Newest Labs, not great, but not bad...

[GreenMachineX]

Here’s the newest labs. This is on 50mg test cyp twice a week and 125mcg Synthroid. I had donated blood 1 month before the draw. I’ve just started telmisartan at 40mg per day for blood pressure, and hopefully hematocrit. The last time I was on it my HCT dropped to 47, so we’ll see. If that works out, I’ll increase test a little and maybe take some iron to bring my ferritin up a little.

Why would my reverse t3 be so high?

 

[GreenMachineX]

Here’s the labs.

I can’t see the labs, can y’all? Is it just mine or am I doing something wrong?

 

[GreenMachineX]

New labs, should I be worried about that mchc? Looks like my hematocrit, hemoglobin, and red blood cells came down as a result of adding telmisartan.

 

[GreenMachineX]

@Vince @Vince Carter
@Nelson Vergel
Do you guys have any thoughts? Could it just be the telmisartan and no big deal?

 

[Vince Carter]

If this is the first instance the MCHC is elevated why not retest it in the future and verify but this can indicate an iron deficiency and when you retest adding an iron (serum) and ferritin test could provide more insight to MCHC

 

[GreenMachineX]

Well, the iron and ferritin labs from just 3 weeks ago are at the top, and I haven’t given blood since then. Back then ferritin was 58...

 

[Vince Carter]

Id just include a CBC then in your next round of labs, see if its high again. When you google high MCHC it comes up with iron anemia.

 

[Vince]

Your reverse T3 is too high, I'm not an expert on thyroid. But I believe if you just take synthetic T3, it sure lower your reverse T3. I believe you need it under 15 to feel good, then you can start supplementing with T4 again. Hopefully it will stay in a good range.

 

[1Draw]

I can only imagine how you feel with your Reverse T3 at 25.5. Like Vince stated, it needs to be less than 15. Here is some very good info on what it is, what causes it and how to correct it with T3 med cytomel or its generic Liothyronine.

https://www.restartmed.com/reverse-t3/

My reverse T3 was 28.1 back in Feb of this year and I felt like I had been run over by 2 trucks. It was caused mostly due to low iron/ferritin from blood donations and also I had a very severe sinus infection about a month before and took several rounds of antibiotics to kick. Took me about 2 1/2 months to get it down to 13. Unless the underlying cause is corrected, just stay on the T3 med until you have identified it and fixed it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Well, with a ferritin of 58, could it be that? I have iron bisglycinate here I could take a few times a week to build it back up...

 

[Vince Carter]

Im dealing with my own ferritin issues since Im forced to donate so much and I've read...Dr C(?) or others stating Ferritin needs to be 100 or 150 to alleviate any associated matters.

 

[MarkM]

Well, with a ferritin of 58, could it be that? I have iron bisglycinate here I could take a few times a week to build it back up...

You should supplement with additional iron to bring the ferritin back up. Vince is correct, you should shoot to get it up around the 130 mark or higher to be optimal and your ferritn needs to be at a minimum of 80 for the thyroid to perform properly. You aren't seriously low but you still need to bring it on up.

 

[Vince Carter]

2g of Vitamin-C and 1g of Lysine can/should help iron absorption. Too if you have gut issues like reflux or GERD that will complicate iron absorption.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Gotcha. Thanks guys. Will start that in a few days.

 

[HealthMan]

I wouldn’t supplement with iron. Looks like your dosage reduction is working to control your HCT. So just stop donating blood and check you HCT often in the beginning. Adding a lot of iron + Vit C etc can cause your HCT to get elevated again then you will have to donate blood and the cycle perpetuates. 58 ferritin is not terrible and with time without donating you should get back to 3 digits.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I wouldn’t supplement with iron. Looks like your dosage reduction is working to control your HCT. So just stop donating blood and check you HCT often in the beginning. Adding a lot of iron + Vit C etc can cause your HCT to get elevated again then you will have to donate blood and the cycle perpetuates. 58 ferritin is not terrible and with time without donating you should get back to 3 digits.

Well, the thing is, the dosage reduction occurred 6 months ago, and my hematocrit dropped 2 points in 3 weeks from only adding telmisartan. I’m thinking the telmisartan should control it with small infrequent doses of iron. I might be wrong, but I’m okay with being the guinea pig on this.

 

[HealthMan]

Well, the thing is, the dosage reduction occurred 6 months ago, and my hematocrit dropped 2 points in 3 weeks from only adding telmisartan. I’m thinking the telmisartan should control it with small infrequent doses of iron. I might be wrong, but I’m okay with being the guinea pig on this.

How many time have you donated blood in the last 6 months?

 

[GreenMachineX]

3. Last time was about 6 weeks ago. 1 month before the labs up top.

 

[HealthMan]

3. Last time was about 6 weeks ago. 1 month before the labs up top.

So this is why your ferritin is low. If you think that telmisartan is helping with HCT I would stop donating blood instead of supplementing with iron. Your ferritin is really not bad after 3 blood donations in 6 months. So if you stop donating blood it should go up to 3 digits without the need to mess with iron supplementation and the risk of putting you back into the donate-supplement iron-low ferritin conondrum. Just make sure you keep testing HCT to make sure it is under control without the blood donations

 

[GreenMachineX]

So you think the high reverse t3 is likely due to something else? How do I figure that out?

I’ve suspected I have a possible Candida overgrowth/infection with the angular cheilitis I’ve had since my ferritin was even over 100. But I don’t know how to figure that out.