23 year old male, symptoms and bloodwork inside. All opinions appreciated.

[Kwerk]

Hello, first off, you may see this post in other forums around the internet. I'm desperate.

I've been training seriously for about 4 years, with my peak in terms of strength and physique having been about 2 year ago. Since then everything's gone downhill. I'm a 23 year old 5 foot 8 man weighing a consistent 190 lbs, with prominent love handles, belly fat, and lower back fat. My waist 2 years ago was a 34, now it's at 36 and getting uncomfortably close to 38.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at 6 years old and have been on and off long courses of Prednisone through youth and puberty. I have also been obese, the fat kind, all that time until about age 18 when I had a surgery to remove the affected area of small intestine and swore to never neglect my health again. Since then, diet and training have been on point. Well, until all this started and I couldn't train without the injuries I thought had gone away coming back just as bad as when they began. I currently take immuno-suppressants to hopefully keep the Crohn's in remission.

During puberty I grew a few inches taller and developed minuscule muscle mass, but did get some gyno.

The only Iodine I ever got as a child must have been by accident, because my parents were those people who think they know about health but know nothing. I started supplementing last October.

In the last year and a half I've experienced lack of libido, joint and muscle pains, strains, and sprains that don't go away, fat accumulation, strength loss, extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and severe irritability.

My GP heard me out and took some basic tests, then referred me to an Endo.

Original GP tests from January:

Total Test: 742 240-950
Free Test: 20 9-30
Vit D: 51 32-100
TSH: 2.619 0.340 - 5.600

More tests from Endo in February

TSH: 2.7 0.4-4.5
Total Test: 724 250-1100
Free Test: 78.6 46-224
Bioavailable Test: 168.4 110-575
SHBG: 45 10-50
Albumin: 4.7 3.6-5.1
Prolactin: 6.0 2-18
T3 Total 82 76-181
FSH: 2.6 1.6-8.0
LH: 4.1 1.5-9.3
E2: 43 <=39
ACTH: 25 6-50
Cortisol AM: 17.5 mcg/dL No Range
Free T4: 1.2 0.8-1.8
IGF-1: 203 83-456
Z Score: 0 -2.0 +2.0
Thyroglobulin Antibodies: 24 <20 IU/mL
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <10 <35 IU/mL

My endo is slightly concerned about the E2 and Thyroglobulin Antibodies, but I am VERY concerned. When I found out my TT was over 700, my first though was "Wow, someone tell that to my body." Her opinion on every single level was either "well, it's in the normal range," or "well, it's outside the normal range but not all people function optimally within these ranges so I'm not too worried."

DUDE, IF I WAS FUNCTIONING OPTIMALLY, I WOULD NOT BE IN YOUR OFFICE WITH LISTS OF SYMPTOMS AND BEGGING FOR HELP.

At this point, I'll take all the advice and guidance I can get, so please hit me with it. Ask any questions I may have not addressed here, suggest anything.

Thanks, all!

[GSXRvi6]

I can tell you from experience high E2 causes this:
extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and severe irritability.

my last E2 test came back at 336 (top of range on test was 70) but that's currently coming under control.

[theseus]

Your T:E ratio is low, which may be the reason of your symptoms, lowering your E2 level will help.

Thyroglobulin antibodies being positive means you are on a higher risk group of developing thyroid dysfunction. you need yearly thyroid function test. Treatment when out of range.

[Kwerk]

Thank you. I got a call about the second set of labs. E2 came back at 49. Calcium a little bit high. Doctor ordered some adrenal tests with DHEA-S to determine if I need a CAT scan. Will have them drawn tomorrow.

I asked about prescriptions to lower the E2, but she's very noncommittal and thinks my functional normal e2 level just happens to be double the healthy level. Anyone on this board a Chicago suburbs endocrinologist willing to look at me?

Anyway, should these next labs prove I don't have an adrenal tumor then I'll be having the "let's try an AI or I'll find a doctor willing to address my out of range E2 and high-normal SHBG and low FT" conversation.

[Kwerk]

I just got one more result back, DHEA-S is at 155 on a range from 110-510 mcg/dL. Does anyone know what a good DHEA-S is for a young man?

and Pregnenolone is at 127 on a range of <905 ng/dL

[Lunk1]

Your Thyroidglobulan Antibodies are elevated. It's very likely you may have Hashi's Disease at the protein level. I would schedule an appointment with a specialist ASAP

[greenwell001]

None of the vets gonna try to help this kid out? Lunk, when did you become a endocrinologist?

[Lunk1]

None of the vets gonna try to help this kid out? Lunk, when did you become a endocrinologist?

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[Kwerk]

Thank you, I have an appointment with another specialist who is probably a lot better doctor than the first. Would Hashimoto's be contradicted by the high TSH?

[BengalWoman]

Thank you, I have an appointment with another specialist who is probably a lot better doctor than the first. Would Hashimoto's be contradicted by the high TSH?

No, the TSH lab in that respect is unreliable, and pituitary function could be fatigued. You can see your T3 is at the very low end of the range (only 6%), and to the left of T4, so that should be signalling TSH production in itself if everything is working. You need Free T3 and Reverse T3 labs. You will likely find your T4 converting higher rates of Reverse T3 with this condition, and not much FT3 is getting to the cells. Lunk is right, Hashi's needs to be looked at further.

[Lunk1]

Any update on this OP? When is the appointment scheduled?

[Kwerk]

Any update on this OP? When is the appointment scheduled?

I have asked all the doctors from my past and who are familiar with my Crohn's disease and they are all clueless. I have an appointment tomorrow with a more "progressive" internist, and another estrogen test to take for the clueless endo in the next week.

[Kwerk]

I got a prescription for generic adex. Took a quarter milligram, let's see if I wake up tomorrow morning feeling like a human being with a life to live.