On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 09:14:03 -0500, Kristina K. Carlton
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

 My levels were last checked in November last year and they were ok, but
they only checked
>TSH. I thought you had to check free T3 or something.
>

The website is $10.00 per month and you can cancel anytime.  It is more
than worth it because it's like getting unlimited personal feedback from a
FEMALE endo who had a long practice and has seen/heard it all, AND who
believes in low-carb especially for women and who does NOT believe in
butchering women with unneccesary surgery or pumping them full of hormones
uneccesarily.  She does advocate some replacement in some situations but
does not have a once size fits all approach.  The forum is filled with
women who have had all kinds of female surgery/hormone issues and their
feedback would no doubt be very helpful for you.  Check out the site and
let me know if you think feedback from it would be helpful to you.

At your height and weight you have a LOVELY WILLOWY figure (especially if
you are exercising)  -- count your blessings (many, including myself would
sell their souls for your measurements!).  How old are you?

I am fairly certain your diet is not the problem here.  You are obviously
very knowledgeble and well-read on diet theories etc and have been very
meticulous and proactive in trying to regain your health.  At this point, I
just think you may be spinning your wheels barking up the wrong tree.
Let's see what a fresh look at your problems from hormonediva.com (Dr.
Larrian Gillespie) can do.  It's worth a shot in my view.  She or others on
the forum there may also have experiences with the effects of your
parasites on hormones.

Regarding TSH -- it tells you virtually nothing unless you are extremely
hypo or hyper thyroid.  You must get a free t3 and free t4 and antibodies
test.  Hormonediva.com has articles on this -- there is a whole free
section on the website, you only have to pay to register if you want one on
one counseling from Dr. Larrian Gillespie. Also PLEASE check out Mary
Shoman's thyroid site:
http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aathyroid101-c.htm?terms=thyroid

Mary Shoman's site also has tons of info on how the TSH is useless for all
but the extreme hypos and hypers.  I had pounds of hair falling out
with "normal" tsh -- went to literaly 4 different endos who all said I
was "normal" especially because I'm normal weight (not all hypos are fat) --
 but I finally went to a doc who listened to my symptoms and said they are
classic hypothyroid.  I was convinced my thyroid was fine because the TSH
was normal and he tested my free T3 and free T4 and the free T3 was low.
We tried a course of Armour and within 2 weeks, my excessive hair shedding
stopped. My periods also became regular.  This is no placebo effect because
I was sure he was wrong and that the thyroid (armour) would be useless --
glad I was wrong!