going wrong in a short space of time like unexplained excrutiating pains in my foot which put me on crutches, then again 3 weks later to the other foot, then my hand then a large abcess. I felt like I was dying inside, kinda poisoned. I don't know how other to explain it.

I never had any more blood tests done after this as I had the Eco Scan which revealed I had ruptured implants then had to wait for 3 months before explant.

(My implants had been leaking for six years, well, my right one had, don't know how long the left one had but do not think it was very long).

After explant, almost 6 weeks now, I felt so much better inside.

I still have like a nerve like pain travelling up into my head and severe headaches most days which I did not notice as often before explant.

Previous to explant, I had this dreadful itching/burning in my arms with awful eruptions like mosquito bites. Within 48 hours, these had dissapeared and the itching, though the itching is slowly returning on a lesser scale and I don't like it one bit. I had it for eight years, since implant and thought it was the end. Maybe its just a blip as it is nowhere like before.

I am thinking, after reading all these posts, that I have not had sufficient tests to determine what toxins are in my body or what else is going on.

Should I ask for another set of blood tests do you think?

.

-- Re: Hormones

I'm sorta curious too...if your T3 was that low before an explant

surgery...did you have some major problems recovering? That's what

i would expect, but I was just wondering.

Cindi

>

> I have been reading the posts and wondered if anyone (possibly

Sherry) knows

> at what point, a blood result on a T3 should be addressed?.

>

> Before explant, I had some blood work and my T3 was asterisked as

it was

> below the normal range. The doctor just said it was nothing to

worry about

> My T4 was within the normal range.

>

> Does it depend on each individual?

>

> Thank you

> .

>

[Guest guest]

Not only should you get immediate thyroid testing...i'd be changing

docs, although many of them do not understand thyroid dysfunction.

You may have more luck with a holistic/alternative doc.

The tests that you must absolutely have to determine thyroid

function are:

Thyroid Antibodies - TPO and antithyroglobulin - these determine

Hashimoto's

TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone (a pituitary hormone)

Free T4 - storage thyroid hormone

Free T3 - active thyroid hormone

Most folks do not realize how many symptoms are indicative of

hypothyroidism...and especially doctors since they are only taught

to diagnose/dose by TSH. And that can keep you very very sick.

you may find some interesting info at a web site I help on:

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

Hypothyroidism is an insidious disease...it will creep up on you and

damage you permanently if not treated.

Cindi

>

> Hi Cindi,

>

> I don't know nothing about hormones. My Doctor just said that it

was not

> low enough to be worried about and is reluctant to treat it.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this Cindi! Too often doctors do the 'routine' thyroid test

(TSH) and

don't test antibodies. My internist said insurance sometimes balks at the

'extra' test of

antibodies, but it is the only way sometimes to diagnose Hashi's.

> >

> > Hi Cindi,

> >

> > I don't know nothing about hormones. My Doctor just said that it

> was not

> > low enough to be worried about and is reluctant to treat it.

>

[Guest guest]

That's correct...insurance often just allows a TSH test...and that so

often will miss thyroid dysfunction. Antibodies are the only lab test

to diagnose it...a thyroid ultrasound may also show changes in the

gland.

cindi

--- In , " Molly Bloom " <mollyb54@...>

wrote:

>

> Thanks for sharing this Cindi! Too often doctors do the 'routine'

thyroid test (TSH) and

> don't test antibodies. My internist said insurance sometimes balks

at the 'extra' test of

> antibodies, but it is the only way sometimes to diagnose Hashi's.

[Guest guest]

Cindi, looks like you answered my question in this post. Thanks.

Sis

> >

> > Thanks for sharing this Cindi! Too often doctors do

the 'routine'

> thyroid test (TSH) and

> > don't test antibodies. My internist said insurance sometimes

balks

> at the 'extra' test of

> > antibodies, but it is the only way sometimes to diagnose Hashi's.

>

[Guest guest]

I'd like to add something here.

Hashi's is progressive.

Untreated/undertreated hypothyroidim can cause permanent damage in

the body.

Thyroid hormone is not a " drug " per se...but rather a hormone that

your body has naturally - but in Hashi's, doesn't have enough of.

I'm 50 years old and the only " drug " i take..is thyroid hormone..i

understand that is somewhat unusual. But the thyroid hormone keeps

me off the SSRI's, the pain meds, the asthma meds, the low

cholesterol meds....having the right amount of hormone ensures i

treat the origin of symptoms, not just masking the symptoms.

Although there are many things that can be done to improve thyroid

hormone levels...avoid flouride, avoid soy, avoid BC pills,

etc...the most important thing is to have eliminiated any hypo

symptoms so that permanent damage isn't occuring in the body. hypo

is also often silent (hardening of the arteries...gradual loss of

cognitive function and brain fog)...and so it's really important to

make sure it doesn't overtake you and hurt you with you not even

realizing what has happened. that's when optimizing Free levels

comes into play. optimizing those levels should ensure someone

dosn't go into a gradual decline.

whoa...let me get off my soapbox.

cindi

> I am wondering if anyone waited after explantation to get on

thyroid

> medication...to see if their thyroid could correct itself.

> I know I had a mild enlargement but my doctor thinks it was a

> temporary thyroiditis...

> I am sure some were on it before explantation but....

> I guess my question is....were there many months between

> explantation and getting on thyroid medication...for those of you

> this applies to????

> Thanks

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Patty,

I have made an appointment to see an endocrinologist....and I may be

able to get something from my doctors appointment this week...maybe

Armour...but as we have talked about throid before I don't know that

she will give it to me.

Where did you get your bioidentical thryoid....

> I am wondering if anyone waited after explantation to get on

thyroid

> medication...to see if their thyroid could correct itself.

> I know I had a mild enlargement but my doctor thinks it was a

> temporary thyroiditis...

> I am sure some were on it before explantation but....

> I guess my question is....were there many months between

> explantation and getting on thyroid medication...for those of you

> this applies to????

> Thanks

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I found a source....it is listed in our section on products that have helped in our healing. I have to send away for it through the mail. It is not orderable over the internet. Pattysedwards41255 <sedwards41255@...> wrote: Patty,I have made an appointment to see an endocrinologist....and I may be able to get something from my doctors appointment this week...maybe Armour...but as we have talked about throid before I don't know that she will give it to me. Where did you get your bioidentical thryoid.... __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Cindi, It's okay, but the only question I have is how you are getting tested. Pattycindi22595 <cindi22595@...> wrote: I'd like to add something here. Hashi's is progressive. Untreated/undertreated hypothyroidim can cause permanent damage in the body. Thyroid hormone is not a "drug" per se...but rather a hormone that your body has naturally - but in Hashi's, doesn't have enough of. I'm 50 years old and the only "drug" i take..is thyroid hormone..i understand that is somewhat unusual. But the thyroid hormone keeps me off the SSRI's, the pain meds, the asthma meds, the low cholesterol meds....having the right amount of hormone ensures i treat the origin of symptoms, not just masking the symptoms. Although there are many things that can

be done to improve thyroid hormone levels...avoid flouride, avoid soy, avoid BC pills, etc...the most important thing is to have eliminiated any hypo symptoms so that permanent damage isn't occuring in the body. hypo is also often silent (hardening of the arteries...gradual loss of cognitive function and brain fog)...and so it's really important to make sure it doesn't overtake you and hurt you with you not even realizing what has happened. that's when optimizing Free levels comes into play. optimizing those levels should ensure someone dosn't go into a gradual decline. whoa...let me get off my soapbox. cindi __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Cindi

Great post. Thanks. Also, many people don't realize that an

autoimmune condition is at work in your body that is affecting the

ability of the thyroid to do its job properly. Even with

supplemental hormone, that does not make the autoimmune part of the

condition go away anymore than taking insulin makes diabetes go

away. It helps control the symptoms which as you pointed out is

extremely important. If anyone disputes that they should listen to

what happened to my father in law. He has diagnosed with

hyperthyroidism and had it irradiated. Over the years the doctors

never did blood work to check on his thyroid. About twenty years

later he started having symptoms of chronic cough.

They eventually realized it was heart and it was practically

destroyed due to a severely low thyroid for a number of years.

There

was nothing they could do but treat him for heart failure and the

next and last two years of his life were not good. He was on so

many meds and failing fast. This could have been avoided if they

would have followed his thyroid to see that it was failing.

Virtually all irradiated thyroids will eventually fail. My husband

developed hyperthyroid also, and they convinced him that they could

irradiate it completely (unlike his dad's partial killing off of the

thyroid producing cells). They told him it would be an easy matter

to then make his thyroid perfect (by the numbers) and thus fix his

symptoms. NOt so. He lived three more years before dying of a

ruptured aortic aneurysm (completely separate from thyroid issue but

a huge medical negligence mess). At any rate, he never felt well in

that time. They did not get his thyroid regulated and he continued

to have symptoms. Some of these symptoms were because the condition

that was attacking the thyroid still existed. It was then that I

read

up on thyroid conditions and learned that people who have autoimmune

thyroid conditions such as graves disease (he had that) also have

more other autoimmune conditions in the family such as lupus,

diabetes, etc. Interesting enough, several people in his family had

lupus. So what I am trying to say is that I agree with Cindi about

the importance of treating under and over active thyroid, and am

also pointing out that it is imperative to do everything you can to

help your body heal itself of whatever has gone awry to cause the

autoimmunity process. Cindi, I definitely agree with Patti the

implants are hurting you. Because if your body is

already " challenged " with autoimmune issues, the implants are only

going to worsen the situation. I do believe that your state of

feeling better with the thyroid supplementation will eventually give

way to other autoimmune symptoms ---the implants are only another

insult to your already overburdened body's defenses. Why take the

risk? I believe we can encourage our bodies to heal, but with a

known trigger of autoimmunity in place, I don't think it will

happen. I would want to give my body every chance to get better.

Don't deceive yourself in thinking you are well because thyroid

hormone is helping with your symptoms. Whatever conditions that

exist in your body to cause the thyroid to falter are still there

and being further influenced by the addition of the implants.

Hugs, Kathy

> > I am wondering if anyone waited after explantation to get on

> thyroid

> > medication...to see if their thyroid could correct itself.

> > I know I had a mild enlargement but my doctor thinks it was a

> > temporary thyroiditis...

> > I am sure some were on it before explantation but....

> > I guess my question is....were there many months between

> > explantation and getting on thyroid medication...for those of

you

> > this applies to????

> > Thanks

> >

> >

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

[Guest guest]

www.healthcheckusa.com

Their thyroid panel II tests TSH, Free T4 and Free T3...for about $80.

cindi

-- In , Tricia Trish <glory2glory1401@...>

wrote:

>

> Cindi,

> It's okay, but the only question I have is how you are getting

tested.