I was feeling sooo bad I went to the Dr last August. Most of my female immediate family members have Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. My tsh was high 6.15. I go back and had to argue to get my tpo antibodies tested. My t4 was within range 1.1 and my tsh was now 4.15 but my antibodies were 1047. I would've never known if I didn't educate and advocate for myself! They refuse to diagnose Hashimoto's. Calling me subclinical Hypo. And this is a resident, I have been dealing with. She wanted to blame my symptoms on other possible causes and refused to blame my thyroid. I fought to be put on 25 mcg of t4 meds. No one told me about selenium or important vitamins to lower my extremely high antibodies. I don't have health insurance til April so I can't afford to see an Endo so I still haven't. I researched Hashimoto's and immediately became proactive. Gluten free, refined sugar free, non gmo, no grains, no soy, I was already pescatarian, and I joined a gym and go 6-7 days a week, low calorie and low carb etc. I have been super diligent and strict health wise. I even attended a seminar on root causes of the underlying issue of inflammation, by a respected Ravens team physician and learned a lot. So I lost over 30lbs. But now, despite still doing the same healthy lifestyle 6 weeks, no weight loss and I gained 3-4 lbs plus my energy is sapped more than normal as tiredness is constant as you know. This is NOT a plateau. I ordered my own bloodwork online and got tests I need but never were given because all Dr.'s. do are tsh and Ft4. I did RT3 T3 uptake T7 Total T4 FT4 FT3 and both antibodies. No issues except my Tpo antibodies were still high but down significantly from 1047-110 I attribute to selenium and my diet/exercise. My tsh reduced to 2.85, much better. But now my FT3 is low 2.1, range 2.4-4.8. I have no absorption issues as I tested this and low T3 would account for my symptoms. So I call the clinic and send this to them hoping to start low dose T3. I am told my labs look fine, my tsh is fine and FT3 is an unreliable test! That my symptoms are NOT from my Thyroid and I need to be checked for something else. I tried an online Dr and I was told virtually the same thing and that the Antibodies mean nothing. That u need to relax and meditate! No joke. How are they so dumb? How do I know more than them? How, when my mom, 2 sisters, grandma and now my niece all have this disease do they still refuse to call it Hashimoto's?! I share to help you and myself. I need help but no insurance makes it difficult. No one is listening or cares. They are so ignorant and uneducated about this. Their treatment is antiquated. It's my body, I have to function in it and apparently you are just crazy. Oh and I was told that I shouldn't read and educate myself by the Resident internal med. Dr. Seriously! Thoughts are much appreciated!
Frustrated! Hashimoto's low T3: I was feeling... - Thyroid UK
Frustrated! Hashimoto's low T3
Some people don't really want to know they have an autoimmune condition, one which will render them hypothyroid sooner or later. You are the wise one. You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Hormone Disease called Hashimotos.
This is also another site which may be helpful although, of course, it isn't a forum like this one:-
hypothyroidmom.com/reversin...
I am hypothyroid but I believe that with Hashi's that your antibodies wax and wane (sometimes too much and other much less) so that's maybe why you are feeling slightly hypo, I assume.
Hi Fiara, you've continued to accumulate symptoms in spite of a lower TSH but these ignorant people must live in an alternate universe. So, let's just disregard anything else they say. Order your own natural desiccated thyroid hormone unless you want to undergo working on your autoimmune condition. You will continue to do harm by leaving yourself in this condition. It's very hard on your adrenal glands to coordinate your low metabolism which in turn affects whichever areas are not receiving enough T3. Something has to give. There are many people here doing the same thing or perhaps your own relatives can advise.
youtube.com/watch?v=nZ_CP7l...
You need a prescription for NDT. They refuse to do anything about my meds.
There are places to order NDT without prescription. You have to ask for a private message for sources. Plus, they are very reasonably priced. Many people on this forum get their own hormone. Are you in the UK? I hope you look into it.
Fiara, sorry to hear of your plight. I too had a PCP that said T3 wasn't necessary to test and that it made no difference in the scheme of things. When I visited with her about this last Summer I told her I wanted to know why then I was feeling the way I did. After 20 years all those hypo symptoms came back along with others. We had a very intense discussion on the subject. She finally referred me to an Endo. I can honestly say it has been a real game changer for me. My T3 was on the low end of range and after having tested twice in about five months she added T3 to my Synthroid medication. I have been on this now for almost 3 months. I have seen a dramatic difference. I have not only lost 19 pounds but I don't have the heaviness in my chest when walking-it is much easier to take hills and such as before I was winded. The utter exhaustion has gone away, I am not cold all the time and my aches an pains are pretty much gone too. I have been taking supplements since last July and I do think they have helped immensely. I will be very interested in seeing what kind of difference this medication has made in numbers although it should be based on how one feels too. I still think I might need just a bit more T3 but we will see.
You need someone who will actually listen. I think they are a rare breed unfortunately. We are not crazy we just want to be heard and believed! Good luck and here's hoping you find that one that will listen and help!
Hashimotos need not be a permanent condition and all autoimmune disease can be healed by healing the immune system..according to functional medicine. I am working on that now.
Not all autoimmune diseases can be cured or completely healed. I do believe we can keep it in check but that is a life long effort. Some are genetic and there are genes implicated by science. Mine has been in my family for at least 4 generations. Diet and toxins can cause some peoples autoimmune diseases and exacerbate one's caused by genetics.
Yes..Hashimotos IS curable and yes leaky gut/poor immune systems can run in families, but can be gotten rid of. My family is full of autoimmune disease and not one has done anything other than mainstream medicine.
Let me clarify. What I'm saying is that genetic autoimmune disease cannot be cured. It can only be put into remission by controlling the triggers of the autoimmune inflammatory response. It requires lifelong dedication, vigilance, and monitoring. But as it is genetic, uncontrollable stress/illness can cause flare ups beyond anyone's control, no matter that the "controllable elements" have been eliminated. Autoimmune disease caused by diet and other toxins can be a temporary reaction caused by those things. Yet the hypothyroid element cannot be reversed if too much damage has been done to the gland. It's like diabetes. Some is genetic, some is caused by lifestyle. You can assist your genetic condition but it will always remain. But you can cure non-genetic diabetes by eliminating the causes from your lifestyle....if you're not so far gone, and haven't damaged your body's natural mechanisms.
i was told to relax and meditate too with my hashi's! Are you in the US?
The antibodies are autoimmune disease, the problem is NOT with your thyroid, but with your immune system attacking it.
info on functional medicine, by a Dr. who has gotten rid of her hashimotos..
WHY THYROID PATIENTS NEED TO WORK WITH A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONER
For those of you not familiar with Functional Medicine, according to functionalmedicine.org, “Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership”.
That’s right, a whole medical specialty dedicated to finding and treating underlying causes and prevention of serious chronic disease rather than disease symptoms. I was tickled pink when all of the presenters were talking about treating the root cause of diseases!
When I first set off to treat myself with a systems perspective and to find the root cause of my condition, I did not realize that I was using a functional medicine approach, I just believed in cause and effect.
The basic theory behind functional medicine is as follows:
Food is information. Beyond calories, the type of food you will eat will help determine if you are going to be healthy or sick. Functional medicine practitioners realize the value of a whole foods based diet as well as the role that inflammatory foods and food sensitivities can play in chronic disease.
Stress is a precursor to disease and weakens our body causing it to break down and makes us more susceptible to chronic infections.
Proper gut function is key to a healthy body.
Here is a glimpse of the information the attendees learned in the GI module:
If you work with the gut 60-70% of any disease will get better
The best way to give your patients the right treatment and diagnosis is through listening to them (I love that one!)
Treat the gut before attempting detoxification, as the gut is a main elimination organ, detoxification first may result in toxins circulating when gut function is impaired.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a precursor to autoimmunity and chronic disease.
This last one really resonated with me, as I was diagnosed with IBS in 2002, Hashimoto's in 2009. Many of you may have never been diagnosed, but have had many of the symptoms. My IBS and GERD helped me connect the many dots to get to my root cause.
If we can catch IBS in the early stages, perhaps we can prevent thyroid and other autoimmune conditions. Additionally, since we understand that IBS is a precursor for the thyroid condition, treating the root cause of IBS will often result in remission of the autoimmune condition.
During the conference, three cases of IBS were presented, the root causes of these cases of IBS included:
Case #1: parasite
Case #2: pancreatic enzyme deficiency, gluten sensitivity, overactive stress response
Case #3: low stomach acid, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
Yes I'm in the US
Low T3 
Dr’s appointment - need advise re : T3
hashimoto's possible reverse t3
T3 or not T3 and dealing with GP
TSH extremely low but low-ish free T3 and free T4
