Have you confirmed that your thermometer is accurate?
Wellbutrin is stimulating, depends on dose, and some of that might be of use.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Have you confirmed that your thermometer is accurate?
Wellbutrin is stimulating, depends on dose, and some of that might be of use.[/quote]
KSman, I have two and I do cross check them against each other periodically.
Regarding the Wellbutrin, on your previous advice and reading the link you provided, I asked my doc to switch me from the Lexapro to Wellbutrin. Just took my first today. Maybe it’ll help.
Anyhow, still waiting for results from 1-13 Thyroid tests. Will post when I receive them.
Hello All,
I received my Cortrosyn stim test results as follows:
Cortisol 0 Min 9.3 mcg/dL
Cortisol 30 Min i 34.6 mcg/dL
Cortisol 60 Min i 40.4 mcg/dL
Doc says results are “fine”. Not sure how to read this and was wondering if any knows what this tells me?
Thank you.
Also, if it makes any difference, blood was drawn at 2:15, 2:45 and 3:15pm.
most tests I have seen from people’s post show a doubling within 60 minutes. your’s quadrupled. Not sure what that means, but I would definitely do some more research on it myself.
Thanks all, reading some of the info from the link ksman provided, it seems like maybe secondary adrenal insufficiency? One article said if you have a low starting value and your value doubles or more within 60 minutes, it could e this. Not sure if the 9.3 is considered a low starting value. Anyhow, it’s interesting.
I don’t believe that 9.3 mid day is low, but not sure.
best is to get an 8am blood draw for Cortisol or the 4 part saliva test.
PureChance- had the 8am blood draw done in December cortisol was 14.2. The PM portion of the test was low at 2.5. This is what prompted the the Cortrosyn test. So it seems if there is anything going on with Cortisol, it is likely minor and might respond to some Cortisol boosting activities or OTC sups?
If you want to understand adrenal issues, read this:
Hello all,
Quick update - Doc put me on 10mg of Cortef to try to stabilize body temps.
Finally got rt3 and antibodies results from 1/13 collection with these results:
T3 REVERSE 44H ref 11-32 UOM ng/dL
Thyroglobulin Antibodies <20 ref Thyroglobulin Ab IU/mL LESS THAN 20
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 11 ref Thyroid Peroxidase Ab (UOM IU/mL)LESS THAN 35
Perceived effects:
Basal temps are up a bit as are avg. daily temps.
Somewhat improved energy and mood.
Questions:
What does the high RT3 mean?
Is Cortef with Armour effective in reducing RT3? This is a little confusing.
Just retook test after 6 weeks of Armour. Will post results when I receive. Doc proposes retesting Reverse T3 “soon.”
Thanks all
There is a lot of rT3 info on this forum. T4 is a reservoir that is changed to the active hormone T3. This is done by an enzyme that removes one of the 4 iodine atoms. There are two possible resultant forms, T3 and rT3 which is different and does not work as T3 does, but it can foul up T3 receptors and block T3 from doing its job. Low cortisol can increase the rT3:T3 ratio. Starvation can do this too, including diet plus over training.
Taking T4 simply makes things worse. Treatment is T3 only for a while, while adrenal problems are resolved. That is the simple introduction. Taking Armour is a bad idea in this case.
Search for rT3 in the forum.
Thanks KSman,
Been doing a bunch of reading on rt3 and did come across the recommendation to not use dessicated thyroid until rt3 is cleared out. Will ask my doc to put me on a t3 only until we get this down. That being said, my main confusion was around whether low cortisol was the most likely culprit in driving rt3 up in the first place. I have come across info which says it can be but could also be iron, ferritin or other things? Very confusing as to how to treat. Seems like patience might help but I suck at that. 
Thanks
Low cortisol increases rT3. Starvation lowers cortisol… it is a survival mechanism for famine.
Low ferritin reduces the ability of the cells to utilize T3. Low iron leads to low ferritin.
Gut diseases cause blood loss and that that lowers iron.
It can be complex and more complicated than TRT.
T4 in any form needs to be avoided. That eliminates a lot of the rT3 creation and the levels start to drop, and over time, the rT3 in the T3 receptors clears. Then you have fT3 without interference from rT3. Meanwhile, restore cortisol levels and read: http://www.amazon.com/Adrenal-Fatigue-Century-Stress-Syndrome/dp/1890572152/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books
And make the lifestyle changes and then work off of the cortisol.
KSman - I’ve come across some of your older posts where you say that Clomid is unsuitable for long term use. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind providing your reasoning behind that? My doc seems to think that it is okay and says he has had patients on it for years with no issues. I am a little concerned as the consensus on this board seems to think differently. I am looking for some points to make with my doc in discussing whether I will stay on Clomid for an extended time.
Any information is appreciated.
http://www.google.com/search?q=site:tnation.T-Nation.com+clomid+side+effects
The first S in SERM is selective. Only some cell types are shielded from estrogens. With clomid, the other cells can have the drug act as an estrogen. Some men get very emotional and cry watching chick flicks and libido is gone too.
Nolvadex can create eye floaters as well, but does not lead to the emotional and libido defects that some guys experience.
SERMs increase serum estrogen levels and non shielded cells suffer the consequences.
The only thing worse than a drug that has side effects is taking that drug forever.
Thanks KSman. That makes sense. I am trying to get my doc to put me on the T+HCG+Ai protocol spelled out in the stickies. He has been reluctant because he feels that Clomid poses fewer problems. He cited managing shutdown as the biggest deterrent for TRT in a person who responds to the SERM. Not sure if he knows about HCG. Frustrating. Anyhow, thanks.
The answer is that hCG has a ‘lobe’ that is identical to LH. That keeps them working. The shortcoming of that is no FSH. If fertility is a concern, I think that one could cruise on hCG then occasionally replace hCG with nolvadex for a spell. That should work well. Your doc might agree to this.
BTW, I rant against clomid because what I read that it does. And, for the sake of science, while on TRT, I tried both nolvadex and clomid for a short while once so I would be able to write at least from my experiences. A dose or two of clomid makes me messed up, also with low libido, energy and moody-depression effects. Nolvadex had no effects that I could notice one way or the other. I did the clomid thing 3 times to verify and same result each time.
I tried the clomid test also and it stimulated everything but my estrogen also rose like crazy so I felt like crap. Right now I’m trying to stimulate everything with Nolvadex and things are going way better so far. I should have my first labs by the end of the week.
Good luck!
Definitely seeing the libido and moodiness issues. Wasn’t sure if that may have been due to the Lexapro. Am off that now for a couple weeks. Probably should give things some time to stabilize and then see how I feel. Don’t want to change too many things at once. So can you take hCG without test for secondary hypogonadism? Fertility not a big concern at this point.
oscar - is your intent to stay on the Nolvadex if it bring your numbers up and you feel better?
[quote]brownsfan64 wrote:
Definitely seeing the libido and moodiness issues. Wasn’t sure if that may have been due to the Lexapro. Am off that now for a couple weeks. Probably should give things some time to stabilize and then see how I feel. Don’t want to change too many things at once. So can you take hCG without test for secondary hypogonadism? Fertility not a big concern at this point.
oscar - is your intent to stay on the Nolvadex if it bring your numbers up and you feel better?[/quote]
No. The plan is to tapper off a total of 45 day’s on and see what my body can maintain on its own over a good period of time as long as I can have a good libido/sex life I’m good I don’t care about getting any bigger than I am. Not sure what I’ll do if my body wont maintain better levels than 300. My clomid test results are posted under protocall for coming off TRT. I will list the Nolva results when I get them so you can see the difference between the 2.