drob31
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,487
This is sort of a mixed bag of things I wanted to get some feedback on:
Since my symptoms mainly appeared to be hypothyroid, I sought out a doctor who prescribed slow release t3. I was able to acquire this medication and am currently on 20 mcg BID. Before taking it I had days where the brain fog was really strong, and other days where it would go away.
My saliva cortisol tests have always been high in the afternoon, and sometimes in the morning.
My blood serum free cortisol went from .08 before t3, to 6.4 after, ref: 0.6 - 3.4. Needless to say, either the t3 woke the HPA-axis up, or I'm just seeing the wildly different results from day to day. Alternatively blood serum is simply not an accurate marker for cortisol levels.
In any case, the t3 has increased energy and decreased hypo symptoms, but hypo symptoms still persist. I went from a free t3 of 2.4 to 3.7, and my rt3 went from 20 to 16. If this were true hypothyroidism or even adrenal dysfunction with high cortisol, I would expect that most symptoms would disappear since my blood levels are perfect, but I realize that it's impossible to know what's making it into the cells.
One thing that started to occur after using the T3, however was cold hands after eating. It's appears to be a secondary Raynauld's phenomena. My hands will be warm and normal, but if I eat or drink anything, they get ice cold. The odd part is this doesn't always occur. I'm guessing this could be related to autonomic dysfunction, but it got very noticeable after starting the t3 and using higher doses.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I developed an infection in my naval (umbilicus). This infection is reoccurring every few years. Knowing amoxicillin never stops it, and I don't want floxie ABX, I called the doctor and he wrote me a script for Keflex. I started taking it, and the first few days I began experiencing a big of lethargy. It was a different type of fatigue. I was thinking it was almost like a herx reaction or a side effect, however after a few days these feeling went away, and I felt a little more clear minded.
I'm not sure what indicates that you're back to normal, but I'm guessing it would be something along the lines of feeling like your old self again. I still don't feel that way, and still feel like I have a bit of HPA-axis dysfunction. Since I know HPA-axis dysfunction doesn't just manifest spontaneously, or persist forever without a cause, I believe there a microbe/virus/bacteria that is causing it distress. I feel there is an immune related component so I'm getting some cytokine panels done. Perhaps the antibiotics are having an effect on it.
Do you think it's possible a bacterial or fungal infection in your naval (low grade, persisting for 6-9 months) could cause these issues or is it simply a co-infection, the result of a weakened or sleepy immune system?
Also, my symptoms began 1.5 months post knee surgery. I received an ACL allograft (cadaver Achilles tendon). Is it possible this tissue was infection with a mysterious CFS related microbe/lyme/etc? I know the tissue donors are supposedly screened, but how do you screen for something that is unknown?
EDIT: I also forgot to mentioned the one test I had come up positive was for candida antibodies. My candida IgA antibodies were 21 (ref 1-10). I know candida is controversial and elusive, but I started treating this with diflucan. So I should mentioned I'm on that as well.
I'm compound hetero MTHFR
Positive for pyroluria (13.4) ref-1-9
Candida IgA antibodies (21) ref 1-10
Low normal magnesium RBC (4.8) ref 4.5-6.8
Since my symptoms mainly appeared to be hypothyroid, I sought out a doctor who prescribed slow release t3. I was able to acquire this medication and am currently on 20 mcg BID. Before taking it I had days where the brain fog was really strong, and other days where it would go away.
My saliva cortisol tests have always been high in the afternoon, and sometimes in the morning.
My blood serum free cortisol went from .08 before t3, to 6.4 after, ref: 0.6 - 3.4. Needless to say, either the t3 woke the HPA-axis up, or I'm just seeing the wildly different results from day to day. Alternatively blood serum is simply not an accurate marker for cortisol levels.
In any case, the t3 has increased energy and decreased hypo symptoms, but hypo symptoms still persist. I went from a free t3 of 2.4 to 3.7, and my rt3 went from 20 to 16. If this were true hypothyroidism or even adrenal dysfunction with high cortisol, I would expect that most symptoms would disappear since my blood levels are perfect, but I realize that it's impossible to know what's making it into the cells.
One thing that started to occur after using the T3, however was cold hands after eating. It's appears to be a secondary Raynauld's phenomena. My hands will be warm and normal, but if I eat or drink anything, they get ice cold. The odd part is this doesn't always occur. I'm guessing this could be related to autonomic dysfunction, but it got very noticeable after starting the t3 and using higher doses.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I developed an infection in my naval (umbilicus). This infection is reoccurring every few years. Knowing amoxicillin never stops it, and I don't want floxie ABX, I called the doctor and he wrote me a script for Keflex. I started taking it, and the first few days I began experiencing a big of lethargy. It was a different type of fatigue. I was thinking it was almost like a herx reaction or a side effect, however after a few days these feeling went away, and I felt a little more clear minded.
I'm not sure what indicates that you're back to normal, but I'm guessing it would be something along the lines of feeling like your old self again. I still don't feel that way, and still feel like I have a bit of HPA-axis dysfunction. Since I know HPA-axis dysfunction doesn't just manifest spontaneously, or persist forever without a cause, I believe there a microbe/virus/bacteria that is causing it distress. I feel there is an immune related component so I'm getting some cytokine panels done. Perhaps the antibiotics are having an effect on it.
Do you think it's possible a bacterial or fungal infection in your naval (low grade, persisting for 6-9 months) could cause these issues or is it simply a co-infection, the result of a weakened or sleepy immune system?
Also, my symptoms began 1.5 months post knee surgery. I received an ACL allograft (cadaver Achilles tendon). Is it possible this tissue was infection with a mysterious CFS related microbe/lyme/etc? I know the tissue donors are supposedly screened, but how do you screen for something that is unknown?
EDIT: I also forgot to mentioned the one test I had come up positive was for candida antibodies. My candida IgA antibodies were 21 (ref 1-10). I know candida is controversial and elusive, but I started treating this with diflucan. So I should mentioned I'm on that as well.
I'm compound hetero MTHFR
Positive for pyroluria (13.4) ref-1-9
Candida IgA antibodies (21) ref 1-10
Low normal magnesium RBC (4.8) ref 4.5-6.8
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