My GF feels awful so we had labs done. Can anyone read these?

[beergut75]

Stats 30yrs old 5'2 140lbs 2 kids 6 and 4. I am snipped so she isn't pregnant or on any birth control.

She is tired all of the time, no libido, no energy, grumpy, acts depressed.

Labs n035.pdf

[Lunk1]

I'm not an expert but all of those look pretty good. I would consider a thyroid test if she has not done one.

[thisAngelBites]

The results aren't bad, but I look and wonder if there is any chance she is fairly strict about her diet, and possibly not getting enough nutrients. It also looks like she might have been dehydrated when the blood was drawn, and dehydration also contributes to fatigue.

Some more testing would be helpful: I agree with Lunk that thyroid testing should be done, TSH, free T3, free T4. Also it is very important to get her ferritin level tested.

In order to know specifically about her hormone results, you would need to know which say of her cycle the bloods were drawn on, but nothing is screaming out as problematic.

[beergut75]

Thanks for the replies. A dr. told us the labs looked good and not to worry about the Bun/Creat levels. She took the test first thing in the morning and they had her fast so I am guessing she was dehydrated.

She had a thyroid test prior to this and it came back fine. Her Dr. told her that there is nothing wrong with her that she may be depressed and wanted to put her on Zoloft or something like that. She has no desire to be on an anit depressant.

[thisAngelBites]

I wasn't talking about her bun/creatinine ratio - I assumed that was dehydration.

What some doctors take to be fine for thyroid values is sometimes not fine at all, but if you're happy with it, I'm not sure what else to tell you.

[beergut75]

I wasn't talking about her bun/creatinine ratio - I assumed that was dehydration.

What some doctors take to be fine for thyroid values is sometimes not fine at all, but if you're happy with it, I'm not sure what else to tell you.

Well we are not happy with something and you seem very knowledgeable. We are just searching for answers and the anti depressants are not the route we want to go. She was very upset after leaving the Dr. this last time because the Dr. simply thinks there is nothing wrong with her and wants to throw medication at her.

[beergut75]

I wasn't talking about her bun/creatinine ratio - I assumed that was dehydration.

What some doctors take to be fine for thyroid values is sometimes not fine at all, but if you're happy with it, I'm not sure what else to tell you.

I showed her this thread and she said that I should be nice to you. She says she thinks you know more than her Dr. The Dr. she uses delivered one of our daughter and did great I just don't think she cares about hormone levels.

What should my GF be doing? A DHEA pill daily? B12 shots? what would be something to try to pick her up that has low side effect risks.

She wanted to try Anavar because a girl she know took it and really cut weight and toned up. Before the kids my GF was 118lbs but has had a hard time getting back there.

[GirlyGymRat]

Let Angel answer your question. I will also suggest she looks at her diet. Once your lady losses a few pounds, it will only help but to motivate her to start squeezing in a workout or 2. Also, I fancy that you too have a great relationship that you would post a thread for her! that's luv!!!

I showed her this thread and she said that I should be nice to you. She says she thinks you know more than her Dr. The Dr. she uses delivered one of our daughter and did great I just don't think she cares about hormone levels.

What should my GF be doing? A DHEA pill daily? B12 shots? what would be something to try to pick her up that has low side effect risks.

She wanted to try Anavar because a girl she know took it and really cut weight and toned up. Before the kids my GF was 118lbs but has had a hard time getting back there.

[beergut75]

Let Angel answer your question. I will also suggest she looks at her diet. Once your lady losses a few pounds, it will only help but to motivate her to start squeezing in a workout or 2. Also, I fancy that you too have a great relationship that you would post a thread for her! that's luv!!!

We actually do have a great relationship. We have been together 8yrs and have to kids together. We own our own business and spend plenty of time together. It sucks seeing her so out of it. Obviously I want to help but am out of my area of knowledge.

[Lunk1]

Another thing I noticed was not tested was progesterone levels. I would re-check thyroid.

[thisAngelBites]

The Dr. she uses delivered one of our daughter and did great I just don't think she cares about hormone levels.

What should my GF be doing? A DHEA pill daily? B12 shots? what would be something to try to pick her up that has low side effect risks.

She wanted to try Anavar because a girl she know took it and really cut weight and toned up. Before the kids my GF was 118lbs but has had a hard time getting back there.

Lots of docs are not all that good with hormones. It can be very tricky business, to be honest. The best doctors see thousands of patients a year for just hormones and can discern patterns that not a lot of regular doctors can see.

I understand she is not feeling well, but I think trying anavar , etc. is just a shot in the dark when you don't know what's going on. Giving her more testosterone if she already has enough could cause her hair to fall out, for example. You could get the same result with DHEA. I'm sure that would make her feel worse instead of better.

I'm going to repeat myself and say that she needs to know what her ferritin level is. This is a measure of the stored iron in the body. To be honest, after two kids, she could just be very low on iron, and it would be a relatively easy fix.

Also, as Lunk says, I think you should reconsider thyroid. Post up the values and one of us will help. Just saying the doctor says it was fine means you could be missing a very common cause of these sorts of symptoms, especially in women. Thyroid effects everything, and if you don't have enough, nothing else you do is going to help.

There is a sort of Occam's razor sensibility to hormones. You consider the most likely candidates for problems first, before choosing to treat rarer problems without testing.

I wish there was a sort of quick fix thing we could guess at to help you, but there really is no such thing. If you choose to do it that way, it is of course possible you could get lucky, but you might also end up making things worse and then having to fix the mess you made on top of the mess you already had, and that is not fun.

If you want to shoot in the dark, do something that is relatively harmless if you have enough of the substance already, like iron supplements, or B12, but don't take hormones. Hormones work with each other and supplementing one you don't need could throw your whole system out of whack.

[thisAngelBites]

I will also suggest she looks at her diet.

GGR is right, this would also be worthwhile discussing. It doesn't look to me like she eats loads of sugar, but if she is avoiding fats or something, she could be low in fat soluble vitamins, which cause lots of health problems.

[beergut75]

I believe we will go back and get another test for thyroid and make sure it includes ferritn levels. Thank you so much for your assistance and expertise.

Is there anything else i need to make sure they test for? I ordered the blood work myself this last time it was cheaper and easier.

[Vettester]

If you're going to go the distance with the labs, get the thyroid labs that Angel mentioned, plus Reverse T3 and Antibodies (TPO and TgAb). The RT3 ratio can be calculated against FT3 and/or Total T3, which can help address other concerns, i.e. adrenal imbalances, low ferritin, etc. With the Ferritin lab, include a TIBC and saturation % lab, along with B12 & D3. Lastly for the adrenals, include DHEA-s and a Cortisol test. Go with the saliva test on the cortisol.

It would also be quite important to see a Free Testosterone assay, and/or her SHBG. This will probably include getting another current total test serum assay. Progesterone was noted above and should be added. Is she seeing any issues with her menstrual cycles (delays, difficulties, ... any noticeable changes in recent years)? On the posted labs, does she know what stage/phase she was at in her cycle? Presuming ovulation? And last but least, add a lipid profile, or post it up if you have it.