Hormonal & Thyroid Health in Greenville, SC
Comprehensive functional medicine evaluation and treatment for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, PCOS, menopause, perimenopause, and hormonal imbalance. The evaluations most patients have never had. The testing that actually answers the clinical question.
A Note From Dr. Hendry
The most common sentence I hear from new hormonal patients is: "My doctor told me everything looks normal." TSH in range. Estradiol within normal limits. Cortisol came back fine on that one morning blood draw. Nothing actionable.
Those results aren't inaccurate — they're incomplete. TSH tells me the pituitary's signaling, not what the thyroid is producing or how efficiently T4 is converting to active T3. A single morning blood cortisol detects only extreme Addison's or Cushing's — it misses the dysregulated diurnal cortisol pattern that explains fatigue, insomnia, and poor stress tolerance in the majority of my adrenal patients.
My evaluation begins where the standard workup ends. The tests I order answer the actual clinical question — not just the easiest version of it.
The Hormonal Conditions I Treat
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis — The most common autoimmune disease in the developed world, affecting an estimated 14 million Americans. The immune system produces antibodies that progressively destroy thyroid tissue. Standard treatment replaces the hormone. It doesn't ask why the immune system is attacking the gland. My protocol addresses both: strict gluten elimination (reduces TPO antibodies in multiple RCTs), selenium supplementation at 200mcg/day, gut healing to remove the autoimmune trigger, and thyroid hormone optimization based on free T3.
Thyroid Dysfunction — TSH tells you the pituitary's request. Free T3 tells you what cells are actually receiving. Free T4 tells you what the thyroid is producing. Reverse T3 tells you if there's a conversion block. T4-to-T3 conversion requires selenium, zinc, and iron — and is impaired by chronic stress, gut dysbiosis, and low-calorie dieting. 'Normal' TSH misses all of this.
Adrenal Fatigue / HPA Axis Dysregulation — A signaling problem, not organ failure. The four-point salivary cortisol curve reveals whether someone has low morning cortisol causing fatigue, high evening cortisol disrupting sleep, or both. Adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola, licorice root) are selected based on the specific cortisol pattern. Blood sugar stabilization removes the hypoglycemic cortisol spikes that perpetuate the cycle.
PCOS — Affects 8–13% of reproductive-age women. In the majority of cases, including lean women, insulin resistance stimulates ovarian androgen excess and disrupts follicle maturation. A landmark Swedish study showed electroacupuncture normalizes LH levels and reduces testosterone in PCOS patients. My protocol uses myo-inositol (multiple RCTs), dietary modification, and acupuncture to correct the underlying physiology — not suppress symptoms with oral contraceptives.
Menopause & Perimenopause — Perimenopause begins with progesterone decline, often a decade before estrogen follows — and that early progesterone deficiency explains the anxiety, worsening PMS, and sleep disruption that arrives years before hot flashes. Acupuncture reduces hot flash frequency and severity through hypothalamic thermoregulation. I discuss bioidentical hormone therapy candidly with every patient and coordinate with gynecologists when HRT is appropriate.
Hormonal Imbalance — The hormonal system is deeply interconnected. Cortisol depletes progesterone precursors. Insulin resistance drives androgen excess in women and reduces testosterone in men. Gut dysbiosis impairs estrogen metabolism. My evaluation traces the upstream driver rather than simply adding hormones without asking why they dropped.
What Comprehensive Hormonal Testing Looks Like
Full thyroid panel: TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies — against clinical optimal ranges, not just lab reference ranges.
Sex hormones: Estradiol, progesterone (at cycle-appropriate timing), free and total testosterone, DHEA-S, SHBG — providing the full reproductive hormone picture.
Adrenal function: Four-point salivary cortisol capturing the full diurnal curve — the only method that identifies dysregulated patterns missed by single-point blood testing.
Metabolic hormones: Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c — identifying insulin resistance before diabetes develops, relevant to PCOS and general hormonal complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
What panel does Dr. Hendry run for thyroid evaluation?
TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TPO antibodies, and thyroglobulin antibodies. TSH alone misses poor T4-T3 conversion, subclinical Hashimoto's before significant antibody accumulation, and the clinical state in which free T3 is inadequate despite a 'normal' TSH. I interpret against clinical optimal ranges — TSH 1.0–2.0, free T3 in the upper third — not population-derived lab reference ranges.
Should I avoid iodine with Hashimoto's?
High-dose iodine supplementation can exacerbate Hashimoto's autoimmunity. Normal dietary iodine from food sources is generally fine. Selenium supplementation (200mcg/day) counterbalances iodine's potentially pro-inflammatory effects and is among the most evidence-backed interventions in integrative thyroid care.
What does adrenal testing actually involve?
Four-point salivary cortisol, measured at waking, morning, afternoon, and evening — capturing the full diurnal curve that a single morning blood draw misses entirely. I also test DHEA-S, which reveals adrenal reserve that cortisol alone doesn't show. The pattern of the curve — not just absolute values — is the clinically informative finding.
How long does hormone balancing typically take?
Hormonal systems recalibrate slowly. Most patients notice symptom improvement within 4–8 weeks, with hormones more fully optimized at 3–6 months. For Hashimoto's, antibody reduction requires 3–6 months of strict protocol adherence. Adrenal recovery from significant HPA dysregulation can take 6–12 months depending on severity.
Can PCOS be treated without birth control pills?
Yes. Birth control pills suppress the hormonal cycle externally but don't address the insulin resistance driving androgen excess in most PCOS cases. My protocol corrects insulin resistance through dietary change, myo-inositol supplementation, and acupuncture — restoring ovulation naturally, particularly important for women trying to conceive.
Services for Hormonal & Thyroid Health
Ready to Get to the Root of It?
Dr. William Hendry will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and build an integrative treatment plan around your specific condition. New patients welcome in Greenville, SC.