Low DHEA and T3 & 4 levels
#324348 - 02/08/08 11:31 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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My pain doctor, still trying to make me feel better, had me do a 24 hour urine collection and send it to a speciality lab to check for abnormalities. My appt to go over the results with her isn't until next Thursday but I called to make sure they had the results and see if I could get a copy, which I did.
Both my mom and grandma have low thyroid, I have had several blood tests and they always come back in the low end of normal so no one will treat it even though I have all the signs-the weight gain, the hair loss, the fatigue. The urine test showed my free T4 to be 300, it should be 430-3200 and my T3 to be 600 with normal ranges from 470-1750. These T tests are supposed to be much more accurate at detecting thyroid problems. It would seem that I definitely have a thyroid problem.
On top of that, my DHEA level which is supposed to be 100-2000, with most web sites saying that 250 should be the minimum, mine is 35. Low dhea levels can cause weight gain, fatigue, depression, low sex drive, again all symptoms that I have. I also found an article saying that low dhea levels can increase thrombosis, blood clots. I am on blood thinners right now for two pulmonary embolisms and three dvts, thats 5 blood clots!! The article also says that pregnant woman are more prone to clotting when they have low dhea levels because it circulates between the other and fetus. I have had 5 unexplained miscarriages, one of the top reasons for first trimester miscarriage, is blood clot! I have had the blood clotting blood panel done twice now and each time everything came back ok but I wonder if it was the low dhea all along?
In my readings, I also saw that low DHEA levels can be linked to ai diseases, especially lupus and ra! And that it has something to do with inflammation as well.
Also my estrogen is high and progesterone is low and the test was done on a specific cycle day to take into account of the fluctuations during a woman's cycle.
I can't understand much about this one but my etiocholone is high.
They know for sure from the biopsy I had that I do have sarcoidosis, beyond that nothing else is for sure. They thought I had rheumatoid arthritis for the longest time and a host of other illnesses but who the heck knows now.
I am scheduled to start my first remicaid treatment the 21st. It would seem that I will be getting a higher dose more frequently than those people being treated with it for chrons and rheumatoid.
Not sure what the intent of my post is but I find some of this info to be very interesting. I will be sure to update with what the dr actually has to say about it all next Thursday
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Good luck at your appt., Michele. Some very interesting results from your urine tests. Defintely check into the thyroid thing. Mine is kind of borderline low as well. My RE put me on thyroid meds for it. It can be a factor in infertility. And hopefully your Dr. will have some insight on the DHEA stuff. Isn't it sad that we have to make our own diagnoses? Keep asking questions and bugging them until they fix you!  You're on the right track. Stay positive.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I did these tests too. They also tested my Reverse T3. I'm not on any thyroid meds though. The Cytomel he put me on gave me killer migraines so I had to stop taking it.
Good luck, and Keep with it! Remember to keep copies of all your tests, just in case this particular doctor doesn't work out for you!
~nelly~
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Thanks for sharing, Michele! Definitely keep us posted!
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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Re:Update
#324757 - 02/14/08 01:54 PM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Well, pretty much every and any hormone is out of whack. I am definitely clinically hypothyroid. She is running a couple more blood tests to rule out hoshimotos disease and to determine which thyroid medication I will be on. I am starting iodine supplements tonight.
I am also starting supplements for the low DHEA which she agrees is probably the cause of my blood clots. They have know since the fertility stuff that I am way estrogen dominant and my progesterone is way too low. I can not take any synthetic hormones because of my increase chance for blood clots so she is working on getting me some natural progesterone cream to help the balance there a bit.
My adrenal glands and cortisol are still messed up from the steroids.
I have very little hgh, human growth hormone. Yes, the stuff the baseball people have been arguing over. They tested mine twice because it was so low they thought it had to be a mistake. The catch, the only treatment is with daily injections, ok, I can do that, but they are really expensive and insurance is reluctant to pay for them. She is going to contact my insurance company to see what she can do.
There were a few other things but my eyes started to glaze over at this point. Its bad enough to have the sarcoidosis making me feel like crap but to have all this endocrin stuff on top of it. It does explain why I can not lose weight, have problems sleeping, depression, mood swings, the fatigue, memory problems and lack of concentration, increased cholesterol levels, hair loss, loss of sex drive-the list is endless.
Its been 3 weeks since I have had a humira injection in preparation for my remicaid infusion next week and I feel awful. I am tired, I hurt and I am depressed.
I am happy they are finding answers but we have been told things in the past many times and than its always something different. I just do not know what to believe anymore. I just want to feel better.
Sorry to be whiney but I am just drained. I need to go home, have myself a good cry, eat some chocolate and go to bed.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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*HUGS* Hope you got to eat some chocolate and snuggle up last night. I know this is so overwhelming for you. I admire you strength. Hang in there!
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Re:Update
#324863 - 02/16/08 11:29 AM
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Susie2
Reged: 08/07/06
Posts: 158
Loc: Pomona California
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 Unfortunately when your autoimmune system is off, all the hormones go off, so I'm not too surprised to hear that you are low on everything. Plus the steroids. I know when I was on steroids for just a few weeks I gained 20 pounds and my mood started to flip flop all around. Doesn't help when you have a little problem with depression to begin with. I can really understand your hesitation to get too excited about having a diagnosis and treatment plan because in the past docs sure thought they knew what was wrong, treated you with some powerful medications and then that wasn't it. You certainly have a lot of fortitude. I would have caved in long before.
I'm really sorry that you are going through so much. I wish I could do more than express my sympathies.
Susie
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i have low dhea levels but I have definitely learnt to not give in to depression. It takes a lot of Prayer and concentration, and you should tell your Dr everything you are feeling/thinking.
The thing is, that low DHEA levels appear in people with CFS/ME, IBS and Fibromyalgia but while we can't change the physical aspects too much we can do our best to not give in to depression/anxiety.
Praying helps a lot for me and remaining positive but keep in touch with your Dr and remember even on the darkest days, you deserve to LIVE. Don't do anything stupid or cowardly. Choose to live and fight. It'll be ok...lean on Jesus or on family,friends or even yourself. We are all so much stronger than we think.
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Re:Update
#324925 - 02/18/08 07:42 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Thanks Susie. I wasn't too surprised either to see that I am a quart or two low on several things. I am hoping the blood test they did to determine the proper thyroid medicine comes in soon.
I am in a really bad flare from not having my humira shots. I am so tired and so weak. I sure hope this infusion Thursday snaps me out of it.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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