My Super Sleuth Naturopath

My HMO primary care doc didn't even want to discuss my blood test results. She considered all my results within normal limits. However, she had not received the CBC results which showed low WBC (white blood cells) and low MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration). Nevertheless, my naturopath wanted me to discuss those results in person, rather than exchange more emails. My blood test results gave my naturopath many more clues about why I experienced 8 gastrointestinal infections in the past 4 years, as well as why I feel so tired now.

Above all my ND recommended that I begin a low dose thyroid medication. Over the past 12 years my TSH levels have been rather high. In 2002 the normal TSH range was changed from .5 to5.0 to .3 to 3.0. However, my HMO didn't revise its normal range. So they continued to ignore my TSH levels which have slowly risen from 3 to 3.71 over the past 12 years. That's not dramatic, but I've had so many symptoms of hypothyroidism most of my life. Also my Free Thyroxine (T4) level was on the low side of normal. Over the past 12 years I've noticed more sensitivity to cold, have low basal temps, cold hamds and feet which become numb, chronic constipation, above normal cholesterol (over 200) for the past 10 years), chronic respiratory, bladder and gastrointestinal infections, loss of the outer 1/3 of my eyebrowns, ever increasing fatigue, and this year my LDL result was at the high end of 'normal'. Above all I had an autoimmune disease (celiac) which is highly correlated with autoimmune Hashimoto's thyroiditis. So those years of undiagnosed celiac disease could have also caused autoimmune thyroid damage. Even though I stopped eating gluten 6 years ago, the damage was done.

So I took my first Levoxyl (.05 mg levothyroxine) tablet this morning. I didn't experience any obvious side effects. I had a bit of a headache, but that could have been lack of sleep (I get headaches if I don't get 9 hours of sleep). I did feel a bit more energetic. However that perception of energy could be the 'placebo effect' because I anticipate getting more energy, warmth and regularity while taking Levoxyl.

In order to resolve the low MCHC problem, possibly due to iron deficiency or folate or B12 related anemia, my ND gave me a list of iron rich foods. I told her iron supplements make me constipated. So she recommended I try to eat at least 15 mg of iron daily. Surprisingly, I enjoy most of the foods on that list. Also I added a B12 supplement to my daily arsenal of vitamins and minerals.

Above all I did another microbial stool test yesterday and sent the 'specimums' (for bacteria, parasities and fungus tests) to the lab this morning. My low WBC result could come from 4 years of fighting gut bugs or from continuing to fight the parasite I began treating in June. I hope this test is negative for new (and old) bugs. I no longer have any gut pain which suggests infection. However, I'm also digesting food better because I resumed taking HCl supplements and high dose probiotics yesterday after doing the test. (I had to abstain from HCl and probiotics for 2 days before the test. I REALLY missed my HCl capsules. I felt soooo full after meals and bloated all the time. It's so nice to have my flat tummy again. LOL