Is this right, need help have labs.....

[Darkfire]

in August Labcorp said:

TSH: .567 .450-4.5

Oct 08 Quest said:

TSH: .64 .4-.4.5
T4 TOTAL: 10 4.5-12.5
T3 UPTAKE: 27.9 27.8-40.7
T4, FREE, CALCULATED 2.8 1.6-3.7

Quest labs also said in Sept:
EXACTLY MIDCYCLE

TESTOSTERONE TOTAL 71 20-76
LH, SERUM 21.3 8.7-76.3
FSH, SERUM 6.3 3.1-17.7
ESTRADIOL 155 (DONT HAVE THE RANGE BUT IT WAS NOT HIGH OR LOW)

ESR done by labcorp in Sept said:
this is sed rate, helpful for auto immune disorder dx's.
13 0-20



Why do we care? I've now been on disability since Oct 5 with a DX of SEVERE Panic Disorder 300.01 (for you psych guru's)

Why so many tests...well they thought I had celiac...I don't. They thought I had an adrenal gland tumor, apparently I don't. Thought I had high blood pressure, apparently I don't. I do have super low vit d (on 1.25 gm x2 weekly plus 3-4 grms of cod liver oil a day). I have high total cholesterol (297) AND low HDL (28). I also have a non celiac gluten allergy/intolerance (more tests needed). calcium,, potassium all good. liver, kidneys all perfect. Sugars perfect as well.

I am on xanax .5 x 3 per day plus 5 mg of paxil to try and control the panic. BUT I am still having ringing in ears, sporadic flu like symptoms, leg cramps, pains from no where. Other cramps, occasional numbness, (better with less panic). Sometimes I wake up drenched in sweat other times I am so cold I shake so hard it hurts. Sometimes my teeth chatter so hard I cannot move I am so cold. This is all sporadic. I have always been running hot but no fever sometimes a little low, now it bounces around. Sometimes I am hot and cold at the same time, it's insane. I got some head hair loss and some hair growth on my chin, not too new but not getting any better or worse. My cycle is normal ish. About 26 days was 28. Heavy, but not too bad. Never miss a cycle. Sometimes headaches, but the paxil has helped that. no depression, no Bipolar. no paranoia. I am seeing a shrink 1x a week. Ruled out all kinds of things expect the panic thing.

Got a new primary doc and I see her this week. Any clues? Is this my thyroid?

One more thing in June 09 I had a necrotic abscess put me on bactrim (took me off it and said the staph was gone) and started this hellish panic mess. I have more abscesses appearing. my WBC went from 10.5m (little high in june) to 10.8m (more high in august). So maybe it's Staph. I am so lost I have a stack of blood work and no answers.....


I've seen a GYN a GI, seeing a shrink, a PCP, now a new one this week.

Any thoughts or help or questions I should ask, please let me know. I am going to press for the food allergy test my GI wanted and my old PCP refused to run.


Thanks so much....

[inatic]

we just had a patient on our ga yahoo group put on GABA L theanine and magnesium powder and her panic attacks are gone. SHe used to be on xanax and they nuthing.

here is what she posted to us

severe anxiety and high blood pressure issues on Friday by a Naturopath. These were: GABA-L-THEANINE by Xymogen, and Natural Calm Magnesium by Peter Gillham's Natural Vitality (powdered). Let me say I was very skeptical of anything helping in a significant way, when Xanax barely helps at all, and I only take that when I feel a panic attack coming on to lower pulse rate and help me breathe. I can still feel the anxiety underneath the med. I can't really explain it. It is like it's there, saying "I'm still here, waiting..... "
The first day I used the GABA (Friday)I noticed little effect with one pump. Saturday, the same. Today (Sunday) I took 2 pumps, and within 30 minutes, I was calm, no feeling of anxiety, alert,not sleepy at all, and in a happy mood. I stunned myself. This is supposed to last 8-10 hours, so we'll see. It's been 4 hours with no return of symptoms.
The magnesium is powdered and I took it Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. Within an hour, I was very sleepy and ready for bed. I've slept well. The air hunger goes away and I breathe deeply for a change.
I have to say, these products work. For anyone who suffers from anxiety, I would recommend them. I would say though to not take the magnesium unless you are staying home or right before bed-it works quickly and you will get sleepy and drowsy. You can take up to 3 teaspoons, but one teaspoon for me is almost too much.

[nonstickpam107]

You are missing a couple of tests I'd want to have. A TPO antibodies (Thyroid Peroxidase) and Free T3 (a T3 uptake is really another T4 test...for binding..you have NO T3 test there!).

ETA: The TPO will tell you if you have the most common form of hypothyroidism in women...that would be Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroidism. Also, you will want an iron and a ferritin test (and that's what they are called..don't let them do hemoglobin instead) and you'll want to be around 70 if the range is wide (like: 10 - 210). Many psych medications can make one hypothyroid...even Zoloft now carries a 'warning' to the docs about this...don't know if they read it though. One of the beginning symptoms of Hashimoto's is heart palpitations and hot flashes and can be 'misinterpreted' as a panic attack (not to say you don't have the disorder!...just relating to symptoms here).

Two out of every ten women have Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroidism, ONE out of every 150 doctors will treat it. Sigh

Pam

[Darkfire]

magnesium made me worse, three different pills, one powder (the calm stuff stated) and a liquid. L-theanine didn't work. Neither did calms, calms forte, valerian, or bachs rescue remedy. Neither did cutting out gluten or dairy or sugar or wine or anything else. I am doing OK with this current med stuff but I do want off it. Thank you for the info tho. I wonder if the GABA is a script or a nature thing. See it apparntly doesn't cross the brain barrier....I dunno so much research so little time.

[Darkfire]

Originally Posted by nonstickpam107

You are missing a couple of tests I'd want to have. A TPO antibodies (Thyroid Peroxidase) and Free T3 (a T3 uptake is really another T4 test...for binding..you have NO T3 test there!).

ETA: The TPO will tell you if you have the most common form of hypothyroidism in women...that would be Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroidism. Also, you will want an iron and a ferritin test (and that's what they are called..don't let them do hemoglobin instead) and you'll want to be around 70 if the range is wide (like: 10 - 210). Many psych medications can make one hypothyroid...even Zoloft now carries a 'warning' to the docs about this...don't know if they read it though. One of the beginning symptoms of Hashimoto's is heart palpitations and hot flashes and can be 'misinterpreted' as a panic attack (not to say you don't have the disorder!...just relating to symptoms here).

Two out of every ten women have Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroidism, ONE out of every 150 doctors will treat it. Sigh

Pam

I have heart palps, some drugs make it worse so does some foods. Panic makes it worse, much worse. I do not have SVT or heart disease so they say. I am 36 btw. I had several auto immune blood tests and they tell me I have NO auto immune disorders but I do not understand the labs or the results or even the tests. Except the sed rate one which apparently rules out Hashi's so they tell me. I also had a ANA test which was negative too. what some IGG/IGA tests all negative.

Been on Paxil two weeks, the symptoms have been around MUCH MUCH longer, the tests were before the Paxil. If that helps.


Thanks for responding Pam, I had the hemoglobin already it's high 15.4 (11.5-15) Hematocrit was high too 46.4 (34-44) so they refused the ferritin test. I'll see what the new PCP says. They also refused some other tests the specialists ordered so that jerk PCP was fired.

Thanks again for the responses. I will figure this out dang it!!!!

[nonstickpam107]

Sed rate does NOT in any WAY rule out Hashi's. You need to see your TPO (and a recent one..like in the last couple of months...if they didn't do that, than have it done). I can hardly BELIEVE a doctor would think SED is for Hashi's. (um, yes I can....sigh). IGG, IGA, ANA, none of THOSE has anything to do with Hashi's either. You also need a progesterone level (OMG..they didn't do THAT??jeez).

When women go into perimeno, and the prog. drops, it signals the thyroid to work to make up for it, and that's when Hashi's is triggered.

I don't suppose it helps being where you are? (I have so MANY emails from Maryland for thyroid help...there is virtually NOT a doctor there for thyroid who knows their stuff...there are a couple who will throw some T4 atcha). When the prog. falls, the heart palps start (and they can be bad...I had them so BAD it raised me OFF the bed at night trying to sleep..my hands would shake, and my whole insides would quiver. Sound familiar?

You CAN get Thyroid Panel II at www.healthcheckusa.com you order, they send you to a lab near you, report back to you. Less than 90 bucks with checkout discount code: 12345 This way you'll get Free T4, Free T3 and TSH. Would be worth it for the FT3 if your doc won't do it.

Pam

[Darkfire]

My shrink is sending my to supposedly an awesome PCP. We shall see Thursday. Again we are all blessed to have someone like you around Pam. I have more ammo, an informed patient is a better one, regardless of the retardation of the doctor hehe.

[Redeemed]

[Darkfire]

Well PCP does not accept Aetna HMO only PPO.....need a new new one....haha this would be funny were it not happening to me....HUGS

[nonstickpam107]

Most docs (PCP's, MD's, DO's) who do good thyroid aren't just picked out of the phone book. I have lists..unfortunately most of the good thyroid docs don't take insurance at all. some of the DO's and MD's are good at thyroid, it's why we keep lists of the docs who do good thyroid care (non TSH worshippers). Most of the patients I know in your state are going out of state for thyroid care if they want natural thyroid, but there ARE a couple of docs who do synthetic T3 and T4.

Pam

[Darkfire]

No they aren't but it's a choice I just made because I HAVE to get this staph under control it's much cheaper to see the doc than the er for that. I have three abscesses that need tending too ASAP> So yah at this point I closed my eyes and picked one...Idiot or not they can SEE these things and at least help me get that under control then the battle begins for the right tests.

[nonstickpam107]

I had staph boils until I got enough thyroid T4 and T3 into me.

Pam

[3tikes]

My doctor didn't take insurance at all either - I have Aetna but PPO. However, they will reimburse for out of network doctors after a deductible is met. Now, my office visits are covered at 60%. Same with my meds, the insurance is fighting, but Womens International has been great about getting me paperwork to get reimbursed.

[poe2you]

i have a dr. in maryland, i live in perry hall its on belair road .. if you want her name just pm me.. she will run any test that i tell her to run and has an open mind.

[nonstickpam107]

poe, and you are getting natural thyroid? OR T4 AND Cytomel? I didn't mean the docs wouldn't run the labs I'm talking about the docs won't give enough T3.

Pam

[poe2you]

I am on 2 grains of armour.
my dr. goes by the free T3 and free t4 numbers..
she loves the fact i take my stop the thyroid madness book with me when i went for my first appt.

[nonstickpam107]

Thank you so much poe! Happy you chimed in here, I did, indeed, forget you had found an armour Rx'ing doc in Maryland. Can you pm 3tikes your info please? (And I suggest, 3tikes that you not 'depend' on your specific insurance paying for a good thyroid doc...some will do the work and let YOU send into the insurance..or a good payment plan).

Pam

[poe2you]

already pm her.. and the doctor takes her insurance..
she really open minded and i hope she finds some relief soon..

thanks pam.. i learned everything i know because of you!!

[nonstickpam107]

Well, I'm quite blessed...to have folks like YOU Poe..you keep giving back...you pay it forward really well!!

Pam

[3tikes]

Me- 3tikes, didn't count on insurance paying anything either, I was lucky enough that they covered doctor out of network after deductible and I did have to do all the paperwork, but it was worth it. I think you meant Darkfire.

[Darkfire]

my close my eyes and pic doc was a wash cept she wants me to see a infectious disease specialist. My blood did NOT culture staph or ANYthing. MY wound was NOT staph...SO I am not sure where they are going with this. I will see this doc and the allergy person then I will try to switch to this doc POE has. Thanks again. Will keep updating.

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by 3tikes

Me- 3tikes, didn't count on insurance paying anything either, I was lucky enough that they covered doctor out of network after deductible and I did have to do all the paperwork, but it was worth it. I think you meant Darkfire.

Oh, sorry!! My mistake. (But thanks for you input too!)

Pam

[Darkfire]

Well I think I narrowed SOME of my symptoms down to the Drisdol (Vit D script). Not taking that one again. I was so sick last night it was horrible. At my husbands insistence I started charting symptoms and took the Drisdol at a different time than usual and my god I was a mess. Hot and cold, blood pressure and pulse going up and down....my joints burned so bad I had to keep stretching them out to get any relief. Heart palps. Now I am so hungover with associated headache and have had dry heaves for the last hour and more poor ankles still hurt. You'd think I drank three bottles of wine instead of took a script a moronic doctor swore could NOT cause these symptoms...Well I looked it up. He was wrong. Lovely hives on my cheeks too. Each dose, each week I got worse and worse. I called the old Dr three times and even the pharmacy. They both told me to keep taking it anyhow. New Dr. at least said you don't need it for so long, switch to just the Carlson's after this bottle is gone....I am switching NOW....no more Drisdol.

And if I had listened to the GI doc instead of the shrink who knows what would have happened. He told me to take MORE calcium.....well at least that would have put me in the ER so I might have gotten off the Drisdol sooner. This also solves the <WHY does magnesium make me worse> mystery. The shrink told me to stop ALL supps. Not even a multi right now. I did, improved somewhat until I added dairy back....

You'd think it would raise a question when a non diabetic urinates over a gallon of liquid a day.....and feels like they need two gallons of water just to keep hydrated....but no....

The new doc also did some pressure point test for fibro and I didn't react to any points not one....I didn't think I had that but whatever....add it to the list of things I do not have like staph, lupus and a medical doctor worth a crap.


Still waiting for NEW Dr. to explain WHY I need an infectious disease doc when I didn't culture anything infectious....


This doesn't explain the panic attacks....but it can explain why I got exponentially worse over the last three months even on Xanax. They started with the Bactrim in June.


I am still not convinced my thyroid is ok. They did a whole lot of poking at my neck and lymphnodes said everything felt right....I am going to switch to the doc. Poe pmed me as soon as I get an explanation from this one and perhaps to an allergist. She also said YES they did a t3 test.....she didn't know anything about thyroid.....

Thanks again for your help. Sorry for babbling so much.

[Rdm]

I had these same symptoms when I entered perimenopause.

[Darkfire]

Originally Posted by Rdm

I had these same symptoms when I entered perimenopause.

new gyno said NO way no how....my gyno moved to NJ.....I had to pick a new one. I did a poor job and she was a horrible dr. Bet your bottoms I will not give up until I get answers.....