I was looking over my labs from 2005 when I was nearly dead and came across something of interest. My doc then was totally self-consumed into writing a book and doing research on his patients, rather than being concerned for their well being. After he drained our savings account, we fired him! I was too sick to see it happening at the time. That’s why a good advocate is needed when you are very sick. Someone who can help direct you and make sense of things. That’s what Honey has done for me on this journey.
You have to understand that I haven’t been well enough until this year to even understand most things. Nothing really made any sense and in my opinion that’s why it takes “us” lyme victims so long to figure this stuff out. Our brains are so sick that nothing makes sense. That’s where faith plays a role and trusting other’s wisdom.
My labs from 2005 show that I had very high levels of Reverse T3. The normal levels are 90-350 pg/mL. Mine were 407 pg/mL! But this moran doctor just passed it by like it was nothing. High Reverse T3 is a hypometablism. It’s a genetic condition where the body can’ t metabolize copper and it builds up in the liver. It can be fatal. If treated then one can lead a “normal” life…..that would be a first for me….NORMAL is really only a setting on the dryer!!! 
He wasn’t convinced that I had Wilson’s Disease, the name given to this disorder, but he never did further testing to find out if it was an issue. It will be interesting to see if my new labs show a normal Reverse T3 or an elevated Reverse T3. I’ll make sure I discuss this with my new doc.
The treatment is easy. Increased Zinc supp’s that will carry the excess copper out of the body. Maybe, just maybe this could be a piece to the puzzle in my healing. Just maybe, it’s an answer to why my weight won’t budge. I was told in 1993 that due to years of bulimia, I had ruined my metabolism. ????? I don’t know. But I do know that we can heal. I do believe God made our bodies to heal if we give them the correct nutrients and supplements.
I’m not big on supplements but I do believe we need them to some extent. We don’t live in a perfect world and our soils and foods have diminished mineral and vitamin content. I also believe that for those healing from chronic and life threatening illnesses, they need added supp’s. I switch my supp’s from time to time, according to what I “hear” my body telling me. But some are tried and true friends, like Vit C from Dr Ron’s. I take 1,000 mg of Vit C daily to guard my body against cancer and to also aid my adrenals. I also take 350 mg of Milk Thistle to a help my liver, Desiccated Thyroid from Bovine with Liver, 400 IU Vit E and 50 mg of Iodine and Selenium to aid in the uptake of Iodine, all from Dr Ron’s. I’ll be adding Maca as soon as it arrives. I’ll do a post on Maca and it’s health benefits in the near future. I take my Chinese Herbs by Dr Zhang. Of course to all of this I have my daily swig of Blue Ice Cod Liver Oil and Friendly Flora.
~~~
This is a helpful chart for those with Wilson’s Disease or Reverse T3.
The funny thing is it looks very familiar to the same supp’s needed by those with Lyme Disease.
| Nutrient / Supplement | Helpful notes |
| Magnesium | low intake of magnesium has been linked to the disease and many related problems. A good source of magnesium is a quality multi-vitamin mineral supplement, especially one with calcium and zinc. |
| Calcium | this mineral works with magnesium to prevent muscle spasms |
| Omega fatty acids | important for brain function, healthy nerve function, reducing blood pressure, increasing blood circulation, and to prevent heart and cardiovascular disease. Omega fatty acids are found in fish oil, flax seed, and borage seed. |
| vitamin C | vitamin C aids people with Wilson’s disease by improving adrenal function. |
| Multi-vitamin Mineral supplement | vitamin B complex, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E all serve to help with Wilson’s disease and reduce its effects. This type of supplement provides nutrients daily that are required for general good health and well being. |
| B vitamins | they offer protection for the liver and are needed for proper brain function. This family of vitamins aids with stress, depression, and overall nervous system health. |
| vitamin E | provides healing and helps to prevent cell damage |
| Zinc | decreases copper levels and strengthens the body’s immune system |
chart from: http://www.symmetry4u.com/Info/wilsons-disease.htm
Photo Credit: Flickr w/ link
Filed under: About, Lyme Disease, Nutrition | Tagged: Blue Ice CLO, bulimia, Chinese Herbs, dr rons, Dr Zhang, Friendly Flora, hepapro, hypometabolism, iodine, maca, milk thistle, reverse T3, thyroid, vit c, vit e, Wilson's Disease
I know I am definitely hypothyroid, but I don’t have the autoimmune markers/antibodies to say whether it’s Graves or Hashi’s. So I’ve been wondering what the cause is. I’ll try out the iodine test. I’d heard about it before but hadn’t tried it yet. Currently I’m on 100mcg of Synthroid, but I’m not too happy with it so far. At my next appointment I am going to request to switch to Armour. I hear so many good things about it and so many people I know have had success with it. Thank you for the congrats on my doing better from the ED. I hope I never struggle with it again. It’s still a battle in my head sometimes. Especially more-so since the hypothyroidism has kicked in and has caused me to gain lots!!! But, I am using my stubbornness towards recovery rather than towards being sick. Hooray
I am so glad to hear that you are doing better with so many health issues and the ED as well. And I’m glad that I found someone who is so similar to me with all of these things (Lyme, Babesia, Thyroid, ED, etc…) Thanks for your replies 
It sounds like you have Wilson’s Disease(copper excess) mixed up with Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome (excess reverse T3).
The zinc may have helped because it is immune modulating.
Actually I didn’t have either. I had hemolytic anemia caused by Babesia/ Malaria. (?) We’re not sure which. But either way, I was able to take care of it with Dr Zhang’s Artemisea and foods high in iron. I’m doing fine now and it only took me 7 weeks to reverse it.
It ended up not being my T3 levels, but I had Hemolytic Anemia and my RBC were being killed at a rapid rate due to either Malaria or Babesia. I used herbs and food to cure that in 7 wks!!
All I can tell you is that my doc says mostly all of his Lyme patients have low thyroid function. Almost everyone does. You can do a simple iodine test on your arm. Google it and you can find all the specifics. And probably yrs of an eating disorder (which by the way I was bulimic until 36 yrs old) screw up the thyroid. Congrats on your recovery from that….that is a huge accomplishment!!!!!