Leaky gut and hashimotos

[A_lice]

Hello everyone. Thank you so far for all your help on my previous posts. I'm currently on my first prescription of levothyroxin to treat an underactive thyroid I developed after having post partum thyroiditis. My doctor has told me this is a brand new condition and cannot be linked to previous symptoms Iv had since around age 10 (I'm now 30) so Iv done some research.

I found old doctors notes saying I was suffering from extremely high thyroid antibodies but low tsh levels at age 16. But no further tests were issues. Iv suffered for years (20!!!) with autoimmune like symptoms and have gone to the doctors only to be told none of them are linked! Iv never had any of this info looked at and have only just done some digging and discovered this doctors letter 14 years later. In all my research I discovered hashimotos which apparently has my symptoms but on initial tests won't show up as tsh levels stay normal. Iv then delved a little deeper and discovered hashimotos can cause leaky gut syndrome which I have all the symptoms of. Food allergies, mouth ulcers, ibs, candida, flare ups etc.

Iv been told once again by a doctor it's not all linked and my underactive thyroid is a totally new condition but I'm so sure Iv suffered for years with it. I'm trying to get referred and get diagnosed with hashimotos disease or something just so I can start to get my head around what I'm dealing with. Has anyone else experienced this? Years of suffering and being turned away with suppressing medicines and never looking at the root cause? How do you deal with hashimotos? Also has anyone suffered with leaky gut? Especially mouth ulcers. I'd love to hear your stories and advice

[startagaingirl]

Hi - I think you will find that very, very many of us here can identify with years of symptoms that were never linked together before finally getting a diagnosis. I wouldn't worry about trying to get a formal Hashimotos diagnosis, GPs don't rate it as they only tret the resulting hypothyroid condition. But you can help yourself by looking at your diet. It is reckoned that the underlying cause of the attacks on the thyroid are due to underlying food intolerances which damage the gut enough to allow particles through into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there. The most common of these is gluten, followed by dairy and soy. Some of your symptoms certainly sound immune related. A trial of a strict gluten free diet for at least 3 months is usually recommended to see if there is any difference - it does help many of us. The other major thing is that this will usually have left us with severe nutrient deficiencies - levels of vit d, vit b12, folate and ferritin all have to be at fairly high(not just in range) levels to allow maximum effect from thyroid hormones.

Keep reading and learning, be pro-active about making sure you get your bloods taken every 6-8 weeks and dose increases as required and things will get better.

Good luck

Gillian

[A_lice in reply to startagaingirl]

Thank you Gillian that was really helpful and encouraging

[Scazzoh]

I have been following the Paleo Auto-immune Protocol for about a year, as I had terrible gut problems linked to Hashi's. I had a diagnosis of IBS. My guts are completely healed and I have had no issues for a few months. The AIP is a lifestyle programme aimed at reducing autoimmunity and improving symptoms, It starts with quite a strict elimination diet and also addresses stress management and sleep hygiene. If you want to find out more information The Paleo Mom, Autoimmune Wellness and Pheonix Helix are good websites. There is also a really good Facebook page called AIP in the UK.

[A_lice in reply to Scazzoh]

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Many GP's (and even many endo's) never consider the autoimmune aspect of thyroid.

If you said to your GP that autoimmune thyroid disease is linked or most likely caused by leaky gut and gluten intolerance they are likely to think your "barking" .......but actually you're just barking up the correct tree!!

Read The Thyroid Pharmacist website for masses of info about Hashimoto's, plus her video series the Thyroid Secret on you tube

Chris Kresser, Amy Myers, scdlifestyle.com, Drknews.com etc

Leaky gut, food intolerances, especially gluten, soya, dairy , nightshades.

Low stomach acid and gut infections too

[A_lice in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you