Re: OT - My cholesterol and thyroid results

[Guest guest]

Jena, it's comforting to know your husband is doing okay. I sometimes wonder if

my cholesterol problem is genetic, because it's been high since I was a skinny

little kid.

Mara, I have no idea if my LDL is fluffy or hard. I'll have to look up what

tests I need so I can be prepared for my next appointment in 2 months. I also

forgot to ask about getting a Lyme test, 'Doh!

Marilyn, I'll look into Panteithine again. I went with garlic last time, because

it's a lot cheaper. That sure didn't pan out!

Thanks for the advice!

Holly

Crohn's

SCD 12/01/08

>

> >

> >

> > Yesterday I had a very disappointing doctor's appointment. My cholesterol

> > has ballooned up to 314!

> >

> > HDL = 87 (down a few points from last time)

> > LDL = 211

> >

> > My doc (a new one) is insisting on a statin (as did my old one, before I

> > left). At this point, I don't feel like I have a choice. The only changes

> > since my last test (results were 264) are: surgery, quitting humira,

> > starting LDN, and regularly taking garlic (sure didn't help any).

> >

> > Thyroid results were abnormal, but my doc doesn't feel it warrants any

> > further tests or treatment:

> >

> > TSH = 5.670 (range .450 - 4.5) - 1 year ago it was 3.99

> > Free T4 (Direct) = 1.34 (range .82 - 1.77)

> >

> > I can't afford to pay for the tests myself, or go to a good thyroid doctor,

> > so I'm just kind of screwed.

> >

> > Ferritin is also down to 36. Yuck. All in all, major disappoint abounds

> > :-(.

> >

> > Holly

> > Crohn's

> > SCD 12/01/08

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sky, I brought up the connection of high cholesterol and a wonky thyroid, but my

doc assured me my thyroid was fine >. Which 2 tests do you think I need? The

free T3 and what? I'll look into it. I can't afford a lot, but I may be able to

scrape together something for a couple tests. I'll get some extra vitamin C too.

I have quite a bit in my multi, but probably not enough.

Amelia, I told my doctor about the new range, but he said that each lab has a

different range. Pffftt >. I didn't get a free T3 or antibody test either,

just the TSH and T4. I see my hematologist in about a month, so I suppose he'll

have me get another set of iron infusions. It's entirely possible that my high

TSH could be related to my dropping Ferritin levels. I didn't even bring up

adrenals. Since my doc wasn't open to further thyroid testing, I figured there

was no chance that he would think there was something going on with the

adrenals.

Thanks so much! It's very helpful to chat with people who are knowlegable about

this stuff :-)!

Holly

Crohn's

SCD 12/01/08

>

> Holly,

>

> Two things. First, the high cholesterol. My doctor here (in the UK) told me

that they found, by gathering data from high cholesterol patients around the

world, that high cholesterol needed to be in the presence of other risk

indicators before it was recommended to be treated otherwise they were killing

people by putting them on high cholesterol meds. The other risk factors are

diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, age, gender and ethnicity. Usually I

have been found to have higher cholesterol, but the ratio of 'good to bad' is

o.k. I see it is the other way around for you meaning your LDL is too high,

which normally is bad. Do you remember, though, recently someone posted an

article regarding LDL and that there were in fact something like 5 different

types of LDL and not all of them were bad like originally thought. I would keep

these things in mind before consenting to taking statin drugs.

>

> The other thing is that your TSH is too high. You are off the high end of

even the OLD range. The current recommended range (as of 2003) is more like .3

- 3.0 Your doctor and the lab he uses are way out of date. You are most

definitely hypo range if he is diagnosing simply by TSH -- which one should

never do. I am not familar with the reference range you posted for the Free T4

nor the designation 'Direct,' so I can't comment on it, however, to get a

better picture you needed to have the Free T3 done at a minimum as well. Do you

have that? Did he do antibodies testing to see if your body was attacking

either the gland or the hormone?

>

> Your low ferritin could be one of the results of being hypo. It happens

because for some reason hypo can also lead to low stomach acid which in turn

decreases the bodys ability to breakdown food which decreases the ability to

release and absorb nutrients. Including B12, iron, trace minerals and other

vitamins.

>

> And, if you have been going like this for a while, you could also be stressing

your adrenal glands, and if that happens you could possibly be not producing

adequate cortisol -- necessary to get the T3 into the cells and helps the body

regulate inflammation.

>

> There is more of a puzzle here than seems at first glance.

>

> Amelia

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: BTVC-SCD

> Sent: Fri, March 19, 2010 9:48:13 PM

> Subject: OT - My cholesterol and thyroid results

>

>

> Yesterday I had a very disappointing doctor's appointment. My cholesterol has

ballooned up to 314!

>

> HDL = 87 (down a few points from last time)

> LDL = 211

>

> My doc (a new one) is insisting on a statin (as did my old one, before I

left). At this point, I don't feel like I have a choice. The only changes since

my last test (results were 264) are: surgery, quitting humira, starting LDN, and

regularly taking garlic (sure didn't help any).

>

> Thyroid results were abnormal, but my doc doesn't feel it warrants any further

tests or treatment:

>

> TSH = 5.670 (range .450 - 4.5) - 1 year ago it was 3.99

> Free T4 (Direct) = 1.34 (range .82 - 1.77)

>

> I can't afford to pay for the tests myself, or go to a good thyroid doctor, so

I'm just kind of screwed.

>

> Ferritin is also down to 36. Yuck. All in all, major disappoint abounds :-(.

>

> Holly

> Crohn's

> SCD 12/01/08

>