24 Y/O Looking to Optimize

Hey guys, I’d really appreciate it if you took a look at my labs and gave some pointers. I’m thankfully healthy at the moment and don’t have any (serious) symptoms. I am trying to optimize my system.

I recently went through a rough batch caused by overtraining and undereating and a heavy flu (maybe caused by the other two). This led to a generalized lack of motivation. It’'s been getting better and better since I started eating normally again and training smartly. I learned my lesson and now I’m trying to do all I can to improve my endocrine system. Thank you for your attention. I have read and re-read the stickies and will try to be as compliant with the specified format as I can. I have also made some research of my own and read a lot of the threads here.

General Description

-age: 24
-height: 5ft 10in
-waist: 34in
-weight: 170lb
-describe body and facial hair: patchy on face, getting better. Moderate hair on chest, legs and armpits. No hair on arms.
-describe where you carry fat and how changed: mostly in my lower back and lower stomach, some on chest.
-health conditions, symptoms [history]: no chronic conditions so far.
-Rx and OTC drugs, any hair loss drugs or prostate drugs ever: none
-describe diet: three meals a day, protein and rice in each, fruit in two of them, veggies in two of them.
-describe training: three days of strength training, two days of conditioning, two days of.
-testes ache, ever, with a fever?: no
-how have morning wood and nocturnal erections changed: no change. I get erections most mornings.
-supplements I take: Flameout EFA’s, Vit D3 (8000ui/day)
-history of Iodine intake: lifetime consumption of iodized salt (50-100ppm of iodine), no other supplements containing iodine.

Labs: Result Unit (Range)

TSH: 3.16 uUI/ml (0.27-4.2)

FT4: 1.48 ng/dl (0.9-1.7)

FT3: 2.9 pg/ml (1.8-4.6)

TT: 534.3 ng/dl (218-906)

FT: 15.1 pg/ml (8.8-27)

LH: 3.0 mU/ml (1.7-8.6)

FSH: 2.2 mU/ml (1.5-12.4)

E2: 29.75 pg/ml (7.63-42.6)

Prolactin: 13.35 ng/ml ((4.04-15.2)

PSA: 0.361 ng/ml (0.0-2.5)

Cortisol AM (8AM): 20.01 ug/dl (6.2-19.4)

DHEA-S: 330.4 ug/dl (211-492)

Vit D, 25-OH Total: 65.3ng/ml (30-100)

Hematocrit: 43.9 % (45-54)

AST 28 U/L (0-40)

ALT 29 U/L (0-41)

Fasted Glucose: 81 mg/dl (70-110)

Temperatures:

Day 1: AM 96.6, PM 98.2

Day 2: AM 96.8, PM 97.3

Day 3: AM 97.2, PM 98.4

Thoughts/Questions:

My FT3 and FT4 levels seem to be OK but TSH is quite high (especially considering the new recommendation to lower the upper limit to 3 and the ideal being close to 1) and temperatures are low. Is this pattern suggestive of an Iodine Deficiency? I tested my mother and her temperatures seem to be low too, even though she takes T4. Am I a good candidate for IR?

TT and FT are middle range, so I guess I’m not Mr T (pun intended) but they aren’t low either and my sex drive is fine. LH and FSH are on the low side however. It may be that my testicles are very sensitive to the LH/FSH signal (given that T isn’t low) or that, given that both hormones are emitted in pulses, that the lab caught me in a low point, although it is said that FSH is more stable. Or it could be both. My scrotum is not constricted.

E2 is not out of range but it’s on the higher end and it seem to be a little high for my T levels. Same goes for Prolactin. This seems a bit odd since high Prolactin seems to be related to long refractory periods and mine aren’t really long (15-30 mins). Could these hormones be giving negative feedback to the pituitary thus explaining the low LH/FSH?

Cortisol seems high. I was not able to have the four sample saliva test done, since no lab in my country is doing it. I have read that high cortisol can inhibit the HPTA too. High cortisol would also explain (in part) my fat distribution patter (mostly lower back and lower stomach).

I thank you all for any insight you can give.

Eduardo

Yes, TSH is a concern and if you are getting accurate body temperatures, you have some functional hypothyroidism. What about your thyroid size and constancy? Dry skin etc? Feel cold easily? fT4 is a bit over mid range and fT3 is a bit below. IR can be a simple tool. If temperatures improve, that supports the idea that you were ID, if not, then you are looking at rT3 issues and/or a true thyroid condition. You can see if your mom can spare some T4 and carefully experiment with some and note how your mental state and temperatures are affected. The results may be informative and motivational if positive.

Your mother may be under dosed. Is she lethargic? What can you find out about her condition? Does she have Hashimoto’s? You probably should get tested for whatever she has. Your mom also used iodized salt? Also note that some do not convert T4–>T3 effectively in peripheral tissues and the get hypo symptoms when taking T4. She does thyroid labs? With thyroid meds, one’s temperatures may vary with a profile after dosing.

Hematocrit seems high relative to your T levels. Do you have other CBC data such as RBC and hemoglobin?
Were you dehydrated for your fasting lab work? Blood pressure? Are you eating iron fortified bread or prepared serials? If you donate blood and feel great for a while afterwards, that suggests that your blood is too thick and creating problems.

I agree that prolactin and/or E2 are probably reducing LH/FSH. Because serum LH levels are pulsatile, FSH is the better indicator and it is low. So you could expect some benefit if you can reduce prolactin and E2. Note that prolactin is release during orgasm; so lab values soon after may be distorted.

You seem to understand that “I recently went through a rough batch caused by overtraining and undereating and a heavy flu” can lower your hormones and increase rT3.

Your actions are very good. But you missed the cholesterol connection. If cholesterol is low, that can have negative impacts. However, your DHEA and cortisol level does not suggest that you have a problem.

Why did you start with Vit-D 8000iu

Your written English is very good!

You are a lower T guy and seem to be doing well with that. So your T levels are less of an issue than for a guy who has dropped to that from a higher level.

You seem to be carrying too much fat. You are only 24YO. You need to get control of this now. Thyroid, T and E2 issues are all pushing you in the wrong direction. I would make thyroid your top focus for now. Find out more about your mothers condition.

Hey Ksman, thanks for the insight!

Regarding our current discussion:

  • Thyroid size and seems normal and feels smooth (no lumps). I do not get cold more easily than others. Skin is not particularly dry at the moment.

  • My mother is not lethargic. The cause of her hypothyroidism has not been determined (if you think doctors in the US are bad you should see the ones I’ve had to deal with). Her treatment started about 8 years ago because her TSH levels were through the roof (approx. 9uUI/ml). Her T4 dose is adjusted according to TSH levels alone. She also uses iodized salt but, like me, she only uses a bit for cooking. The shaker is rarely used at the table.

  • The last thyroid labs done to her that I could find (done a year ago) show the following:

TSH: 3.26 uUI/ml (0.27-4.2)

FT4: 1.39 ng/dl (0.9-1.7)

Not tested for FT3 or TT3

  • Interestingly enough, I just learned that my father is on T4 medication too. Even on medication (75mcgs of T4/day) his TSH has never been below 2.5 uUi/ml!

  • I made a mistake transcribing the Hematocrit results. Correct result is: Hematocrit: 43.9 % (45-54). I corrected it on the original post.

  • As part of the preparation for the prolactin test I was told not to have sex or masturbate 48 hours before. I did exercise 20 hours before even though I was told not to (I forgot about that part). Maybe that altered the result somewhat.

  • I understand now (in part) how over-training and under-eating affect hormonal homeostasis. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. Unfortunately, no lab in the country will test for rT3 so I will not be able to examine this variable any time soon.

  • I realize there is a connection between cholesterol and hormone levels. The reason why I didn’t post cholesterol results is that they were done a month ago when I was on a very low fat diet (big mistake, I know now) so I don’t know how relevant they are. Anyway here they are:

Total Cholesterol: 120 mg/dl (<200: optimum)

HDL: 40.13 mg/dl (>55: no risk)

LDL: 69.87 mg/dl (<100: optimum)

  • AM cortisol is high. I don’t know what to make of this yet.

  • I started taking Vitamin D after reading of it on this site. I live in a permanently cold weather and sunlight exposure is very limited, hence the dose.

  • I’m not overly fat but I do tend to carry most of it on my waist. I will post a picture of myself for reference.

  • Thank you for your compliments on my english!

So, based on this conversation and the best of my knowledge, my plan of action is as follows:

  1. Test TPO and TgAb to discard Hashimoto’s. If negative for Hashimoto’s, I will try IR. If it doesn’t work or if I test positive for antibodies, I will seek an endocrinologist to get medical treatment. I will also get my mother to have some labs done.

  2. Drop some extra fat I have gained recently. Maybe this will improve my hormone profile, especially T/E ratio.

  3. It makes sense (to me) to try natural alternatives before considering more potent drugs, so I will try the following supplement regime and see if it works:

  • Alpha Male (to improve LH/FSH)
  • Resveratrol (to lower E2)
  • Rhodiola Rosea (to improve Cortisol modulation)
  • Phosphatydylserine (?: see questions)
  • ZMA

Questions

a) I’ve read about the side effects of IR (namely bad odor) and I wanted to ask, how long does this typically last?

b) What information can be gained from taking a test dose of T4 as you suggested?

c) Cortisol seems a high and I cannot get the 4 sample saliva test so AM Cortisol (or 24hr Urine Cortisol) will have to suffice . Based on the results, should I take steps like taking Phosphatydylserine to lower it? I believe my fat distribution pattern and my personality traits are consistent with high cortisol. I will read Willson’s book.

d) How much fat would you suggest I lose?

I thank you for your time and your patience. Having someone more knowledgeable to guide me find some answers really is of great help and in this country, where medical knowledge is so far behind, this resource becomes invaluable!


Picture

Questions

a) I’ve read about the side effects of IR (namely bad odor) and I wanted to ask, how long does this typically last?
– if this occurs at all, it lasts while you are excreting any accumulated bromines, may not be an issue for you at all

b) What information can be gained from taking a test dose of T4 as you suggested?
– If you take some T4 and notice that you feel better, then you will be motivated to change your thyroid state

c) Cortisol seems a high and I cannot get the 4 sample saliva test so AM Cortisol (or 24hr Urine Cortisol) will have to suffice . Based on the results, should I take steps like taking Phosphatydylserine to lower it? I believe my fat distribution pattern and my personality traits are consistent with high cortisol. I will read Willson’s book.
– Better high than low. Might be falsely high if you were hyped up for the lab work, just watch this for now. Wilson’s book covers situations where ones cortisol levels are low because the adrenals have become fatigued supporting higher cortisol levels from stress, injury or disease.

You do look healthy.

d) How much fat would you suggest I lose?
– looking at your photo, you look good. I think that for your height, you could get to a 32" waist. [I was 34" and flabby, TRT and AI lowered fat and I gained/restored muscle mass, weight never changed. I now wear 31" jeans.]

I thank you for your time and your patience. Having someone more knowledgeable to guide me find some answers really is of great help and in this country, where medical knowledge is so far behind, this resource becomes invaluable!

Update:

Thanks for your answers Ksman!

I have just received the results for the thyroid antibodies tests that I did today. I had my mother do them too.

Results:

Me:
TPO: 11.74 Ui/ml (0-34)
TgAb: 11.92 UI/ml (0-115)

My Mother:
TPO: 17.22 Ui/ml (0-34)
TgAb: 14.91 UI/ml (0-115)

So it looks like neither of us has one of the common auto-inmune diseases the these test help diagnose. I understand that this results are not clear cut answers but they do give me some peace of mind for the moment.

So the next step is starting IR and the supplement stack I described in my previous post. I’ll take labs approximately in 6 weeks to give the supplements time to work and temperatures during and after IR. I’ll update this thread as soon as I have some results.

I’m very excited about this. Again, thank you for your help!

Update:

After my last post (a little over two months ago), I decided to try the following supplement stack (in addition to the other supplements I normally take) to try to improve my hormonal profile:

  • Alpha Male (continuous use following label directions)
  • Resveratrol (3 tablets/day although I discontinued use about a month ago due to cost)
  • Rhodiola Rosea (4 tablets/day used for about six weeks)

I haven’t tried IR yet because I have read mixed reviews with the protocol and statements that say it can adversely affect one’s condition. This is not to say that I completely discard the possibility that it could help me. I bought the Lodoral but I’m still trying to gather more information to decide if and how I should use it.

I also lost some fat to reduce any excess aromatization that could negatively affect my HPTA and I manipulated my diet to include more fat overall and more saturated fat. Carbohydrates were reduced to aid in the fat loss effort.

Results:

TSH: 3.7 uUI/ml (0.27-4.2)

FT4: 1.3 ng/dl (0.9-1.7)

FT3: 2.0 pg/ml (1.8-4.6)

TT: 713.0 ng/dl (218-906)

FT: Result has not been reported yet. I will post it as soon as I have it

LH: 5.6 mU/ml (1.7-8.6)

FSH: 2.7 mU/ml (1.5-12.4)

E2: 24.36 pg/ml (7.63-42.6)

Prolactin: 11.76 ng/ml ((4.04-15.2)

Cortisol AM (8AM): 25.63 ug/dl (6.2-19.4)

DHEA-S: 270.3 ug/dl (211-492)

Vit D, 25-OH Total: 65.1 ng/ml (30-100)

AM Temperatures:

  1. 36.0
  2. 36.3
  3. 36.3
  • Overall my mood is very good, my libido is good and my body composition has improved more easily than before (having an easier time staying lean). I don?t feel cold more often that people around me.

Observations:

HPTA function improved markedly, as can be seen by the increase in LH (from 3.0 to 5.6) and TT (from 534.3 to 713.0) and the decrease in E2 (from 29.75 to 24.36). Changes in diet, body composition and supplementation were successful.

Cortisol seems to remain high (20.01 and 25.63). I had a very physically stressful day the day before the exams (trained twice) so this might account for the increase in AM Cortisol and I can find no other environmental explanation to account for it. I am currently not under any type of psychological stress and sleep patterns remain normal. I have not been ill lately. DHEA-S levels dropped somewhat (from 330.4 to 270.3).

Thyroid function seems to have worsened, as seen by the increase in TSH (from 3.16 to 3.7) and the decreases of both FT4 (from 1.48 to 1.3) and FT3 (form 2.9 to 2.0), with the decrease in T3 being the more significant of the two. I have read that reducing carbohydrate intake can impair conversion from T4 to T3 so the reduction of carbohydrates in the diet on order to lose fat might have been responsible for the decrease in T3 levels. There is now way for me to test rT3 so I cannot know if this is an issue for me. Morning temperatures are somewhat low.

Questions:

HPA-related

  • Is the increase in AM Cortisol and the decrease in DHEA-S something to worry about? Could the increase in androgens and Cortisol account for the decrease in DHEA-S levels?

  • Can these be early signs of adrenal fatigue? Would it be beneficial to try something like Phosphatydylserine to manage this?

  • Could the carbohydrate restriction period have played a role in these changes?

Thyroid related

  • Considering I have a family history of hypothyroidism, would it be worth it to consider hormone medication? I have talked to two doctors about this and they don’t think it’s necessary or advisable at this point since TSH is in range. I know better than to trust them on this.

  • Could IR be beneficial, considering I have consumed (small amounts of) iodized salt all my life? What are the real risks of this rout, if there are any at all?

I thank you all in advance for your patience and your help!

You have anti bodies though, both of you!! This is suggestive of something… In time you may see this antibodies build more… I’m interested to see what happens after you try iodine…

Although I wouldn’t if I were you

[quote]iw84aces wrote:
You have anti bodies though, both of you!! This is suggestive of something… In time you may see this antibodies build more… I’m interested to see what happens after you try iodine…

Although I wouldn’t if I were you[/quote]

Are these antibodies levels really enough to suspect an autoimmune condition? Isn’t it normal for everybody to have a certain level of them? I mean, there must be a reason why there is a range to the results…

The presence of these antibodies could mean a few things pernicious aneima, type one diabetes or any auto immune disorder in the body it may or not be a thyroid problem.

I don’t understand your ranges.

Normally > 9 ui/ml is considered something is wrong. This test is not specific to the thyroid and you may be at risk of adrenal insufficiency or type 1 diabetes.

Not trying to freak you out. If you feel health that’s great :slight_smile:

Why not check the adrenals and fasting glucose and a1c also ask for a thyroid ultrasound

Im Speaking of tpo

[quote]iw84aces wrote:
The presence of these antibodies could mean a few things pernicious aneima, type one diabetes or any auto immune disorder in the body it may or not be a thyroid problem.

I don’t understand your ranges.

Normally > 9 ui/ml is considered something is wrong. This test is not specific to the thyroid and you may be at risk of adrenal insufficiency or type 1 diabetes.

Not trying to freak you out. If you feel health that’s great :slight_smile:

Why not check the adrenals and fasting glucose and a1c also ask for a thyroid ultrasound

Im Speaking of tpo[/quote]

I did some research and it turn out that some labs give a 0 - 34 IU/ml range (like mine), while others give a <9.0 IU/ml range (like the results you are referring to). I spoke to an endo and he said my results were normal.

Adrenal function was tested via DHEA-S and Cortisol AM (results posted above). These are the tests available to me at the moment. My fasted glucose was 81 the last time I tested it (result posted above).

Would I still be taking a risk by trying IR at moderate doses, maybe 12.5 mg/day?

Thanks for the help!

The recommended dose here is 50 mg which is 333 times the daily recommended amount.

Ask the endo if its ok to load 12 mg of iodine a day if you think what he says is gold.

I took iodine and began having hot flashes and they never left my ft3 went way out of range and ft4 went to the top of range.

My thyroid is now enlarged

I have no antibodies that could be found and this happened to me.

A friend tried a lower dose then me and I ended up in the emergency room with him with heart palpitations.

I listed a number of links in the ksman is here thread to make my point to ksman regarding this subject but now the links don’t work as someone has disabled them. Hmmm

Anyways do whatever u want bro, I can only tell you my experience.

Sorry I didn’t see your adrenal labs.

Have you tested rt3?

Good luck with whatever u choose man I hope everything works out

[quote]iw84aces wrote:
The recommended dose here is 50 mg which is 333 times the daily recommended amount.

Ask the endo if its ok to load 12 mg of iodine a day if you think what he says is gold.

I took iodine and began having hot flashes and they never left my ft3 went way out of range and ft4 went to the top of range.

My thyroid is now enlarged

I have no antibodies that could be found and this happened to me.

A friend tried a lower dose then me and I ended up in the emergency room with him with heart palpitations.

I listed a number of links in the ksman is here thread to make my point to ksman regarding this subject but now the links don’t work as someone has disabled them. Hmmm

Anyways do whatever u want bro, I can only tell you my experience.

Sorry I didn’t see your adrenal labs.

Have you tested rt3?

Good luck with whatever u choose man I hope everything works out [/quote]

I’m sorry to hear about your experience man. It’s not that I think everything my doctor says is absolutely correct (I wouldn’t be here if I did), I take his points of view like another tool to make decisions, the same way I take your advice and experiences. Your efforts to warn people about the possible adverse effects of IR are actually what has made me pause and think if it is a good idea.

Unfortunately, I have no way of testing rT3 as no lab in the country has this test.

What are your thoughts on trying low dose thyroid meds?

Umm forgive me but I don’t want to offer that advice…

I try not to speak if I might steer someone wrong and the dosing of the meds would be tough.

Have you heard of the site stop the thyroid madness? Have a look at that site and read and see what pertains to you.

I’m sorry if I came off moody with the comment about the doc, obviously and endo knows more then me I just don’t think doctors take people seriously unless its there own kid. I also am very ill and docs can’t help me and I struggle every day. Hence the moodiness…

I think maybe tunapancake might be able to help you with suggestions on thyroid meds. He told me to try armour but I have heard good things about straight t3. Unfortunately I can offer you advice this way as it would be purely speculation and may be misleading…

Peace man

IW: If you copy links from one thread to another, they are broken as you only copy the condensed link label. This is seen here often, guys do not realize.

EOD: IW has some experience, but is a voice of one. He and his friend took pills from the same bottle and had similar and rare results. I cannot rule out the product. But IW’s experience is not been applied to every case here. You have to choose your own road, and yes I do drive a Saab. I disagree with the foundations of IW’s arguments. IW thinks that I am insane. I think that there is good balance. ;}

I have to restate; see sticky, that ID can develop and change hypo → hyper. So do not loose site of that.

Your temps are lowish and fT3 is low. Temps reported are uptodate? Take 12.5 per day and watch how you feel and body temperatures. Doing nothing is not your style.

You need to tell us how you feel: energy/drive, feeling cold easily, skin changes, libido, ambition, socialization, head aches, digestion etc. Labs are only part of the puzzle. With you improved labs, I do not see you reporting progress.

Loosing fat: You still need to be eating lots of healthy fats.

Lol I listed a ton of links to where my “foundations” came from plus personal experience…

You run around telling every person to jump on iodine and that iodine is iodine. Then when someone has a bad reaction you blame the product…

Another forum member used the same product and no reaction so what can we assume??

  1. for some people iodine seems to be ok.

  2. for others it put them in the hospital

  3. you are not a doctor not do you recommend doing labs and keeping an eye on things to make sure people are ok while on IR so your a meat head assuming that they will be.

  4. You are on every drug on the planet and if big pharma shit down you would keel over…

  5. iodine is not iodine and iodine and iodide play different roles and you led me wrong and choose to not take responsibility for that.

  6. selenium vit C and other things should be added if even considering the shit.

  7. the links I posted worked for 2 days and were shut down…

  8. you asked me to link and I could link all day to sites about the adverse effects of high loading of iodine but you choose to ignore it and assume because you’re a stubborn ass that you know everything.

  9. your beginning to act like a Doc… Idiot

  10. I still think ur a good guy and appreciate the other help you have given people…

  11. stop buying stocks in iodine… Quack

[quote]KSman wrote:
IW: If you copy links from one thread to another, they are broken as you only copy the condensed link label. This is seen here often, guys do not realize.

EOD: IW has some experience, but is a voice of one. He and his friend took pills from the same bottle and had similar and rare results. I cannot rule out the product. But IW’s experience is not been applied to every case here. You have to choose your own road, and yes I do drive a Saab. I disagree with the foundations of IW’s arguments. IW thinks that I am insane. I think that there is good balance. ;}

I have to restate; see sticky, that ID can develop and change hypo → hyper. So do not loose site of that.

Your temps are lowish and fT3 is low. Temps reported are uptodate? Take 12.5 per day and watch how you feel and body temperatures. Doing nothing is not your style.

You need to tell us how you feel: energy/drive, feeling cold easily, skin changes, libido, ambition, socialization, head aches, digestion etc. Labs are only part of the puzzle. With you improved labs, I do not see you reporting progress.

Loosing fat: You still need to be eating lots of healthy fats.

[/quote]

Thank you for your response!

  • Temperatures are up to date, yes.

  • On my last update I included a general description of how I feel. In general, good. Good mood/libido, no skin changes, normal digestion, no headaches. I do feel cold on occasion and my feet and hands get cold easily. Noteworthy is the fact that I am having an easier time stayin lean compared to a couple of months ago, which seems odd considering my thyroid function is worse. My guess is that improved HPTA functionis responsible for this change.

  • During the fat loss period (which is now over) I cut down carbohydrate intake but upped dietary fat intake, specifically adding egg yolks and coconut oil to my diet, so this part is covered.

  • As far as IR goes, you are absolutely right. Doing nothing is not my style and I am aware that I have to make my own choice. I am trying to gather more information at this point to make the best decision I can. Both your input and iw84aces’ are very valuable to me as they both help me gain perspective on the matter.

  • One question regarding my previously reported thyroid antibodies lab results: are they, in your opinion, normal? I have searched the web for more info and it turns out that the jury is still out on the TPO range. Some say below 34 is normal while others say 9 should be the top of the range. This is highly relevant in my case since my result is around 12.

Again, thank you for your help. Your input has been most valuable to me.

[quote]iw84aces wrote:
Lol I listed a ton of links to where my “foundations” came from plus personal experience…

You run around telling every person to jump on iodine and that iodine is iodine. Then when someone has a bad reaction you blame the product…

Another forum member used the same product and no reaction so what can we assume??

  1. for some people iodine seems to be ok.

  2. for others it put them in the hospital

  3. you are not a doctor not do you recommend doing labs and keeping an eye on things to make sure people are ok while on IR so your a meat head assuming that they will be.

  4. You are on every drug on the planet and if big pharma shit down you would keel over…

  5. iodine is not iodine and iodine and iodide play different roles and you led me wrong and choose to not take responsibility for that.

  6. selenium vit C and other things should be added if even considering the shit.

  7. the links I posted worked for 2 days and were shut down…

  8. you asked me to link and I could link all day to sites about the adverse effects of high loading of iodine but you choose to ignore it and assume because you’re a stubborn ass that you know everything.

  9. your beginning to act like a Doc… Idiot

  10. I still think ur a good guy and appreciate the other help you have given people…

  11. stop buying stocks in iodine… Quack
    [/quote]

Thank you for your opinion and your advice. I am taking them into account as I try to determine what the next best action could be.

Lol no problem… Sorry for unloading in your thread… I don’t appreciate it when someone tells me something and I am stupid enough to do it and I get sick from it…

Look into tpo more… The fact that you have the anti bodies could mean you have some other auto immune problem.

Ksman doesn’t know about thyroid antibodies and doesn’t advise to test them hardly ever…

Like I said I apologize

Update:

After finding out that my thyroid function was far from optimal (labs above) I decided to give IR a try. I started by taking 12.5mg/day Iodoral and gradually increased the dose to 25mg/day and eventually 50mg/day. I suffered no side effects during the whole process. I finished IR about a two months ago and decided to wait some time to take new labs since I read that iodine can make thyroid function fluctuate a lot. I went to the lab today and here are the results:

           (new)       (old)

TSH: 1.94 form 3.7uUI/ml (0.27-4.2)
(new) (old)
FT4: 1.55 from 1.3 ng/dl (0.9-1.7)
(new) (old)
FT3: 2.6 from 2.0pg/ml (1.8-4.6)

Temperature taken today at 16:00 was 98.1

So TSH improved greatly and FT4 is now near the top of the range (good according to STTM). FT3 improved somewhat but it’s still on the lower side of the range. I still seem to be unable to reach the target temperatures. Mood is and energy levels are good but did not change compared to before IR. This is not to say I feel bad, only that I have no more or less energy than before. I don’t feel particularly cold nor hotter than before. I suffer no headaches and my digestion seems normal for me, though it has ever been somewhat slow.

So the question now is: what to do next? Should I be content with these results and count the improved TSH values as a victory or should I strive to figure out a way to improve FT3? If so, where to stat? I suppose rT3 could be a suspect but there is no way for me to test this. Right now I suffer virtually no stress and my Cortisol levels have not been low historically so I don’t think adrenal fatigue is an issue and I’m not suffering any of the symptoms. My diet is well balanced (plenty of protein, good fats, vegetables and fruit and some starch every day)

I also wanted to ask, what’s a good maintenance dose for iodine now that I’m done with IR?

Thank you all for your help!