gluten free

Just wondering is there anything I can do to reverse hashimotos or prevent it getting worse. I have had reflexology today which was really relaxing and I believe it can be helpful also I have decided to go gluten free.Without treatment does it always get worse and if so why is it ignored.

[Clutter]

Ann, gluten-free can be very helpful in reducing Hashi antibodies and delaying further progression of Hashi's. Your TPOab are very low but while the change in diet may be beneficial I don't think it is likely to improve your low FT4 and FT3. Have a look at this link about iodine healthimpactnews.com/2014/e...

Some doctors, not enough, are of the opinion that prescribing Levothyroxine will delay the Hashi progression and the inevitable destruction of the thyroid gland and there is no point in delaying replacement hormone until TSH is >5 and clinical symptoms will have taken hold.

[W3ndy2159 in reply to Clutter]

My antibodies have reduced from 1337 in 2002 to 1100 2yrs ago. I went gluten free 18 months ago. My antibodies are at 62.5 this week. I put this huge reduction down to going GF and extra vitamin and minerals that are reportedly good for us thyroid patients.

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter I will have a look at the link do you think my FT4 andFT3 would benefit from meds I feel as if I am fighting a losing battle as I went private at the end of last year and the endo was useless he told me I didnt have a thyroid problem before he did any tests at all eventually he did all the tests and just phoned me and said they were all fine when I asked the receptionist for a copy of my results she said they cant give them out but they would send them to my GP which they did but when I asked for them they said there was about 8 pages of results so they would just give me TSH T3 T4. I feel as if they think I am making a fuss about nothing but I just dont feel myself at the moment I have no interest in anything and I am breaking out in sweats about every hour. hopefully things will get better thanks for you help x

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Ann, Insist on a printout of your results with the lab ref ranges. if necessary, tell the Practice manager you are making a subject access request under the Data Protection Act. ico.org.uk/for_the_public/t...

You may have to pay a nominal fee to cover the cost of paper and printer ink.

I do think a trial of thyroid replacement hormone might improve them and your symptoms but you are unlikely to be prescribed thyroxine and may need to self medicate. Newly published research confirms that TSH ranges are not suitable for everyone and independent factors affect range ie TSH is uniquely individual. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

HI Clu3tter I have sent you a response but I hit the wrong reply so dont know if you will see it anyway it is under the message from W3ndy2159. I will get the hang of all this hopefully ha x

[Heloise]

Hi Ann, I've been posting videos by Dr. Clark. He believes Hashimoto's is genetic and can't be cured. youtube.com/watch?v=nZ_CP7l...(Not working as expected?)

Another doctor who went from conventional to integrative felt that autoimmune issues could be cured. He used a three-legged stool approach. Here is a list of his articles if you care to learn more about it. askwaltstollmd.com/articles...

Health/Disease is now a business and ignoring patients has to do with profit. That is my feeling.

[greygoose in reply to Heloise]

I agree with Dr Clarke!

[crimple]

I think NHS ignores Hashi's because they do not understand the disease and there is little or no research into what might help ease the disease. Those of us who "plough our own furrow" and decide to go GF are looked on as being odditiies. I have read a number of books such as Isabella Wentz and Robb Wolf etc and they made me decide to go GF. I have now been GF 4 months and my TPO levels are below 20 (range 0-34) My understanding is that by reducing TPO levels my thyroid can still function, not like a healthy on, but at least it can produce some hormones and that is preferable to it producing none at all. Remember that your thyroid produces T4 T3 T2 and T1 and calcitonin. Levo tablets consist ONLY of T4. Your body wouldn't produce the other T's if it didn't need them!

[sweet_b]

Hashi's patients are reporting lowering of antibodies with low dose naltrexone [LDN]. More commonly used for cancer, MS, and other AI diseases. It has few, if any, side effects and is cheap. Look at lowdosenaltrexone.org. Mercola also has info.

[montegon5ra]

Take a look at this website, you can learn how to reduce or stop having symptoms of hashimotos and adrenal fatigue (estres is very related to hashimotos and the reason you feel better after reflexology). First take care of adrenal fatigue, then autoinmune inflamation, diet is the first I improved a lot with paleo diet. And for adrenal fatigue I take adaptogen herbs holy basil and ashwaganhda, they are great! also start a sleeping routine. Good luck!

[montegon5ra]

And well find a doctor who test for free t4 and free t3 to see if you have poor t4 transformation into t3 which is very common in hashimotos and adrenal fatigue

[Chiquitita]

I always feel the urge to drop a line when I start seeing the word “incurable” circulating in reference to Hashimotos. There’s so much confusion and statements taken out of context create even more confusion. So is Hashimotos curable or incurable? Really, it depends how we define “curable”.

Hashimotos or autoimmune thyroiditis is primarily an immune system disorder, of which the victim happens to be the thyroid gland. In very simple terms, what happens here is that the immune system has gone berserk and instead of focusing on attacking germs and external threats, it has started to attack useful parts of the body, like the thyroid gland. Once this process has been going on for a while, thyroid tissue is destroyed and as a result the gland starts to malfunction and to produce insufficient levels of thyroid hormones, which are crucial for health and longevity.

If by “curable” we mean: is it possible to stop the autoimmune process AND grow back the tissue that has been destroyed so that the gland will return to its former glory and start working perfectly again? Then the answer is clearly NO. It is not possible to grow back thyroid tissue that has been destroyed, and therefore anyone whose thyroid gland has insufficient tissue left to work properly should supplement with thyroid hormones for life.

If by “curable” we mean: is it possible to help my autoimmune system come back to its senses so that it will stop attacking my thyroid gland AND most importantly will not move on to attacking other parts of my body once it has finished chewing up my thyroid gland completely? Then clearly the answer is YES… though here is where so called “conventional medicine” and “functional or holistic or integrative” medicine (whichever you want to call it) differ.

In the “conventional” approach (NHS medicine) they tend to take the view that “autoimmunity is genetic and incurable, but don’t worry about it, take some hormones and you’ll be just fine”. This is a very partial and poor approach as unfortunately autoimmunity is like a fire that will not be satisfied with just one body part…

Other approaches to medicine take the view that not only IS it possible to address and put an auto-immune condition into remission, it is essential to do so if you want to avoid the development of further autoimmune disorders. And simply to feel better, as autoimmune attacks in themselves cause symptoms which thyroid supplementation cannot correct.

I was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis over a year ago, with high levels of thyroid antibodies. I have read a long list of books on the subject and under the supervision of a doctor I have completely changed my diet (100% gluten free, with no “gluten-free” substitutes of any kind, just strict paleo diet) and have been taking a long list of supplements. My thyroid antibodies have been steadily decreasing and my latest blood test came back confirming no antibodies present at all. Does this mean I’m “cured”? Depends which way you look at it… My thyroid gland is not going to grow back and I still need to take thyroid hormones. Forever. But I am less likely to develop other autoimmune conditions (to which, yes, I may be genetically “inclined” but by no means “doomed”). And with my antibodies, my symptoms have gone away too. It is hard work, VERY hard work (diet-wise) and it needs to be sustained at all times… but worth it.

Don’t let any doctor try to persuade you that autoimmunity is genetic and incurable, it is just not true.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Chiquitita]

It is not exactly rare for Graves sufferers who have their thyroids surgically removed to have them regrow. Certainly makes me wonder if, at least theoretically, regrowth is actually possible.

I also always wonder whether antibodies themselves are important other than as indicators? If, by whatever means, the autoimmune processes which destroy the thyroid are halted, maybe that results both in reduced antibody levels and feeling better?

Rod

[Hidden]

thank you all for your advice and support I will take it all and hopefully find a solution to all this mess x

[BrecklandRanger]

I only suspect I have hashis. I tried many times to go GF & paleo, and it was very difficult. I became very dark, depressed, moody and very irritable, not to mention my energy levels really plummeted.

But when back on carbs (most carbs I consume have gluten), I feel kinda normal. I just despair sometimes!