Hope?

[steviecat]

Could this work for the thyroid, too? Could Hashi's one day become a thing of the past?

cambridge-news.co.uk/busine...

[Clutter]

Steviecat,

Could be. I'm not sure it would reverse damage to an atrophied thyroid but if the LIF can reverse the autoimmunity and brain damage caused by MS perhaps it can.

Dr. Metcalfe says “MS is our key driver at the moment, but it’s going to be leading through to other major auto-immune disease areas,” Su adds.

“Psoriasis is high up on our list, and diabetes is another. Downstream there are all the dementias, because a LIF is a major health factor for the brain. So if we can get it into the brain we can start protecting against dementia.”

[steviecat in reply to Clutter]

Indeed, Clutter, but if Hashi's were to be caught early enough...

[shaws Administrator]

Thanks for posting and am sure many with autoimmune conditions will be taking note. MS patients in particular as well as all others who suffer.

[steviecat]

I have emailed Dr Metcalfe.

Doctor Metcalfe

I recently read an article about your research into MS. I was particularly struck by the possibilities presented by your work on immune response. You will be aware, I am sure, that millions suffer from Hypothyroidism as a consequence of the failure of the thyroid to produce adequate levels of hormone.

It has been suggested that 90% of hypothyroidism is caused by antibodies mistakenly attacking the thyroid, which eventually results in its demise. Whilst this process is underway, sufferers become ever more symptomatic. The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is Levothyroxine (T4). This synthetic hormone is inactive and needs to be converted to the active form, T3. However, for many, this treatment is wholly inadequate.

The reason for my contacting you is to ask if you had considered the possibilities presented by your research with regard to issues of the thyroid?

Many struggle on with Hashimoto's disease, but quality of life is often greatly diminished. Some sufferers spend much of their lives in bed.

Your research is suggestive of potentially marvellous breakthroughs. I do hope that you succeed in all your endeavours.

Warmest regards

Stevie

Thyroid UK member. Hashimoto's sufferer.

[Kitti1]

That looks fantastic Steve Thanks for sharing

Can you imagine if it cures Hashis and fixes our thyroids and cures coeliac ? I could be slim, have a brain that works, possibly, I could eat cream finger dougnuts, well occasionally : )

[steviecat in reply to Kitti1]

Ooh, Kitti, I am imagining it even as we speak! And yes, I might recover the energy I had but a few short years ago. Then I would be finishing the renovation of my pile of stones and not sobbing into my beer as I reminisce about life BHD (before Horribilis's disease). But there is always hope! Isn't there..?

[Kitti1 in reply to steviecat]

Just seen your email, that's great. I did wonder if she knew about hashi's. So glad you've brought it to her attention. I'd also love to hear her reply.

I've been hypo for 30 years but only recently found out I'm hashimotos, great thyroid treatment for you. I'd also never heard of hashimotos until I heard about t3 and found this site a few months ago. So if lots of thyroid patients don't know about it, there's a chance medical clever types don't. Although auto immune diseases are her special area of interest. But to put psoriasis above hashi's possibly not.

I should have also said in my other post that isn't it just wonderful news for MS suffers. To have the prospect of a cure from such a life debilitating illness must be wonderful news 👍

Sorry to hear your crying in your beer by the way 🍺. Won't that ruin the taste ? Hey but the pile of stones can wait 👍 But glad you can remember when you had energy 👍

[steviecat in reply to Kitti1]

30 years? Dear Lord - and no doctor ever mentioned Hashi's?? Just goes to show the parlous lack of knowledge/training our esteemed medicos are labouring under.

Yes, it was the first thing that struck me too - autoimmune research.

I have known several peeps with MS; it is awful. If a cure is in sight, then it will be a huge relief to many.

Don't tell anyone, but I'm starting to wonder if delays to the pile of stone's renovation may be more to do with beer and a marked lack of enthusiasm, rather than my piddling thyroid... Although they do say that one loses enthusiasm for all sorts of things when stricken with this disease... don't they?

Take care x

[Kitti1 in reply to steviecat]

I promise I won't tell, as long as you don't tell that I'm done in today because I drank too much wine last night and not because of my shriveled up thyroid. OH was being Very annoying and drove me too it. I had a sneaky bottle he doesn't know about SSsshhh

[steviecat in reply to Kitti1]

Nope, won't say a word. I have sneaky bottles, too I'm sure it's good for the old thyroid... or what's left of it.

SSsshhh....

[steviecat]

Update!!

Alistair Downie from LIFNanoRX has kindly allowed me to post his answer to the email I sent (see above).

Dear Steve,

Thanks very much for your interest in our work, and for your message. Right now we’re tightly focussed on MS but I know Su is optimistic about potential applications in different areas in the future. It’s too early to say if Hashimoto’s Disease would be a candidate, but it’s an interesting thought. Trials for MS are provisionally scheduled for 2020 so I think it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to broaden our horizons until we’ve learned more about that outcome, but if that outcome is encouraging then of course we will consider other applications as quickly as possible thereafter.

Thanks very much again,

Alastair Downie (for LIFNanoRx)

So, some hope may be justified, but a little way down the line...

[Hidden in reply to steviecat]

Well done Stevie🤗 This is my optimistic head in gear ..... but may be in their work towards MS breakthrough and other autoimmune conditions they may 'stumble' upon something which ties in with Hashimotos. I sometimes think through our struggles and need to educate ourselves that we are surer of the connections with various conditions. I guess too that someone has to fund the research they are doing and as we know, thyroid is persona non gratis, so it would be lower in the pecking order over psoriasis and diabetes. But now that you have mentioned Hashimotos...... who knows and as my favourite saying goes ... you've now planted the seed.

Sorry for my simple and not very articulate words, but my brain is struggling... 😣😣🐌🐌🐌 wishing I could blame it on too many glasses! That'll be another B12 tab for me please😉😉

[Kitti1 in reply to steviecat]

Hi Steve

That's great, just a shame its such a long process of testing trials ect. I fear I will be to old and decrepid by the time this potential cure is available. But you never know it may give me a second flush of youth ! Hopefully many will benefit from this amazing medical discovery. Until then beer & wine it is ; )

[Hidden in reply to steviecat]

Thank you so much for writing and sharing the reply, steviecat

[steviecat in reply to Hidden]

My pleasure, Collie