29 y/o, Total and Free Testosterone?

Yeah I feel the exact same thing! It’s so weird.

You may need a thyroid ultrascan done or a biopsy on it to check for nodules. As for BM’s, that is very irregular and strange. I usually have one at least 1-2x a day, depending on how much I eat. They’re not going to be huge craps, but I think that’s a factor of diet. Whenever I eat “crappy”, I have humongo BM’s, but when I eat correct, my BM’s tend to be smaller.

You may have an rT3 problem, which according to most literature, is transitory in nature. If you’re not eating enough calories, eat more. If you’re not eating enough fat, eat some fat. Try to just enjoy your diet if you’re not eating enough. You’re underweight as it is, so you shouldn’t worry about getting overweight. Eat, eat, eat! See what that does for your BM’s and symptoms. Try to reduce anything that may be causing excess cortisol in your body such as stress, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional.

P.S. Some scientific backing for what I just wrote:

What happens to your body when not enough food is given (starvation/fasting):

(From ThyroidManager.org)
Multiple alterations in thyroid hormone regulation and metabolism have been noted during caloric restriction. The most dramatic effect is a decrease in the serum TT3 within 24-48 hours of the initiation of fasting.36-40b Because changes in the free T3 fraction are usually small, the absolute concentration of FT3 is also reduced, clearly into the hypothyroid range The marked reduction in serum T3 is caused by a reduction in its generation from T4 rather than by an acceleration in its metabolic clearance rate.41,42 The decline in T3 concentration is accompanied by a concomitant and reciprocal change in the concentration of total and free rT3. The increase in the serum rT3 concentration tends to begin later and to return to normal at the time serum T3 is being maintained at a low level with continuous calorie deprivation.38,39 Little change occurs in the concentrations of TT4 and FT4 and the production and metabolic clearance rates of T4.38,39,41,42 When small changes have been observed, they were generally in the direction of an increase in the FT4 concentration. They are attributed to decreased concentration of the carrier proteins in serum, as well as to their diminished association with the hormone caused by the inhibitory effect of free fatty acids (FFA) the level of which increases during fasting.40,43

Thanks so much! It’s tough trying to stay positive when you feel like absolute garbage, but I’m trying… hard.

I’ve decided to go ahead and have antibodies checked for Hashimoto’s and such, just to make sure. I’m sure there’s probably no growth on my thyroid, although very close to it, there’s a “knot” that showed up that hasn’t gone away. I dunno what it is, but it’s probably nothing.

Man, I promise, I’m trying to eat, lol. It’s hard, 'cause my appetite has just about fully disappeared. Suuuuuuucks.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it. It’s nice being able to kind of vent about problems and whatnot and have some support. Sucks feeling alone when you feel awful. My poor girlfriend has got to be tired of hearing it, lol…

[quote]JLWilson wrote:
P.S. Some scientific backing for what I just wrote:

What happens to your body when not enough food is given (starvation/fasting):

(From ThyroidManager.org)
Multiple alterations in thyroid hormone regulation and metabolism have been noted during caloric restriction. The most dramatic effect is a decrease in the serum TT3 within 24-48 hours of the initiation of fasting.36-40b Because changes in the free T3 fraction are usually small, the absolute concentration of FT3 is also reduced, clearly into the hypothyroid range The marked reduction in serum T3 is caused by a reduction in its generation from T4 rather than by an acceleration in its metabolic clearance rate.41,42 The decline in T3 concentration is accompanied by a concomitant and reciprocal change in the concentration of total and free rT3. The increase in the serum rT3 concentration tends to begin later and to return to normal at the time serum T3 is being maintained at a low level with continuous calorie deprivation.38,39 Little change occurs in the concentrations of TT4 and FT4 and the production and metabolic clearance rates of T4.38,39,41,42 When small changes have been observed, they were generally in the direction of an increase in the FT4 concentration. They are attributed to decreased concentration of the carrier proteins in serum, as well as to their diminished association with the hormone caused by the inhibitory effect of free fatty acids (FFA) the level of which increases during fasting.40,43 [/quote]

Sounds like a total catch 22, and that sucks… 'cause if I feel worse, I lose my appetite, which means I’ll feel WORSE.

Guess it’s time to start force-feeding…

Hey, anytime. It’s crazy, when you feel down, it’s almost impossible to feel positive. But when you see that glimmer of hope, it’s like you feel unstoppable and you can accomplish anything. Your hormones have a huge impact on who you are.

Just make yourself a promise to not give up until you feel better!

The options for treatment are basically synthroid or L-thyroxine (Which I’m on @ .150 mcg), or that with a combination of Cytomel (T-3). Some doctors will prescribe Armour, but their new formulation has not been nearly as effective as it used to be. Most endos don’t prescribe it since the ATA and AACE have taken a stance against porcine dessicated thyroid due to its poor consistency of thyroid hormone.

I have no clue, but there definitely needs to be more comprehensive labs. Get a complete metabolic panel, CBC, testosterone, free tesosterone, LH, FSH, estradiol, thyroid, cortisol, prolactin, and IGF-1. See where that takes you.

Agreed. I also thought about looking into the possibility of low B12, even if that’s kind of a stretch. Cortisol, Prolactin, and IGF-1, I haven’t had checked, so I appreciate the advice. That’s definitely something I’ll be looking into. I’m just SO ready for this crap to be dealt with so I can start living again.

[quote]KSman wrote:
Got me on that one! Over the years of my T decline, my hands were in a race condition over what hand would type it’s next letter first. Which could yield: My Hadns were in a race condition voer … TRT eliminated that problem that had been getting worse for years. I don’t know that others have pointed this out as T related problem.[/quote]

THis is very interesting and something I’ve never heard before. I have noticed my typing has gotten much worse over the past few years as well, as I have been experiencing the hormonal issues.

Is there any literature that you’re aware of supporting this, or is it mostly just anecdotal at this point?

Just my personal observation so far. Many gave ‘word finding’ issues, typing is just another aspect of the negative effects of T on the brain.

[quote]KSman wrote:
The thyroid numbers look decent. See if you can get rT3 tested. You really seem to have estrogen problems [bloat]. Adrenals may be a mess too. Fixing T alone might create a mess.

[I am having trouble imagining a 150# 6’3" guy with bloat.]

That foreign travel: What if you had a lingering parasitic disease? That can wear down your adrenals. Was that a tropical destination?[/quote]

Speaking of parasites, what do you recommend for someone who has traveled to Mexico, for example, to get rid of potential lasting parasites? I typically do black walnut, cloves, wormwood combo. Do you know of something better? I go to Mexico every year and always feel bad for many weeks afterwards. I usually have to take an antibiotic for a few days while there because my stomach gets to belching a lot, so I figured my feeling bad is due to having to replenish my good bacteria.

So, I am curious to know what you use for parasites?

Have no idea. Best bet is probiotics as your bacteria flora may be messed up. Many pro-biotic products are wimpy, do some home work or ask at a good health food / nutrition store.

what about insulin resistance? Can’t that cause problems like this?

Diabetes Mellitus can definitely cause low testosterone and ED problems. We don’t know the OP’s blood sugar levels, though.