Chemman's log

[chemman]

Here is my old post from when I joined the board:

https://thinksteroids.com/community/threads/134278783

For those who haven't seen any of my posts, I have been going through absolute hell since this past summer.

I am 22 years old, 6'5" and 220 lbs.

I finally have a comprehensive set of labs that I want to share with all of you. Thanks in advance for your opinions.


8AM blood results from quest diagnostics

Homocysteine: 5.9 [<11.4umol/L]

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel:

Glucose: 84 [65-99 mg/dL]
Urea Nitrogen: 21 [7-25 mg/dL]
Creatinine: .78 L [o.8 -1.30 mg/dL]
BUN/creatinine ratio: 27 H (6-22 calc)
sodium:143 (135-146)
potassium: 4.6 (3.5-5.3)
chloride: 106 (98-110)
carbon dioxide: 24 (21-33)
calcium: 9.5 (8.6 - 10.2)
protein (total): 6.8 (6.2 - 8.3)
albumin: 4.5 (3.6 - 5.1)
globulin: 2.3 (2.1-3.7)
albumin/globulin ratio: 2.0 (1.0-2.1)
bilirubin: 0.4 (0.2-1.2)
alkaline phosphatase: 62 [40-115]
AST: 15 [10-40]
ALT: 20 [9-60]

Thyroid Panel
TSH: 1.97 [.4-4.5 mIU/L]
Free t4: 1.3 [0.8 - 1.8]
Free t3: 333 [ 230-420]
T3 total: 101 [76-181]
Reverse T3: 31 [11-32]
TBG: 20.3 [12.7 - 25.1]
Thyroglobulin antibodies: <20
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies: <10

VAP Choloesterol test
Total LDL-C direct: 81 [<130]
Total HDL-C Direct: 50 [>=50]
Total VLDL-C direct: 13 [<30 mg/dL]
Total cholesterol: 144 [<200]
Triglycerides: 54 [<150 mg/dL]
Total non-HDL-C: 93 [<160 mg/dL]
Total APOB100 CALC: 75 [109 mg/dL]

Remnant Lipo [IDL + VLDL3]: 10 [<30 mg/dL]


Absolute monocytes: 383 [200-950]
Absolute eosinophils: 145 [15-500]
Absolute Basophils: 17 [0-200]
neutrophils: 62.1%
lymphocytes: 31.5%
monocytes: 4.5%
eosinophils: 1.7%
basophils: 0.2%


Ferritin: 38 [20-345]
ceruloplasmin: 28 [18-36]
C-reactive protein: 0.12 [<0.80]
Prealbumin: 26 [21-43]

DHEA-S: 259 [110-510]
FSH: 4.1 [1.6-8.0]
LH: 3.0 [1.5-9.3]
progesterone: 1.1 [<1.4}

Cortisol A.M: 21.7 [4.0-22.0]
ACTH: 22

Hormones
Dihydrotestosterone: 27 [25-75 ng/dL]
Testosterone, total: 283 [250-1100 ng/dL]
Free Testosterone; 46.3 [46.0 - 224 pg/mL]
Bioavailable testosterone: 99.3 L [110 - 575]
SHBG: 23 [7-49 nmol/L]
Albumin: 4.7 [ 3.6 -5.1 g/dL]

Aldosterone: 2 [<=28 ng/dL]

CBC
White blood cell count: 8.5 [3.8-10.8 thousand/uL]
Red blood cell count 5.11 [4.20 - 5.80]
Hemoglobin: 14.9 [ 13.2-17.1]
Hematocrit: 44.4 [38.5 - 50%]
MCV: 86.9 [80.0 -100.0]
MCH: 29.3 [27.0 -33.0]
MCHC: 33.7 [32.0 - 36.0]
RDW: 13.3 [11- 15 %]
Platelet count: 260 [14- 400]
Absolute neutrophils: 5279 [1500 -7800]
Absolute lymphocytes: 2678 [850 -3900]

Celiac Disease panel
Tissue transglutaminase antibody IGA: <3 [<5 negative]
Immunoglobulin A: 252 [81 -463]
Gliadin antibody: <3 [<11 negative]
Hemoglobin A1c: 5.3 [% of total Hgb] [ <6 non-diabetic]

Vitamin D, 25-OH, total: 40 [20-100]

Gliadin antibody:4 [<11 negative]

Lyme disease c6 antibody: 0.66 [<=0.90 negative]......warrants further investigation IMO

iodine [random urine]: 198 [34-523]
Lipoprotein: 10 [<75 nmol/L]

Vitamin b12: 266 [200-1100 pg/mL]
Folate, serum: 6.4 [normal .5.4]

IGF-1: 374 [126-382]
Plasma renin activity: 0.81 [0.25 - 5.82]
c-peptide: 1.6 [0.8 -3.1]

Pending tests (quest diagnostics sucks, IMO. It's been two weeks since the blood draw)
Estradiol, ultrasensitive (they are going to perform the wrong test....we specified sensitive 13-54 on the slip)
Estrone
cortisol [free and total]
cortisol binding globulin

Current symptoms
Joint cracking and clicking and popping
Acute swelling and pain in right ankle (to the point of not being able to walk] with no trigger incident
knee pain
sciatica
lower back pain
eye floaters
anxiety {improving IMO, and mainly related to my health]
depression {same as above]
NO libido
Complete ED without cialis
muscle weakness and strength loss
numb sensations [ could be related to all the advil I take to kill the pain]
loss [ and recent return ] of chest hair
cognitive dysfunction [improving]
hypoglycemia [improving]

Current medications and supplements
vitamin D 4,000 iu/ day (after loading 12,00o iu/ day for 5 days in response to above test result)
vitamin b12 2,000 mcg/ day (started this after seeing the above test)
Fortified soy protein (started feeling better after eating this)
15 mg liquid iron/day (started after seeing above ferritin result)

 

[chemman]

24 hour cortisol from Genova Diagnostics
1 hour after rising (9"40 am): 0.23 [0.27 - 1.18 mcg/dL]
11AM -1PM: 0.07 [0.10 - 0.41]
3PM -5PM: 0.11 [0.05 -0.27]
10 PM -12AM: 0.04 [0.03 -0.14]

 

[flaccido]

24 hour cortisol from Genova Diagnostics
1 hour after rising (9"40 am): 0.23 [0.27 - 1.18 mcg/dL]
11AM -1PM: 0.07 [0.10 - 0.41]
3PM -5PM: 0.11 [0.05 -0.27]
10 PM -12AM: 0.04 [0.03 -0.14]

So, your first two cortisol readings are low. Can you feel that you are worse earlier in the day than later? If so how?

 

[flaccido]

24 hour cortisol from Genova Diagnostics
1 hour after rising (9"40 am): 0.23 [0.27 - 1.18 mcg/dL]
11AM -1PM: 0.07 [0.10 - 0.41]
3PM -5PM: 0.11 [0.05 -0.27]
10 PM -12AM: 0.04 [0.03 -0.14]

How much did this test cost? Couldn´t find prices on website.

 

[chemman]

@Flaccido: I pay 59 dollars if my insurance doesn't cover the test. There's some kind of "payassured" program that let's you do this. The actual cost of the test I believe is around 130 or 150?

Woke up today feeling better! Joints have been cracking less the past few days. Mood seems up.

Started a medrol dose pack this morning that was prescribed by my orthopedic for the swelling in my right ankle, which he claims is tendonitis.

We'll see if the corticosteroids improve my condition at all. That will be very informative.

 

[hardasnails1973]

Funny how this made you feel better
I had a guy that after a HC shot felt better for a week then it went away. This was an indication of adrenal issues.
Tuesday we will tackle all of this and I am sure you will be pleased with what we have came up with for you.

 

[chemman]

HAN:

I've been feeling about 40% better this past week. This was before starting the medrol dose pack. I think the vitamin D and vitamin b12 is helping. I've also been stealing 15mg liquid iron shots from my vegetarian girlfriend for about a week. Still having some mood problems, however. Some brief flashes of libido but nowhere close to my final goal and pretty sure I would not be able to perform.


I just finished my first day on the dose pack and I'm sure it's helping.

Mood up
Joint cracking down
Joint pain way down
tendonitis in right ankle is bearable now
Air hunger gone
Eye floaters almost gone
Anxiety reduced

 

[hardasnails1973]

I'm glad we could have helped and this is prime example how nutrients are so important how even so many of Dr's do not believe in them.
Tha'ts awesome that you can feel better.
Be careful of iron injection because they can build up fast ending up with iron over load. 15 mgs once a week with food support may be good way to go.
Just keep everything in moderation till your appointment on tuesday. Iron injections is just a kick off then your iron supplementation should work ..I been taking liver tabs beverly at 20 a day and it is doing more then 100 mgs of chelated iron.

 

[chemman]

No iron "injections." Just a liquid version of iron that you take orally. 15 milligrams.

I can really feel the medrol kicking in today, especially this afternoon.

Joints still cracking but not nearly as bad. Knees feel a little swollen but I'm hoping this is my body attempting to repair the damage.

Anxiety way down.

Felt a few more flashes of libido too.

 

[hardasnails1973]

all good signs !! your body just needed a little support to push you over that hump

 

[chemman]

Still got the floaters going on, mainly when outside in sunlight or looking at computer screen. They started when I took a few iodoral tabs a few weeks ago. Who knows if they're ever going to go away. One in my left eye is like a small dark spot that moves with the direction of my eyeball. And it also feels like my left eyeball is strained as if I just looked into bright light for a long time.

Any ideas on what this is?

I'm definitely going to get in with an opthamologist when I have some time, which is rare these days trying to finish my last semester in college and being way behind from being so damn sick this year.

 

[hardasnails1973]

Floaters are common with liver stagnation - sluggish bile production..

 

[chemman]

I think the eye pressure type feeling is sensitivity to light. It feels like you do for that brief moment after you look directly at the sun, just not as intense. It was really sunny here today and it got worse as I walked around town (without sunglasses, of course). I guess it would be wise for me to throw on some shades tomorrow.

Medrol dose pack is still doing its thing. Tendonitis in right ankle is now completely gone. Joints feeling better. Thump sensation in throat is almost completely unnoticeable.

Now I'm just wondering what's going to happen when I get off the supplemental steroids.

I feel like my HPA axis was beginning to recover a bit before the medrol dose pack... so we'll see how I bounce back from the suppression.

 

[chemman]

Day 4 of medrol dose pack.

Floaters are almost completely gone today! Only the big one in my left eye is slightly noticeable now.

Felt a little stiff this morning and had some knee pain but that has faded as I walked around town this morning (and took some more prednisolone).

Still holding at 3 drops (6,000 iu) vit.d emulsion and sucking on a vitamin b12 lozenge here and there. I think the vitamin b12 is starting to give me stomach aches.

Also still taking 15 mg liquid iron (ferrous gluconate).

Also took a New Chapter multi-v this morning.

 

[chemman]

Day 5 medrol dose pack.

Lump in throat is back. Really annoying. What could this be? I know it's a hypothyroid symptom. People with lyme also describe the phenomena. And those with systemic joint cracking as well.

Floaters doing better. Walked around in the sun this morning and barely saw them. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Swelling in knees is down. Joint cracking down especially after getting up for the day and moving around.

Mental agility is much higher. I could actually pay attention in class today and have been knocking out my senior thesis that is due in a few weeks.

Ordered liver tabs last night to get my iron (and ferritin) up. Also ordered a mineral forumla containing chelated zinc, magnesium, selenium, chromium, and vanadium.

 

[hardasnails1973]

You may be mistaken low cortisol for low e2 issues. They do over lap.

 

[chemman]

True. We both know that shit hit the fan for me 8 months ago because of low e2.

I'm wondering if this stressed my adrenals to the max, which has been limiting my recovery.

Without proper cortisol, there is no way I can make enough testosterone to get estradiol back to a good range.

Also, low cortisol would give me thyroid problems at the receptor/ cellular level, which would explain my malabsorbtion/nutrient deficiencies.

These nutrient deficiencies will also make my recovery more difficult.

Basically, we need to start bringing EVERYTHING back into normal ranges in order to get my body up running again.

This involves bumping up my vitamin D, b-12, ferritin levels, and getting my testosterone kickstarted again.

I think we're on the right path. I am concerned however, about the side effects of clomid.

Also, I calculated that within 5 days of stopping the medrol dose pack, it should be out of my system. The half life is 26 hours max.

 

[hardasnails1973]

True. We both know that shit hit the fan for me 8 months ago because of low e2.

I'm wondering if this stressed my adrenals to the max, which has been limiting my recovery.

Without proper cortisol, there is no way I can make enough testosterone to get estradiol back to a good range.

Also, low cortisol would give me thyroid problems at the receptor/ cellular level, which would explain my malabsorbtion/nutrient deficiencies.

These nutrient deficiencies will also make my recovery more difficult.

Basically, we need to start bringing EVERYTHING back into normal ranges in order to get my body up running again.

This involves bumping up my vitamin D, b-12, ferritin levels, and getting my testosterone kickstarted again.

I think we're on the right path. I am concerned however, about the side effects of clomid.

Also, I calculated that within 5 days of stopping the medrol dose pack, it should be out of my system. The half life is 26 hours max.

getting your testosterone up will make maek your feel better as allow your body to deal with stress alot better potentially healing the adrenals which will be supported while on clomid (if you pass the challege)

 

[chemman]

I will be very very very surprised if I don't pass the test (knocks on wood).

 

[m_ob]

There's a lot of this knocking going on lol.