Hypothyroidism

[johns74]

I wonder if blood donation would be too taxing for someone in a very weakened, depleted state, who has difficulty digesting enough to sustain himself?

Why should he do a blood donation to remove iron? Removing 50 ml per week results in the equivalent to a full blood donation in 10 weeks. His ferritin is not that high, he'll get results quickly (if he has excess iron).

 

[iLoveSugar]

I never donated blood just to donate it. Basically, I have took hundreds of tests to rule out different things, and many of the tests were repetetive by different docs that just wanted their own labs.

Thanks Johns, some people obviously have nothing better to do.

 

[tara]

I wonder if blood donation would be too taxing for someone in a very weakened, depleted state, who has difficulty digesting enough to sustain himself?

Why should he do a blood donation to remove iron? Removing 50 ml per week results in the equivalent to a full blood donation in 10 weeks. His ferritin is not that high, he'll get results quickly (if he has excess iron).

I entirely agree.
I was responding to a suggestion upthread that blood donation might be helpful. I think it would risk causing more problems, as I said, with or without the many blood draws taken for testing.

 

[Such_Saturation]

You know I've had up to three blood tests in a month, and the needle already takes its toll on the body at that point. But there is a certain state that allows the organism to endure a time of illness with some kind of peace, and even pull through the decisions that the illness imposes, with a greater conclusiveness. It can become a magnet towards health, but essentially I think it is the healthy state in itself. I'm not really an expert on how to keep it, but it is really not a decision, it's more like a self-hope, a hope in oneself. Please do not think that I am trying to make fun of what your history is, and please do not infer that I think good health is simply a choice, because it would make the whole concept pretty much useless.

 

[ilovethesea]

Hey iLoveSugar. I was wondering what happened to you as well, and if you were ok. Glad to see you back. I hope you get a breakthrough soon. I'm sure it seems like you've tried everything at this point and must be extremely frustrating.

One quote that really helped me was from Zachariah on the RP facebook group. He said that healing happens in stages and sometimes things seem like they're getting worse before they get better - but that's only because RP suggestions work really well to lower cortisol. Cortisol is very good at "masking" the problems. Many symptoms were probably always there, just hidden by stress hormones. This concept has definitely been true for me with my ongoing allergy issues.

 

[narouz]

ilovesugar-

Sorry if I've missed it but,
do you have any lab numbers for thyroid?
And do you take your temps and pulse?
How is your digestion and elimination?
And gut pain, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, reflux, etc?

Hang in there my friend! :)

 

[EnoreeG]

Yeah doesn't make much sense to me at all. I'm a single dad that puts on a fake smile everyday just to hide what I am going through. The symptoms that I have often keep me in bed in misery. I'm not sure what you are suggesting except to just give up. I've had them thoughts enough; I don't need some stranger encouraging them.

Hey, iLove,

I'm not totally up to speed on all your 500 posts, or your labs, but I've read a lot of what you've been saying and have a rough idea of your symptoms, so I'll mention a couple of things. Now you are focusing on thyroid, but exhibiting signs that your current diet and supps aren't working, and you continue to have stress and depression. I know you've mentioned methylation at least a few times in your posts. I'd like to take you back in that direction for a moment.

First, remember that the adrenals trump the thyroid in terms of needing care if you're having stress. Working the thyroid issues won't fix the adrenals.

On methylation, one must realize that Peat's diet works on one part of the issues for stress and depression. If you are depressed, Peat's diet will help if you are high on serotonin and/or dopamine. But there are other things that cause depression and stress together. And in those cases, you may need changes in your diet and supplements. So it is possible that instead of being a great candidate for a Peat diet, you may be suffering from under-methylation or a copper overload or even another neurotransmitter deficiency, and need other possibilities to look at.

So that I don't have to read absolutely all your posts, and then possibly come up short on information, please tell me a few things:

Have you ever taken an SSRI? What was the effect?
Have you ever taken supplements of SAMe or methionine?
Have you ever been tested for, or told you need to supplement Zinc, or taken zinc supplements?
What about B6 supplements?
Do you have any heart/circulation problems?
Have you ever needed to take antihistamines? Do you have seasonal allergies?
Are you a perfectionist or have a family history of high accomplishment?
Are you fiercely competitive?
Do you also have panic attacks?

Thanks, if you wish to answer these questions. I might be able to show you where to look next. When you have methylation issues, or some kinds of metal overloads, you need something more than thyroid measurements/treatment and a generalized diet or your neurotransmitters are not going to get repaired and may even get worse. Your hair loss and frequent headaches and stress tell me a lot, but I need more info. to offer some other ideas.

 

[iLoveSugar]

Sorry, I have been MIA and didn't see this post.

I've taken over 10 SSRI's from ages 18-24. Never noticed anything positive. When coming off Effexor XR, it was like death. And honestly, it's kind of how I feel every day now.
No SAMe or methione.
No on the Zinc.
No on the B6.
Self diagnosed circulatory issues. My hands/feet are always frozen, literally, and don't warm up for nothing. No food, blankets, etc.
Yes to allergies although they aren't so bad anymore. They were treacherous as a kid.
Yes to perfectionist.
Yes, I am competitive. Grew up loving sports and still do.
Not really to panic attacks. When I do, I just faint, or very close to fainting.

 

[Giraffe]

ILoveSugar, your symptoms remind me a lot of the symptoms I had when I was descending into myxedema (stiff neck, body hurts, fatigue and brain fog, absence seizures...). Actually the hypothyroidism was written all over my face (hanging eyelids, hanging jawline, thicker tongue, bad skin... At inhaling my ribcage would not expand at all, and I got out of breath easily.

When it was at its worst it felt like every fluid in my body is too viscous to flow causing swellings and pains everywhere. I couldn't sit still for five minutes, I felt I had to keep moving or my body would collapse.

Can you relate? What do you look like?

 

[iLoveSugar]

Pretty much. I'm so stressed from this it's insane. My feet and hands are sooo frozen and wet, and don't warm up for ANYTHING. The brain fog, fatigue, anxiety and dizziness are the worst of all.

 

[johns74]

I'm guessing you didn't try to reduce your iron stores through blood donation? If I recall correctly your ferritin was 200. If it reflected iron stores, it was probably higher than ideal. Did you happen to test transferrin saturation to confirm or refute high iron stores?

 

[Giraffe]

ILoveSugar, I got out of this misery, and so can you. Back than (more than a year ago) I had no clue what was going on. I didn't care to see a doctor as I was tired of being told that I am healthy as can be according to stupid lab tests. It was only after I found Ray Peat's website (a couple of months ago) that I realized that I am hypothyroid (probably since childhood, untreated).

I think the first problem you need to address is respiration. I sought help from a rolfing therapist, and I strongly advise you to do the same.

The first treatment in a rolfing therapy is aimed at helping with breathing. Immediately after treatment my shoulders where at least 10 cm broader. A couple of days later, debilitating pain I had for months decreased tremendously.

I don't know what supplements you are taking. I find vitamin E and aspirin helpful for their thinning effect.

Also taurine seems to help undo some damage from mucopolysaccharides, but get Haidut's opinion before you try taurine.

Are you eating breakfast? If not... Do it!

 

[iLoveSugar]

post 99564 I'm guessing you didn't try to reduce your iron stores through blood donation? If I recall correctly your ferritin was 200. If it reflected iron stores, it was probably higher than ideal. Did you happen to test transferrin saturation to confirm or refute high iron stores?

Haven't had any bloodwork done lately as I currently am without insurance. The USA medical system makes this THAT much harder.

 

[iLoveSugar]

post 99566 ILoveSugar, I got out of this misery, and so can you. Back than (more than a year ago) I had no clue what was going on. I didn't care to see a doctor as I was tired of being told that I am healthy as can be according to stupid lab tests. It was only after I found Ray Peat's website (a couple of months ago) that I realized that I am hypothyroid (probably since childhood, untreated).

I think the first problem you need to address is respiration. I sought help from a rolfing therapist, and I strongly advise you to do the same.

The first treatment in a rolfing therapy is aimed at helping with breathing. Immediately after treatment my shoulders where at least 10 cm broader. A couple of days later, debilitating pain I had for months decreased tremendously.

I don't know what supplements you are taking. I find vitamin E and aspirin helpful for their thinning effect.

Also taurine seems to help undo some damage from mucopolysaccharides, but get Haidut's opinion before you try taurine.

Are you eating breakfast? If not... Do it!

Thanks for that. Yes, I do eat a shake in the morning (cottage cheese, fruit juice, coc oil, sugar) with my coffee and milk.

 

[johns74]

post 99576

post 99564 I'm guessing you didn't try to reduce your iron stores through blood donation? If I recall correctly your ferritin was 200. If it reflected iron stores, it was probably higher than ideal. Did you happen to test transferrin saturation to confirm or refute high iron stores?

Haven't had any bloodwork done lately as I currently am without insurance. The USA medical system makes this THAT much harder.

Transferrin saturation is not an expensive test.

Blood donation is free. You could consider doing just one donation and seeing what happens, maybe ask them if it can be smaller than the typical 550 ml. Doing just one donation is unlikely to make you anemic, if you're forced to do it without checking your iron stores.

 

[iLoveSugar]

I do know that the past 10 blood draws have been an absolute nightmare. Fainting is on the horizon there. It's sad to say, and I hate to sound like a whiner, but the faint feeling is the devil.

 

[johns74]

post 99586 I do know that the past 10 blood draws have been an absolute nightmare. Fainting is on the horizon there. It's sad to say, and I hate to sound like a whiner, but the faint feeling is the devil.

Were you fasting? Blood donation doesn't have to be done fasting. Have a lot of sugar before it.

Also, cottage cheese is not good, it loses almost all the calcium. Milk is better, or other types of cheese.

 

[iLoveSugar]

I only used the cottage cheese to help with shakes. I get like 20-25 g per shake. What about cottage cheese + milk?

 

[Giraffe]

I did a quick search on "fascia" and "breathing". I found this. It heated me up quite a bit. :)

 

[johns74]

post 99648 I only used the cottage cheese to help with shakes. I get like 20-25 g per shake. What about cottage cheese + milk?

I didn't know you drank milk, I just read the cottage cheese part.