(& others)..Adrenal Questions/Tests

[Guest guest]

Hi !

Yes my former doctor (we email each other, if you can imagine that!) said the same thing...it's basically a useless result because of the time of day the draw was done. He recommends the 24 hr urine test as did Dr Berutti, there in Bedford.

My latest labs concern me. They were taken after 1 year of no meds for anything...thyroid or diabetes. Naturally, I knew they weren't going to be good, however, this is the FIRST time I've ever had the Free T3 below the Free T4, when I've not been on thyroid meds.

Usually, if I take thyroid meds, the glucose goes up and the Free T3 drops well below the Free T4 however, in the past, even though both Free levels were usually no higher than midrange, the Free T3 has always been above the Free T4.

Not so, this time. I have an appt next Wed with a Conroe Endo who specializes in Diabetes (and believes you are hypo if your TSH is above 2.0). My sister (who I have finally "semi-trained", loves her!) so we will see. If I think she's good, I will put her name out there for the Houston area patients. My sister's Internist referred her to this Endo for a FNA. He is in Livingston and also believes a TSH of 2.0> is hypo...maybe, someday, there will be many "progressive" doctors, who do too.

When I went on 90 mg Armour, my glucose skyrocketed...up to 319. I "guinea pigged" myself for 16 days...took no meds of any kind...the glucose dropped to 294 (from 319). I think (assuming I have an adrenal issue) what happened is that my adrenals were able to "control" the T4 to T3 conversion when I was on synthetic, but when I switched to Armour, they couldn't. Adrenals can elevate your glucose...it's commonly referred to as "Adrenal Diabetes". If you google "low body temp" (which I also have) you will also find that even the Mayo Clinic recommends you have your adrenals checked.

My last labs (7/22/2008 with no meds of any kind) were:

TSH 3.29 (range .35-5.5)

T3 Uptake 29 % (range 24-39%)

TT4 8.1 (range 4.5-12.0)

4.3 6.525 8.75 12.0

*

|_______|_______ |__________|

FT4 INDEX 2.3 (range 1.2-4.9) (not even near actual FT4)

Free T4, direct 1.24 (range .61-1.76)

..61 1.185 1.76

*

|_______|_______|_______|_______|

Free T3, direct 2.8 (range 2.3-4.2)

2.3 2.775 3.25 4.2

*

|_______|_______|_______|_______|

Based on looking at the differences of Cushings & 's I would be more inclined to believe mine is overactive. I just need to have all my 'research' in hand, when I see this new doctor.

In addition to all this prospect, a Natl Inst. of Health study found a high percentage of adrenal antibodies in early menopause patients...My mother was 31 1/2, I was 38 and my oldest daughter was 39, when we each went through early menopause. My daughter is exhibiting the same symptoms that I did (at her age) as to possible thyroid problems. While my family's (immediate & extended) 'thyroid' problems are depressing, the one positive is, given even 4 children have been effected, she sure can't deny that we possibly could be one of those "rare" cases, that they talk about! LOL

Now, besides the 24 hr urine test, would the ACTH, Cortisol and Dhea also be a good start? Basically, give me what you would "want" to be tested for....and I will certainly ask her for them!

Look forward to hearing all the sage advice this group can come up with!

Faye

Subject: Re: Questions about Adrenals... To: Texas_Thyroid_Groups Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 8:48 PM

Hi Faye! Because it was done at late morning, I just can't see where you would "know", from these test results. Some doctors do the saliva testing now, and you know, don't you, that the blood testing is very geared toward the very extreme, as in 's Disease.

Questions about Adrenals...

,

It's been a long time since we've talked! Life just handed me more than I could handle so I wasn't active with the board (incl. Shomon's board) for a long time. I really need folks with adrenal issues to do some "educating" of me! To refresh your memory, My Free T3 always drops drastically, regardless of which thyroid med I'm on (synthetic or Armour) however, my blood glucose also rises any time I am on thyroid meds.I tried Armour, last year, with very drastic results. Within 2 months I had swelling in my feet. At 4 mos, we did another metabolic panel and it was discovered my glucose was at 319! Officially, I am now diabetic, complete with high blood pressure, whereas it used to really good. I believe that I experienced enough permanent damage, that I will always be diabetic. When we discovered that the glucose was 319, I deliberately did NOT take any meds for 16 days

(incl not taking any Armour) and without any meds, my glucose dropped to 294. While that is still extremely high, that is a significant drop for just over 2 weeks, withoutmeds. I now believe that my body would not tolerate the T3 in the Armour. With ynthetics, it was able to "control" the T4 to T3 conversion, but couldn't do so, with the amount of T3 in Armour (90 mgs). I briefly found an excellant dr in a small S. Tx town, after I moved south....but he left the clinic and went into cancer treatment. His approach is that you are Hypo if your TSH is above 2.0...He also tests both Free levels. rare find (only to lose him), huh? LOL Before he left the clinic, we did a morning Cortisol test, as the first test to check adrenals (but got no further w/clinic head, after he left). Problem I have is that I don't know what the results mean or if they are even valid, given the time

.. First let me say, the test was not "literally" a morning test. I was delayed in getting there, the morning of the test and it was not drawn until 11-11:30 am however, the morning range (8 am) was used to score it. Hopefully, you will be able to give me some insight. Fortunately, the test was done by Quest instead of the jinky lab in the clinic. The result was 15.2 normal range "8 am (7-9am) 4.0-22.0" I know the cortisol is suppose to drop, as the day goes on, but would 15.2 be considered "normal" for cortisol taken at 11-11:30 am? I have found info that also suggests that the adrenals can increase glucose and that, coupled with the reduction of Free T3 any time I am on thyroid meds, makes me wonder if there is not a connection to the adrenals. One article I found, even referred to it as "adrenal diabetes". Thanks for

any responses!Faye Reynolds