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Low thyroid

by Debbie
(Hollywood, Fl)

Hi Wray, I've just been diagnozed with hypothyrodism only 5 weeks ago my tsh level was 3.79 now its 9.1. I am very fatigued and have put weight on.

My medical doctor wants to put me on synthroid synthetic thyroid replacement, my bio identical doctor wants to put me on desiccated thyroid (Armour) my cholestrol is a little high she says that will go down if I take care of the thyroid. I was thinking because my progesterone level is so low due to menopause maybe its affecting my thyroid. My cortisol levels are high due to stress and I feel I have adrenal burnout. I'm not a doctor just a consumer trying to educate myself. I prefer not to take anything but my condition is getting worse. I heard about iodine supplementation but if you have antibodies like autoimmune disease it might not be wize to take that. My bio identical doctor says I need the progesterone pill because of my sleep problem with time released melatonin and dhea because if I don't sleep or lose weight it can shorten ones life. My main worry is my cholesttrol and thyroid. What do you think? Thank you, love.

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Aug 21, 2010
 Low thyroid
by: Wray

Hi Debbie It seems you most probably have a lack of vitamin D. Although you live in Florida, do you get enough sun? The hypothyroidism, the high cholesterol, the fatigue and the excess weight all point to it. Please have a vitamin D test done before you take anything, for more info please see the Vitamin D council website. Interestingly, a lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. Progesterone does speed metabolism slightly, it also suppresses excess oestrogen which slows the thyroid down. It increases bilary output of cholesterol too, see here. And prevents the build up of atherosclerosis, see here. But of course it works better if the vitamin D level is sufficient, this should be a minimum of 50ng/ml year round. Better still if it's in the 80-100ng/ml range. Supplemental progesterone can relieve the stress on the adrenals, as these have to make progesterone first, before they can convert it into cortisol one of our stress hormones. As stress drops progesterone levels sharply because it's going to make cortisol, this only makes it harder for them. With the drop in progesterone, GABA, one of our most calming neurotransmitters, cannot work efficiently, as the brain needs progesterone to activate the GABA receptor sites. With a drop in GABA anxiety often sets in. Progesterone does raise serotonin levels slightly, so can help with sleep. Serotonin is the precursor to melatonin our sleep hormone. Supplementing with melatonin does help, although I prefer to use tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin. For more info please see this web page on Natural Antidepressants. Please avoid the DHEA, it can cause cysts and cancer, please see here, and here. Progesterone can help fatigue, but you might have insulin resistance, this can set it during peri-menopause. For more info please see the page on Insulin Resistance.
Take care Wray
Nov 21, 2010
 Low Thyroid and Other Symptoms
by: Jon K

I must say that this is a very interesting article. Menopause is a condition that eventually comes for all women. Many times however, those same symptoms can be caused by a faulty thyroid. Thyroid conditions can be as simple as immune system condition to serious as a cancer. Please make sure that when these symtoms are triggering pain in your body, ensure to have your thyroid checked to make sure you get treated for the right condition. And, god forbid, if anything serious such as cancerous lump in your thyroid must be treated as soon as possible to ensure you can recover.

Jon K
Director at Thyroid Institute in Los Angeles
http://www.thyroid-treatments.com
Nov 29, 2010
 Low Thyroid and Other Symptoms
by: Wray

Hi Jon Many thanks for the kind words. I've searched your web site thoroughly, and like what I see. I'm so encouraged by all the tests you run, particularly on the adrenals and liver, these are never checked. I'm putting together a web page on the thyroid and comment on the lack of tests usually done. With your permission, I would like to have a link to your site. You are of course right about the symptoms, I've found low progesterone, excess oestrogen, a lack of vitamin D and insulin resistance have the same symptoms too. It's a question of finding out what is causing them. With the limited tests normally done often the result is wrong, but with the extensive tests you carry out, the patient can only be helped. I find it fascinating that the thyroid becomes more efficient in the summer, when vitamin D levels rise. Often the patient is advised to increase their thyroxine, when all that's needed is an increase in vitamin D levels. Take care Wray
Jun 08, 2014
 advise me
by: Sara

my fasting blood sugar s 120mg/dl.....tsh s 9.1mlU/L..HDL Cholesterol s 43mg/dl...uric acid serum s....6.2mg/dl......Im 53 yrs old
female....comment on hw i finetune this....

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