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Does hunger make hashimoto worst

sarahbear88 profile image
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Hello everyone. Ok so iv been diagnosed with hashimotoes and now have underactive thyroid. I'm waiting on doctors to post all my results of blood test out to Me as I have asked for a copy of all results. I have now been referred to the hospital as doctors seem clueless about why I keep complaining to them that I'm ill as all my results are coming back ok... I am feeling mostly better than when the hashimotoes attack first started back in June.. however everyday I have found all my symptoms come back and I start to feel really ill if I'm hungry or due a meal after iv eaten I start to feel bit better but not completely and I can't understand why this keeps happening. Does anyone else have this happening. Thanks in advance for any comments

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108Optimist profile image
108Optimist

How do you feel Ill before eating and in what ways do you feel better after?

sarahbear88 profile image
sarahbear88 in reply to 108Optimist

I start feeling very weak, slow reactions muscle aches, head rushes and I get pins and needles after iv eaten the pins and needles have gone and head rushes gone but I do feel very tired and achy

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist in reply to sarahbear88

Hmm I'm really not sure but did you consider blood sugar? I'm sorry I don't know enough about pins and needles to say more helpful. Diabetic get pins needles so not saying you are diabetic but could be hypoglycemia? ?

sarahbear88 profile image
sarahbear88 in reply to 108Optimist

Thankyou for your reply. Iv had The thought of Being diabetic but I got tested In June and result came back ok. What is hypoglycemia please

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist in reply to sarahbear88

Ms Google will tell you heaps about it.

sarahbear88 profile image
sarahbear88

Thankyou

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist

Sorry I was on my way out earlier (im in NZ). Hypoglycaemia means low blood sugar.

The common causes of tingling are neuropathic (eg nerve based). Diabetes, Low B12 are two common causes.

I remember when I was undiagnosed very hypothyroid, my whole body used to vibrate from the inside. Being into yoga I thought it was a prana thing as it was coming from my heart centre! But no, turns out I was very unwell.

I have experienced hypoglycaemia though I am not diabetic. Several close family member have diabetes so I have to be wary of it. My symptoms would include irratability (hangry!), lightheadedness (I get this all the time anyway!), sudden sweats and chills, feeling like my limbs are 'empty' or shaky, vagueness.

There are several ways to manage hypoglycaemia - one is eat low GI goods (glycaemic index again Ms Google will tell you:)) - another is to eat small frequent meals/snacks that contain all of fibre, protein and healthy fats. Another is too avoid caffiene, refined sugars flours and grains. When I was a lot younger I stumbled upon a book called The Food Doctor by ian Marber. Although it is marketed for weightloss and I dont agree with some of the foods he uses (personal choice) I have yet to see the whole blood sugar thing so clearly explained and simple recipes. He basically gets you to slash your grain/carb/sugar intake by 1/2-2/3 and instead get in more nutrient dense veg and lean proteins. I like it as once it is explained, you dont have to think about how many g of carbs etc you are eating, as he gives super easy portion size guidelines.

Whilst hypoglycaemia could be remedied with food, I doubt a B12 deficiency could be remedied as quickly with any food. Perhaps you could have your B12 levels checked and make sure they are over 550 minimum and some people on this site recommend 1000 (and I doubt they are wrong!).

As far as the interaction of hashimotos and blood sugars, I am not sure. I know that blood sugar, stress hormones and thyroid hormones have a close relationship. The physical stress if an illness/autoimmunity can increase your stress hormone levels, making your bidy release sugars quickly, and then soak them all up equally as quickly. So then starts the blood sugar see saw! Eating large meals of things like bread, pasta, cereal, oats, pizza, cake, crisps sweets etc only makes it worse.

Anyway, I hope there may be something useful in there for you.

Take care :) x

Interesting post. I've no idea about the tingling thing, but I do have the low blood sugar thing sometimes and know its when I need to eat. I looked up loads about weight loss and found out quite a bit about 'leptin resistance' not very good at explaining what this is all about, but when I read more, it seemed to equate to my situation. I also had a fasting glucose test couple of months ago which showed a higher level than usual and when I asked the GP (who I don't have much faith in) he said it was one step away from being referred to the diabetic nurse!)

So I went to google as always and found a book called 'The Blood Sugar Diet' by Dr Micheal Mosley. I bought it as Waterstones had an offer on at the time so about £6.50. Thought it worth a read. Its very interesting and it seems a lot of food science is changing and all the stuff about keeping to a low fat diet seems to be going out of the window. He describes an 8 week plan which is quite extreme but promises this will reset your blood sugar levels, drop some weight off, then you follow the rest of the plan and weight will stabilise along with blood sugar. I haven't tried it yet as I'm trying to find out whether the extreme part of the diet would really suit those with thyroid issues as very low cal diets are not usually recommended as it puts further strain on the metabolism. But it seems to make sense and he includes some food ideas most of which I liked the sound of.

I also have Coeliac Disease, been diagnosed over 40 years and I can always eat and very frequently hungry. Have come across others with CD who have the same issue, not sure if perhaps our gut works more quickly than others. Sometimes I have a drink of water or herby tea if I feel hungry as its easy to confuse hunger with thirst.

Hope you can find some answers.

sarahbear88 profile image
sarahbear88

Thankyou for all your comments. Iv had my hospital appointment now. The doctor at hospital seems to believe me feeling unwell like this Is not because my thyroid he has put me down for yet again more blood tests and told me he thinks I might have another autoimmune disease as well as hashimotoes he also told me he does not think it is anything related to me bring hungry. Currently quite fed up now as just feeling like I'm getting no better and all I seem to be doing is being tested and no treatment as well my next appointment with him will be in four month time which just makes me more fed up that I have to wait so long. Thankyou all for your help and advise x

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