Iodine in milk varies. If an iodine teat wash is used, iodine is higher. Some cows get salt-mineral blocks that have iodine.
If bread has iodine and you avoid bread to avoid gluten…
If T4 medication is not helping, you might not be converting fT4–>fT3 efficiently. Low ferritin can be one factor. Can you get desiccated thyroid that has T4 and T3 in it? TSH is released as part of a negative feedback loop that senses mostly fT3.
Another possible factor is T4–>rT3. If that is high, taking T4 meds simply increases T4–>rT3, fT3 blocks fT3 which makes you hypo.
HG was tested, but that is released in pulses with short half life. Should be testing IGF-1 which is released by liver in response to GH. IGF-1 is a better measure of GH status that GH itself.
Thyroid auto-immune diseases can be caused by inflammation that occurs with high TSH caused by iodine deficiency when there is also a lack of dietary selenium. Selenium is very important and all the more with your high TSH.
Your metabolism is low because fT3 is low and T is low. fT3 is used to regulate mitochondria inside of your cells, making ATP and consuming sugars and lipids. If you get hormones fixed, your insulin sensitivity should improve.
Labs: -please list these if you have them, or try to get them done
LH/FSH = 3.25/3.5
E2 estradiol
prolactin - 249 55-280 [high]
IGF-1
SHBG=7.1 low - this can be from low E2 and/or diabetic state
rT3
Prolactin can be from prolactin secreting pituitary adinoma. Should have MRI to see whats is there. If it gets large, it presses on the optic nerves. Then one can “see” a reduction of width of peripheral vision which should be near 180 degrees. The condition is easily managed with 0.5mg/week Dostinex/cabergoline. Prolactin directly lower LH/FSH via negative feedback. The growth on the pituitary can reduce LH/FSH secretion. These problems often show up when one is younger.
ALT can be high from recent training and sore muscles [injury] that have not recovered. Avoid this for labs next time.
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
- Thyroid Basics
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
Was a needle biopsy done on your thyroid?
https://www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/28/073/28073810.pdf
Effects of the Chernobyl disaster - Wikipedia
Most of the major exposure was over before you were born.