General Medicine

» Elaine Moore - low dose naltrexone

In response to low dose naltrexone posted by aviano:

Hi Avi,
Yes, I had RAI around 15 years ago, and my TSH receptor antibodies are still higher than they were before RAI. TSH receptor antibodies are known to react with TSH receptors on dermal cells, orbital cells, pituitary cells, skeletal muscle cells, and they're probably located on other cells as well. Many people on LDN notice an improvement in allergies, and this too would help with lowering TSH receptor antibody levels. Take care, Elaine

» Elaine Moore - Internal racing, also elevated ketones

In response to Internal racing, also elevated ketones posted by aviano:

Hi Avi,
Elevated ketones or ketosis can result from changes in diet especially when protein levels are high. Check out this link.
http://www.carbs-information.com/ketosis...
Ketoacidosis is a serious condition seen in diabetics. Here, the CO2 level is low and the levels of beta hydroxy butyric acid, the primary ketone metabolite are high, insulin levels are low, and the blood glucose level is high.
Your doctor probably ran a hemoglobin A1c to check for diabetes.
Check the link and see if you think dietary factors or a problem causing low insulin levels might be responsible. The internal racing could be related, and it could be a metabolic disorder not at all connected to your thyroid condition. Best, Elaine

» Elaine Moore - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
You'd be surprised at just how many symptoms are related to allergic reactions. The only times I've ever been in the ER are incidences when I had anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions, and usually the reactions were to innocuous foods I didn't know I had problems with like cooked celery, bee pollen. You might want to look at the fillers in your supplements to see if there's something like yeast or soy that you might be reacting to. Having allergy tests will help too. Best, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by daisyelaine:
Hi Elaine, well I talked with my internist today and he wants me to get an MRI of the brain to see if I have a pituitary adenoma, indicating cushings. He is wondering if it is my pituitary gland or adrenals causing the problems. The reason for these tests was because my cortisol was elevated. Could this be part of the inflammation that could be causing my TSI's to rise. The sucky thing is is that if my cortisol was already high causing me to have anxiety attacks and insomnia, now I am on prednisone witch seems to making all of my symptoms worse. luckily I only have 2 more days to taper off of my dose. My Dr. does not want me to get started on anxiety meds, which is really hard to stay away from when I am in panic mode. The good thing is that my internist is going to work together with my endo to find the problem which is pretty reassuring. Now if I can just make it through these next couple of weeks hopefully I will be in a better place. The naturapathic Dr.did give me a supplement to help me sleep and lower cortisol levels but that was the same day I had my reaction so I will not be trying that out any time soon. I guess you can have both GD and cushings but maybe it is not GD at all. Any info you have on any of this would be wonderful, I know this is a pretty strange turn of events.
Thanks again, heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
I'm glad they checked your cortisol level. Your doctor will likely also check your ACTH level and order a dexamethasone suppression test to help tell if you have Cushing's. There could also be some cross-reactivity with your corticosteroids so your result could be a false elevation. But at least your doctors are working together to figure out what's going on.

Your TSI suggests an autoimmune thyroid disorder, which can
occur in conjunction with adrenal problems. Keep us posted. Take care, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by daisyelaine:
Thanks Elaine,
I am just trying to hang in there, I have been off of work for the past 3 days for basically being in a panic mode and continuing to break out in a rash all over my chest. The Internist I saw today would like me to start taking xanax twice a day until they figure out what is going on. He also thinks that I am going hyper again and wants me to start taking 50 mg PTU 1 x a day, even though on Friday my labs were normal. I am soo tired of feeling bad though I am goign to start to take it, I figure the worse that could happen is I go hypo or am allergic to PTU. Maybe if I start going hypo they can just tart me on a small dose of thyroid hormone too. So now tomorrow is the last day of prednisone and I will only be on Atenolol,xanax, PTU, and get my MRI done to see what is going on. Oh and now I am losing weight like crazy but I have no appetitie probably because of whatever is going on. The cortisol level I had done was on the 2nd of January and it was after being off of Tapazole for 2 weeks but no steroids, I think it was 28 in the morning. Back when I was first diagnosed with GD they did all of those adrenal function tests and I think they were normal, that was 6 months ago and I didn't have any anxiety back then. I will keep you updated!
Thanks again for all of the support!
Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
The AM range for cortisol is 8-24 so your level of 28 isn't at all what's seen in Cushing's or tumors. Cortisol is increased in stress and it seems you've been having a lot of that. It's also increased in a few other conditions but unless increased cortisol is seen in urine and confirmed with the other tests I mentioned, I wouldn't worry about this. A reaction to PTU is very likely and typically occurs when PTU is taken in people with normal thyroid function. Try to get some rest. Best, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by daisyelaine:
That is good to hear, I did get the MRI this morning and will get the results this week. Did you say that a reaction to PTU is likely? I got some new TSH from Friday and my TSH was .5, I guess on it's way down from .9, I did start the PTU today in hopes that I will feel a little better, but technically my thyroid is still not hyper. Is it possible that I am just finally getting all of those GD symptoms that I have been reading about? I have been taking the xanax and it just makes me really loopy, I am hoping that this is not a long term thing. Should I be worried that taking this PTU is going to make me worse? I have lost about 5 lbs in less than a week and just feel like my body is racing. I only have loose stools and have no appetite. I am not sure what all of this is, I am thinking that I have just developed an anxiety disorder and need to start taking something, but my Dr. refuses to do anything long term at this point. I am just ready to start functioning normally again. What else thyroid/endocrine related can cause high cortisol?
Thanks again!
Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» javatlkrs - New TSH results

Elaine,
I wanted to thank you for your last response about going hypo, and eye symptoms in Graves. I wish that I would have lowered my dosage of methimazole at that time from 20mgs. My latest blood work indicates a TSH of 32, and my Dr. said that I'm now hypo. I'm now on a lower dose of 5mg a day, and am wondering how long it will take for me to start to have positive changes. I've gained 13 pounds since Sept., and have been having hypo symptoms, ie. cold hands, weight gain, eye edema, various aches and pains, etc. Do people experience any adverse reactions to a drop in medication? (I forgot to ask my Dr. these questions.) Thank you so much for your blog. It has been a great source of information for me.
-Anne

-- posted by javatlkrs

» nurseheatherone - New Labs!

In response to New Labs! posted by nurseheatherone:
Hi Elaine, I did get my Gluten sensitivity results and they indicate that I am not sensitive. I also talked to my endo this morning and he does not recommend starting PTU with normal thyroid results, so I only took it for one day. I have a feeling that even though I may have had an allergic reaction to something, I think I also had a panic attack at the same time and I also think that I do not react well to prednisone. Over the past couple of days I felt horrible, depressed, overly emotional and anxiouss and my stomach has been a mess. Just by coming down on the prednisone dose yesterday I did not have to take the xanax to sleep, but then of course I woke up in the middle of the night with diarrhea and nausea( started since the prednisone), it happened again when I woke up this morning and then I ate a couple of saltines and the nausea was releived. Xanax makes me feel like I am in la la land and it is hard to function with it, so I am goign to save it for attacks. I think that I am going to talk with my Dr. about treating the anxiety disorder so that I can get back to normal. In two weeks I have lost about 6 lbs, I am sure a combination of everything has contributed to it, it is just funny that I am not hyper but now that my body is semi normal I am having hyper symptoms. Sorry to ramble
Thanks, Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone