Hey guys,
I’m obviously new here, I feel like I have a good doc but you guys have a lot more info than him, so I came to the experts. A little backstory:
38 YO
crossfit 5x a week, not exactly a gifted athlete but I like it.
230 pounds 6 foot 1. Not fat.
So I have felt terrible for about 3 years. Tried a bunch of docs who all told me I was normal. Finally went to the doc I have now who ran a different lab and had different views on what normal was and found out my T was low. These are the lab results.
Total T- 388 (300-853 ng-dl)
Free T- 6 (8-25.1 pg-ml)
estradiol 28.5 (<40pg/ml)
shbg 52 (10-57 nmol/L)
growth hormone <0.05 (0.05-3.00)
DHEA 201 (80-560)
Thyroxine, Total (Total T4) 6.7 (4.5-10.9 ug/dl)
triiodothyronine, Total T3—85 (60-181 ng-dl)
TSH 2.918 (0.55-4.78)
Free T4 1.3 (0.9-1.8)
I have the full report, but I fell like this is the stuff I see regularly asked for. I was prescribed 200 mg of Test Cyp and 1 mg of adex. I inject 2 times a week and take .25 adex when I inject. I took the whole adex initially and I think my estradiol plummeted quick. I felt terrible. I backed off the adex til I felt better. Just started taking it again. A week ago I had the best week in 3 years. Felt strong, and whole, good libido, all that. Then it totally fell off. This has been a hard week. I think two things:
1—Estradiol got too high off of the adex.
2—I’m curious about how my thyroid looks to you guys.
I am willing to take advice. I really need some help. I have had a real rough couple of years. Any help would really be awesome. Thanks guys.
Free t - 6?
Yeah. 6. Scale of 8-25.
You could have tested LH/FSH, cannot do that now.
You have hypothyroidism. Lab ranges are stupid, so doc thinks you are perfect.
This might be from an iodine deficiency caused by not using iodized salt.
Please provide your history of using iodized salt.
If you need to increase iodine intake, it is very important to be taking 200mg/day selenium to protect they thyroid from factors that lead to autoimmune disease.
TSH should be closer to 1.0
T3, T4, fT3, fT4 should be mid-range or a bit higher.
fT3 is the active hormone and should be tested.
Do not test GH!
IGF-1 is your measure of GH status.
FT––>E2
Your low FT means low E2 production.
E2=28.5 is then really odd.
Suggesting poor E2 clearance in the liver.
Did you test AST/ALT?
Some meds, Rx and OTC can reduce liver E2 clearance.
SHBG is increased by higher E2 and lower FT. FT is a major factor. Liver problems can increase SHBG. SHBG is made in the liver to scavenge sex hormones from the blood.
With heavy training on low-T and low thyroid function, natural energy can be replaced by adrenalin. Adrenals get stressed and rT3 can increase which blocks some fT3 action at T3 receptors. Key work is adrenal fatigue.
Discuss your energy levels and what it takes to fire up initiative. Now and in the past.
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys - need more info about you
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
KSman is simply a regular member on this site. Nothing more other than highly active.
Thanks,
Since I posted I have done some things that I read elsewhere in the forums.
average temp is 96.4. waking up, middle of the day, and evening. I never
break 97. I have not used iodized salt regularly for a long time because
we eat clean and himilayan sea salt is so trendy right now. Makes the wife
happy. I recently started 12.5 mg of iodine daily, seem to be getting
plenty of selenium in my multi…I will supplement that too if you think I
should.
AST 23 (13-39)
ALT 24 (7-52)
Why is it odd that my E2 is where it is? Is that high compared to my
FreeT? In terms of what it take to fire up initiative, I never really feel
like working out. I do it because it is the only thing that makes me feel
good, for a while. I typically feel like crap all day. Go to the gym and
get moving, feel good for about 6 hours…then decline into feeling sick
again.
Do you recommend going up on iodine or staying at 12.5 for a while? Should
I talk to my doctor about meds or try to let the iodine work its way into
me? Really tired of feeling like this. I really appreciate the input.
Thanks for what you’re doing.
“Himalayan sea salt is so trendy right now”
That stuff is a total disaster, affecting so many lives.
Throw it out or save for use on the table some times.
Your wife and ?kids? are iodine deficient!
Women need more iodine than men and have higher rates of thyroid conditions.
Can cause fibrotic breast disease.
Check body temps of others in your house.
Symptoms:
- lethargy
- feeling cold easily
- moody
- sparse outer eyebrows
- thinning hair - not MPB
- dry skin
- brittle nails
Have you read the thyroid basics sticky?
Note terms:
- adrenal fatigue
- Wilson’s Book
- rT3
FT---->E2
Your low FT means low E2 production.
E2=28.5 is then really odd.
Does not make sense?
I have read the thyroid sticky. The first time it was like reading greek.
Second time it sunk in a little deeper. Going to read it again today.
After I throw away the salt.
Ok, If my E2 Production is low, should I be taking Adex?
Other than supplementing iodine, is there anything else I can do?
Do you have any experience on meds for Hypo? I still feel terrible. Going to the doc for more bloodwork and to discuss medications. Should I go on drugs or just try to let the iodine work?
I seem to have a good week, then really crash hard. I felt terrible yesterday. Today is much better. What is your experience on how long before guys start feeling better?