Re: Hope You Can Help/RT3 and ferritin

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam: Val can give you many more detailed answers than I can, but two things

jumped out at me: your ferritin is too low for any form of thyroid to work

well. Low ferritin is a major cause of RT3, which I would bet money you have a

problem with.

If your Quest lab form doesn't have a check box for an RT3 test, it can be

written in on the bottom of the form as:

T3, Reverse, CPT Code 84482

Alternatively, you don't need a doctor or a Quest form to get a RT3 test. You

can get an RT3 test from econolabs.com (search for T3, reverse) it's about $59,

you order the test online and the lab order prints out already filled in. Last

time I checked, econolabs.com tests were available in all states except NY, NJ

and RI.

You mentioned that you take a prescription form of iron...I don't know what form

of iron that is, there are many different kinds, some more absorbable than

others. Many on this forum have had best results with bluebonnet iron

bisglycinate, 150-200 mg/day.

http://www.iherb.com/Chelated-Iron-90-Vcaps/11571?at=0

Hope this helps.

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I found this forum from the Stop The Thyroid Madness website. I hope you

might be able to answer a couple questions if you have the time ( I've searched

the files and links but haven't found what I'm looking for yet...which could be

because of my muddled brain ).

> >

> > I'll try to make this short.

> >

> > I have every single symptom of thyroid problems. I had been tested many

times and the only thing that ever was out of range was a high FT4.

> >

> > So, I was given a benzo and sent on my merry way. It helped for about 2

weeks and then I kept getting sicker and sicker and sicker. Ended up completely

debilitated and had to quit my job. I got off the benzo, but now I am a million

times worse than I was before taking it.

> >

> > I had more bloodwork done last fall and still had a high FT4 of 2.28 (

0.57-1.01 ). My TSH was 2.99 ( 0.38-4.30 ). My T3 was not tested at this time

but was tested months before that and it was in the middle of the range. The

antibody test was negative.

> >

> > Had a thyroid ultrasound and it showed no goiter but the report said one

side is a little bigger than the other. Have no idea what this means.

> >

> >

> > I had an ACTH Stim test. My 8am cortisol was 6 ( range 8-21 ) and went up

to 22 30 minutes after getting cosyntropin. The initial dose of cosyntropin

made me very flush and dizzy, but then I started feeling soooo much better and

felt almost normal for the rest of the day. The next day I crapped out again

> >

> > It's also interesting that there were other times my cortisol was tested and

was in the high 20's, but I still felt like death ( I feel the same when my

cortisol is 6 as I do when it is 28 ). It was only after the ACTH stim test

that I got a little life back in me. I guess it stimulated other things besides

cortisol.

> >

> > I also found out my ferritin level was less than 1. I have been taking a

precription iron pill since August.

> >

> > My questions...........

> >

> > ~ Can having such low ferritin have masked a thyroid problem and possibly

made my thyroid tests appear ok, and can supplementing with iron uncover a

thyroid problem on lab tests? ( I haven't been retested yet ).

> >

> > ~ What does a high FT4 mean? Docs all said it means nothing.

> >

> > ~ I tried taking Cortef for the low cortisol, but after one dose ( 5mg ) I

felt a million times worse...not better. I thought I would DIE! I am very

sensitive to any medications now. Have you ever heard of this happening?

> >

> > ~ Since I have all symptoms of a hypothyroid, do you think I could possibly

have a thyroid resistance problem? I really feel like I am slowly dying and

these doctors aren't helping me one bit.

> >

> >

> > I will continue reading the information on this website and the other RT3

website you recommended. In the meantime I would so much appreciate any

thoughts you may have. My head is so muddled and muddy, it's so hard to process

the scientific articles and understand some of them. I am a national board

certified teacher and now feel like I've lost 50 IQ points and am dumber than a

box of rocks. Sooo hard to think and figure out what to do.

> >

> > Thank you so much for your help and time.

> >

> > Pam

> >

>

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU so much, Margery!

I've been taking a prescription iron called Integra since last August/09. I can

tell it helped a little with my symptoms, but I still feel like hell. I had my

ferritin retested a month after starting Integra ( when I ended up in the

hospital because I thought I was about to die ) and it had gone up to 10, so I

imagine it's gone up more since then. Boy I could really tell my body wanted

that iron from the moment I took that first pill. Usually I am very sensitive

and reactive to meds and supplements, but my body KNEW that the iron was sorely

needed. It was like, " Whoa! Give me more of that! "

I read about Thyroid Resistance for about 10 hours yesterday ( very hard to do

with a foggy brain ), and am sickened to learn that a lot of doctors don't

believe in this. I just know the doctors in my town won't buy it. They are

very stubborn and hardheaded and unable to think outside the box. It took 5

years and 9 doctors for someone to decide to test my ferritin and cortisol, and

that is only after I requested it after watching an episode of The Doctors. All

along all they've ever wanted to do it throw antidepressants and benzos at me.

I've even been seeing a psychologist ( for disability reasons ) and he swears

there's something physical going on and this is not because of the way I think.

He is just as disgusted with how little doctors have tried to help me as I am.

He says he sees depressed and anxious people everyday and that my problem stems

far beyond that. The clients he sees with depression aren't physically sick

24/7..unlike me. There is not one minute of a day where I feel good

I once saw an episode of Mystery Diagnosis and the woman sounded EXACTLY like

me! She ended up having Hashimotos, so I rushed back to the doctor and had him

retest me....with no luck. I was told I needed to just exercise more and lose

20 pounds and then I'd feel better. I cried all the way home and for the rest

of the day because I felt so defeated. I kinda felt like if I keep listening to

these quacks, they will eventually kill me.

I have decided to bite the bullet and pay to have these tests done from one of

the online labs recommended here. The problem is, what will I do with the

results? I showed my endo the results I got from ZRT labs when my T4 was so

high, and he laughed at me and said I was ripped off by this online scam....that

stuff like that wasn't accurate. He made me feel very foolish and yet he had

nothing better to offer me. He was more worried whether or not I tinkered with

the thermostat in the exam room while he wasn't in there ( I did no such thing

).

If anybody knows of a great doctor to see in Florida, please let me know.

I really appreciate the help and advice.

( Can having thyroid resistance be a cause of being suddenly very sensitive to

supplements and meds? I was never like this before til I got sick ).

Pam

> > >

> > > Hi ,

> > >

> > > I found this forum from the Stop The Thyroid Madness website. I hope you

might be able to answer a couple questions if you have the time ( I've searched

the files and links but haven't found what I'm looking for yet...which could be

because of my muddled brain ).

> > >

> > > I'll try to make this short.

> > >

> > > I have every single symptom of thyroid problems. I had been tested many

times and the only thing that ever was out of range was a high FT4.

> > >

> > > So, I was given a benzo and sent on my merry way. It helped for about 2

weeks and then I kept getting sicker and sicker and sicker. Ended up completely

debilitated and had to quit my job. I got off the benzo, but now I am a million

times worse than I was before taking it.

> > >

> > > I had more bloodwork done last fall and still had a high FT4 of 2.28 (

0.57-1.01 ). My TSH was 2.99 ( 0.38-4.30 ). My T3 was not tested at this time

but was tested months before that and it was in the middle of the range. The

antibody test was negative.

> > >

> > > Had a thyroid ultrasound and it showed no goiter but the report said one

side is a little bigger than the other. Have no idea what this means.

> > >

> > >

> > > I had an ACTH Stim test. My 8am cortisol was 6 ( range 8-21 ) and went up

to 22 30 minutes after getting cosyntropin. The initial dose of cosyntropin

made me very flush and dizzy, but then I started feeling soooo much better and

felt almost normal for the rest of the day. The next day I crapped out again

> > >

> > > It's also interesting that there were other times my cortisol was tested

and was in the high 20's, but I still felt like death ( I feel the same when my

cortisol is 6 as I do when it is 28 ). It was only after the ACTH stim test

that I got a little life back in me. I guess it stimulated other things besides

cortisol.

> > >

> > > I also found out my ferritin level was less than 1. I have been taking a

precription iron pill since August.

> > >

> > > My questions...........

> > >

> > > ~ Can having such low ferritin have masked a thyroid problem and possibly

made my thyroid tests appear ok, and can supplementing with iron uncover a

thyroid problem on lab tests? ( I haven't been retested yet ).

> > >

> > > ~ What does a high FT4 mean? Docs all said it means nothing.

> > >

> > > ~ I tried taking Cortef for the low cortisol, but after one dose ( 5mg ) I

felt a million times worse...not better. I thought I would DIE! I am very

sensitive to any medications now. Have you ever heard of this happening?

> > >

> > > ~ Since I have all symptoms of a hypothyroid, do you think I could

possibly have a thyroid resistance problem? I really feel like I am slowly

dying and these doctors aren't helping me one bit.

> > >

> > >

> > > I will continue reading the information on this website and the other RT3

website you recommended. In the meantime I would so much appreciate any

thoughts you may have. My head is so muddled and muddy, it's so hard to process

the scientific articles and understand some of them. I am a national board

certified teacher and now feel like I've lost 50 IQ points and am dumber than a

box of rocks. Sooo hard to think and figure out what to do.

> > >

> > > Thank you so much for your help and time.

> > >

> > > Pam

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My own Dr. doesn't " believe in " RT3. Sadly enough, yes, if you keep listening

to these quacks they may well kill you. Ask Val, doctors wrote her off as a

goner years ago!

That endo sure sounds like one to leave behind, and fast. Econolabs does my

blood tests at a LabCorp facility...the EXACT SAME facility where I get my blood

tests that my Dr. orders. Same place, same phlebotomist, same needles, vials,

etc... So how is this supposedly less accurate? Endos are the worst.

Sadly enough, many on this group, including myself, have not been able to find

doctors to help. And I have looked and looked. So finally I had to self-treat,

as do many here, including, I believe, Moderators Val and Nick.

I can't believe you can even get out of bed with a ferritin of 10. When I had a

ferritin of 12 I was like a zombie. I can absorb almost no oral iron

supplements, so I rely on Venofer IVs (and yes, I had a terrible time finding a

Dr. who would give them to me). Some others on this group have had iron IVs,

here's a link to some posts about this:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/message/39622

About Hashi's - I think it's something like 95% of hypothyroid people have it.

Well I'm hypo and I do NOT have it. So don't let that concern you overmuch. I

think it's possible to have it and the test may not always be reliable. And I

am furious at that Dr. who told you to lose 20 pounds...if you're hypo, it is

nearly impossible to lose 2 pounds, much less 20.

I am still struggling with a lot of this myself. I hope more knowledgeable

group members and/or moderators will be able to answer the rest of your

questions.

> > > >

> > > > Hi ,

> > > >

> > > > I found this forum from the Stop The Thyroid Madness website. I hope you

might be able to answer a couple questions if you have the time ( I've searched

the files and links but haven't found what I'm looking for yet...which could be

because of my muddled brain ).

> > > >

> > > > I'll try to make this short.

> > > >

> > > > I have every single symptom of thyroid problems. I had been tested many

times and the only thing that ever was out of range was a high FT4.

> > > >

> > > > So, I was given a benzo and sent on my merry way. It helped for about 2

weeks and then I kept getting sicker and sicker and sicker. Ended up completely

debilitated and had to quit my job. I got off the benzo, but now I am a million

times worse than I was before taking it.

> > > >

> > > > I had more bloodwork done last fall and still had a high FT4 of 2.28 (

0.57-1.01 ). My TSH was 2.99 ( 0.38-4.30 ). My T3 was not tested at this time

but was tested months before that and it was in the middle of the range. The

antibody test was negative.

> > > >

> > > > Had a thyroid ultrasound and it showed no goiter but the report said one

side is a little bigger than the other. Have no idea what this means.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I had an ACTH Stim test. My 8am cortisol was 6 ( range 8-21 ) and went

up to 22 30 minutes after getting cosyntropin. The initial dose of cosyntropin

made me very flush and dizzy, but then I started feeling soooo much better and

felt almost normal for the rest of the day. The next day I crapped out again

> > > >

> > > > It's also interesting that there were other times my cortisol was tested

and was in the high 20's, but I still felt like death ( I feel the same when my

cortisol is 6 as I do when it is 28 ). It was only after the ACTH stim test

that I got a little life back in me. I guess it stimulated other things besides

cortisol.

> > > >

> > > > I also found out my ferritin level was less than 1. I have been taking

a precription iron pill since August.

> > > >

> > > > My questions...........

> > > >

> > > > ~ Can having such low ferritin have masked a thyroid problem and

possibly made my thyroid tests appear ok, and can supplementing with iron

uncover a thyroid problem on lab tests? ( I haven't been retested yet ).

> > > >

> > > > ~ What does a high FT4 mean? Docs all said it means nothing.

> > > >

> > > > ~ I tried taking Cortef for the low cortisol, but after one dose ( 5mg )

I felt a million times worse...not better. I thought I would DIE! I am very

sensitive to any medications now. Have you ever heard of this happening?

> > > >

> > > > ~ Since I have all symptoms of a hypothyroid, do you think I could

possibly have a thyroid resistance problem? I really feel like I am slowly

dying and these doctors aren't helping me one bit.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I will continue reading the information on this website and the other

RT3 website you recommended. In the meantime I would so much appreciate any

thoughts you may have. My head is so muddled and muddy, it's so hard to process

the scientific articles and understand some of them. I am a national board

certified teacher and now feel like I've lost 50 IQ points and am dumber than a

box of rocks. Sooo hard to think and figure out what to do.

> > > >

> > > > Thank you so much for your help and time.

> > > >

> > > > Pam

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Many of us on this forum have made the trek from one doctor to another looking

for answers! I have finally found a doctor who works with me, but the answers I

have found on these forums.

I usually check several online labs to compare prices. Two of my favorites are

directlabs.com (they put certain tests on sale each month) and

privatemdlabs.com. I also look at econolabs.com, but find that I cannot always

tell exactly what tests are included in the thyroid or iron panels. All of

these labs use Labcorp for the blood draw, so you might as well buy the test at

the cheapest website!

Good luck on your journey,

Ann

>

> My own Dr. doesn't " believe in " RT3. Sadly enough, yes, if you keep listening

to these quacks they may well kill you. Ask Val, doctors wrote her off as a

goner years ago!

>

> That endo sure sounds like one to leave behind, and fast. Econolabs does my

blood tests at a LabCorp facility...the EXACT SAME facility where I get my blood

tests that my Dr. orders. Same place, same phlebotomist, same needles, vials,

etc... So how is this supposedly less accurate? Endos are the worst.

>

> Sadly enough, many on this group, including myself, have not been able to find

doctors to help. And I have looked and looked. So finally I had to self-treat,

as do many here, including, I believe, Moderators Val and Nick.

>

>