Good Numbers, Gyno Concerns

My TT came back 1245
E2 19
Shbg 18

I just started armour thyroid 30mg AM/PM.

I FEEL amazing on armour but I've notice since I've started armour more chest fat and what appears to be gyno symptoms even though e2 and prolactin are low.

Have also noticed increased nipple sensitivity and hardening of the nipple.

Again... armour has been great for me energy wise and mentally but it's the only thing I can point to for recent (what appears to be) gyno flare up.

Tsh 1.5 (.5-4.5)
Free t3/t4 both mid range
T3 came back lower

Progesterone was low but don't think that's it. Since labs have added Preg cream and sublingual dhea.

Just want to reiterate that I feel amazing but the gyno symptoms are frustrating.

TRT protocol 60/.25 (eod)

Thanks for any response!

JQ88 said:

My TT came back 1245
E2 19
Shbg 18

I just started armour thyroid 30mg AM/PM.

I FEEL amazing on armour but I've notice since I've started armour more chest fat and what appears to be gyno symptoms even though e2 and prolactin are low.

Have also noticed increased nipple sensitivity and hardening of the nipple.

Again... armour has been great for me energy wise and mentally but it's the only thing I can point to for recent (what appears to be) gyno flare up.

Tsh 1.5 (.5-4.5)
Free t3/t4 both mid range
T3 came back lower

Progesterone was low but don't think that's it. Since labs have added Preg cream and sublingual dhea.

Just want to reiterate that I feel amazing but the gyno symptoms are frustrating.

TRT protocol 60/.25 (eod)

Thanks for any response!

Click to expand...

How long have you been on your protocol? You mentioned you'd just added the thyroid.mNipple sensitivity is typical at many stages of TRT - three years in and I go through periods of itching and burning every so often. Do you have hard, lumps/discs at the nipple proper?

Hey Coast!

Been on trt protocol about six months.

Started armour about three months ago at 15mg/day then 30mg/day then 60mg/day.

I wouldn't say hard lumps or discs. And not painful. It's soft and the nipple gets puffy. More so then ever before thats why I mention.

If my e2 and prolactin weren't good I would swear it were e2 or prolactin.

Armour was the only uncommon denominator.

Armour has helped tremendously with energy and mood. Skin tone.

I realize my TT is high at 1245... especially being low shbg. Free T super high.

Overall... feel great! After years of battle with ED that has been MUCH improved.

You don't have gyno...youve just picked up something to worry over that isn't based on anything clinical.

JQ88 said:

Hey Coast!

Been on trt protocol about six months.

Started armour about three months ago at 15mg/day then 30mg/day then 60mg/day.

I wouldn't say hard lumps or discs. And not painful. It's soft and the nipple gets puffy. More so then ever before thats why I mention.

If my e2 and prolactin weren't good I would swear it were e2 or prolactin.

Armour was the only uncommon denominator.

Armour has helped tremendously with energy and mood. Skin tone.

I realize my TT is high at 1245... especially being low shbg. Free T super high.

Overall... feel great! After years of battle with ED that has been MUCH improved.

Click to expand...

Vince Carter's right - I don't believe you have gyno. Nipples itch, nipples burn, and nipples can take on a higher "profile" (so to speak). It comes with TRT for many of us. You feel good, your numbers give no cause for concern...watch your chest and enjoy the benefits...and try to relax.

Thanks for the advice guys.

It is so much better than its ever been.

More frequent injections was the difference for me.

Only a matter of time before daily.

But so much easier to tweak and adjust this way. Steadier plane.

And WAY easier to gauge e2 and AI dosing by Morning Wood and labs.

Have learned so much through this board and trt revolution. The most knowledgeable guys in the business.

Major mjndshift for me was to realize we Learn as we go... through life really.

Protocol great example.

I used to stress out that I needed to figure it all out. The perfect protocol.

We learn as we go.

Vince Carter said:

You don't have gyno...youve just picked up something to worry over that isn't based on anything clinical.

Click to expand...

I legitimately laughed out loud. Spot on. So few words.

Are we to assume your E2 labs at 19 were the sensitive assay?

Non sensitive 19.

Anyway... even if I don't have gyno... my point was that it is definitely the armour that is causing the extra nipple sensitivity... so that was interesting to me.

If I experiment and double my armour dose I notice it more.

Yet armour has worked wonders for me mood and energy wise.

Once again after latest thyroid reading:

Tsh 1.5 (.5-4.5)
Free t3/t4 (mid range)

Body composition has absolutely changed since increasing armour. Just softer overall.

Yet armour has been great for me mentally and energy wise.

Numbers are mid range so don't signify hyper.

That was my point to the thread... didn't mean to make it about gyno specifically.

Its very interesting. I was on armour for years too. The authority on natural desiccated thyroid is "STTM" stop the thyroid madness website. Go check it out. They claim that the minimum starting dose is 2 grains or 120mg. It used to be 1 grain which equals 60mg. Yet you are on 30mg and notice a difference. I believe they also claim that your FT3 should be in the upper quadrant in order to feel best. Yet you are mid range. The reason supposedly according to them why a low dose does not work is the same reason as for TRT... there is a feedback loop that occurs and as you start you feel good but it dissipates quickly so you need more. Hence the reason for 120mg starting dosing.

I never had any gyno effects from any thyroid meds. But you are using the non sensitive assay for E2 which is usually shows a number that is too high. Yet you show low. Perhaps low E2 symptoms are your problem. When my E2 is low I feel a little bloated so I wonder. Symptoms are always different between people so getting a sensitive E2 test would be prudent.

JQ88 said:

My TT came back 1245
E2 19
Shbg 18

I just started armour thyroid 30mg AM/PM.

I FEEL amazing on armour but I've notice since I've started armour more chest fat and what appears to be gyno symptoms even though e2 and prolactin are low.

Have also noticed increased nipple sensitivity and hardening of the nipple.

Again... armour has been great for me energy wise and mentally but it's the only thing I can point to for recent (what appears to be) gyno flare up.

Tsh 1.5 (.5-4.5)
Free t3/t4 both mid range
T3 came back lower

Progesterone was low but don't think that's it. Since labs have added Preg cream and sublingual dhea.

Just want to reiterate that I feel amazing but the gyno symptoms are frustrating.

TRT protocol 60/.25 (eod)

Thanks for any response!

Click to expand...

What is your BMI and BF%? Did you have gyno as a kid and were you heavy as a kid? Has your doc confirmed gyno?

I shouldn't have said gyno.

My body composition has definitely changed since starting armour... softer overall... breast enlargement... belly fat... yet it makes me feel great mentally.

I read that article on 120 it's also on mercola.

60am/pm is a little too racy for me.

You bring up an interesting point RATBAG and thank u so much for that post. I'm praying you are correct about low e2.

I once saw a post (maybe from Nelson) that low e2 could lead to higher body fat-

RATBAG why did you get off the armour? Are you on anything now for thyroid?

I'm still on thyroid meds. I take 25mcg cytomel daily and 200mcg synthroid daily. They work just as good as desiccated thyroid for me. Cytomel is a synthetic T3 and Synthroid is synthetic T4. Sometimes NDT (natural desiccated thyroid) can have bad batches. This has happened with armour and erfa and thyroid-s. All the big NDT suppliers. I got fed up at one point with getting bad batches and my MD suggested I try the synthetic stuff and he stated it's always good and always in stock at most pharmacies. He was right. I don't mind NDT but if the batch is no good you don't get your $$ back, just my experience.

Why did u get off armour and switch to the others?

I added to my post above.

Thanks for the reply... what would classify a "bad batch?"

It's like there isn't any T3 in it. Many people can feel the effect of T3 when taking it... or perhaps it might be better said that some can feel it when they stop taking T3. I can feel it the next day if I forget to take my pill or i have a bad batch. I lose some cognitive skills, my memory get poorer etc. I start getting hypothyroid symptoms in general.

Maybe it's not gyno but it's something. Have needed more AI since I started thyroid. Read an article saying if your reverse t3 is high armour could make it worse I have no idea what my reverse t3 is. More bloated feeling, belly, and chest fat. maybe I'll taper down and see if it improves. From what I've read armour doesn't stop natural thyroid production and it can bounce back. My tsh was 1.4 on 30/30.