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Topic: Life changing day! (Read 119 times)

Mary Ann
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Life changing day!
« Thread Started on Nov 4, 2009, 5:22pm »

So today was my followup appt with my doctor for a number of things. I needed to verify that the change of dose for my bioidentical HRT was working well, discuss my latest girly tests, and talk about results of some innovative new bloodwork I'd had done. Everything is fine, but the bloodwork results blew my mind.

This is a relatively new test for nutrients, to check for deficiencies. They do it by taking a mixture of lymphocites and isolate them in the blood. They grow them in a special culture medium with the optimal levels of the nutrients considered essential. Then they stimulate the T-lymphocites with a mitogen, and growth is measured by adding radioactive thymidine into the DNA of the cells. Then they measure what your cells do compared to the levels established by testing thousands of people. After all that, they give specific repletion (versus "depletion") suggestions. And that's the part that blew me away.

Turns out I had deficient test results for oleic acid (one of the EFAs), a few antioxidants, and get this-- insulin and chromium.

They suggested (among other things) that I take 200mcg of chromium a day.

I told my doctor that since I have low blood sugar, I've been taking 400mcg daily for 22 years! So I got an education on the differences in medical grade, veterinary grade, and pharmaceutical grade supplements. What I was taking was likely either not in a form that was entirely bio-available to me, or they don't put in the pill what is stated on the label. Remember supplements in our country are largely unregulated, as they fall into the category of foods instead of medicines. She said my chromium level was the lowest she'd ever seen. :-[

As we reviewed each of the deficiencies, I found out so many of the things I've just been living with are signs of deficiency. My dry skin and hair are symptoms of my deficiency in oleic acid. My energy depletion is a sign of my deficiency in CoQ10. My sugar cravings are another symptom of the low chromium. It was a.Freaking.Mazing.

I get my bio-identical HRT at a custom compounding pharmacy just a short drive from my doctor's office. My doctor said that if I couldn't come up with a good protocol to get in all these new nutrients, that the pharmacist there (his name is Gene) could make me some. This guy is so incredibly knowledgeable about nutrition! What a delight to have found him! He reviewed my test results and said he's getting ready to get the same test. He said my antioxidants looked really pretty good, only 1% off from what is normal, so he wasn't too concerned. And he helped me find a multi that covered most of what was needed, the highest pharmaceutical grade, for not much dough at all! The balance is supplemented with *gag!* fish oil. :-X

So, the bottom line is I LOVE my doctor! She doesn't just take care of me when I'm sick; she helps me to reach optimal wellness. I have struggled with this alone for nearly three decades, and this is the first doctor that has made me feel heard and been able to offer substantive help. No more having to figure it out on my own!

I have a feeling that I'm about to begin the very best year of my life.

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Trailpal
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #1 on Nov 4, 2009, 6:04pm »

wow that is truly amazing!

I too have just started (appt was 2 days ago) my "hormone balancing". Actually he is starting me on some supplements, along with regular exercise and de-stressing (breathing, yoga, etc). I'll get tested in 2 months and we will see what has changed.

He also has a shop next to the office where I am to get my supplements, I am not sure what I think about that, but am giving it a try.

I used to take a fish oil that had mint flavoring. yuk! but it got the job done.

I am glad to read that you are psyched for a fabulous year!

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Stella
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #2 on Nov 4, 2009, 7:21pm »

So...got any advice for what I should ask for? I was thinking about trying to find a doctor for a 'wellness' test and try some bloodwork to see where I am...and why I'm tired and angry all the time.

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Mary Ann
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #3 on Nov 4, 2009, 8:19pm »

Stella, I know my doctor preferred this method a great deal over hair analysis. She felt it's much more accurate and current. This bloodwork is a simple draw, and you can go to the lab's website and see who does it close to you. They also have a lot of information on micronutrient testing. Take a look, and see if anyone close to you (or maybe your doctor) does it. (The saliva test I do for hormones also checks for cortisol. If you're under a lot of constant stress, your adrenals can be depleted and leave you tired and angry. So can insufficient CoQ10, and a number of other things.) It'd be interesting to see what turns up.

http://www.spectracell.com/

Trailpal, are you doing hormones like evening primrose oil, black cohosh, etc? Are they using any actual hormones? You'll have to let us know how this works for you. Different approaches work differently for different people.

I'm really soooo excited!

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I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

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t-leigh
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #4 on Nov 4, 2009, 8:47pm »

You know, MA, it really amazes me the number of options you have for very good care, for you and your animals.

You live 'out in the corn', in podunkville, and yet you've got a Dr. Dan, and other excellent animal care, you've got a doctor that is SO good and works on this natural stuff, and now this pharmacist!

I live very near a town of 150,000, and we have TWO clinicians who do the blood draws, and they aren't docs and they aren't covered on insurance. Sucks! ::)

I know you do, but I hope you fully appreciate the great choices you have right there around you.

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Mary Ann
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #5 on Nov 5, 2009, 6:36am »

You know T-leigh, it's simply amazing to me. It's really just another little white bread farming town, and all the little towns around it are, too. It does mean covering a bit of distance-- my doctor and vet are both in the same little town, and it's about a half hour drive from here. My pharmacist is about 45 minutes, so I try and combine trips to the area. And poor Dr Dan drives about two hours, sometimes more, to come here. I'm so glad he's willing to make the trip, because IMO (and thank goodness he doesn't read the board much anymore) he's about the best there is out there.

I don't even know if this bloodwork is covered on my insurance, but I wanted it as a gift to myself, to feel the best I can. There are so many seemingly minor things we put up with that really begin to interfere with our quality of life, not to mention being precursors to scary stuff like heart disease and cancer. I want to be proactive in dealing with that. There's quite a history of cancer in my family.

One of the things that makes this doctor different is she's an osteopath. Instead of MD after her name, she has DO. Osteopaths in our country do all the same stuff that MDs do, but they are far more holistic in their approach to the body, and they emphasize wellness. MDs are mainly trained to treat disease. You may have an osteopath close by and didn't know it.

Yes, it really does feel fantastic to know that there are such outstanding practitioners available to me. I'm very comforted to think of this doctor taking care of me in my old age.

How could I ever move?

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I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

--Albert Einstein

snaffle
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #6 on Nov 5, 2009, 7:47am »

I am so shocked over your chromium levels!!! especially since you have been taking it for 20 years !!!

Betcha we begin to see a new Mary Ann in a few weeks

If someone you takes care of herself as good as you has issues like those you wrote about...

what is going on inside the rest of us ??

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snaffle
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #7 on Nov 5, 2009, 8:19am »

Here is another thought.

Is there something in your body chemistry that doesn't retain
Chromium?

Since your doctor has never seen levels as low as yours, and you have been taking extra chromium for 20 years,

I would be concerned that there is something going on in your body that causes your chromium to deplete.

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Mary Ann
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #8 on Nov 5, 2009, 11:29am »

That's another consideration, Snaffle. We have to do some bloodwork next week to see if I just don't deal with glucose. It should yield some interesting information!

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I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

--Albert Einstein

Trailpal
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #9 on Nov 5, 2009, 12:19pm »

He gave me a handout sheet that explains Reverse T3 and how to reduce it. Since I have symptoms of both Thyroid issues and "sex hormone" (a term I am using to lump estrogen, testosterone, prostiglandin, etc) issues, and thyroid levels affect the sex hormone levels, he is having me take certain steps to reduce cortisol and correct thyroid.
Supplements - selenium, zinc, a B-Complex, and iodine
Exercise 20-30 mins 3 x a week, something like stair climbing or jazzercise (more than brisk walking)
Relaxation - meditation, prayer, yoga, sauna, acupuncture etc
He also has me on a breathing regimen (4x a day, 25 slow breaths in the nose and a "soft belly", then exhale through the mouth.

No actual hormones yet - I'll retest for the thyroid in 2 months and see him. Once the thyroid and cortisol is balanced, then we'll see if the other hormones have corrected, and if not, then we work on balancing them.

LOL I told my sister and her first question was "is he a real doctor?" Her endocrinologist has her on a hormone patch right away and no behavior changes.

I was chatting with my cousin, an RN, just before I saw the doctor. She wanted me to be sure to know that all the women in our family have thyroid issues, every single one. So that was good info. She's on my dad's side. My mom's side doesn't talk to one another (and Mom's been dead 25 years now) so I won't get any info from them.

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Mary Ann
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #10 on Nov 5, 2009, 1:04pm »

My doctor added small amounts of selenium and zinc too. My thyroid is slow, but works well enough. How interesting that all the women in your family have thyroid issues! The genetic components of all this are most fascinating.

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I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

--Albert Einstein

DeeBar
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #11 on Dec 17, 2009, 10:49pm »

Thats interesting Mary Ann-- My darling dr. refuses to do anything that pretains to diagnosing hormone levels. I went in last summer and lo and behold he prescribed hormone therapy which really messed with me. He told me if this didn't work he would prescribe for BI-POLAR because he felt if not estrogen it was that. Couldn't believe what I was hearing--- went in depressed, in tears. The estrogen pills lasted for a few weeks until I threw them away.

Would love to find someone who really cares about the person and will dig to correctly diagnose the deficits. Could you, would you IM me your Doctors name and contact info

Your news was amazing to hear---you really take care of yourself!!!!

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Mary Ann
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Re: Life changing day!
« Reply #12 on Dec 18, 2009, 5:46am »

I have a feeling your doctor refuses because he just doesn't feel knowledgeable in that area. The bioidentical HRT is very different from traditional HRT. It's individualized to you at this point in time-- in a year you'll have changes that will necessitate adjustments. But it's not one size fits all.

I don't IM, but I'll send you a PM.

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I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

--Albert Einstein

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