Re: Thyroid hormone and lipid levels

[Guest guest]

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. I just wish I could get the

FT3 tested.

I was diagnosed with " high cholesterol, total--212 " over 10 years ago at age 45

and because I am diabetic, I was prescribed the starting dose of 10mg of Zocor.

This is probably after they lowered the levels to sell more statins. Within 3

months, I started having the aches and pains, but they were attributed to my

repetitive job. So I was prescribed the beginnings of a laundry list of drugs

to " manage " my pain, anti-inflammatories, pain meds, antidepressants, cortisone

shots and physical therapy (which made me worse and nearly drove me mad) and so

on.

Finally, in the fall of 2010, I was finally diagnosed as hypothyroid when my TSH

went up to 5.86. I was prescribed 25 mcg of generic T4, and TSH was 2.32 five

months later. Another year went by and my TSH rose to 4.32, so my T4 was raised

to 50 mcg.

I always ask for other tests, only my Free T4 or Total T4 is tested. I finally

did get a script for thyroid antibodies, but I tested negative. So the correct

levels of Free T3 could be the answer to lipids? I still think my levels of

lipids are fine, it's just that the levels have been lowered too far to make

money for Big Pharma. My lab results in January were: Total 221, HDL 56, LDL

133 and Trigs 161. Oh by the way, these numbers were after I tried Pravastatin

for 3 weeks in September and then stopped because all my old pain locations

flaired back up. I think my liver started cranking up more to try to mend my

sore body. My muscles sure felt deprived of cholesterol.

Bobby, what do you think of my labs from January? Are they so out of range like

my doctor says? And, what is the ideal range for TSH, I heard that the range of

0.40--4.50 is outdated and any TSH level over 2.0 is considered hypothyroid.

Thanks again, Bobby.

Connie

>

> I know I have brought this up in the past, but I was just reflecting on the

last 25 years of statins and the cholesterol lowering bandwagon.

>

> I am bewildered at how the relationship between thyroid hormone and lipids

managed to remain obscured from public view for so many decades.

>

> Research clearly shows medical science was completely aware of the

relationship between T3 thyroid hormone and lipids decades ago, yet not once

have I seen this mentioned to the public in the media.

>

> There is an undeniable relationship between serum levels of Tri-iodothyronine

(active thyroid hormone) and triglycerides and cholesterol levels. But how often

is this checked if a patient presents with unusually elevated lipids?

>

> Sure they may run a routine TSH, but that only measures the chemical signal

from the pituitary gland. If secondary hypothyroidism were happening it would be

missed with just TSH, so a FT4 may be run to make sure there are adequate levels

of unbound T4. ( inactive or semi-active thyroid hormone)

>

> But even a TSH and FT4 test can miss a critical hormone in metabolism. FT3,

Unbound T3 circulating in the blood and available for use by the body.

>

> " But we only check that when hyperthyroidism is suspected " Whoa!

>

> T3 in metabolism is like throwing gasoline on a campfire. Its very active,

short lived, but consumes the wood faster.

>

> Likewise, T3 in human physiology speeds up metabolic processes, burning off

lipids. This is why people with hyperthyroidism may present with very low levels

of cholesterol.

>

> So then, if a person has unexplained, legitimate hypolipidemia, why wouldn't

the FT3 be checked?

>

> Its amazing how people taking thyroid replacement hormone, who switch from T4

only to combination T4/T3 therapy experience a drop in blood lipids.

>

> I think this is something statin marketing would prefer the public not know.

In the case of big pharma sponsored CME, I have my doubts this is emphasized as

it would damage the sales of statin drugs.

>

> Bobby

>

[Guest guest]

Connie, You asked what I think of your lipid profile in January? Perfectly normal. Healthy.Concerning ideal TSH, I asked that same question to an Endocrinologist at the University of Texas. Her answer was between 1.0 and 2.0. TSH is a huge debate. But today the lower half of the published range is considered normal by most.Nobody lives on TSH. That's just the chemical signal from the brain asking the thyroid to make more hormone. People live on thyroid hormone, not TSH. To gain an accurate picture of a persons thyroid hormone profile, a complete panel should be run which directly measures circulating levels of T4 and T3. Like many women in mid life, your TSH is rising indicating a lack of thyroid hormone.

Its a matter of your doctor adjusting the thyroid hormone dosage to meet your current needs. Not just treating a lab report, but taking into consideration how you feel along the way. Bobby Alternate email: marooned@...Bobby- Your Caribbean Travel Plannerwww.pinkystravel.com International Destinations, Resorts, Vacation PackagesPhilippine Destination Specialist To: TakingLipitorAndHateIt Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 8:20 PM Subject: Re: Thyroid hormone and lipid levels

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. I just wish I could get the FT3 tested.

I was diagnosed with "high cholesterol, total--212" over 10 years ago at age 45 and because I am diabetic, I was prescribed the starting dose of 10mg of Zocor. This is probably after they lowered the levels to sell more statins. Within 3 months, I started having the aches and pains, but they were attributed to my repetitive job. So I was prescribed the beginnings of a laundry list of drugs to "manage" my pain, anti-inflammatories, pain meds, antidepressants, cortisone shots and physical therapy (which made me worse and nearly drove me mad) and so on.

Finally, in the fall of 2010, I was finally diagnosed as hypothyroid when my TSH went up to 5.86. I was prescribed 25 mcg of generic T4, and TSH was 2.32 five months later. Another year went by and my TSH rose to 4.32, so my T4 was raised to 50 mcg.

I always ask for other tests, only my Free T4 or Total T4 is tested. I finally did get a script for thyroid antibodies, but I tested negative. So the correct levels of Free T3 could be the answer to lipids? I still think my levels of lipids are fine, it's just that the levels have been lowered too far to make money for Big Pharma. My lab results in January were: Total 221, HDL 56, LDL 133 and Trigs 161. Oh by the way, these numbers were after I tried Pravastatin for 3 weeks in September and then stopped because all my old pain locations flaired back up. I think my liver started cranking up more to try to mend my sore body. My muscles sure felt deprived of cholesterol.

Bobby, what do you think of my labs from January? Are they so out of range like my doctor says? And, what is the ideal range for TSH, I heard that the range of 0.40--4.50 is outdated and any TSH level over 2.0 is considered hypothyroid.

Thanks again, Bobby.

Connie

>

> I know I have brought this up in the past, but I was just reflecting on the last 25 years of statins and the cholesterol lowering bandwagon.

>

> I am bewildered at how the relationship between thyroid hormone and lipids managed to remain obscured from public view for so many decades.

>

> Research clearly shows medical science was completely aware of the relationship between T3 thyroid hormone and lipids decades ago, yet not once have I seen this mentioned to the public in the media.

>

> There is an undeniable relationship between serum levels of Tri-iodothyronine (active thyroid hormone) and triglycerides and cholesterol levels. But how often is this checked if a patient presents with unusually elevated lipids?

>

> Sure they may run a routine TSH, but that only measures the chemical signal from the pituitary gland. If secondary hypothyroidism were happening it would be missed with just TSH, so a FT4 may be run to make sure there are adequate levels of unbound T4. ( inactive or semi-active thyroid hormone)

>

> But even a TSH and FT4 test can miss a critical hormone in metabolism. FT3, Unbound T3 circulating in the blood and available for use by the body.

>

> "But we only check that when hyperthyroidism is suspected" Whoa!

>

> T3 in metabolism is like throwing gasoline on a campfire. Its very active, short lived, but consumes the wood faster.

>

> Likewise, T3 in human physiology speeds up metabolic processes, burning off lipids. This is why people with hyperthyroidism may present with very low levels of cholesterol.

>

> So then, if a person has unexplained, legitimate hypolipidemia, why wouldn't the FT3 be checked?

>

> Its amazing how people taking thyroid replacement hormone, who switch from T4 only to combination T4/T3 therapy experience a drop in blood lipids.

>

> I think this is something statin marketing would prefer the public not know. In the case of big pharma sponsored CME, I have my doubts this is emphasized as it would damage the sales of statin drugs.

>

> Bobby

>