How long have you been on vegan diet?

Klauss

Chris,
You have classic symptoms of Iodine deficiency. Please disregard all the "warnings" you hear about iodine.

See this website:
https://sites.google.com/site/iodinereferenes/home

Iodine deficiency affects your entire body, brain, thyroid, & hormones. I suggest you start with 1 drop of Lugols Iodine with co-supplements daily, then titrate up to 50mg of Iodoral tablets over the course of 6 months.

How to take Iodine:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IzFKo-r2-Nn8_z0KUrOhHdlanzSuhkuV3QO03XF6YTY/edit#

I also suggest that you go on a Paleo Diet. You are robbing your body of vital nutrition. Also get that thermometer & chart your morning body temp every day. You should be close to 98.6 degrees.

Grizz

== my reply is below. Joe

"... I don't know what is wrong, but I just don't feel right. I am not sure if it's thyroid related, adrenal fatigue, or something else.

== or a combination of both and more.

"I've seen a Psychiatrist in the past, but it was little help. He told me that it's probably ADHD and recommended stimulants.

== been there done that.

" I hated taking them, and they only improved my symptoms about 60-70%. I felt like they were just masking the problem.

== That was my experience too; however, as long as I stayed away from stimulants--coffee, etc--a small dose was a nice part of my health support combo for five or more years.

"I am a 28 year old male.

== That is around the age that my previously good health went South. It slowly deteriorated over the following 15 years! Doctors were mostly clueless. Mine story is long. I'll share links to update posts if requested.

== Hopefully the take away for you is to NOT delay for 10+ years like I did! You have a big advantage that I did not have--the Internet and sites like this. I just assumed I should go to the doc, be straight with him, cooperate and he'll fix me--NOT.

== I had to learn that docs have their hands tied by insurance companies, medical boards, financial and peer pressures and just the challenges for them to keep up with new information. We have to learn to nudge them and sometimes work around them go get what we need. These groups have been SO helpful in that area.


"My major issue is low motivation and poor concentration. I can't focus at all and accomplish nothing in a typical day. I spend hours staring at my computer screen.

== I've gotten major gains over the past 10+ years but those are my biggest remaining problems. If I went back on some Adderall--stimulant for inattentive ADD, catecholamine depression--or maybe welbutrin or similar, I'm sure they would reduce my symptoms. However, I'd like to find the underlying problem(s) and address them. Supplements, diet are certainly helpful, but I could use more punch.

"Just writing this post is excruciatingly difficult. I've been trying to construct a coherent message since this morning. When something is complicated, I avoid it altogether. There are so many things that I want to do, but I just can't do them.

If I need to do something that requires prolonged concentration, my brain can't handle it. I feel like my mind is saying, "Stop. This is too exhausting, difficult, overwhelming, and complicated."

== Thankfully I was never that bad off. Also I'm the type that likes stressful, difficult situations. However, years ago I suppose my adrenal fatigue would catch up to me and I'd be a useless pile of ....in the evenings. I'd get sick with a cold after my band had a gig on the weekends. I was ok during the event but would pay for it later.

== A close female friend was more like you but worse. She had nearly disabling PTSD for decades. Thankfully she is much improved today but still has a little ways to go for her health to be in the center third of the normal range for her age


"When I'm not working, I do almost nothing productive (listen to music and watch TV). That's all that I can handle. When I try to accomplish anything, it tends to go unfinished. I occasionally have some enthusiasm (at least initially), but my follow-through is poor. I procrastinate horribly and can't stand how lazy I am.

== Yes, I was like that in the evenings for years unless an emergency or something really interesting was happening.

"I also have some minor social anxiety and OCD symptoms. I took an SSRI back in 2009, but it did nothing beneficial. If anything, it seems to have permanently affected my short-term memory.

== I had the discomfort in social situations for decades but that is much improved today. Now I have a customer facing job that requires me to make people coming to our org feel welcomed and appreciated.

"I would go to the doctor, but I can't handle it. I'd have to find one, and then my social anxiety would make it impossible to book an appointment.

== My friend was much like that. I had to type up an agenda for the appointment and go with her.

"I was thinking about having lab work done, but I don't know what tests to order. I had my thyroid checked, but I realized that they only did the TSH-3 Ultra. It was 0.918.

== Been there!

My understanding is that I should have also gotten Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, and TPO. Should I get order anything else (ie. Vitamin D, Testosterone, etc)?

== Those are all reasonable. Some of that will be based on your symptoms, maybe your reaction to various supplements. I'd try some supplements, maybe dietary changes. They can provide clues and leads-- more below.

"The only reason I suspected thyroid issues is because I feel sensitive to cold weather.

== I was like that and still am to some extent. I never had a positive thyroid test and was never really close.

"I haven't tracked my temperature, but I've been meaning to buy a thermometer for the last 6 months.

== This might give you a lead--thyroid vs adrenals vs both and more.
http://www.drrind.com/therapies/metabolic-temperature-graph

"I also have white flakes on my face, and my energy is not great. I don't know what's causing all of this.

== re flakes: eczema? Energy is tough. So many things can be involved. Furthermore there is physical energy vs mental energy ( motivation). You probably have the catecholamine Depression due to your description and the doc's diagnosis. With that you'll tend to have the energy if the house is on fire or if a naked woman is running across the room : ) However, you feel fogged out and lack motivation to get unglued from the sofa if life is not providing the needed adrenaline.

"I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I eat a plant-based, whole foods diet (vegan, no processed foods). I do supplement with B12.

== I can't say I think that is wise. One of the things that helps me the most is a nice piece of steak. I don't need a big piece but need it every week. I do need to take a digestive enzyme with it. Without it apparently I don't handle protein well--fatigue after meal, gas, etc.

"I thought about trying Iodine,

== That's reasonable but I suggest that you try selenium first--more later.

"...but I know nothing about it. I see various safety warnings, and I can't figure out the best method (liquid form, kelp, tablets, etc). I assume that I get Iodine from the vegetables that I eat, but I'm not sure. I haven't used iodized salt in years, so that may be an issue.

== That might be part of the problem. I would put it on the list of things to try; however, your TSH suggests that it is not the biggest factor. You could still benefit from Iodine even with the good TSH score. This is complex. I agree about your concerns. We can over-dose on anything. We drown on water! We have to be thoughtful. There is also some variation from person to person. If you have Japanese heritage I bet you'll tolerate more than if your ancestors were from a mountain region away from the coast.

"If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

== When I was 28 I wish I had the information you have available to you. Eventually we found that heavy metals were a major cause of my symptoms. I'd be surprised if they are not at least a significant contributing factor for you. Your cluster of symptoms matches too well.

== Back in 1999 my girlfriend finally convinced me to stop treating my doctor like a benevolent medical god. I started to read the books she was giving me on alternative and natural medicine--essentially things that don't help Big Pharma's bottom line and so insurance companies don't cover. Therefore mainstream docs won't mention them.

== A multivitamin with lots of minerals along with tyrosine was somewhat helpful. The body makes T4 thyroid hormone from tyrosine and iodine. Selenium(Se) and zinc(Zn) are involved in conversion of T4 to more active T3 hormone.

== Se binds nicely with heavy metals (HMs). While this helps to protect the body from the oxidative damage, it also likely leaves you with less than optimum amounts of Se for making T3, etc. Zn related body chemicals--MT proteins-- are also involved in "passivating" HMs.
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/seleniums_vital_role_in_thyroid_hormone_function/%20tionist

==Tyrosine is also involved in production of the catecholimine (Cat) neurotransmitters--dopamine, noradrenaline, etc. These are related to ADD and Cat Depression (lethargy), etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catecholamine

== Iron is needed to use thyroid hormones and to make Cats. However Iron is a HM, but one that we need. Our body will tend to keep absorption on the low side when oxidative stress is a problem.
http://www.wellnessresources.com/weight/articles/stunning_discoveries_regarding_iron_obesity_candida_thyroid/

== There is at least one more connection btw thyroid and Cats so don't be surprised that you --and your doctor are confused by the common symptoms. I don't have time for that now.

== A few years later, after my modest thyroid panel was negative, my chiropractor told me that some people benefit from thyroid support even though the test are negative. So I tried a supplement, Thyroid Helper (TH). It contains tyrosine, selenium, etc.

== I tried TH for the first time around 7pm during the work week when I was feeling glued to the sofa. To my surprise, 30 minutes later I became unglued. My mind was not so fogged out. I was not nearly as motivated as I had been in my early 20's but at least I could accomplish something. I was not a lazy, bum.

== I also noticed that my hands were warmer that Winter. I had been as cold as an old lady.

== TH continues to be useful to me eight years later. However, individually, Selenium and tyrosine continue to be useful and allow me to take less of the more expensive TH supplement

== You are fortunate to tolerate B12. That one made me too hyperactive until after 5 years of detox. I'm finally finding it to be useful in providing some energy and motivation without excessive hyperactivity. You might learn more about methylation support. One of the related enzymes, methionine synthase (MS in the diagram below) is very vulnerable to HMs. Methyl folate (similar to folic acid) is also involved in production of the body's main methyl donor SAMe, represented by PNMT in the diagram on Cats above.
http://mercuryandmore.weebly.com/methylation-figure.html

== Since I suppose you can become overloaded with information I'll stop there. I like discussing these natural medicine concepts. I was a chem engineering major before I got sick. However a close female friend becomes overwhelmed by too much information even though she is interested in it.

== In your situation I'd try certain supplements to see if any work noticeably well. Your reaction to them can be quite interesting to a natural or functional medicine doctor.

== In your situation I'd start with the following:

== glutamine several x/day between meals. See if it helps you to feel less overwhelmed and your brain stays powered on between meals.

== half of a multi vitamin that includes iron and copper 2x/day. Both are related to Cats.

== Multi B that includes B12 and inositol. Some like the latter for OCD but that was not one of my significant problems.

== I'd also include Vitamin C more than once per day--involved in production of Cats, antioxidant, important for adrenals, etc.

== Fish oil preferably twice per day with meals. This typically takes more than a month to have an effect on mood since it is involved with brain repair from oxidative stress.

== Other things to consider trying:

== selenium, tyrosine or DL Phenylalanine, , maybe 10mg pregnenolone (mild adrenal cortex support) once or twice per day,

== Try Cat support along with half the dose of ADD medication to see if it feels more natural. It did for me.

== Magnesium has a calming effect It, like Zn, is used in so many reactions in the body

== Make sure you don't take Alpha lipoic acid, cilantro, green smoothies or similar until you know with certainty that you don't have a HM problem! Taking them thoughtlessly or with silver-mercury Amalgam fillings will likely make a HM problem worse. It made my friend's problem MUCH worse. Thankfully she is much improved today but it took literally years of careful chelation, lots of adrenal support, etc. For example

-R-Lipoate w/ hidden Amalgam //www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=2027011
...I took close to 200 different powerful herbs, and nutraceuticals including R-lipoate. It was at the end of that 5 month period, that I begin to get severe jaw pain around the rotten tooth ( the one that I did not know had an Amalgam in it). It was around this time that I essentially had chronic fatigue and anterograde amnesia set in. It was a profound, rapid, failure of my health, I went from ...going to college full time, to just being debilitated.
http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/Chelation_products.html#cilantro

== Eventually when your brain becomes more energized by the glutamine and Cat support, maybe along with the adrenal support you might want to look at possible underlying causes or contributing factors.

== It seems that you've already cleaned up your diet. I needed that since I was using caffeine, sweets, phenols to keep my brain energized. My brain and physical energy were on a rollercoaster all day. It seemed to run out of gas every evening.

== don't forget possible food sensitivities --gluten, fast burning carbs, thiols, etc.

== Check out the symptom lists under the 1000+ hair tests at this site used by HM detox groups. Since you are young and apparently don't have a serious HM problem you should not expect the symptoms of more serious HM toxicity--chem sensitivities (liver problems), tremors, burning brain and other neurological symptoms.
http://livingnetwork.co.za/chelationnetwork/hairtest/hairtest3/

== Check out this video of a guy with MS in physics and who was an engineer but who was almost bed-ridden with fatigue, mood problems, etc. He got much improved with detox--Cutler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_bjZ4kdJI

== This young man responded surprisingly well. According to his many posts in a detox group his road was bumpier than this update suggests.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/frequent-dose-chelation/message/85106

== You may want to save a link to this discussion for the future when your brain comes back on line somewhat. You may be able to comprehend more of it later. Hopefully others will have additional leads for you to investigate.

do yasko genetic test
and check her website on what to do and how to deal with poor concentration, genetic problem
http://www.dramyyasko.com/our-unique-approach/methylation-cycle/

You have just described my life perfectly (minus vegan, but I understand the appeal).

I don't guess you have an update yet?