jkl Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I need advice. Late last year I finally got in to see a naturopath about my fatigue that had been on and off for the previous 18 months. All my thyroid tests, including T3 and T4, came back normal. My adrenal saliva test (shockingly) did not come back low but a little high. My DHEA was borderline low and my progesterone was high. My vit D was normal. He said my ferritin was low from my last set of blood tests--the previous January. (It was 36.). He advised I take some extra B vitamins, but couldn't do a lot for me other than that until I weaned my toddler. (She's now weaned). On my own (thanks to advice on here!!), I went back on a prenatal vitamin and almost immediately felt better--not all of the way better, but much better. That lasted for a wonderful 4 months, and then slowly the fatigue began creeping back i, even though I am still on the prenatals. Now, I am exhausted all of the time again, and I have a constant dull headache. I have really heavy, long periods, but my ob did a fingerstick and said I am not anemic. I have an appointment with the naturopath again next week. What should I be asking him to do? My last comprehensive iron panel was in Jan, 2016, so I'll request that for sure. Vit B12 was normal last Jan as well. What else??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I'd suggest double checking the lab-work as there can be a big difference between what is considered "normal" and what is optimal. For example, I was told my thyroid numbers were "normal" (just barely) and if I had not figured out that "normal" can leave one flattened I'd be.... Bill 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 No advice here, but I'm in the midst of it myself. I found a couple of books on CFS and that has been helpful to me to know where to start. I am not the only member of my extended family going through this, and we all lament how little the doctors can help. It seems like stabbing around in the dark, all the time. Part of what helped me was to just accept that this is what my body is going through right now. I'm doing all the supplements I know and getting excellent nutrition. Blessings on your journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I'd suggest double checking the lab-work as there can be a big difference between what is considered "normal" and what is optimal. For example, I was told my thyroid numbers were "normal" (just barely) and if I had not figured out that "normal" can leave one flattened I'd be.... Bill Yes, my Vitamin D levels were on the low side and my physician never even mentioned them to me. I started taking supplements and felt so much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 I'd suggest double checking the lab-work as there can be a big difference between what is considered "normal" and what is optimal. For example, I was told my thyroid numbers were "normal" (just barely) and if I had not figured out that "normal" can leave one flattened I'd be.... Bill Thanks! My thyroid numbers do seem optimal. My ferritin is actually in the normal range, but it seems that optimal is 50-100. I guess my dr. forgot to tell me that part :) No advice here, but I'm in the midst of it myself. I found a couple of books on CFS and that has been helpful to me to know where to start. I am not the only member of my extended family going through this, and we all lament how little the doctors can help. It seems like stabbing around in the dark, all the time. Part of what helped me was to just accept that this is what my body is going through right now. I'm doing all the supplements I know and getting excellent nutrition. Blessings on your journey. Thanks! Care to share the names of the books? What supplements are you doing? Good luck to you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Yes, my Vitamin D levels were on the low side and my physician never even mentioned them to me. I started taking supplements and felt so much better. Same here. I was actually just out of normal on Vitamin D, complaining of fatigue, and no mention was made of the lab results. I will never again accept hearing that results are "normal" without asking "are they optimal?" Bill 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 You're adrenal levels being high is the first stages of adrenal fatigue, if I'm remembering right. You're body produces excess cortisol at first, but then it crashes, hard. I'm struggling with very low cortisol levels and it is truly a miserable, awful thing. Hoping you can get this all sorted out and be on the mend soon. :grouphug: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Have you done a saliva hormone test? I was exhausted, foggy memory, etc etc.... Turns out I have low estrogen and progesterone. I use a progesterone cream now, and wow, what a difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Thanks! My thyroid numbers do seem optimal. My ferritin is actually in the normal range, but it seems that optimal is 50-100. I guess my dr. forgot to tell me that part :) Thanks! Care to share the names of the books? What supplements are you doing? Good luck to you!! This ebook on CFS is generally considered the most reliable source of information given the current state of medical understanding. https://www.amazon.com/Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome-Treatment-Guide-ebook/dp/B009B9X36Y Are your T4 scores, for example, in the upper-half to three-quarters of range? What about TSH? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Do you have the actual lab work numbers? Compare the Thyroid test numbers with those on Stop the Thyroid Madness. Vitamin D is optimally above 50. Do you have the MTHFR gene? If you do not, you need methylated b vitamins in order to absorb them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Have you done a saliva hormone test? I was exhausted, foggy memory, etc etc.... Turns out I have low estrogen and progesterone. I use a progesterone cream now, and wow, what a difference! mamakelly, did you have the typical low progesterone cycle symptoms? Irregular periods is one of them. I've had several low progesterone tests over the years but some that were fine. My cycles are super regular and stuff (no horrible cramping just light, same with breast pain) so my doctors haven't really thought it was a big deal for me. Sorry for the personal questions, no need to answer if you'd rather not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Have you done a saliva hormone test? I was exhausted, foggy memory, etc etc.... Turns out I have low estrogen and progesterone. I use a progesterone cream now, and wow, what a difference! Very interesting! I just went through menopause and have felt awful for the past year with being so exhausted and having brain fog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 "Normal" is statistical for a large group of people; it is not prescriptive for an individual person. I had an experience similar to SpyCar's, above. Also you might see about what foody-things you can do. I learned to eat a LOT more protein earlier in the day, for one thing. You can also mess around with elimination diets and see you get any clues there. I hope you find some help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Recommended ferritin for maximum B12 absorption is closer to 80. Yours was way low. B12 should be over 500. Folate level should be around 20. I'd probably want labs rerun and see where your numbers are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I have adrenal fatigue. I don't have my numbers with me, but I see a functional medicine dr and he had me do the DUTCH hormone test. I take Adaptocrine which does help. I also took ferritin, Vit D and B's. I have a myriad of other issues and he and I were sure it was thyroid but my levels were optimal, even by his standards (most naturopath acknowledge that the current guidelines are a joke). It's frustrating when you just want answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I need advice. Late last year I finally got in to see a naturopath about my fatigue that had been on and off for the previous 18 months. All my thyroid tests, including T3 and T4, what kind of t3 & t4? totals? free? - totals are totally worthless numbers. (but that's what drs tend to run unless they really know what they're doing.) came back normal. define normal. what were the numbers and ranges for the particular tests? My adrenal saliva test (shockingly) did not come back low but a little high. did you do the four point test? you need the number for each point - they can vary widely. you need the ranges for the particular 24 hour saliva test you had. My DHEA was borderline low and my progesterone was high. My vit D was normal. define normal. what was the number? (consider 50 a bottom baseline. it should be above that.) He said my ferritin was low from my last set of blood tests--the previous January. (It was 36.). is that the only iron lab you did? there are four that are recommended. He advised I take some extra B vitamins, but couldn't do a lot for me other than that until I weaned my toddler. (She's now weaned). as for b-vitamins - molecular form matters. you want something that is very bioavailable so your body doesn't have to convert it to a form you actually use. On my own (thanks to advice on here!!), I went back on a prenatal vitamin and almost immediately felt better--not all of the way better, but much better. That lasted for a wonderful 4 months, and then slowly the fatigue began creeping back i, even though I am still on the prenatals. Now, I am exhausted all of the time again, and I have a constant dull headache. I have really heavy, long periods, but my ob did a fingerstick and said I am not anemic. I have an appointment with the naturopath again next week. What should I be asking him to do? My last comprehensive iron panel was in Jan, 2016, so I'll request that for sure. Vit B12 was normal last Jan as well. What else??? for starters - go read stopthethyroidmadness.com here's the recommended labwork. you want OPTIMUM ranges - not "normal". "normal" includes the results from people who feel like garbage. those numbers distort optimum numbers. they also have several facebook groups that are incredibly helpful. most of the mods know more about thyroid and adrenal than most docs. some docs are starting to come around. the facebook groups are all "for thyroid patients only" ftpo - then they have subgroups that are more specialized. adrenals can really mess you up. sttm also has a section on adrenals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 most doctors really don't "get" there is a huge difference between "normal", and "optimal". you have to ask for numbers and see where the ranges are yourself. even my ND told me I only had one high for my adrenal test and the other's were normal. actually - I had three highs. what she called high . . . was "SUPER" high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Thanks so much everyone. Thinking about this and checking lab values... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Well, looking at that STTM website, it looks like my adrenals were all out of optimal range (morning one, afternoon one, and night one were too high--possible cause of my periodic insomnia??--and my noon one was too low. Only the morning one showed actually out of range. All of my irons except the actual hemoglobin one were too low. I'll ask for repeats of all of the iron tests for sure since it's been over a year. All of the thyroid ones look optimal. Thanks again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 What kind of insomnia? Can't go to sleep, or wake up in the middle of the night? Yes, it can cause insomnia. 3 highs, you tx for high cortisol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 What kind of insomnia? Can't go to sleep, or wake up in the middle of the night? Yes, it can cause insomnia. 3 highs, you tx for high cortisol. My insomnia is usually the kind where I keep jerking awake over and over again when I'm trying to fall asleep , though I sometimes get the wake up in the middle of the night too. So, I've read about what to do for low cortisol (I thought for sure my labs would come back showing that!), but I'm fuzzy about the treatment for high??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) OP here. So, all of my bloodwork (thyroid, cbc, liver function) came back normal except my ferritin is still on the low side (38) and my total iron and % iron saturation are not optimal (according to the STTM website). My dr. said I should continue to take my prenatal (which has 27 mg of iron it it) and I could take up to 50 mg of iron 3 days a week. He isn't so sure the iron levels have anything to do with my low energy since my hemoglobin is normal, but I think it does. My question is, which iron supplement should I take? There are so many!!! Edited May 10, 2017 by jkl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Floradix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mominco Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 :iagree: Floradix. Ferratin was very low for me,lesser than yours and i had a lot of fatigue.That was what I took,made a world of difference. The pcp put me on ferrous sulfate and it did nothing! I noticed it will take you a couple months to build up your levels. The other thing for me is progesterone,but this just got tested and I'm really low.That has also caused fatigue but not as bad as with low iron. If you have a Vitamin shoppe they sell Floradix. Its cheaper on Vitacost or Amazon but if you want to start asap look for it there. I have 10ml 1/2 hour before lunch. GL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Floradix. My NP likes Standard Process liquid iron, but I like Floradix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkl Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 So, Floradix it is. Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I'd suggest double checking the lab-work as there can be a big difference between what is considered "normal" and what is optimal. For example, I was told my thyroid numbers were "normal" (just barely) and if I had not figured out that "normal" can leave one flattened I'd be.... Bill Agree! I had a similar experience with my Vit D levels. Thankfully my doc had a different criteria based on newer (then) research and wanted my levels higher than the okay-by-lab-standards. That's what it took to up my immunity and stop alarming hair loss. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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