RE: Back with News from the Endocrinologist

[Guest guest]

Join the club when it comes to lenghtly tests,etc. At least it seems you have a

very good docter who is on top of your medical issues. Be relieved as you are,

you dnt have Cancer. Continue the tests and meds. Continue to research as well.

Bring your thoughts back to your doc but it seems you are in good hands. Dnt

forget to breath! Love you and family or sponse.

Back with News from the Endocrinologist

My endocrinologist appointment was yesterday, whereupon I learned much new

information. I've tried to note this in a way that can be easily read.

1. I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Apparently there's nothing I can do about

it. Eventually it destroys the thyroid enough that thyroid therapy must be

started. Though that point may be years off, I'm sure there are symptoms to

expect from now going forward.

2. I do have a tiny, benign, pituitary adenoma (tumor), but it's not secreting

a hormone, nor damaging my body in any way. One less thing to worry about.

3. I still have a highly elevated level of estrodiol. The doctor is willing to

prescribe Anastrozole to address this, provided I undergo another round of blood

work first.

4. As was not much of a surprise, I will still be injecting myself with

testosterone for the foreseeable future. I will, however, need to vary the

dosage slightly to see if I can reach a steadier level. When before I would

inject 200 mg every 14 days, he told me to inject 100 mg every 7 days.

5. I have some still-unexplained issue with insulin resistance. The problem

mimics the symptoms of pre-diabetes. Tests will be run to determine if blood

sugar is an issue.

6. I noted the possibly deficiency of Vitamin B12, and he wished to run more

tests before he made any judgment about that.

This is all I know thus far. If anyone has anything to suggest or add, please

do so. I'm glad to at least have some answers, but the doctor did stress that

this is going to be a lengthy process tha

[The entire original message is not included]

[Guest guest]

,

He said you have a Pituitary tumor but it's not " it's not secreting a hormone,

nor damaging my body in any " I don't understand what he is saying you have low

testosterone and a tumor. I would say your pituitary is not telling your body

to make Testosterone by not sending enough LH and FSH to your Testis. To help

you with this you would do better to add HCG a low dose to this to keep your LH

cells energized. What are your labs get a copy of them an autoimmune thyroid

disease is called Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashimoto's_thyroiditis

My wife has this and it very hard to treat one month her thyroid works great the

next it is very low. They put her on med then the next month she is Hyper very

hard to control.

I don't like Endo's my wife seen them 8 of the over the yrs not one help here

until she stopped seeing them and found a good MD Dr. that was up on treating

Thyroid today she takes T4 with T3 low dose's and dose good.

I am Secondary have a pituitary problem due to a head injury I don't make any of

the hormones the Pituitary controls.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: cabaretic <cabaretic@...>

> Subject: Back with News from the Endocrinologist

>

> Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 8:42 AM

> My endocrinologist appointment was

> yesterday, whereupon I learned much new information. 

> I've tried to note this in a way that can be easily

> read. 

>

> 1. I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Apparently there's

> nothing I can do about it.  Eventually it destroys the

> thyroid enough that thyroid therapy must be started. 

> Though that point may be years off, I'm sure there are

> symptoms to expect from now going forward.

>

> 2. I do have a tiny, benign, pituitary adenoma (tumor), but

> it's not secreting a hormone, nor damaging my body in any

> way. One less thing to worry about.

>

> 3. I still have a highly elevated level of estrodiol. 

> The doctor is willing to prescribe Anastrozole to address

> this, provided I undergo another round of blood work first.

>

> 4. As was not much of a surprise, I will still be injecting

> myself with testosterone for the foreseeable future. I will,

> however, need to vary the dosage slightly to see if I can

> reach a steadier level. When before I would inject 200 mg

> every 14 days, he told me to inject 100 mg every 7

> days. 

>

> 5. I have some still-unexplained issue with insulin

> resistance. The problem mimics the symptoms of pre-diabetes.

> Tests will be run to determine if blood sugar is an issue.

>

> 6.  I noted the possibly deficiency of Vitamin B12,

> and he wished to run more tests before he made any judgment

> about that.

>

> This is all I know thus far.  If anyone has anything

> to suggest or add, please do so.  I'm glad to at least

> have some answers, but the doctor did stress that this is

> going to be a lengthy process that will take months to

> established.  Endocrine disorders, as is no surprise to

> anyone on this board, are complex and involve many different

> parts of the body at one time.

>

> Thanks, everyone!

>

> .     

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Just wanted to mention that high levels of estradiol cause insulin

resistance.

When I first was tested, my estradiol level was a very high 115. My Insulin

level was high at 37.3 (range 6-30), and my glucose level was 87. My SHBG

level was 10.4 (range 13.0-71.0) indicating that I had insulin resistance.

As you start to take Anastrozole and lower your estradiol levels, you will

notice that your insulin resistance will start to get better, too. For me,

I don't remember exactly but I think it took 3-6 months before I started to

see results.

At first, my SHBG levels went up by only a few points while taking only

Anastrozole. Later, I started to take Levothyroxine to help with my thyroid

and my SHBG levels jumped up into the mid 20's. I don't have the recent

numbers in front of me, but my last insulin test showed that the level had

dropped quite a bit (I am thinking low 20's).

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of cabaretic

Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 7:42 AM

Subject: Back with News from the Endocrinologist

My endocrinologist appointment was yesterday, whereupon I learned much new

information. I've tried to note this in a way that can be easily read.

1. I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Apparently there's nothing I can do

about it. Eventually it destroys the thyroid enough that thyroid therapy

must be started. Though that point may be years off, I'm sure there are

symptoms to expect from now going forward.

2. I do have a tiny, benign, pituitary adenoma (tumor), but it's not

secreting a hormone, nor damaging my body in any way. One less thing to

worry about.

3. I still have a highly elevated level of estrodiol. The doctor is willing

to prescribe Anastrozole to address this, provided I undergo another round

of blood work first.

4. As was not much of a surprise, I will still be injecting myself with

testosterone for the foreseeable future. I will, however, need to vary the

dosage slightly to see if I can reach a steadier level. When before I would

inject 200 mg every 14 days, he told me to inject 100 mg every 7 days.

5. I have some still-unexplained issue with insulin resistance. The problem

mimics the symptoms of pre-diabetes. Tests will be run to determine if blood

sugar is an issue.

6. I noted the possibly deficiency of Vitamin B12, and he wished to run more

tests before he made any judgment about that.

This is all I know thus far. If anyone has anything to suggest or add,

please do so. I'm glad to at least have some answers, but the doctor did

stress that this is going to be a lengthy process that will take months to

established. Endocrine disorders, as is no surprise to anyone on this board,

are complex and involve many different parts of the body at one time.

Thanks, everyone!

.

[Guest guest]

, what he said about treating (or rather NOT treating) the Hashimoto's

is what Endos typically say. Thing is, you can have hypothyroid symptoms

before the thyroid gland is burnt out. So, taking into account symptoms and

treating where appropriate is important. Free T4 and free T3 levels are

another good thing to look at and not just the stupid TSH. This is another

way Endos can easily fail us in managing our thyroid issues.

I'd personally want a second opinion on any pituitary tumor!

Do you know what he's testing for B12?

-Nigel

On 26 January 2011 07:42, cabaretic <cabaretic@...> wrote:

>

>

> My endocrinologist appointment was yesterday, whereupon I learned much new

> information. I've tried to note this in a way that can be easily read.

>

> 1. I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Apparently there's nothing I can do

> about it. Eventually it destroys the thyroid enough that thyroid therapy

> must be started. Though that point may be years off, I'm sure there are

> symptoms to expect from now going forward.

>

> 2. I do have a tiny, benign, pituitary adenoma (tumor), but it's not

> secreting a hormone, nor damaging my body in any way. One less thing to

> worry about.

>

> 3. I still have a highly elevated level of estrodiol. The doctor is willing

> to prescribe Anastrozole to address this, provided I undergo another round

> of blood work first.

>

> 4. As was not much of a surprise, I will still be injecting myself with

> testosterone for the foreseeable future. I will, however, need to vary the

> dosage slightly to see if I can reach a steadier level. When before I would

> inject 200 mg every 14 days, he told me to inject 100 mg every 7 days.

>

> 5. I have some still-unexplained issue with insulin resistance. The problem

> mimics the symptoms of pre-diabetes. Tests will be run to determine if blood

> sugar is an issue.

>

> 6. I noted the possibly deficiency of Vitamin B12, and he wished to run

> more tests before he made any judgment about that.

>

> This is all I know thus far. If anyone has anything to suggest or add,

> please do so. I'm glad to at least have some answers, but the doctor did

> stress that this is going to be a lengthy process that will take months to

> established. Endocrine disorders, as is no surprise to anyone on this board,

> are complex and involve many different parts of the body at one time.

>

> Thanks, everyone!

>

> .

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the help.

Let's see if I can summarize all that has been asked and commented.

First, regarding the tumor, I knew I wasn't stating it properly. The

endocrinologist says that it's less than 2 cm in diameter, it's not secreting

prolactin, it is benign, and thus it is completely harmless.

When it showed up on the MRI, it was so small as to seem insignificant upon

first analysis, but my GP thought it merited an additional pair of eyes.

I'll do more research on the thyroid stuff. The truth of the matter is that I

don't know enough about the condition to answer many question. But from what

I've read, it does say that it can be caused by Lithium. I am on Lithium, but

no other medication works as well as it does to keep my mood level.

I don't know what he's doing for Vitamin B12 yet. My next appointment isn't

until March 3. I'll find out my latest levels on Tuesday, and then let everyone

know when I have them in hand.