My Updated Answer to "How did you do it?"

Eleven months ago, I wrote this post to share with others who asked how I was finding healing and treating my health issues.  Given that I've made a few discoveries since then and learned that healing is going to take longer than I thought, I figured I should write an update!   

• I'm still taking Natural Dessicated Thyroid (NDT) hormones.  

• I'm also still taking Cytomel brand T3 for the Circadian T3 Method which I have been using since the end of March 2012 to heal my adrenals.  (You can read here how CT3M and the other things I'm doing have changed my life, and you can read here to see how my adrenals have healed).

• I'm starting my treatment plan for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, which will help raise my iron levels.

• I'm continuing progesterone shots, which will help support my adrenals as well.

• I'm continuing my gluten-free diet, as well as limiting grains and dairy, focusing on non-processed foods.  High fat, moderate protein, with plenty of veggies (admittedly, I struggle to eat enough!) and limited sugars (natural, no refined) is the diet I feel best consuming.    

• All of the above, as well as good sleep, good vitamins and supplements, and stress-reducing practices, to help heal my whole body, including adrenals. 

• The biggest new thing I'm working on is my methylation issues due to having MTHFR gene mutation. 

Also, remember my symptoms list?  Last March, I was down to about six symptoms.  I was feeling really good and starting to work on my methylation issues.  Then I had some gluten mis-adventures, which really set me back.  I'm still amazed at how identical those symptoms were to my hypo/adrenal symptoms. 

If you're just beginning your journey to health: 

Then, remember:

• If you're going to get well, you have to assume ownership of your health issues and control over your education about those health issues.

• If you have brain fog, you have to read and re-read.

• Find a support network in various areas of your life.  This might include family members, friends, health care providers, a health coach, or peers who share your health issues in real life or in support groups online, like these.  

• There will be stumbling blocks.

• Healing ebbs and flows.  There are good days and bad.

• Step away.  Sometimes we can get bogged down in learning about our health issues.  Learn when to step away from it all and get centered on the other things that matter - like faith, family and friends.

If you're not familiar with Janie Bowthorpe's Stop the Thyroid Madness website, blog and books, I will enlighten you to the fact that this is the precise reason why she has had such huge, rapid success:
 

Patient-based experience and patient-based information sharing 

is the brilliant, short-cut way to learning 

about the reasons for your health issues and how to treat them. 

If you've been on this journey a while and you're road-weary:

Then, keep plugging away.  You are not alone.  Review the basics and make sure you're supported by peers who are on this journey, as well.

Hypothyroid Symptoms

http://www.thyroidchange.org/300-hypothyroidism-symptoms-yes-really/

Stop the Thyroid Madness

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/site-map/

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/whats-new/

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hyper-symptoms/

Stuff I like to use

Pro-Biotic
Nordic Naturals Omega-3
Alpha Lipoic Acid & Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl
CoQ10
5-HTP

Solgar Gentle Iron (Bis-Glycinate)
B-Complex
Folate
Magnesium
Vitamin C (3,000-4,000 mg per day)
Vitamin D3

Liberally in/on food: Unrefined Celtic Sea Salt
Occasionally, before bed: Chamomile Tea with Lavendar or Nighty Night Tea
Raspberry Leaf Tea, Every Day Detox (Chickory Root Blend) Tea
For cooking, baking, on skin, in tooth "paste" recipe: Coconut Oil, Hard Lotion

Most Recent Thyroid Labs

LAB RESULTS from 5/13/12:

Free T4 - 0.61 ng/dL (range .82-1.77) - LOW

should be mid-range = 1.295

 

TPO - 126 IU/mL (0-34) - HIGH

TgAb - <20 IU/mL (0-40) - GOOD

 

Free T3 - 2.5 pg/mL (2.0-4.4) - LOW - 

should be in top quarter which is 3.8+

 

Reverse T3 - 12.8 ng/dL (13.5-24.2) - LOW

Free T3/Reverse T3 Ratio = 19.5 (20+)

Vitamins and Supplements

My current vitamins and supplements include:

20,000 IU Vitamin D3
4,000 mg Vitamin C taken with iron supplements to promote absorption
1,000 mcg sustained release B6
200 mg Selenium
85 mcg elemental iron from Hema-Plex Iron, taken 3 x daily, totaling 255 mcg per day
500 mg Magnesium blend which also includes:
    1,000 mg Calcium
    200 IU Vitamin D3
    10 mg Zinc (I take this at night which is when I tend to have higher cortisol)


Nota Bene: Iron supplements need to be taken 1 hour before but 4 hours after thyroid medications to prevent binding of the T3 to the iron.  If you take your thyroid medication sublingually, it do not have to worry about binding.

Per Janie's explanation on the purpose and use of adaptogens, I stopped taking Rhodiola and Ashwagandha.  I have low cortisol and adaptogens are for high cortisol or a mixture of highs and lows.  Janie explained that adaptogens are for times of stress.  They do not heal adrenals that are fatigued.

I started selenium to help with my high thyroid anti-bodies from Hashi's.