I've just had a big panel of labs back and one thing that stands out to me is my SHBG is right at the bottom of the range. Can anyone shed any light on what might be the cause of this please? Heres my results:
I am 22 months post TT (not sure if this makes a difference to the results?). I was on 125mcg Oroxine but was reduced to 112mcg 5 weeks ago as my FT3 and TSH were dropping while my FT4 was rising.
My latest Thyroid labs after the dosage decrease are:
TSH 0.79 (0.30 - 4.00) - they were using 0.30 - 3.00 on last labs?
FT3 3.7 (2.5 - 6.0) = 34%
FT4 15 (8-22) = 50%
Any advice appreciated as always
__________________
Rach xxxx
Total Thyroidectomy Oct 06 due to Massive Multi Nodular Goiter and Hashi
Adrenal Fatigue
180mg NTH
28mg HC
2 x Caltrate
I don't know much about the SBHG, but as with anything, I would really rather be around 50% so I know I'm in the middle! I don't know, does it mean you don't have enough of the proteins to bind your sex hormones, and why not?? Are you a vegetarian? Boy, I may be way off base in my thinking, but it wouldn't be the first time!
I don't know much about the SBHG, but as with anything, I would really rather be around 50% so I know I'm in the middle! I don't know, does it mean you don't have enough of the proteins to bind your sex hormones, and why not?? Are you a vegetarian? Boy, I may be way off base in my thinking, but it wouldn't be the first time!
I dont know either suey to be honest!! haha
Someone...please...what does it mean?
__________________
Rach xxxx
Total Thyroidectomy Oct 06 due to Massive Multi Nodular Goiter and Hashi
Adrenal Fatigue
180mg NTH
28mg HC
2 x Caltrate
Firstly, i'm no expert, but if it helps any, my Trichologist who helped me with my anemia and discovered i had Hashi's, always tested my SHBG and my FAI's. My SHBG was always low, no matter what time of the month it was.
I did some research on it ages ago and i keep an exercise book where i make notes of all kinds of health related odds and ends to do with my low iron, hair shedding and thyroid, as i would never remember it all otherwise!!
OK here goes........ The FAI shows the ratio between testosterone and your SHBG. Apparently timing is important when you get your SHBG test otherwise you can get a misdiagnosis of low testosterone. Blood should be drawn between 8 - 10am as testosterone levels are usually higher first thing in the morning and lower in the afternoon. Blood should also be drawn after day 8 of your cycle and preferably before day 20 and a serum sample is preferred over plasma.
Low SHBG is found in conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism and PCOS. SHBG levels are decreased by high levels of insulin, high levels of androgen and i've also read that the livers production of fats also leads to lower SHBG. I'm now wondering if the liver aspect has anything to do with my doctor doing a liver analysis and has put me on Glycine powder for 6mths. Must ask him next time.
High levels of SHBG is found during pregnancy hyperthyroidism and anorexia. High estrogen and thyroxine levels supposedly increase SHBG. Now my estrogen is double what it ought to be, yet my SHBG is too low.
Now, to put a different spin on things. I once read a very interesting article on SHBG in reference to China and a particular study. One part of China is predominantly a wheat eating part, while the other side is mostly rice eating. The wheat eating side is made up of females who are predominantly low in SHBG, while the rice eating side has a healthy SHBG.
As my gluten test showed me as being a touch over the maximum range, i'm wondering whether gluten/wheat has contributed to my SHBG levels. (list of things to ask my doc is just getting longer )
sue1234 - your comment on proteins could be right. I wasn't getting sufficient protein due to not enough pancreatic enzymes. Who knows how long that has been going on for.
Hope 'some' of this info helps. I'm sure there is bound to be an expert on this topic somewhere on these boards.
Firstly, i'm no expert, but if it helps any, my Trichologist who helped me with my anemia and discovered i had Hashi's, always tested my SHBG and my FAI's. My SHBG was always low, no matter what time of the month it was.
I did some research on it ages ago and i keep an exercise book where i make notes of all kinds of health related odds and ends to do with my low iron, hair shedding and thyroid, as i would never remember it all otherwise!!
OK here goes........ The FAI shows the ratio between testosterone and your SHBG. Apparently timing is important when you get your SHBG test otherwise you can get a misdiagnosis of low testosterone. Blood should be drawn between 8 - 10am as testosterone levels are usually higher first thing in the morning and lower in the afternoon. Blood should also be drawn after day 8 of your cycle and preferably before day 20 and a serum sample is preferred over plasma.
Low SHBG is found in conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism and PCOS. SHBG levels are decreased by high levels of insulin, high levels of androgen and i've also read that the livers production of fats also leads to lower SHBG. I'm now wondering if the liver aspect has anything to do with my doctor doing a liver analysis and has put me on Glycine powder for 6mths. Must ask him next time.
High levels of SHBG is found during pregnancy hyperthyroidism and anorexia. High estrogen and thyroxine levels supposedly increase SHBG. Now my estrogen is double what it ought to be, yet my SHBG is too low.
Now, to put a different spin on things. I once read a very interesting article on SHBG in reference to China and a particular study. One part of China is predominantly a wheat eating part, while the other side is mostly rice eating. The wheat eating side is made up of females who are predominantly low in SHBG, while the rice eating side has a healthy SHBG.
As my gluten test showed me as being a touch over the maximum range, i'm wondering whether gluten/wheat has contributed to my SHBG levels. (list of things to ask my doc is just getting longer )
sue1234 - your comment on proteins could be right. I wasn't getting sufficient protein due to not enough pancreatic enzymes. Who knows how long that has been going on for.
Hope 'some' of this info helps. I'm sure there is bound to be an expert on this topic somewhere on these boards.
You're just too good Audrey honestly! I knew you'd have some info on this. I actually wanted to get this tested to see if there was a chance I had PCOS due to various symptoms. I think the testosterone tested was total so I probably need to get Free done. The test was carried out on day 10 of my cycle.
As always Audrey...you're a star!!
__________________
Rach xxxx
Total Thyroidectomy Oct 06 due to Massive Multi Nodular Goiter and Hashi
Adrenal Fatigue
180mg NTH
28mg HC
2 x Caltrate
Wouldn't go as far as using the word 'star' :P I basically got sick of years of test results where i was told i was fine. Then when i decided to give things one last shot and decided to visit the Trichologist, he wouldn't just say my tests were fine. He would use a red pen and put 'target' figures next to all the things i was not quite right in eg: SHBG. I then decided to go do some of my own research and find out what these things do, what is their role etc. At the same time my work was throwing out a couple of old exercise books where only one page had been used. I decided to take them home and use it to make notes of findings which related to me, listings of vitamins/foods which would help my particular health issues and any other miscellaneous info. My main thing back then was searching for what precisely was causing my abnormal hair shedding.
Now that i have this unreliable memory at times, it's handy to look back at the exercise book and look things up. Sort of like my own personal health bible. I keep it with my 10 years worth of blood tests and i take it to my doctor's visits and run by him any info i have found so that i can confirm i'm on the right track. One day if my doctor wins lotto and flies off to Tahiti i can take my book and all my results to a new doctor, instead of starting from scratch
Just wondering if you asked your doc about the Gluten connection after? I've just been doing a few quizzes online re gluten intolerance and it keeps coming back with high risk (as I'm sure it does for most of us with thyroid disease).
What test did you have done?
__________________
Rach xxxx
Total Thyroidectomy Oct 06 due to Massive Multi Nodular Goiter and Hashi
Adrenal Fatigue
180mg NTH
28mg HC
2 x Caltrate
Hi Tygwyn - I forgot to ask him further, but when he initially discussed it with me he said that Gluten Intolerance falls into the category of Autoimmune Diseases. I dont have Celiacs and i don't have any symptoms after eating gluten. He told me to go easy on it, that i can have a bit, but to limit my intake.
I've only had the blood test for it and not the biopsy. He feels i'm progressing nicely and has told me to keep doing what i'm doing. My T4 and T3 are just slightly off target so i'm over the moon about that. My TSH has finally dropped to 1.99 and i anticipate it will drop a bit more. My adrenals are doing nicely and am still on the Cortisol. My Ferretin has moved up to 78 and my vit D is at the higher end of the range which is what my doctor wants. I'm still on the digestive enzymes and likely these are helping me with my protein digestion. My hair is shedding at what i'd call a normal rate. My menstrual cycle appears to be self correcting too. I've just had my estrogen rechecked via an early morning urine test. Am waiting on the results. I'm hoping my estrogen will come back closer to normal. It scared me when i found out earlier this year that it was double what it ought to be, but then i also found out that the adrenals produce estrogen. So now that my adrenals are coping better, perhaps they are regulating my estrogen much better.
All in all i'm happy with my health right now compared to how i was when i was at my worse back in Jan - May. I know it's slow progress and i try to keep out of stressful situations, take all my meds/supplements, limit gluten, i avoid soy if possible, avoid raw foods from the cruciferous family (what i call the cabbage family ) No more coleslaw I know cooking cruciferous vegetables supposedly kills off most of the goitrogens, but some are still left over, so i rarely eat cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage etc. It's a shame as they supposedly have healthy cancer fighting propterties. At the end of the day, my doctor says you still have to live.
