For the new members - Please introduce yourselves so we can get to know you. :)

[Mo]

Hi Lindsey,

I'm afraid your story is common. You are right about the coffee. Those adrenals of yours have enough to deal with than to also have to process caffeine bursts! Please see the two most important links on the top two posts on this forum. I think there will be some initial direction there.

Also, I don't see that your doctor tested you for Hashimoto's by your post. Did you get antibody tests? I think you will find that the TSH numbers (please listen to Dr. Kharazzian's interview as linked on one of those two posts) should not be the main thing to assess which I'm sure is why your symptoms have not been addressed. It is likely you need to either find a caring traditional doctor or move out of the "system" like many of us have to, and find a natural or alternative doctor who looks at the body as a whole.

Don't give up! You are on the right track. I was about your age (now I am 47) when I realized my body wasn't being addressed as a whole unit in the traditional HMO protocol. My story is on my main website on a dedicated link. You will likely see it as familiar - at least in some places.

I'll leave you with advice to look around at the many excellent posts on this forum and also check out the main page of my website for further info that might give you some direction.

I can also suggest you consider using diet as a main symptom reducer. It's amazing what it can address. Sleep is #1 so if you are not getting it, use some diet changes and stress release methods to get yourself into a healing sleep cycle.

After that, there is a lot more to learn but those are main areas to be working on first.

I hope some of this helps. There is no magic pill for this disease (or any disease really) - but a whole body approach just might have a chance to heal the body.

Hang in there.

Mo

[pjpants]

Thanks Mo,
 
Yes my Dr did the other testing t4, t3 and antibodies and that is where he came to the conclusion that I have Hashi's.  Also my ultrasounds showed just that because the images made it look like my thyroid had a rough texture ().  I have suffered my whole life with a mother who acted like a crazy person.  Now at the age of 50, she just discovered that her thyroid is completely inactive.  This leads me to believe she had Hashi's her whole life.  I want to avoid going down the path she has been on.
 
I get plenty of sleep, my diet is pretty good.  We eat tons of fresh fruit and veggies in our house.  I do however consume dairy, soy, animal protein, and some gluten but it's always of the whole grain variety (very dark whole grain bread, wheat tortillas, brown rice, etc).  In my research last night, I am reading that a person who is hypo should avoid soy, gluten, and dairy products, but I also read that beans depress thyroid activity and should be avoided, so what the heck do it eat!  I love beans.  I will keep researching.  It's 10am and I haven't eaten anything because there is nothing in the house that doesn't fall into one of the "bad" categories! lol

[Mo]

oh boy, do I know what you are going through! (diet wise) However, here are a few pointers but I am not an expert:

1. Definitely get off of it - it glows down thyroid function. Look for it in other foods too - it is in so many products.

2. Listen to this interview with Sally Fallon on gluten sensitivity - I believe we should be able to have healthy grains IF they are prepared properly (soaked and organic, etc.)

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/05/16/extended-interv-30/

3. Concentrate more on "healing" rather than focusing on what you can and cannot eat. Overall, the approach is much more "relaxing".

I always come back to this mindset (Nourishing Traditions food Preparations) as discussed in the above interview. My husband and I are taking an online eCourse in this type of food preparation. It is so logical to me once I realize how far we've strayed from the traditional ways of cooking through our rushed lifestyles.

I think you will find it comforting. It can be a bit overwhelming if it is the first time you have heard of such a thing but it does answer some big questions about people with gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance including other health issues from altered foods.

Hope this helps a bit.

Mo

[Betsy]

Wow Betsy,

That is QUITE a journey you have been on.

Sorry to hear of so many years of trials. Do you have ANY amount of your thyroid left? If not, I would assume that your Hashi tests would not show as an issue since there is no tissue to destroy? I believe the Nourishing Traditions food preparations will help your chronic fatigue and I have an idea for your sleep issues but I will be posting that on a new topic area within the next week so check back on that. I want to be SURE I am suggesting a legitimate option so I am trying it out a full 3 weeks before confirming it's value to me first.

Hope to see you more between here and our Nourishing Traditions class.

Take care,

Mo

Hey, Mo! Sorry I didn't get to this before. I should have NO thyroid tissue left. That's the whole point of the RAI, to kill off anything that remains after surgery. However, I did have antibodies show up on a test after that. I'm not sure how that works; I thought it seemed odd. I had antibodies tested only once when I did have a thyroid and they were negative at that time.

I'll go look for your other post now.

[Mo]

Hi Betsy,

I actually want to wait another week or so on that sleep issue before I post. I am still in the phase of testing but I am hopeful.

More later!

Mo

[Surmeneta]

Hello, my name is Stephanie. I'm new here. I'm 34, trying to conceive my first child. I found out today that I have Hashimoto's disease. This really puts a damper on things, but better to catch it now, than later when it's done more damage. See my answers below.

thank you,
Stephanie

1. How long have you had Hashimotos? From my understanding, I could've had it for the past 5 years or so and not known it. My ultrasound made my thyroid look pretty battered.

2. What are you doing for treatment? I exercise regularly and plan to change my diet, but I am also going to be taking Levothroid, starting tomorrow to see how I react to it. I already don't have any caffeine, too much sugar and eat an all organic diet. I guess I'm surprised I'm in such bad health.

3. Are you satisfied with the progress or do you feel you need to find a better combination of treatment? I don't know, I haven't started yet. But I am always open to alternative methods.

4. Have you tried any successful diets (whether for losing weight or controlling symptoms)
 Years ago I had great success with the South Beach Diet, as well as the zone diet. But that was before I knew I had Hashimoto's. I typically log all my calories, and just try to burn as much as I can. I'm big on fitness. I work out almost every morning.

5. Tell us anything else about yourself - age, location, etc. that you would like to share. As I said, I'm 34, and my husband and I are trying to conceive our first child. So whatever I have to do to get my numbers down within the next 6 weeks. I'll do. I have a lot of the standard symptoms, tired/fatigue, weight gain (40 lbs in the past 5 years!) dry skin, headaches, etc. I hope to God that I feel better soon. I want my health to improve, and I want a little baby of our own.

thanks for reading.

[Mo]

Hi Stephanie,

I hope very much you will be able to conceive. You didn't mention what your thyroid numbers were.

If you are in the habit of eating any soy, almonds, broccoli or other thyroid suppressing foods, you might want to start there since it appears your diet is pretty well under control. Also, of course, pay attention to a good sleeping schedule as you can. Take your time in learning. It can be overwhelming sometimes when you find out even what we have always considered "healthy" foods can be a detriment to our disease.

Check out my main website's front page (from this forum go to the "home" page) and that might help you a bit.

Also, you might want to try researching some more traditional food preparation methods (there is a LOT to learn in that area if you haven't yet looked into it). If this interests you, I recommend you check out some resources, beginning with Sally Fallon's book "Nourishing Traditions" to help you understand why there could be a connection between many of our health problems and modern food preparations. I have a link to that book on my main page on the side column. You may want to search for her name and "audio" or "webcast" and see if you can listen to her online through interviews people have posted with her. It is fascinating and a great place to start.

There is new evidence (as heard in the audio on this forum on the top post) from a doctor who has studied thyroid disorders for years now, that there is a connection between gluten sensitivity (or Celiac Disease) and Hashimoto's. Making this connection, it brings me back to preparing my foods in the old fashion way as seen in Nourishing Traditions. Here is a sneak peak that will explain why:

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/04/whole-grains-grinding-soaking.html

When improving your digestion and releasing the foods nutrients by soaking, you give your body more energy to use these nutrient dense foods to your advantage so this approach makes great sense. It is especially interesting to me that not soaking your grains before baking (consuming) causes precious vitamins to be carried out of the body without ever nourishing you as intended. I was shocked to realize that most (if not all) Hashimoto's sufferers have a Vit. B deficiency and lo and behold, what vitamins are abundant in soaked grains?.... yes, vit. B's! So, this seems like a great place to start in my humble opinion.

Please consider coming back and posting a new topic on the forum as you sift through the maze of information out there but I have one strong recommendation..... remember that this will be a "journey" and good health may take some time to win back but I believe it is possible. We are all here to help each other on this journey.

Hope this helped a bit.

Mo

[fitnessgrrl]

Hi everyone I just wanted to say how wonderful it is to find this forum:) My name is Jennifer and its nice to meet everyone


1. How long have you had Hashimotos? I'm not quite sure but I got diagnosed approx. 8weeks ago.

2. What are you doing for treatment? Currently I've been on levothroid for 7weeks. But I have also made significant dietary changes, which I think is really helping.

3. Are you satisfied with the progress or do you feel you need to find a better combination of treatment? I guess..... things are still new right now so I am hoping that the combo of diet and the medication will work.

4. Have you tried any successful diets (whether for losing weight or controlling symptoms) Yes I have. I find that eating a Paleo diet has made a big difference. And more recently I've been trying to eat mostly raw. I do feel better but I think I still have a few more allergies that need to be found.

5. Tell us anything else about yourself - age, location, etc. that you would like to share.
Hello:) My name is Jennifer and I'm 33yrs. old. I'm a personal trainer and nutritionist. For years I suspected that something was wrong with me. Being a trainer and nutritionist, I know what works to lose weight and how to eat right but those rules never seemed to work for me. I'd see all my clients benefit from my knowledge and meanwhile I'd have to kill myself to lose a pound.....lol It was so frustrating. Everytime I'd have bloodwork done my TSH would come back normal. Even as recent as January.

Ok, I'm going to try to make this long story pretty short:) I went to Italy with my fiance in Sept. 09 for a month and ate foods that I never typically eat such as GLUTEN!! From Sept. on I seemed to notice my health begining to decline. I thought I caught a parasite or something. Without me even realizing the connection to it I began to allow myself a cheat meal once a week, which would consist of a meal or dessert with gluten or other foods that I was intolerant to.

Then in February I began to have muscle aches(almost like arthritis), brain fog, low body temp(some dailys it was 95.5), numbness in hands and feet, fatigue, dry skin, alopecia, etc.....I could go on and on. I went to the doctor 2 times and each time he could find an answer because my TSH was normal. Then almost 2 months ago I insisted on having him test my free T4, T3, and my Thyroperoxidase antibodies. I also informed him that my sister had Hashimoto's and had similar symptoms to mine. He ran the tests and sure enough my free T4 was low and my thyroperoxidase antibodies were high. He basically gave my Levothroid and sent me on my way.

I knew that there was more to it especially that there was a link with food here so I researched and found the book you recommend Mo. Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal?" That book explained everything to me. I knew that food intolerances had something to do with it. I also sent a copy to my sister. I've always had a very sensitive digestive system so this realy hit the nail on the head. Since then I have been doing the elimination/provaction diet. As a result through a process of elimination, I no longer will or can eat soy, corn, gluten, dairy, eggs, almonds, peanuts, eggplant, brocolli and there are a few others.

I feel a big difference in how I feel for the better. I also make sure to eat brazil nuts(selenium), and I've been leaning more and more towards a raw food diet. I still do eat fish so I guess it would still be a little bit more Paleo but so far so good. I guess only time will tell if this is the key but I know that using nutrition to heal yourself can definetly make a difference. And of course exercising, which I have done religiously for years.

I just went back to the doctor this past Thursday for him to check on me and my blood work an I found it odd that my TSH was now Hyper and my free T4 had gone into normal range and my T3 was normal. He said that everything was fine and that my meds were suppressing my TSH. Has this happened to anyone else?



Ok, I think I've just written a book.............lol Thanks everyone for listening:)

[Mo]

Hello Heather and welcome to the board!

I am on Armour. My life has been much better since the switch from Synthroid. Everyone is different. Give it some time to see how you will react.

In the meantime, look around the forum, check out the main website and blog and read my article posted on the top of this forum "How to live better with hashimoto's thyroiditis" which talks about all the things you have said you are interested in (diet, etc.).

Feel free to come back to the board and post questions, comments, etc.

I hope some of the information helps as you read through it.

Hang in there!

Mo

[Michelle]

This thread will be for the new members, the ones who have recently registered. Please tell us:

1. How long have you had Hashimotos?

2. What are you doing for treatment?

3. Are you satisfied with the progress or do you feel you need to find a better combination of treatment?

4. Have you tried any successful diets (whether for losing weight or controlling symptoms)

5. Tell us anything else about yourself - age, location, etc. that you would like to share.

Thank you for registering. We are looking forward to your input and hope we can support you.

Mo

P.S. Please note that this is not a forum dedicated to the "technical" side of this disease. It is focused on natural healing and emotional support. It is likely we will discuss test results at times but our focus is mostly how to move towards healing and reverse the damaging course of this disease. Together we will move towards this goal!

[Alexia618]

Hi, my name is Alexia and I'm thankful to be able to share with you! 

I found out about a month ago I have Hashimoto's.  The Endo immediately prescribed Levothyroxine (25MCG) and wanted to see me 5 weeks into taking the medication.  I did not start the meds and instead went to another Endocrinologist (who is also an OB/GYN-Infertility Specialist) for a second opinion since I'm almost 40 years old and want to get pregnant for the first time.  The 2nd doctor also concurred with the 1st on the Synthroid prescription and added that if I don't balance my thyroid BEFORE conceiving I will not be able to start meds once I'm pregnant AND my future baby may be born with mental sluggishness or other problems due to Hashi.  That scared me a bit at first but then I took a deep breath and decided not to react to that comment until I had more information.

I am currently researching alternatives and in the process, came across your web site and support group.  I saw where you had posted the book by Dr. Datis Kharrazian and heard the radio interview with him.  I'm planning on getting the book and seeing where this will take me.  I'm also looking for health practitioners in my area who may be able to help me "naturally". 

One of my concerns at this time is whether or not to start the Synthroid while I search alternatives.  My husband and I want to have a baby soon and even though I can wait a few more years, my clock is ticking very loudly and all I can hear is TICK! TOCK!  lol  AND, my symptoms of fatigue, sensitivity to cold (and I live in sunny Florida!) weight gain and other symptoms continue to rule my life as I search for alternatives.

I'm not sure about the Levothyroxine and how I will react to it IF I start taking it or whether I should but one thing I'm sure of is that I will find my path and this post is just the beginning!  Being able to express this to others who have Hashi's helps me be more open and understand myself better as I go through this.  It also opens me to other people's experiences which may help guide me.   

Thank you for this opportunity and many blessings to you and your readers!

[Mo]

Hello Alexa,

I'm impressed by your persistence on getting a second opinion as well as your determination to find the best treatment! You are doing the right thing!

Nice to have you here.

Check out my main website, front page and you will find there are other treatments available to you as well as non-drug avenues. You definitely have some time - I mean taking a month or two to research your options is going to be the BEST way to proceed and I wish I had done so myself which is why I wrote the article on the top of this forum (on a post that I keep as a sticky). If you haven't read it, it is for people who are newly diagnosed with Hashi's.

I think you will find many alternative options available but it does take researching outside of traditional medicine. I recommend getting consultations by natural doctors. You might want to check things like www.naet.com and chiropractor care although those methods can be a lengthy process.

I did not do well on Synthroid (synthetic meds) but I have done pretty well (energy wise especially) on Naturethroid (which is a natural thyroid supplement from the dessicated thyroid of a pig). Armour is the same but from a cow.

Please come and share your journey with us and feel free to start a new topic so more people can see the topic of your post.

Hope your search is fruitful and you are able to get pregnant. There are some great natural doctors out there but be picky. You should be able to get a consultation before paying for all kinds of testing and making a decision if you want to pursue one.

Take care!

Mo

[Evelyn]

I don't know for sure how long I've had Hashimoto's.  I know that when I was finally diagnosed in 2004 my primary care doctor said he had noticed my elevated tsh levels a few years prior but didn't think it was too bad (it had been 7.9) When he called me in 2004, my level was 11.8 and I immediately went to an endocrinologist.  I had long suffered with sleepiness, extreme weight gain, feeling as though I was in a fog, didn't care if the roof fell down around me, etc.  My eyebrows were falling out and my skin was drying up...Overall I was feeling useless, tired and disinterested in my life (or anyone else's).  I had thought it was part of passing through menopause and aging.  In fact, I started exercising to lose weight and it took me a year to lose 27 pounds.  When I began my medication, synthroid, in a month or so, I did start to feel better, easily lost a couple of pounds and after a bit of time, started to get my life back.  It's been an up and down experience.  My doctor has changed my meds several times, splitting pills, increasing or decreasing my dosages.  Finally about 1 and half years ago I seemed to stabilize.  I have felt really well and my tsh levels have been around 1, sometimes a tad about, sometimes a tad below.  I was at my doctors for my annual visit and my tsh was .77.  I was feeling really good...then this past week or so, BOOM, I've started gaining weight for no apparent reason, literally gaining 5 pounds around my mid section.  I've had some periods of time previously where I've gained a pound or two but it usually went away quickly and easily after a couple of weeks.  I feel like this is a meteoric rise and I will probably be in touch with my doctor in the next week or so if it doesn't change.

I am 66 years old and live a fairly busy life.  I have two sons in their 20's and I help manage their band; my husband and I have a film production company and I work a a couple of days a week as a bookkeeper.

I found this forum this morning and found it to be interesting and think maybe someone else who is on these boards may have had similar experiences because I honestly think that unless someone has these thyroid related problems, they cannot understand the feelings of having no real control over what is happening.  Most people, including my doctor, chuckle at me when I mention the weight gain because they see me as thin...it's more about the feeling of having the enlarged middle and the discomfort of feeling bloated. 

I'm wondering if my medication is the right one for me.  I am currently on Synthroid 75 but have read about others taking different types or even 2 different types of meds.  Whatever input you can give me would be helpful. 
Evelyn

[Mo]

HI Evelyn,

Thank you for posting your story. Your symptoms are all too familiar to most of us, unfortunately. But hopefully you will feel better knowing you are not alone.

As far as other drugs, there are the dessicated thyroid supplements from pigs and cows (Armour, Naturthroid, and Westhroid) which might be helpful to you. Have you had a complete thyroid panel done? (Free T3, Free T4, antibodies, etc.) These tests would help your doctor see the "whole" picture, however, many traditional doctors are not looking at the whole picture. You may have to find an alternative doctor for that. Stay on my list (meaning a member of my forum) and I will have some information soon that might help many of us. I am currently researching some things that might come up promising to let everyone know about.

Keep us posted and go ahead and start a new topic so more people can view your posts (some people don't get an alert for this thread).

Take care and hang in there,

Mo

[jlynned]

Hi - my name is Janine.  I was diagnosed with Hashmoto's about 2 1/2 years ago. However, was going to a quack group of docs that were giving me T4 instead of T3. Had a gut feeling something was not right, and finally got in the hands of a good endocrinologist. She said the meds they had been giving me were making me severely hyperthyroid, and the fact that were giving me direct T4 has given me Osteopenia (just confirmed by bone density scan).

I suspect I have had thyroid issues my whole live. I was obese as a child, then went on crash diet at 13, got very skinny and was then anorexic in college. Chicken/egg? Not sure if my severe ups and downs in weight affected my thryoid health or vice versa. I had all the symptoms of hypo for as long as I can remember, but never thought that maybe that was not "normal" until a few years ago (always cold, very dry feet/skin, very tender ankles, a lot of hari loss each time I wash my hair, crazy up/down metabolism, depression, etc).  I'm 47 now.

The new doc has me at the right TSH levels now with Synthroid. However,  I gained 10 pounds in a MONTH after she took me off the T4 (no change in diet/exercise). In addition, I'm still depressed, dry feet, still lose a lot of hair each time I wash my hair, and obviously, can't stand the weight issue. 

Here is my question/issue - do any of you have a history of obesity and/or eating disorders in addition to the Hashimoto's? I already eat if anything, too little, and with my anorexic past, I don't to get back in that mode where I starve myself to lose the weight. But I can't stand being this big (I'm 145, normally 125), not to mention I don't want to buy a whole new wardrobe. Maybe it's a fantasy, but I just want to be able to eat like a normal person (not talking ice cream every night, just being able to have three healthy meals a day) and not gain or lose weight for no apparent reason.

Help!!