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Originally Posted by Beth1708
Sorry I was gone so long, I was waiting for more info, which I now kinda have.
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Hey, Beth -- I was getting kinda worried about you, so I'm glad to see you back.
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I had posted free T3, I don't have total T3.
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Okay, then -- that means your FT3/rT3 ratio = 11. It should be at least 20. So yes, your high cholesterol is indeed being caused by a peripheral thyroid hormone problem. Your T4 should be converting to T3 via an iodine molecule on the enzyme. In addition to the newly created T3 entering your cells to regulate metabolism, it also signals to liver that there is sufficient cholesterol in your body. Since without enough cholesterol every cell in our body would loose coherence and we'd collapse into a puddle on the floor -- sufficient cholesterol is a priority for your body.
But instead of this healthy process, what's happening is the the T4 is converting to Reverse T3 instead, by using a mirror-image reverse iodine molecule. This molecule can NOT signal the liver that there's enough cholesterol, so more and more and more is made, even though it's not used. If you had enough T3 reaching your cells (doesn't matter what the 'range' says; if it doesn't reach your cells because the receptors are blocked it's as if you had none at all) your excess cholesterol would quickly be converted to bile and fatty acids that would excreted from the body. Instead, your body is storing it because it's not getting the signal it needs to do otherwise.
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On the rT3, the lab report says that the reference range is 90 to 350 pg/mL, so it is within the reference range...
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Which means zip. Nada. Nothing. Range only says how much there is in the bloodstream, and not what it is in relationship to T3. That's like saying you have sufficient insulin to handle any glucose you eat. If your cells are insulin resistant, all that energy goes back to the liver to be turned into stored adipose fat. What you need to do is either have the rT3 cut in half, or have your FT3 double.
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the endo I went to has not the slightest clue what the problem is. He thinks it is the amount of saturated fat.
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You need a new doctor. Seriously. This person can do nothing for you. You now know far more than he does. And thus there's no point in 'arguing' with him, since he would have to actually get educated in order to understand what you say to him.
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I have not yet gotten those cortisol or ferritin tests.
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Unfortunately, you will need the results of both tests before you can begin treatment to clear our your rT3 and let the T3 reach your cells -- which will lower your TC.
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My doctor suggested that I get a new cholesterol test & also a test for apoB
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Not necessary, though if he is willing to order your ferritin and SALIVA (not serum) Cortisol, then fine. The TC and APO will show what you already know,
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I may ask the endo for a course of Cytomel, to see what it does.
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I doubt you'll get it. Nor should you take it until you know what you're doing, how to take it -- and depending on the results of ferritin and cortisol -- that you can take it without harm. Getting the C without him will be no problem; write me privately, but only after you have the results of the two tests you need.
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So far, there have been 5 people with decades of experience who have all said that they have never seen this happen before. That is some thousands of patients, so it must be somewhat rare.
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It's not rare at all. But you've just proven that even if hundreds of their patients did have the problem -- they wouldn't have recognized it. How do I know this? Your doctor didn't recognize it in you, even after looking at your blood test results! Hello....
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I was going to say that both T3 and rT3 are in the middle of the reference ranges, but not so, T3 is right at the bottom (ref range is 2.3 to 3.9, value is 2.4).
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Again, when you say "T3" do you really mean Free T3 or Total T3? If you mean Free T3, you have to write it like this: FT3 -- so folks will know what you mean.
So if you mean your FT3 is at the bottom range -- and it needs to be in the top third of the range for your cells to get it -- you have just demonstrated again why being 'in range' on these tests is a meaningless measurement, and what you need someone who understands this to interpret the tests and treat you properly.
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your doctor was giving you T3 and it should bring your TC down -- did that work
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*I* gave me T3, thank you.
And I just took my blood tests this week. Should have the results two weeks from now, and although I've only been on T3 for a month, will be thrilled even if the TC hasn't gone up -- as it has on every single test for the last 3 years.
Beth, you definitely have a Reverse T3 problem, but as you can see you'll need to get some tests done before you can do anything about it, and you need to start getting educated about this specific problem. PM me for more info.
Also, you now need to do a temperature chart for a wide variety of reasons, also before you begin treatment, and then during. Here's what you do:
Take your temperature 3 hours AFTER waking. Take it 3 hours after that, and 3 hours after that. Do this for one week and post the results here, in F not C, like this:
Monday: 3-hr: 97.8 6-hr: 98.0 9-hr: 98.0 (avg: 97.9)
Tuesday: 3-hr: 97.6 6-hr: 98.2 9-hr: 98.0 (avg: 97.9)
Etc.
This will provide a LOT more information about what's going on.
Lisa