Val here is my story

April 27, 2010

VAL HERE IS MY STORY THAT I WILL CALL YOU ABOUT

February labs

free t3 2.6 (2.3-4.2)

free t4 1.3 (0.7-1.5)

TSH 3.08 (0.40-5.00)

reverse t3 427 (90-350) ratio was/is 6

I first NOTICED having problems when I stopped nursing my third baby in late 2006. However, I think it really all started during my second pregnancy. Blood worked showed during that pregnancy that I was anemic. My OB said I was "slightly" anemic and didn't need to address it. So being the fool I was, trusting the Dr knew best I thought it was nothing to worry about.

Well, years later it caught up with me. After I stopped nursing I started to notice things like night sweats, heart palp., frequent yeast infections, short mentrual cycles(24-26 days instead 28), PMS ect. However, the one symptom that made me stand up and take action was my hair was thinning.

So in March of 07 I went to see a Dermatolgist for the hair shedding. He ran a TSH and ferritin. Ferritin was 38 and TSH was3.19. Again being the fool and trusting that the Dr. knew what he was doing said my thyroid was fine. It really kills me that I didn't know than what I know now. He did know about ferritin and hair loss. So he tried to treat me with prescription iron. I was on it for a year and it did nothing to my ferritin level. It actually got lower. This began my search of two other Dr.s that failed me, many test, trailand error with Armour, and much stress!

In December 09 I had my ferritin tested again it was around 25. At this time I did not know about Stop The Thyroid MAddness. But I found it in January. At that point I was convienced that I didn't have thyroid issues. When I read STTM I was so angry at so many people for not putting this all together. Janie put it all together in a way that made me say "of course this is what is going on" How could so many Dr.s not have put this together and how in all my research in three years miss this!

As I was reading this book I experiment with HC. I saw my temps come up and stay steady within days. During this time is when I had the above labs ran and I started supplementing iron as Janie recommended. Within six weeks my ferritin came up to 65. Thought I was on my way. I slowly increased HC like the book recommends. I added t3 when I was at 20mg of HC. I started t3 slow too. 7.5mcg increasing . I did this for about four weeks. I was up to 20mgHC and 35mcg of t3. I didn't feel great. Thought it was HC. Seemed like my hair was falling more with the HC. I stuck with it all that time even though I felt bad because my temps said it was helping. I got too scared so I started weaning slowly while still increasing t3. Never had trouble thought I was feeling better with every decrease. I did drop by 2.5 in am once and had a few bads days afterwards but I also had a b12 shot the same time. Wasn't really sure which caused the trouble was leaning towards

the shot because I had weaned so mch at that point and didn't have trouble. So I had one more dose to cut out and when I did I did ok. So since then, that was about 2 weeks ago now, I have continued with the t3. I am at week 11 of t3 and at 118mcg

I have read a few post recently that folks are saying they are feeling better before clereance. This is not the case with me. My heart pounds when I go up the stairs and I feel breathless for a few moments after reaching the top. It is not a case of being out of shape. I have been an active person the last fiftenn years. : running, biking, snowboarding, wakeboarding. This is my life style. However, I did stop running during the six weeks I was trying to improve my ferritin. After the ferritin went up I went back to running. This is another big concern for me. I just can't do it. I used to run 5-6 miles at under a eight minute miles. Now I can't run two miles at 10 minute miless. I seem to do ok with weights and biking, but the running and shortness of breath tell me someting is not right. I keep thinking that after I clear things will be good. I am beginning to think that is not the case. I am wondering if t3 is pooling for some reason. I know

you would say do a saliva test, my last one was almost two years ago, and that was my intention when weaning of HC. But I think the best time for me to do that would be late cycle (day19) which is another month from now. I want to do something now!

Life really goes down hill the mintue I ovulate. The first two weeks of my cycle life is great, but I swear the mintue I ovulate everything sucks. I get irriatabble, my hair sheds worse! I don't sleep as well. Ironically though this is when my temps are highest. I have wondered if this is high cortisol at this time causing me trouble, but lately I am tempted to try HC again thinking t3 is pooling.

Estradiol 112 < or= 247

progesterone 15.7 (3.3-26)

free test. 1.4 (0.1-6.4) I supplement T on days I workout-2mg per dr doesn't seem to help

dhea-s 40 (27-199)

vit d 44-supplementing 6000iu

Would it be a mistake to take 20mg of HC for the next few days just to see how I feel? Or would that be a set back?

Well, I am sure this is too much info so I will stop and call as soon as you have time.

Thanks, Suzanne