Anyone hypothyroid plus elevated androgens?

theOceanicSix · 10-04-2009, 10:59 PM

My doc said my thyroid is fine but I have to disagree with her. I was tested a little over a month ago and my level was 3.99. I've been reading on here that anything above 3 should now be considered hypo. I don't have a ton of symptoms but the one BIG one is that I seemingly cannot lose weight, no matter how much I exercise and how well I eat. Now that I see my TSH level, it makes sense. I also get brain fog now and then and it just bugs the crap out of me.

Anyway, I just bought a new prenatal that contains Iodine and Omega-3. Is this a good start? Can anyone recommend anything else over-the-counter?

Also, I have just a bit elevated DHEA. Will anything I take for TSH levels have an effect on androgens?
Thanks!

verbal0rchid · 10-13-2009, 05:54 PM

Treating hypothyroid can sometimes balance out a sex hormone imbalance. Generally people I've talked to have found that the best order of treatment goes: Adrenals, thyroid, sex hormones, then growth hormone (if needed). Reason being is that none of these can balance out without optimal adrenal function. If your adrenals are struggling, your body can't use the thyroid it DOES produce, and subsequently your sex hormones can't do their job either. High estrogen can convert to testosterone, lowering your progesterone level as well, which creates a whole 'nother mess in itself! And some have found once they got their adrenals and thyroid optimized the sex hormones balanced out on their own, but often we need some outside help for that too.

Dr. Broda Barnes and other pioneers of thyroid treatment found the best first indication of low thyroid function is the basal body temp. If you are colder than everyone else in a room, you have a good indication of being hypo.

theOceanicSix · 10-15-2009, 05:59 PM

Thanks for the info. My BBT is pretty good. My main problem is that it's hard, almost impossibly hard, to lose weight. I'm about 165 and can't, for the life of me, get any lower. So I figured it's GOT to be the thyroid since all other hormones are pretty level.

greyt00 · 10-16-2009, 02:30 PM

I'm hypothyroid, not dianosed with PCOS (yet), but I am suspicious that my androgens are a little high even though my doc said the tests did not indicate such. I'm shedding more hair than I used to, my side hairline has receded, my skin is gross, I have mostly light facial hair with a few stray dark ones, and I'm very oily.

I'm sorry I cannot advise you on the weight problem or supplements. I've always been thin. My hypothyroid was diagnosed at age 6 (stopped growing). I have partly hereditary condition but also genetic defect. My doc just called today and said they think my dose is too low so here we go, changing my meds again. I hope they get it right. Makes me a little nervous with TTC because unregulated thyroid can cause damage.