LDN for Hashimotos & Other Autoimmune Issues

[MtnClimber]

Hello. I just joined HealthUnlocked today. I started LDN 3 weeks ago. Two weeks at 1. 5mg and one week so far at 3mg. I can't say that I'm seeing anything significant yet. My doctor just prescribed 3 mg for another 60 days. I was kind of surprised because I assumed I would work up to 4.5mg shortly. My thyroid was found to be high when I was 22 years old. The doctor told me then that my immune system was attacking my thyroid and that nothing could be done. He said eventually my thyroid would burn out and I'd be put on medication. When I was about 30, my thyroid was found to be low and I was put on Synthroid. The doctor was hopeful this would help me with my migraine headaches, my achy legs and my general fatigue. I saw absolutely no difference. I'm 42 years old now. Two years ago, I began having chronic low-grade fevers and extreme fatigue to the point that I was non-functioning. After finally finding an integrative doctor of osteopathy, I've been slowly getting better. However, my life is still greatly compromised by pain all over my body in random places, brain fog, muscle weakness and fatigue. After two years, though, I am finally having more good days than bad days. I'm currently being treated for parasites, but there also seems to be more autoimmune stuff going on. The doctor suspects lupus, but I need more blood testing in order to confirm. His opinion is that it doesn't really matter what autoimmune diseases I have, they are all treated the same: diet changes, lifestyle changes balancing hormones, healing leaky gut, and, now I'm trying LDN. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm certainly open to hearing them! I'm glad I found this forum, I live alone, and the bad days can be very bad when I'm unable to take care of myself.

Blessings to you all.

[Mari1956]

Sure sounds like lupus to me, I don't have a lupus diagnosis yet, but know I have it, by symptoms and butterfly rash on face, that's the symptom that tells you it's lupus for sure. I don't know of anything to help the fatigue, that's my worst symptom. If you have joints being attacked, I take 3300 mgs ginger a day split to am and pm, ginger saved my joints from permanent damage. I also take 500 to 100 mgs L lysine for connective tissue in joints. Good luck friend...

[MtnClimber in reply to Mari1956]

Those ade good recommendations. Thank you!

[loribyro]

Hi and God Bless you! I too have suffered from Hashimotos for last 23 years and boy, what a journey it has been from dr to dr to dr. I am now seeing a homeopathic dr who put me on LDN about 18 months ago and helping a lot with fatigue and psychological issues I was having. I would suggest you get in touch with Isabella Wentz, Pharmacist who healed her own Hashimotos by finding root cause and now author: "Healing Hashimotos". I took her class and helped me tremendously. Also, she has a Facebook Group called "Root Cause Rebels".

[MtnClimber in reply to loribyro]

Thank you so much for your reply and encouragement. I am familiar with Isabella Wentz. I haven't read the book, but I've read a lot of her articles and watched several siminars. I'm really trying to heal my gut and get on the Anit-inflammatory Diet. I've been slowly gathering ingredients and grying recipes. It's just so difficult to maintain when living alone and feeling so poorly. My big challenge is that my energh goes into making a living and there's not usually much left aftdr that. I finally broke over and try the LDN hoping that it will make me feel better so that I can shop and cook more the anti-inflammatory, gut Healing Way. I'm happy to hear that LDN has given you some relief!

[aredtigress Administrator]

Treating Thyroid is a delicate balance, LDN is just one of the tools. Many patients have to adjust Thyroid medications several times while on LDN.

Your doctor is correct in that many of the autoimmune diseases share common symptoms, diet and supplements along with LDN are usually used for all of us.

I have Fibromyalgia with an over-performing Thyroid, stayed at 3 mg for a year, then went down to 2.25mg. It's not the number, it's how you feel and how your symptoms are managed. It took 4 months for me to see results, patience is key. One patient told me this is a journey, not a race

You can always go to the Trust's website and listen to testimonials and doctor/pharmacist interviews. Here's a link to the page, type your condition into the searchbar for results: ldnresearchtrust.org/ldn-vi...

Michelle

[MtnClimber in reply to aredtigress]

Thank you, Michelle. 😊

[Raali in reply to aredtigress]

Hi there I wanted to ask whether you have brain fog along with your over active thyroid. It is quite bad for me at the moment. Also how do you feel now?

[aredtigress Administrator in reply to Raali]

Brain Fog is a symptom of both Thyroid issues, Fibro and Chronic pain. Since I have all three, and one isn't helped by LDN (chronic pain is from an injury), I still deal with it. It's not as bad as it has been in the past, so I figure the chronic pain and age are now contributing.

Michelle

[MtnClimber in reply to Raali]

I did have very terrible brain fog. After starting the LDN, it took a few months, but that improved. I was just recently treated for SIBO, and after that, my brain fog and function improved drastically! I'd have to say that I feel like now my brain functions even better than my body!

[Hidden in reply to MtnClimber]

Hi MtnClimber, well done getting your health back on track. I'm struggling with LDN as it makes my insomnia unbearable but having just stopped for 48 hours the brain fog/ache is back already so LDN was working. Think I'll try 0.5 in morning tomorrow. Could I ask how you treated your SIBO?

[MtnClimber in reply to Hidden]

My SIBO was treated with an antibiotic. If I remember the name, I'll let you know. I also started taking a high quality probiotic every day.

[Hidden in reply to MtnClimber]

Thanks for replying MtnClimber. How did you get help with the SIBO? I've seen 2 nutritionists, both prescribed lots of supplements but to no effect. Persevering with LDN, up to 4.5, but can't really function as insomnia bad, hoping it will gradually improve.

[shiva27]

Same! Until I threw out the Armor Thyroid I’d been on for 19 years, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 2.5 years later, and started LDN. Worked my way up from .5 February 2017 to 4.5 8 months later. I can honestly and gratefully say I’m 70% better, meaning my bad days are far far fewer, I sleep finally on a regular basis, and all symptoms have drastically diminished. I never thought until the 8 month mark that the LDN miracle would happen for me, but it did! ... I suggest stay the course, be patient, and reach out often.

[MtnClimber]

Hi everyone! The LDN miracle happened for me, too! ALL daily low-grade fevers, joint pains and brain fog is gone! If I overdo things and get myself run down, the brain fog and a general achiness will come back. I haven't had a low-grade fever for several years now, thank God!

I was gluten free and dairy free for about a year, and now I keep it as low in my diet as possible. For the last 4 years, I've had a very supportive, helpful and kind fiance. Having him around has greatly reduced my stress. I've also been doing green smoothies developed by Dr. Brooke Goldner, MD over the last year. I know these things have helped me, but I really think the biggest help was staying on LDN all this time. My thyroid antibodies had been in the hundreds, like 500, 400, 800, as far back as I can remember. Last week, my antibody numbers were in only the double and single digits!

I got married in September, packed and moved my house in October, moved in with my husband the beginning of November and have been unpacking and sorting ever since. Of course, the holidays hit in the middle of all of that and there was some traveling and change in diet involved. So, for the last few weeks, I've been feeling pretty rough. Also, I have a severe case of endometriosis. I'm seeing my OBGYN on Monday and I'm guessing a hysterectomy is in order. So, it's yet to be seen how much of my feeling poorly these past few months can be contributed to the endometriosis. I know in severe cases of endometriosis, chronic fatigue can occur. When my cycle gets close, I have to get up five times a night to pee, so this is not helpful to me at all in regards to getting good sleep!

All in all, great improvement in my life since I first posted what was going on with me three years ago. I just wanted to put this update out to encourage others. When I first got sick, I was virtually non-functional. I could only shower once a week because it wore me out so much I would be down for days! I had to take short sponge baths in between. I was unable to work, I was unable to grocery shop. Now, I can do all of these things. I still tire more easily than other people, but my quality of life is greatly improved.