New to this....looking for some support, advice, specifically around breathlessness/asthma and hypothyroid?

[Exetergirl]

Hello, I am new to all this. I got a shock diagnosis on Friday 13 Jan.

Since then I have gone through the shock and am now trying to sort it all out in my head. I am working through anger now because lots of good things are unfolding for me this year and the fatigue is really stopping me in my tracks. I had previously put my symptoms down to menopause and asthma. So am on Hrt as well.

I am asthmatic and went to the dr because I thought I has had a prolonged asthma flare up. I was v tired and v breathless. He was great and sent me for X-rays and bloods. X-ray clear...but bloods show elevated Tsh....more blood show antibodies....so have started on Levo dose 50.

I know this is low dose and expect it will go up. More bloods at the end of the month. However the asthma nurse has just changed my astma inhaler ( Duoresp) and I am balking at starting the new one....because the notes specifically mentions interaction with levo.

I am just looking for advice, information, support...

What to other asthmatics take? is there a connection between asthma/ breathlessness and low thyroid? Are my asthma meds making it worse ( fostair)

....so many questions....there is so much to understand..

Thank you for your help in advance

[Katepots]

Hi,

Sorry about your diagnosis, yes it's a shock and a real lifestyle change that we all have to get our heads round if we want to get well! Ok first off you need to be gluten free as you have Hashimotos Thyroditis so it is auto immune disease. Lots of us have it, very common. Really it should be gluten, dairy and soy but that may be too much to get your head around to start. I really struggled but now find it's really ok and feel sooo much better! They all trigger inflammation which will help to keep your body atracking your thyroid and give you bloating and gut problems. 70% of the immune system lives in the gut.

Fermented foods are good, look up bone broth (amazing healer) probiotics as you want to restore the gut microbiime. I'm afraid it really is a lifestyle change 😩

HRT can also affect thyroid meds so I manage mine by no coffee/tea,(caffeine) really spicy food or alcohol (sadly) you can take sage tablets which help with flushes.

btf-thyroid.org/information...

Can you get a copy of your blood results and post on here? You'll get more help than with the GP

You need to check Vit D, B12, Folate, feretin, Selenium as you will probably be low in some if not all as run hand in hand with Hashimotos They will also be making you feel awful. A huge percentage of people with Hashis have Vit D deficiency. B12 massively important as not tested for!

Bluehorizonmedicals have a comprehensive thyroid blood test if you can afford it. Thyroid plus eleven is £79, finger prick test and will test everything you need testing except Vit D which you can ask your Dr for.

Research leaky gut. Chris Kresser website is good for that.

Read Dr Datis Khazzarian books, Hashimotos God!

I'm posting free talks (auto immune revolution) daily so check out my posts, some really good info.

Hope I haven't completely overwhelmed you! I'm in the West Country too 😀

[Katepots in reply to Katepots]

I lied it seems to do vitamin D as well.x

[Exetergirl in reply to Katepots]

Thank you so much for the information. I am still wrapping my head round it all. It helps to have somewhere to go for support.

[Katepots in reply to Exetergirl]

Yes this site is invaluable!

[Sybilla14]

Hi Exetergirl, I had asthma (although it was never 'severe') and I believe it resolved itself since I went gluten free and also started supplementing vitamin d3. I didn't know what my d3 level was initially and took 4,000iu a day (Solgar from amazon). I request a test from my gp annually now to check the level. From memory, my asthma practically stopped within a few months. I've not used an inhaler for nearly 3 years now.

I've been recommending d3 to my asthmatic friends since. A great website to check out is: vitamindcouncil.org/health-.... There's a lot of research into d3 and asthma (also into thyroiditis) if you use the search function on that website.

[Exetergirl in reply to Sybilla14]

I will certainly check that out. There seem to be many factors to consider. Thank you

[Warrior75]

I have asthma was feeling very breathless when we had the fog and completely exhausted the dr swapped me from Clienil to Fostair i just cannot get on with the fostair made me more breathless and my heart rate went up and it was all over the place felt more teary than usual ,but i was coughing up more phlegm my heart rate would go down after 8 hours but i just couldn't bring myself to take the night time dose and that was on 1 puff I've gone back to using my brown, i need to go back to my dr as they have taken the brown off my repeat

[Exetergirl in reply to Warrior75]

That fog was not good for us asthma peeps.

[humanbean]

Breathlessness is a symptom of untreated or under-treated hypothyroidism.

It is also a symptom of many nutrient deficiencies. In my own case my problem was low iron. Whenever I start to get a bit breathless now I know it is likely that my iron has dropped too far.

Unfortunately, iron is one of those deficiencies that can't be supplemented willy-nilly because iron is poisonous in overdose. So testing is essential.

I would definitely recommend getting the finger-prick test mentioned above by Katepots although sadly the price she quotes is out-of-date.

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T...

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/W...

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/W...

[Katepots in reply to humanbean]

I had it done two weeks ago, I think there was an offer! Worth checking often as the saliva test I had gone is today £20 cheaper...

[Exetergirl in reply to humanbean]

Thank you. Initially we did think the low iron was the problem...hence the initial blood test. My iron is good. It is definitely something else. I will look into those blood tests.

[Exetergirl]

Thank you for your reply. I will ask for results next time. I have asked for b12 etc. So hope for a clearer picture. It seems like it could be a slow process getting the balance right.