Blood test ordered by Endo.

[jnj]

After my new member intro, posting blood work from endocrinologists.

Summary of abnormal results
Test name Results Flag REF. Range Units

Urea nitrogen/Creatinine 25 high <=20

HbA1c 5.8 Impaired
Glucose %
Tolerance

Estimated average glucose 120 Impaired <117 mg/dl
Glucose
Tolerance
Estimated average glucose

Hemoglobin A1c eAG values of 117-137 mg/dl indicate an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus.

HbA1C
Hemoglobin A1c values of 5.7 -6.4 percent indicate an increased risk for developing diabetes mellitus.

Thyroxine, Free (Free T4) Results Flag Ref.Range Units LOC

Thyroxine. Free 1.30 0.89-1.76 ng/dl PH

TSH 2.942 0.350-5.500 ulU/mL PH

FSH 3.9 mlU/mL PH
Males, 13 -70 years(1.4-18.1)

Cortisol 11.4 ug/dl PH
Diurnal Variation am:5-25 ug/dL (138 -690nmol/L)
pm: approximately half of am values

CBC no Diff

Tests name Results Flag Ref.Range Units LOC

WBC 4.62 2.90-11.60 x1e3/uL PH

RBC 5.01 4.70-5.90 x1e6/uL PH

Hgb 14.8 14.0-17.1 g/dL PH

HCT 44.9 41.9-53.1 % PH

MCV 89.6 80.1-97.8 fL PH

MCH 29.54 24.40-32.60 pg PH

MCHC 32.97 31.00-37.00 g/dL PH

RDW 11.9 10.8-14.1 % PH

PLT 300.0 118.0-422.0 x1e3/uL PH

MPV 8.40 6.50-13.50 fL PH


Triiodothyronine. Free(Free FT3) 3.1 2.3-4.2 pg/mL PH


Ferritin 198 20-250 ng/mL PH


LH 3.5 mlU/mL PH
Males, 18-70 Years(1.5 - 9.3)


Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Sodium 144 131-147 mM PH

Potassium 4.3 3.7-5.3 mM PH

Chloride 106 97-111 mM PH

Carbon dioxide 31 17-35 mM PH

Glucose 93 73-99 mg/dL PH

Urea nitrogen 19 6-24 mg/dl PH

Creatinine 0.76 0.50-1.20 mg/dl PH

Urea nitrogen/Creatinine 25 high <=20 PH

eGFR, African American >90 >60 mL/min/173m2 PH

eGFR non-African American >90 >60 mL/min/172m2 PH

Calcium 9.4 8.3-10.6 mg/dL PH

Protein, total 7.2 5.7-8.3 g/dL PH

Albumin 4.4 3.0-4.6 g/dL PH

Bilirubin, total 0.8 0.3-1.2 mg/dL PH

Alkaline phosphatase 88 44-135 U/L PH

Alanine aminotransferase 33 8-41 U/L PH

Aspartate aminotransferase 25 0-35 U/L PH

Prolactin 3.4 2.1-17.7 ng/mL PH

IGF-1 216 87.00-238.00 ng/mL PH

Corticotropin 20 <=46 pg/mL PH

Albumin 4.4 3.0-4.6 g/dL PH

SHBG 46 10-57 nmol/L PH

Testosterone .free 5.80 5.00-21.00 ng/dL PH

Testosterone 360 241-827 ng/dL PH


This is all the blood tests and were provided by Theranos labs. I went there instead of labcorp because if insurance doesn't pay they wanted to charge me $2200. Has anyone else ever use them? They do have a website and you just go to Walgreens for the blood to be drawn. From what I understand, they are pretty new and a lot less expensive then labcorp. Anyways Endo Dr. Says everything is normal. Does anyone see anything that might be a red flag? Thanks.

[Simon1972]

Get a copy of your results for your own records. Start a file. You need to go on trt. Your total test is borderline low and your shbg is high. Your LH and FSH is also too low for your age. Find a local anti aging clinic. You are technically within range, but are more closely aligned with what you'd expect from a 70 year old

[Simon1972]

Seriously don't go back to the endo. He is wasting your time. You are not optimal, although to him you legally are classified as normal

[jnj]

Thanks for responding. Do you think I should have any additional blood test first? There is just so much to learn. Again thanks.

[Simon1972]

Thanks for responding. Do you think I should have any additional blood test first? There is just so much to learn. Again thanks.

At this stage no. Find a Dr that will treat you based on your current blood work, the new Dr will need to run his own bloods no doubt. Finding the right Dr is the hard part. Try the a4m website.

[thisAngelBites]

I'm not a physician, but I know a tiny bit in the optimal health arena, and I will tell you what I see.

You are dehydrated and likely leptin resistant, and likely to also have a lot of cellular inflammation (a hs crp test would confirm that, fyi). And are developing diabetes, as the test results say.

It looks like your diet is terrible (I could tell more if you had blood lipid tests done, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, etc) and your thyroid is on its way out, and it looks like you are having adrenal problems well on their way as well.

Find yourself some good medical help, for sure. I personally would hold off on running to testosterone until you get your health under control, because I think it is very likely that your T levels would improve dramatically when there is not so much else going on. T at this point, in my view, is a bandage on the problem, which will continue unless you sort things out.

It looks to me like your diet really needs cleaning up. You need to get plenty of protein and healthy fat in the morning, eat a lot of crustaceans and fish, and cut out all fast food and junk food. If I were you, I would cut out all grains, pasta and bread until you get yourself in order. Eat as much green leafy veg as you can using dressing with no sugar in it, and don't overdo raw brassicas (cauli, broccoli, kale).

Get yourself out in the morning light each day, as early as you can, with no contacts or glasses blocking the light, and get some sunlight on your retinas to help reset your circadian cycles which influence your hormone secretion. Spend more time outdoors and moving your body in non-stressful ways, like walking or hiking.

Tell us how old you are, how tall you are and what you weigh. Also tell us if you are currently doing any exercise, and about your diet.

I hope this doesn't harsh, but in a strictly descriptive way, your bloods do not look good. But it's not all bad news, because you can turn this right around by changing your behaviour.

[jnj]

Simon 1972.Thanks, and will do.

[jnj]

To thisangelbites. I wish I knew what you were seeing from the blood tests, because your assumptions are all incorrect. I tried to drink a gallon of water a day, sometimes a little more or less. As in my new member intro, diet is pretty clean, maybe not bodybuilding clean, but still pretty clean. Lean proteins from 120 to 150 Grams per day. Mostly Oates, potatoes, rice for carbs, only up until around noon, no bread. Lots of greens organic kale, spinach, broccoli and carrots, usually twice a day, but at least once. Healthy fats, almonds, peanuts, natural peanut butter, avocados, wild cot salmon at least once a week, olive oil with balsamic vinegar for salad dressing. Very little fast food, maybe once per week, more like once every two weeks. The only sugar I use comes from fruit. I also have a protein shake with natural peanut butter and either some strawberries, or a banana. Sunlight should not be a problem seeing I live in the desert. I am 51 years old, 6'1", 215lbs, bodyfat % is unknown mostly in the midsection. I have been reading a little bit about hypothyroidism, and one of the symptoms can be low body temperature and my temperature in the AM is usually around 96.3, so I started adding iodine and selenium supplements into my diet. I don't know if this matters, but blood pressure usually runs on the lower side also. Thanks and I look forward to all input.

[thisAngelBites]

To thisangelbites. I wish I knew what you were seeing from the blood tests, because your assumptions are all incorrect. I tried to drink a gallon of water a day, sometimes a little more or less. As in my new member intro, diet is pretty clean, maybe not bodybuilding clean, but still pretty clean. Lean proteins from 120 to 150 Grams per day. Mostly Oates, potatoes, rice for carbs, only up until around noon, no bread. Lots of greens organic kale, spinach, broccoli and carrots, usually twice a day, but at least once. Healthy fats, almonds, peanuts, natural peanut butter, avocados, wild cot salmon at least once a week, olive oil with balsamic vinegar for salad dressing. Very little fast food, maybe once per week, more like once every two weeks. The only sugar I use comes from fruit. I also have a protein shake with natural peanut butter and either some strawberries, or a banana. Sunlight should not be a problem seeing I live in the desert. I am 51 years old, 6'1", 215lbs, bodyfat % is unknown mostly in the midsection. I have been reading a little bit about hypothyroidism, and one of the symptoms can be low body temperature and my temperature in the AM is usually around 96.3, so I started adding iodine and selenium supplements into my diet. I don't know if this matters, but blood pressure usually runs on the lower side also. Thanks and I look forward to all input.

That's why all that detail matters, and the reason I asked about the other stuff. In most cases, I get that bet right, but every once and a while I'm wrong. Whatever the cause, your hormones look like there is underlying problem.

Is it possible you have some sort of inherited tendency to diabetes in your family? In order to really know if you have an issue with blood sugars, or if it's just bad information in your lab work (very few tests are 100% reliable, usually when you have two pointing in the same direction you can rely on that, but rarely it can still be off) you would need to do a post prandial blood glucose curve to watch how quickly your body is able to secrete insulin and lower your blood sugar following a meal.

Your cells are still dehydrated, in spite of all your water intake. Do you work surrounded by technology or in intensive EMFs or something?

My brother lives in the desert and goes from his air conditioned house to his car (with his sunglasses on), to his office, back into the car, back into the house, although they often dine outside in the evening after the sun goes down. He practically hides from the sun and when he is in it, he's got shades on. His T is low and he has the belly fat so common with low T as well. So I know it's possible that people in the desert don't really get sun, but maybe you do. Maybe you work outside and get plenty of sun in your eyes with no glasses/contacts. If you do you will have very good vitamin D levels.

Your morning cortisol is low, which makes all of your hormones low. It's almost always low in people of a certain age who don't get the light signaling to their brain to release the right amount of CRH to start the hormone cascade, or in people who have been chronically stressed for a long period of time where the body takes all of its resources and diverts them away from sex hormones and instead towards cortisol production. Do you sleep well?

The low blood pressure is related to the adrenals and lack of sufficient cortisol.

Just as an FYI if you eat a lot of those nuts (almonds and peanuts) every day, you can be creating inflammation by having too much omega 6 (which can cause inflammation unless balanced with omega 3). They're not great fats, and you would be better off eating shellfish, eggs and more avocados.

Why did you go to see the endo in the first place?

[jnj]

Thanks for the response, I'm sorry if I sounded a little harsh.
I don't know or think diabetes runs in my family.
I work as a handyman/carpenter, and outside a good bit, but not around any type of technology equipment.
I do or eye glasses, but very rarely do I wear sunglasses. I always thought vitamin D was absorbed through the skin, and also read or heard don't remember which, but being dark complexion vitamin D was harder to be absorbed. Never heard of the eyes.
I went to see my CP about getting lightheaded and having headaches. He then send me to see a cardiologist and he notice low cortisol, which is why I ended up at the endos, and he says everything is normal.
Years ago I started suffering from panic/anxiety attacks. Not as bad now, but still get a little anxious from time to time.
I usually have a handful of nuts in the evening, and a scoop of peanut butter with my shake. Also have 3 egg yolks with 7 egg whites with half and avocado, and the other half of avocado on my evening salad.
Thanks again for the help.

[Simon1972]

As we get older our bodies ability to absorb vita d also diminishes. I take 5000iu per day as a minimum. And I'm 43.

[Mr.BB]

I'm not a physician, but I know a tiny bit in the optimal health arena, and I will tell you what I see.

You are dehydrated and likely leptin resistant, and likely to also have a lot of cellular inflammation (a hs crp test would confirm that, fyi). And are developing diabetes, as the test results say.

It looks like your diet is terrible (I could tell more if you had blood lipid tests done, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, etc) and your thyroid is on its way out, and it looks like you are having adrenal problems well on their way as well.

Find yourself some good medical help, for sure. I personally would hold off on running to testosterone until you get your health under control, because I think it is very likely that your T levels would improve dramatically when there is not so much else going on. T at this point, in my view, is a bandage on the problem, which will continue unless you sort things out.

It looks to me like your diet really needs cleaning up. You need to get plenty of protein and healthy fat in the morning, eat a lot of crustaceans and fish, and cut out all fast food and junk food. If I were you, I would cut out all grains, pasta and bread until you get yourself in order. Eat as much green leafy veg as you can using dressing with no sugar in it, and don't overdo raw brassicas (cauli, broccoli, kale).

Get yourself out in the morning light each day, as early as you can, with no contacts or glasses blocking the light, and get some sunlight on your retinas to help reset your circadian cycles which influence your hormone secretion. Spend more time outdoors and moving your body in non-stressful ways, like walking or hiking.

Tell us how old you are, how tall you are and what you weigh. Also tell us if you are currently doing any exercise, and about your diet.

I hope this doesn't harsh, but in a strictly descriptive way, your bloods do not look good. But it's not all bad news, because you can turn this right around by changing your behaviour.

I too would be wrong as agree with almost everything.

Just the diet I follow different approach

What time of the day was the blood taken and why no lipids?

[jnj]

Hello Mr. BB. The blood tests were taken at around 9:00 AM, and these are all the test at the Endo ordered. Any advice on dieting and supplements would be appreciated. I used to work out quite regularly, but now it is hard to find the motivation to do anything. I've got an appointment with a new Dr. In about 2 weeks. Hopefully this one knows what he's doing, and doesn't just say everything is normal, because it is not. Any and all advice would be appreciated, thanks.

[thisAngelBites]

Don't worry about whether you sounded harsh. I'm wrong sometimes, and anyway it must be frustrating to feel like you are making an effort to be healthy but to be told things look like you're overweight and slothful.

The thing about the sunlight is that it's more than vitamin D (although sunlight on your skin does stimulate the conversion of cholesterol to vitamin D).

It influences the hormone cascade because certain wavelengths signal our eyes that it is morning/daytime, and this is what helps cortisol to be high enough in the morning, and testosterone to be high in the morning, and for thyroid hormone to be secreted. You're low in all three (or shall we say, sub-optimal, rather than super low), and so I am thinking about light as possibly being a factor. And the light needs to hit your eyes - your glasses filter it out.

I'm telling you some unusual stuff - this is not a standard, medical explanation, and no endo or anti-aging doctor is likely to mention it. But look, there's a mini epidemic of people like this (like you, and like me, because I have had adrenal and thyroid problems), not just people our age, but also very young people (where it used to be a real rarity to see a man in his 20s with hypothyroidism and now it's common as anything) and people have been trying to sort exactly what is causing these multiple hormone deficiencies (as my very fancy endo calls it) and there's been very little success.

You could opt to take thyroid hormone, and testosterone, and even cortisol or methylprednisolone to replace your low adrenal hormones. Those all will have knock-on effects. Some of the men who replace T have trouble keeping their blood from getting too thick (yet young men with high natural levels don't have this issue), and I've noticed that people on the group who supplement their adrenal hormones seem to be developing minor heart rhythm abnormalities over time, and a neurosurgeon I know has suggested that the constellation of symptoms (low thyroid, low adrenal) might be the body downregulating to protect the heart.

It would be good to know your lipids and hs crp - I suspect crp and ldl are high (but as we see, sometimes I am wrong), showing that you have some cellular stress/inflammation - that also causes your body to shunt your hormones toward cortisol and away from sex hormones. But as your cortisol is low, this might have been going on for quite some time and now you are just not making enough. Low cortisol and hormones in general could explain the symptoms you originally sought medical help for.

If you want some medical help, look for an anti aging doctor as Simon suggested above, as those people can help you manage the dosing of hormones and the side effects. Get some light in your eyes, especially first thing in the morning at sunrise - those wavelengths are really important for hormone signalling (all the research is out there and science is starting to pay attention to the important of light to humans - you won't hear it from your doc for another 15 years as that is how long it takes for things to filter down to medical practice, but I am happy to give you citations if you want). To reinforce the circadian signalling you could (should) cut out screens at night. They basically flood your eyes with light that tells your brain it is daytime (altho your glasses will block some of it) and confuses the whole system. Tell your wife that you're cutting out the computer and television and need to turn off the lights and go to bed early and have sex instead! It's far better for you than screens.

Sorry, long winded!

[thisAngelBites]

P.S - eat more good fat. Free range animal, seafood, avocado, coconut. Easy on the nuts. Hormones are all made from fat.

[kelkel]

turn off the lights and go to bed early and have sex

[thisAngelBites]

I could have written 300 pages, and that is all anyone would have seen.

[GirlyGymRat]

That's all I saw.

Good read. I think I need to pay for my own full blood work panels. Doc seem to not appreciate a complete test

[kelkel]

I could have written 300 pages, and that is all anyone would have seen.

Very true.

That's all I saw.

Very nice.

[jnj]

Don't worry about whether you sounded harsh. I'm wrong sometimes, and anyway it must be frustrating to feel like you are making an effort to be healthy but to be told things look like you're overweight and slothful.

The thing about the sunlight is that it's more than vitamin D (although sunlight on your skin does stimulate the conversion of cholesterol to vitamin D).

It influences the hormone cascade because certain wavelengths signal our eyes that it is morning/daytime, and this is what helps cortisol to be high enough in the morning, and testosterone to be high in the morning, and for thyroid hormone to be secreted. You're low in all three (or shall we say, sub-optimal, rather than super low), and so I am thinking about light as possibly being a factor. And the light needs to hit your eyes - your glasses filter it out.

I'm telling you some unusual stuff - this is not a standard, medical explanation, and no endo or anti-aging doctor is likely to mention it. But look, there's a mini epidemic of people like this (like you, and like me, because I have had adrenal and thyroid problems), not just people our age, but also very young people (where it used to be a real rarity to see a man in his 20s with hypothyroidism and now it's common as anything) and people have been trying to sort exactly what is causing these multiple hormone deficiencies (as my very fancy endo calls it) and there's been very little success.

You could opt to take thyroid hormone, and testosterone, and even cortisol or methylprednisolone to replace your low adrenal hormones. Those all will have knock-on effects. Some of the men who replace T have trouble keeping their blood from getting too thick (yet young men with high natural levels don't have this issue), and I've noticed that people on the group who supplement their adrenal hormones seem to be developing minor heart rhythm abnormalities over time, and a neurosurgeon I know has suggested that the constellation of symptoms (low thyroid, low adrenal) might be the body downregulating to protect the heart.

It would be good to know your lipids and hs crp - I suspect crp and ldl are high (but as we see, sometimes I am wrong), showing that you have some cellular stress/inflammation - that also causes your body to shunt your hormones toward cortisol and away from sex hormones. But as your cortisol is low, this might have been going on for quite some time and now you are just not making enough. Low cortisol and hormones in general could explain the symptoms you originally sought medical help for.

If you want some medical help, look for an anti aging doctor as Simon suggested above, as those people can help you manage the dosing of hormones and the side effects. Get some light in your eyes, especially first thing in the morning at sunrise - those wavelengths are really important for hormone signalling (all the research is out there and science is starting to pay attention to the important of light to humans - you won't hear it from your doc for another 15 years as that is how long it takes for things to filter down to medical practice, but I am happy to give you citations if you want). To reinforce the circadian signalling you could (should) cut out screens at night. They basically flood your eyes with light that tells your brain it is daytime (altho your glasses will block some of it) and confuses the whole system. Tell your wife that you're cutting out the computer and television and need to turn off the lights and go to bed early and have sex instead! It's far better for you than screens.

Sorry, long winded!

Hello thisAngelBites.

Don't be sorry, I really enjoyed reading your post. I really appreciate all the advice and help you have been given me, and as soon as I have some new blood tests I will post. Have started walking their dogs in the AM without glasses, no computer screens and the PM, I will work on the TV, and have also stopped eating nuts and have switched from peanut butter to a avocado mixed with my protein shake and it's actually pretty tasty. Brings me to another question, how do you feel about protein powders? Also want to thank Simon for the advice, found one of those clinics 3 or 4 miles away, and will be calling them next week. Again thank you very much.

[thisAngelBites]

Hello thisAngelBites.

Don't be sorry, I really enjoyed reading your post. I really appreciate all the advice and help you have been given me, and as soon as I have some new blood tests I will post. Have started walking their dogs in the AM without glasses, no computer screens and the PM, I will work on the TV, and have also stopped eating nuts and have switched from peanut butter to a avocado mixed with my protein shake and it's actually pretty tasty. Brings me to another question, how do you feel about protein powders? Also want to thank Simon for the advice, found one of those clinics 3 or 4 miles away, and will be calling them next week. Again thank you very much.

I think you can get filters for the telly, you need them to block 440-480 nm light minimum (would be better to block 430-530). I'm sure it will change the colours, but it's better than not watching when you really want to, or watching and your brain getting all that blue light.

Do you normally sleep well? Cutting screens after sunset had a big impact on my sleep, and getting the AM sunlight multiplied the effect.

Real food is always better than protein powders - ask about them in the nutrition forum, people can make recs for the healthiest kind. I have them once in a blue moon (like when I've not been able to eat for such a long time that I know I will get a headache unless I get some protein).

Continue to post up your bloods and such and we will continue to help. The lack of light signaling thing has probably been going on in your brain for a couple decades - it won't switch overnight, but stick with it. People who are far off of circadian rhythms like shift workers are at higher risks of cancers and have to be paid more due to the health risks (here in the EU) - we humans really need our light and dark periods, and it should be part of a normal healthy lifestyle.

Good luck with the anti aging doc. I hope he's a big help.

[rplante7]

Cancel post

[jnj]

Additional blood work from my GP.

Lipid panel

Test name results flag Ref arrange units
Triglycerides 84 <=149 mg/dL

Cholesterol, total 217 borderline high <=200 mg/dL

HDL-C 49 >=60 mg/dL

Direct LDL 148 borderline high <=100 mg/dL

Estradiol 22.8 0.0-39.6 pg/mL

DHEA-S 87.3 35.0-179.0 ug/dL

Folate 19.83 >5.38 ng/mL

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 33.8 30.0-100.0 ng/mL

Vitamin B12 781 211-911 pg/mL

Fibrin D-dimer 0.27 <=0.50 ug/mL

Help with understanding.

[jnj]

One more blood tests I ordered myself, I don't know if it's good or bad, looks high, not getting much help from doctors. I have an appointment with anti-aging Dr. In January.

Reverse T3, Serum 24.1 reference range 9.2 -24.1 ng/dL.

Thanks for all the help.