http://www.blogtalkradio.com/drlora...terjohn/scrub/0

This is a talk about cholesterol primarily but around 25" in it talks about the link between T4 -> FT3 conversion and how high cholesterol can be an indication that this conversion isn't happening well.

This is why I think some of us on low carb see our LDL levels go way up. A very LC or low calorie diet may make our conversion work poorly. I'm experimenting right now by adding carbs to my diet. I plan to have blood tests done after a few weeks to see how things stand.

Thanks for this link. Interesting info since my LDL and TC are also higher on LC. As you mention, it confirms that I too should continue to try higher carbs, as suggested by Paul Jaminet, to see if thyroid function improves and LDL goes back down. Also interesting, since my triglycerides are only 20, that when too low, might disrupt transport of fat soluble vitamins. Good interview.

I'm in the same boat with high LDL, Low HDL and moderate TG.

I've been going up on carbs to around 35 per day as I go up Atkins rungs, and still losing weight at a moderate rate. Only problem is that my BG has been creeping up, and I've had to modestly increase my insulin dose to cover.

I noticed that my Endo failed to test T3/rT3, and has indicated to me no evidence of a thyroid problem. Maybe time for a talk with her, or a new Doc. Not really satisfied with her interpretation of testing, since I have many symptoms of Thyroid issues.

Most endo's won't test Free or reverse T3 and they won't do anything about it if they see a poor conversion. I go to an ND to get it treated.

You can have poor conversion, like I do, and a TSH that looks fine (by their standards). I am now taking thyroid with T3 in it (Armour) but I don't tolerate it all that well. I can only take 90mg or I suffer hyperthyroid side-effects. And I still don't lose weight, even with it.

Just got this in response to a request for info-seems a bit pricey:

Good Morning Marc,

Yes Dr. Woliner can treat your symptoms. Since every patient is unique, we ask that you make a new patient appointment. Below is the procedure in setting up that appointment.

The new patient consultation is 80 minutes long with Dr. Woliner and is $650.

No blood work or testing is included, that will be determined by Dr. Woliner after your 80 minute consultation with him and will be drawn in our office to ensure proper processing.

All follow up visits are 40 minutes long and are $400. You will follow up 2 weeks after your first appointment to go over lab work or testing that was required, but after that your follow up visits will be every 3 to 6 months depending on your treatment plan. These follow up visits can also be done by phone.

Dr. Woliner is out of network with all insurance companies. This is due to insurance companies not willing to pay for the time he spends with his patients. We do supply you with a receipt that you can submit into your insurance for reimbursement if you have out of network benefits.

If you do decide to make an appointment, we ask that you fill out the attached new patient forms and bring them with you along with any recent blood work or testing that you may have had in the last 3 months. Dr. Woliner does not like to repeat the same tests you may have already had done.

To hold and confirm your new patient appointment, we ask that you please send back the office policy signed either by fax 561-367-9509 or email holisticfamilymedicine~yahoo.com.

The office hours are Monday through Thursday - 8am to 5pm, with some extended hours if scheduled ahead of time, and Fridays from 9am-2pm for those who need to pick up supplements or to make an appointment with Dr. Woliner.

We take all credit cards and checks.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesistate to contact me.

I think I'll take another stab at my Endo (Cleveland Clinic). Not sure how far to push on this issue since I am making progress towards my weight goals, and BG is much improved.

Yikes! That is pricey. My ND charges $60 an hour.
Do you have any hypothyroid symptoms? Most people feel pretty poopy who do. Unfortunately they're often exhausted and it's usually hard for them to work up the gumption to pursue it.

Double Yikes!! What doctor quotes his prices upfront in an email, laying out exactly how many minutes and what it does NOT include?

For the testing, have you considered the direct to consumer labs, like DirectLabs?

I might go that route, but I still have to move from the results to a diagnoses to a treatment. Not sure how to do that. What is an ND?

Naturopathic doctor. In my state, CA, they can prescribe certain things, like hormones.

You could order the Free T3/Free T4 labs yourself and see if you have low FT3. It's something like $60-75. If you have low conversion then you can find yourself a practitioner for the diagnosis and treatment.

Thanks for the advice. I have a July appt with the Endo, and will go over the tests to see what she has to say before getting another doc involved. I'll start looking around for an ND in the area (I'm pretty sure that is what Dr. Wolinsky is). Problem is I pay so much for health insurance it doesn't leave me much of anything for out of network.

Keep looking. Where do you live?

There are some doctors here that charge outrageous prices like that too. They usually spend a whole lot on advertising.

I did google searches on "natural thyroid hormone replacement san diego", I think.

Marc,
Understand about staying in-network and assume that Cleveland Clinic has a large facility in FL, like Mayo. You may want to investigate the treatment approaches of each endo in the department, sometimes you can read about their specialties in on-line bios or published research or websites for doctor "reviews". Maybe find a male doc who balances thyroid and testosterone in the same dept?

Due to my insurance, selected doctors all at Duke. I can use Dr Westman's 20g carb program, or starve on 500 kcal of rice (yuck) so pays to shop around even in one facility Recently looked at my bills carefully, and With an insurance discount, still paid more Out of pocket for Bloodwork there than DirectLabs.

Cleveland Clinic in Fl is a large facility, with several Endo's. I'm going to have a talk with mine at my next appointment, and get the blood tests beforehand and pay out of pocket. What tests need to be done at the same blood draw. I can. Last ones run were TSH BLD, T4 Free/Free Thyrox, and T3 Free BLD. What am I missing? Testosterone was checked, and I was at the upper end of the range, so no issue there.


So far, I've been very happy with the quality of care at CC Weston, FL. They really do seem to care about their patients, and I have had a radical improvement in my health since starting there last year. My Endo does take me seriously, is very much ok with my following the Atkins diet and a LC lifestyle, and is pretty much astounded at the results. I think I can work through this with her, if I can just figure out what is missing.

I've been experimenting with more carbs, too, also based on Jaminet's writing about needing glucose for structural glycoproteins. I think I found my limit last night, though. I ate 100g of net carbs, and I felt crazed today and ravenous by my first meal (11:45). After a few months of higher carbs, I plan to get HealthCheck USA's discounted complete thyroid panel and Mymedlab's salivary cortisol test, unless, by some miracle, I can convince my ultra-conventional Kaiser doc. (who even recommends against digestive enzymes) that I'm "worried" that my LC WOE might produce "euthyroid sick syndrome."

I had a reverse T3 of 250-280 IIRC. I should have it retested. I've been eating more carbs every other day.