Unidentified Auto Immune Issue (Dr. House needed!)

[Lori838]

I am working to confirm that I really need to have an invasive spinal tab to rule out MS.  I have had lots of tests completed – and am hopeful we already have the answers to my sickness but the pieces to the puzzle hasn’t been put together for a diagnosis.   I am single mother of three and work full-time– and I am going through my sick leave at a fairly quick rate with no real diagnosis for FMLA.  

I am pretty sure I have an auto-immune issue – relating to my Hashimotos.

Can someone give me some direction on this?

Current Symptoms:

Double Vision
Square Wave Jerks
Bradycardia
Hair Loss
Dizziness
Numbness/reduced sensations in Tongue, feet, neck
Difficulty Swallowing (Comes and goes)
Brain fog/speech issues (come and goes)
Chest burning, (comes and goes)
Sleeping issues
Waking up with an internal Tremor that decreases with activity
Headaches/Migraines (off/on my whole life) that increase in pain after eating sugar
Frequent Urination/Urgency (off/on for several years)
Anxiety issues (several panic attacks in the last 9 months - trigger was dizziness while driving - higher speeds make it worse)
Thyroid Function changes (high TSH's coincided with hospital visits)

Health History -

(CURRENT AGE 44)

2001 Desert Storm – Gulf region from Feb to September of 2001

1995 Birth of Son (C-Section)

1996 Hypothyroid/Hashimotos Diagnosis (symptom – loss of hair)

1997 Birth of Daughter (she was diagnosed with Hypothyroid at the age of 14) (C-Section)

2005 Birth of Daughter, had gestational diabetes during later part of pregnancy (she had grand mal seizures (outgrown) and ADHD, being tested for autism spectrum) (C-Section)

2010 Enlarged lymph nodes, treated with antibiotics (series of CT scans on record)

2012 October, had injections of botox and Restylane in eyebrow area

2013, January, chest burning –
Abnormal ECG - referred to cardiologist
            TSH - 12 (after it had been relatively stable (around 1) for years… )

2013, February, ended up in the cardiac for 3 days for observation in cardiac unit for low heart rate and PB (went into the 30’s at night)
            Calcium and enzymes were normal so they released me; blamed thyroid

2013, March through August, Thyroid numbers went back to normal but had off and on issues with:
1. Fatigue/sleeping
2. Dizziness
3. Vision
4. Bradycardia (Chest burning )

2013 June – Both teenagers had mono

2013 August – Wore a heart monitor for the month (Dr. Marillo) confirmed a lower heart rate and PVC's

2013 September – Cardiologist prescribed Midrodine, took two times, one per day - energy shot up but created brain fog and coordination issues; stopped taking on third day - explained the reaction to the medicine and they told me just to increase my sodium intake.  I used generous amount of sodium (with Iodine), started have episodes of confusion, tailspinned until I ended up in the hospital.  

2013, September 30th, episodes of chest pains, muscular weakness, dizziness and disorientation, admitted into  Hospital to rule out stroke.  Results of testing:
1. Normal CT SCAN of Brain and Neck
2. Normal MRI of Brain (without Contrast)
3. Normal Scan of Heart
4. High TSH
5. High Cholesterol (203; Currently untreated)
HDL 40 - 59 MG/DL 51
CHOLESTEROL 110 - 200 MG/DL 203
TRIGLYCERIDE 40 - 149 MG/DL 90
LDL CALCULATION 50 - 99 MG/DL 134

6. Low Potassium
POTASSIUM 3.5 - 5.5 MMOL/L 3.4
CHLORIDE 98 - 110 MMOL/L 97

7. Elevated Neutrophils
ABSOLUTE NEUTROPHILS 1.8 - 7.7 K/uL 8.4
8. Elevated White Blood Count
WBC x 10^3 4.0 - 11.0 K/uL 12.0

9. Low Lymphocytes
LYMPHOCYTES 27 - 45 % 24

New Test Results Issues:
Low IGA Quant (Score 70, range 91-414)
Low Vitamin D (Score 31.4; VITAMIN D, 25 HYDROXY Lab Range: 32.0 - 100.0 NG/ML)
Cortisol (MCG/DL 17.4 – what is the normal range?)
ACETYLCHOLINE RECEP BLOCK AB (Score 22, what is the normal range?)


2013 October
1. Normal MRI of Spine/ Neck (evidence of age appropriate arthritis)

Family History:
Father – Died at 57 from Heart Disease (smoker)
Mother – Surviving – heart attack at 41 (smoker) and deep vein thrombosis issues in her legs

Maternal Grandmother – Diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure
Maternal Grandfather – Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Kidney Failure (dialysis patient his last 10 years)
Paternal Grandmother – Cancer and Alzheimer’s
Paternal Grandfather – died in 40’s from heart disease

[TheLightSeeker]

Your email (for privacy concerns, forum rules) does not show.
Endocrinology considers blood/serum testing as their standard ???,
so you'll need a holistic or naturopathic doctor to either interpret your
lab results or better to order a "professional" test, not available directly
to the patient. I will email you details.
Just send me private message with your info.
I'm surprised you got  Free T3 and Free T4 tested.
You need reverse T3 and all the Lab's ranges as well for your results to be useful.
Dr. Barnes Basal Temperature Test will show with great accuracy
adrenal fatigue and/or low thyroid function.

Anytime.
Niko

[Lori838]

Niko...  Thank you!   More information is greatly appreciated!  I requested the saliva test but endo insisted on 8 am blood draw.  I can go to local lab and pay but there are a couple to choose from?  I have my free T3 and free T4 numbers charted that I can email.  My email is ***@****.  Thanks!  Lori

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi Lori and welcome to the forum.

I don't think you need a Dr. House.
Your case seems complex only because conventional medicine has unnecessarily made it so. And you are one of millions.
There are a couple rather strong possibilities.

One is an underlying pathogenic infectious condition such as Mycoplasma
and any of the co-infections like Ehrlichia, Babesia, Bartonella and of course Borellia must be included in this suspicion.
The fact that you were deployed to the Gulf Region during Desert Storm,
may explain the above suspicion, as there's a strong connection to
Gulf War Illness and pathogenic infectious conditions, which may remain
dormant in the body, until a trigger is present to activate them.

The trigger, could be anything from the botox injections, the infection or inflammatory condition for which antibiotics were taken (antibiotics can destroy the balance of healthy flora, one of the keys to a healthy immune system, and lead to yeast overgrowth), prolonged stress, unresolved hypothyroid condition.

The last two, could be a stand alone cause also for many of your health concerns.
Unresolved hypothyroid is very probable (unresolved hypothyroid is transferred by the mother to the offspring ), serum tests do nothing to
reveal accurately thyroid CELLULAR function as they don't show the active form of T3 and T4 and TSH is usually meaningless.
Free T3, Free T4 and reverse T3 levels must be tested.
Cortisol levels must be tested by saliva testing only, to my opinion.
I don't know what the lab's normal range  is for your cortisol levels, but chances are that it will be probably a false high when it is actually low.
This is because blood testing measures both active and inactive forms!

A majority of lows in cortisol levels create havoc in thyroid function and
when adjusting thyroid meds up to compensate for lower function it will cause hyperthyroid symptoms!
Your hypo-tension indicates adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion,
which fits with the unresolved hypothyroid suspicion.
Lowered cellular energy will affect any organ, any system
and that is what low thyroid function really means.
The adrenals are the "kings" of the endocrine system,
so they take precedent over the thyroid, so before the thyroid function can be restored, the adrenal function must be restored. Otherwise, both suffer,
as treatment for the thyroid goes in opposite direction of fatigued/exhausted adrenals which need LOW cellular energy, rest and specific supplementation to rebalance. The thyroid function itself cannot be restored when cortisol levels are low.

Your high cholesterol is a clear sign of low thyroid function,
but it should not be too much of a concern, as it is just a marker,
not a cause for heart disease. The real concern is with inflammation
and of course lower energy available to the CV system.

I will look at your various test results more carefully, but your low potassium should be addressed. Consider consuming adequate potassium rich foods, like bananas, oranges.

I can send you an adrenal questionnaire, if you want, to screen for  adrenal fatigue. Let me know.

This is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

Best wishes.
Niko