Hypo-metabolic Yet Hyper And Anxious? + T3 & Peating

[Chris-R]

It has been abundantly clear to me for a couple years now that I am certainly facing significant hypo-metabolic symptoms (brain fog, fatigue, apathy, cold extremities, poor libido, etc.). However, I have a TSH of 1.5 and so I'm not so certain I have an actual thyroid gland issue. I had a REALLY bad prolonged stressful life event a couple years ago and I've had gallbladder and liver problems since the begging of my metabolic issues. Therefore, I am leaning towards reverse T3 and under-conversion of T4-T3 as the main problem(s). For these reasons I am not keen on the idea of supplementing with any form of T4.

While brain fogged and lethargic, I am at the same time aware of an overall feeling of unease and generalized tension throughout my body (and mind), and a tendency towards a very short temper. It's as if there is something stressful inside me that my body is always clinging to and laboring over, and cannot just let goooo and relaxxxx. Breathing feels slightly labored, air hunger off and on, and there is an overall lack of contentment. Always feeling the need to analyze or contemplate or be stimulated. Anxiety prone. These stress and tension issues are easily as devastating as the issues surrounding overall sluggishness. I promise there is a point to me telling you all this....

Last week I decided to take T3 for the first time. I started with just 5mcg. I felt instant heart flutters and a total rush of uncomfortable energy and stress. Each subsequent dose that day had the same effect. The uncomfortable rush scared me away and I immediately gave up on the T3 after the first day. I wanted to know why this happened and so I hit the books (internet).

After some studying over the past few days, I firmly believe that my overall stress and tension symptoms are due to the fact that, as Ray says, in the absence of a properly functioning sugar + thyroid based metabolism, the body compensates with the stress hormones adrenaline + cortisol, sometimes in enormous quantities, in order to keep the blood sugar up and to keep you going. It's like...bingo! It honestly makes perfect sense with how I feel. Even though I eat high sugar, low fat, good protein, no PUFA, etc. my body is just stuck in a cycle of poor and inefficient metabolism and reliance on stress hormones. I generally have close to enough energy to get through the day, but nonetheless it all seems takes place on a canvas of overall tension and unease. This is the adrenaline and cortisol compensation. You can get stuff done, but man does it make you tense and anxious. I think this is why coffee affects me so strongly, and causes me to become so irritable, and why the T3 affected me so intensely. If that dose of T3 wasn't stacked on top of all that endogenous adrenaline, I imagine that 5mcg wouldn't do much at all.

Ray says that it can take a couple of days of T3 administration (and proper diet + sugar) for the body to recognize that it no longer needs to continue boosting adrenaline and cortisol to meet energy demands (Oh how I hope to achieve that point). I am currently on day two of T3 supplementation and am already noticing significantly less of a reaction from each dose (around 5mcg every 2-3 hours or so). I am going to continue forward with the hopes of breaking the cycle of the stress state, and restoring myself to a proper respiratory metabolism with a plan to eventually taper off of T3. This all reminds my quite a bit of Wilson's T3 protocol and makes my think there is likely at least some validity to his method, DEPENDING ON THE PATIENT and the actual cause of their thyroid hormone issue.

Anybody else have similar symptoms and causes to my own? If so, has anything in particular worked for you? Any thoughts?

Below is a link to a compilation of Ray quotes which I have been reading. Thanks!
Ray Peat, PhD on Thyroid, Temperature, Pulse, and TSH – Functional Performance Systems (FPS)

 

[2ManyHistamines]

Much of this sounds like something I might have written about myself, minus any perceptible liver and gallbladder issues. My last TSH reading was 1.5 as well. Although some recent labs showed elevated ALT enzymes, so perhaps there is a liver issue outside of too much aspirin use. I too have recently come to my best-guess conclusion that I likely need T3 to correct the circle of stress.

I am currently writing this in a state of brain fog, irritability, sweaty hands and cold feet. Inner tension is always there. I haven't truly relaxed in many years, breathing feels forced, labored, and disconnected at all times. Recent tests showed cortisol and prolactin off the charts, adrenaline at the top end of the range, and a relatively high Reverse T3.

Caffeine, taurine, nicotine and bone broth would make me feel relatively good mentally during the summer months. I felt well enough to see family that I hadn't seen in many years due to no other reason than my own sickness. That same combo does not seem to work now during the winter.

I recently listened to a RP interview with Jodell Fitness regarding thyroid. I can't remember exactly what Ray said, but I believe he said that many new thyroid patients quit their thyroid supplementation within the first week due to the unpleasant symptoms that may manifest before thyroid takes over metabolism.

Ray has said that back in the good old days, anyone with anxiety was checked for hypo.

Maybe eat some liver for the anti-stress benefits. Listen to some relaxing music in a well lit room, watch something that makes you laugh, or do EFT tapping if things feel too intense at times.

Have you seen the thread regarding the use of Cypro along with thyroid to reduce stress hormones for a smoother transition into healthy metabolism?