Symptoms Back and Temps Falling

I didn't maintain the half grain increase from a couple weeks ago for my compounded Armour.  I wanted doctor's approval for it so I called there the other day and left my symptoms with the nurse (cold, exhaustion, brain fog, and eczema back and a couple others I can't remember right now...brain fog is wonderful isn't it?).  I could also add a small weight gain (the best weight loss pill are looking good about right now) and a heavy period again into those symptoms. They called me back and said the doctor wants me to take my under-arm temperature in the morning for five mornings with a glass thermometer and then call them with the results. 

So, my results so far for temperatures are:

Saturday:  97.2
Sunday: 97.4

He told me at my last appointment that they would base my dosage on my symptoms.  I thought my initial symptoms would have been enough but I guess they want temperature too.  Time, time, time.  I just want to shoot ahead with my increased dosage and be done with it but maybe he's looking at the adrenals as well?  I'll know in a few days I guess.

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Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson

I just finished reading Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D. I was interested in reading this book because of the connection between stress and the adrenals (and thyroid disease).

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Questionnaire:

There was a questionnaire in the book to determine if a person has adrenal fatigue (hypoadrenia). You answer questions for a time in your past when you felt good and then "Now" questions.

The time I picked for "past" was early 2001, before I was diagnosed with thyroid disease. Even though I was in a constant state of stress back then (welcome to my life from the time I was a child on), my health wasn't showing the signs - or so I thought anyway.

Here's how I did on the questionnaire:

• For predisposing factors, my score was 10 (past) and 18 (now).
• For key signs and symptoms, my score was 18 (past) and 43 (now).
• For energy patterns, my score was 8 (past) and 14 (now).
• For frequently observed events, my score was 12 (past) and 22 (now).
• For food patterns, my score was 7 (past) and 10 (now).
• For aggravating factors, my score was 16 (past) and 15 (now) - I've learned to get some toxic mess (people) out of my life.
• For relieving factors, my score was 5 (past) and 6 (now).
  
  

Total Questions Answered: 50 (past) & 64 (now)

**This indicates I have some degree of adrenal fatigue.

Total Points: 76 PAST & 128 NOW

*This indicates that at that "past" point in 2001, before I was diagnosed with thyroid disease, I was showing mild adrenal fatigue. I've had a decline in adrenal health. At 128 points currently, I am showing a moderate adrenal fatigue at this time.

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Other notes from the book that pertain to me (there's a lot more to the book, but I only took note of things that struck a chord with me):

• People with adrenal fatigue many times have abnormal blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Guess that explains why I get so nauseous if I don't eat by 9:00 a.m. It says I am better off with several small meals as opposed to a couple big meals.
• Adrenal fatigue is usually caused by stress. Welcome to my world!
• Chronic/severe infections can be a source of stress on the adrenals - asthma, sinusitis, bronchitis, etc. I have asthma. Boy, I'm not doing too well am I?
• Stress can mean a lot of things: physical/emotional stress, poor diet, respiratory infections.
• Blood pressure is "an important indicator of adrenal function." Low adrenal function is likely the most common indicator. I've had really low blood pressure for years. At one appointment, the nurse looked at me strangely when it was seriously low. I asked her if I was alive. She said, "I was wondering that myself."
• Increasing salt intake can benefit the adrenals (if you have high blood pressure, you should definitely read more in the book). Sea salt is a good source of salt with more trace minerals than regular table salt. Kelp is a good source of salt. (I use Celtic sea salt...tastes good too.)
• There's a recipe in the book for "adrenal recovery soup."
• The book talks about a person's craving for chocolate and how it may be your body's craving for magnesium. I crave chocolate frequently.
• There is an Elisa panel that can pinpoint food allergies with just one blood sample. It covers 90-100 foods and a more comprehensive panel covers 175.
• Ashwagandha: has multiple health benefits and can treat adrenal fatigue but in too high a dose, it can inhibit adrenal function (above 35 gms/day).
• Adrenal cortical extracts (adrenal cell extracts) support, fortify, and restore normal adrenal function.

Here's his web site.

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Finished "Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled?" Today

I finished "Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled?" this morning. One sentence in the book described how I've felt for the last eight years: "You began to feel less whole, not quite right, lost in a haze, a mere shadow of your former self."

I took a few notes from it that I want to look more into, such as:

• 500 mg Taurine with morning vitamin
• Digestive enzymes
• Ashwagandha
• Rosemary
• Padma Basic (Tibetan formula)
• Ten Mushroom formula
• Look into saliva tests for cortisol.
• Licorice for adrenal; IsoCort.

The book discussed a topic that I am seeing in a lot of different thyroid books: fluoride. The more I read, the more I begin to wonder why the hell it is in a lot of people's drinking water! Did you know that, according to this book, what they add to the water to artificially fluoridate public waters is "hydrofluosilicic acid, an industrial waste product of the fertilzer and aluminum industries." Huh...doesn't that make you want to go turn on your tap and drink a nice, cool drink of water now? The book also says that less than 5% of the world's population drinks artificially fluoridated water (in Europe, that number is 2%).

What countries have BANNED FLUORIDE? Japan, Denmark, Sweden, India and Holland.

To read more about fluoride, go to the Fluoride Action Network and Keepers of the Well.

The book had questionnaires for a self-evaluation. My total thyroid score was 55. My adrenal score was 48. My Women's Sex Gland evaluation score was 37. This was to determine what type of "endo type" I was. I had the most points for thyroid so that makes my primary type a "physical endo-type" or "feeling fat." Given that my adrenal score was so close to the other, it bears looking into as well. For adrenal, it is an "emotional endo-type" or "frazzled." Sex-hormone evaluation is said to be a "mental endo-type" aka "fuzzy thinking." I feel all of the above so I guess it's no surprise that each category had so many points for me.

Another web site to look into: Canary Club. It's a support web site about hormonal imbalance.

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Book on Bioidentical Hormones

I just finished Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones by Suzanne Somers. I really didn't understand what a "bioidentical hormone" was and wanted to find out more. "Bioidentical" means biologically identical to human hormones, to replicate human hormones, are not drugs. They are not like synthetic hormones, which are made from the urine of pregnant mares.





Since I have a disease that is hormone-related, I want to learn all I can and get different perspectives and find what feels right, and works, for me.

It was interesting reading and a different opinion than what you'd get from most mainstream doctors (including the endocrinologists I have been unhappy with for the treatment of my thyroid disease). I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this thought process being practiced down the road but it'll be a long road until then I think, if my own personal experience with mainstream doctors is any indication.


I've made a lot of notes from the book for my use and want to document them here for my future reading. My brain fog is bad enough that I have to make notes of pretty much everything or else it's forgotten in no time. These are some notes I've made from my reading from different information in the book:

• Cancer and synthetic hormone replacement (like Premarin, Provera, and Prempro) link: Study by Women's Health Initiative was supposed to last 8.5 years but was stopped after 5.2 years because risk of using synthetic hormones outweighed the benefits. Increased risk of breast cancer; also shows does not protect heart and bones like originally though.


• DHEA: most plentiful hormone in body, converted into other hormones (including estrogen and testosterone). Considered an antiaging and anti-disease hormone. Weight loss. Your DHEA levels can be checked via saliva or blood test. Female optimum level is 150-350 and males 250-450 according to this book. Available over the counter. There are side effects if you have too much so get tested before supplementing. DHEA may be better taken at night.


• Some reasons for sick thyroid: 1) Selenium necessary for T4 conversion to T3. 2) Estrogen dominance 3) Mercury 4) Stress


• You should support the adrenals when treating your thyroid (my endocrinologists and family doctors who treated my thyroid these last eight years never talked about it or obviously did this). I was finally recently tested, but the endocrinologist wouldn't even consider adrenal support.


• Chronically high levels of cortisol will degrade your immune system (like dealing with all the ex/step stress where I lived in a constant state of stress for about ten years?).


• The author gets regular injections of HGH (human growth hormone) because tests showed she was low. Have to be tested first. To read some studies, go to http://www.pubmed.com/ and type in "growth hormone".


• The "Seven Dwarfs of Menopause" (this I found funny even though I'm a few years away from menopause...I wanted to keep it): Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful, and All-Dried-Up. Menopause doesn't have to be miserable if your hormones are optimized (something for me to keep in mind for when I start to go through it).


• GI Bloat: There are foods that offend you and cause this. There is supposed to be a test you can take to find out what those foods are. You can find out more at Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com/.


• Symptoms of low testosterone for men are low libido, decreased facial and body hair, enlarged breasts or no symptoms at all. Can cause osteoporosis in men.


• Calcium supplements: better as liquid because some in pill form do not dissolve and come out the next day.


• Iodine: Iodine is necessary and concentrates in the thyroid, breasts, and ovaries (I've read elsewhere that iodine is used in the treatment of breast cancer...it's worth looking into as I've been told (by other thyroid patients...not doctors) that Iodine would shrink my thyroid nodules and goiter.) Fluoride interferes in our body utilizing what Iodine we do get. Can get an iodine loading test to find out if you are deficient and by how much.
• Book mentions melatonin; 0.25 mg (tiny dose) or higher, depending on needs. Will look into.
• The book lists several doctors, specialists, clinics, and institutes for more information: http://www.bermansexualhealth.com/, http://www.ahealth.com/, http://www.drarvantely.com/, http://www.emotrics/, http://www.menopauseinstitute.com/, http://www.antiaging.com/, http://www.bornclinic.com/, http://www.drbrownstein.com/, http://www.juliecarmenyoga.com/.
  
  

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The Cortisol Connection Diet

I recently finished reading The Cortisol Connection Diet: The Breakthrough Program to Control Stress and Lose Weight. It was written by Ph.D. Shawn Talbott.

I read it because I am concerned about cortisol levels and adrenal function. I'm concerned about the high level of stress I was in for years and if that caused or contributed to my current health problems today. It's the first book I've read on this topic (so far). I plan to read more.

The different chapters are:

1. Eating for Quality and Quantity
2. Cortisol Control
3. Blood-Sugar Control
4. Thermogenesis
5. General Metabolic Support
6. Putting It All Together

I made note of some things that I wanted to remember for myself:

• Chromium: essential trace mineral for glucose metabolism, insulin regulation, and appetite control. For overweight people, the book recommends 200-400 mcg per day. I haven't looked it up with other sources yet to see if that is in line with other recommendations.
• Vanadium: another trace mineral for normal insulin function. I've never heard of vanadium! The book says safe levels are 10-100 mcg/day. Never having heard of this, I am going to need to research it more. You have to be careful because some sources of this have it at possible toxic levels (body building supplements).
• Banaba Leaf: Again, never heard of this. The book says it is a medicinal plant and uses of it are for diabetes and hyperglycemia. Will have to research this more.
• We have all heard this many times but we should drink lots of water! The book says it is needed for proper fat burning, maintaining muscle mass, and boosting metabolism. It says if you are dehydrated, it can boost cortisol levels and reduce your metabolic rate.
• When looking for an antioxidant, look for one that includes Vitamin C, Vitamin E, thiols, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
• Green tea: We've seen the green tea diets out there. The book talks about how green tea catechins "improve several metabolic aspects". The book recommends 200-750 mg of green tea extract standardized for polyphenols/catechins.

Now onto some thyroid support information:

• Stress hormones (cortisol) can inhibit conversion of T4 to T3.
• The book recommends the following nutritional supplements to support healthy functions: iodine and bladderwack.
• To improve conversion of T4 to T3: selenium and zinc, Vitamin E

Those were some of the notes I made from the book.

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Iodine, Adrenals, & Stress

I've been busy doing a lot of research on adrenal support and the use of Iodine in helping with goiter and nodules. Of course, it's nothing my doctor (any of them) have told me about because they are all about synthetic medications and nothing else. It's something I am seriously researching.

In addition to that, I worry about the effect of constant stress on my thyroid and adrenals (cortisol) in years past when we lived a very stressful life. Stress is a hard monster to tame. You can say relax, light some WoodWick Candles, and let your stress go but it's really not that easy for me because my brain doesn't shut down. It goes over and over what is bothering me. After many years of that, does stress affect your health? I think so.

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