I ony get 824 calories per day? page 5

[RSL]

First I do not see the estrogen dominance you speak of. Your estradiol is below range and you say your progesterone is now a little higher than normal.

I did not say I have estrogen dominance. I said that I had estrogen dominance. When I first started being treated, I had almost no progesterone, and now my progesterone is a little bit high, so I no longer have estrogen dominance.

The tests I am familiar with that test thyroid function are: TSH, free T4 and free T3. What type of doctor are you seeing and what are the symptoms he and you are treating?

I was tested for TSH, free T3 and free T4. I am low thyroid. My dosage has just been changed from 100mg per day to 120mg per day of Thyro-Hypo, the substitute for Armour thyroid.

TSH, 3rd Generation is critical low at 0.06 (range 0.40-4.50)
Free T3 is normal at 323 (range 230-420)
Free T4 is low normal at 0.9 (range 0.40-4.50)

The term "Thyroid Function Test" is my doctor's summary of all my thyroid tests.

I am seeing Dr. Paul Savage in Chicago, a board certified anti-aging doctor who specializes in natural, bio-identical hormone replacement, including thyroid. He was featured in the book Ageless by Suzanne Somers, because he is a recognized authority on the subject of hormone replacement. I am seeing him for all the typical symptoms that go along with low hormones - unexplained weight gain, dry skin, low body temperature, mentrual irregularities, depression, anxiety, etc., plus all the regular peri-menopause stuff.

I believe that consistently eating less than 1000 calories is not helping your thyroid problems.

Maybe you are thinking of someone else... I have never "consistently eaten less than 1000 calories". As I mentioned, the least I have eaten has been around 1400 calories and the most has been around 1800-1900. Although, according to the PB book, I should be eating only 1071 calories per day based on my lean body mass and activity level. I do not eat this low, as I mentioned. I was only saying that it was what the book instructed me to do.

Any strenuous exercise while being undertreated hypo is also, IMO, counterproductive. Working out hard while hypo taxes a body that is already struggling. I would suggest sticking with steady, slow, but not too long exercise, like walking.

Again, maybe you are thinking of someone else. I did not say I was doing any strenuous exercise. I walk and I lift weights, when I am not post-op. Even the weight lifting is low reps and weight, and only 25 minutes 3 times per week. Due to my severe muscle wasting, easy weight lifting is a non-negotiable for me.

Finally, were the tests that were run blood tests or saliva?

Depending on the tests, it is sometimes blood and sometimes saliva. This last test was a blood test, due to the fact that the doctor was not running tests on progesterone or cortisol. The test for my next visit in October will be a saliva test.

When I started being treated, I was suffering from adrenal fatigue, but based on recent tests, my doctor says I am almost completely recovered from that.

[RSL]

Since you have undertreated thyroid disease I would suggest getting at least 50 grams of carbs a day, adequate protein for your body and the rest from fat. You need to eat when you're hungry and enough so that you feel satiated. I believe that consistently eating less than 1000 calories is not helping your thyroid problems.

You had mentioned before that you thought I should eat "appropriate foods in adequate amounts" and I asked you what an adequate amount would be. Now you are saying I need to eat adequate protein for my body and the rest from fat. You still have not said what you thought those amounts would be.

Just saying "Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satiated" does not work for me. I would eat three or four times a day and 2000 calories. Even with the right ratios, that would just plain be too much for a person of my size and activity level.

I have written in a previous post on this thread that the book says that I should be eating 1071 calories per day. Eating 50 carbs per day with 1071 calories would look like this:

1071 calories
78g fat (65.6%)
42g protein (15.7%) (LBM of 83.3 pounds x 0.5 for sedentary)
50g carbs (18.7%)

I'm assuming that you disagree with this. What would you suggest, using actual numbers and not general guidelines.

[marcadav]

I dont track calories or breakdowns for carbs, fat, protein. I usually eat something like this:
B- 1 whole egg + 2 whites (I dont like yolks) scrambled with cheese, 3 strips bacon, 1 cup streamed or raw veggies with butter
L- Spinach Salad, with grilled chicken, walnuts, 1 sliced strawberry, avocado, vinaigrette, sometimes a almond/flaxmeal muffin with butter
D- Meat(steak, chicken, ham, or hamburger) roasted green beans, cauliflower,or steamed cabbage in butter

I eat until I'm full. If I want or need a snack, I still use artificial sweetners and may have a small cup of sf tapioca or sugar free ice cream bar. Snacks are getting fewer and fewer & less sweetner use. Diabetes runs rampant in my family so I check BGLs and use veggies that keep my levels where I like to see them. I am not a diabetic, however.

Re your thyroid-- Your T4 (22%) and T3 (51%) are in different places in their ranges. I like to see them in approximately the same place, at least at midpoint. The fact that your T3 is so much higher it's range than your T4,says to me, that the combo drug you are taking may not be giving you enough T4. I have never heard of the thyroid med you are on and can find nothing when googling it.

My favorite thyroid site is thyroid.about.com The forum there is wonderful.