HIGH ANXIETY OVER BAD INGESTION

[Ajwag]

Had been feeling ill over 2 months with heartburn, indegestion and inflamed stomach when I eat , only can eat some fruit and veg . PPI are not working . Panic and anxiety have set in now as I am feeling so low . Got camera down throat on Sunday and I am so scared of procedure and what they will find . I think I have low stomach acid instead of high but consultant said this doesn’t exsist . Please help x

[Ajwag]

Sorry meant to say I’m under active thyroid on T3 / T4 combo

[shaws Administrator]

Your consultant is wrong. Hypothyroid people - because everything slows down - may not have sufficient stomach acid which is needed to dissolve food we eat thus we can develop gut problems.

Many on the forum have found that either Betaine with Pepsin tablets or an Apple Cider Vinegar with mother diluted in water or juice helps this. I shall give you a couple of links:-

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drbrighten.com/is-your-thyr...

Don't worry too much about Sunday but I know that's easier said than done. Now that you are aware gastro is wrong as most doctors know nothing about the clinical symptoms of hypo which, if untreated, undertreated affect our body from head to toe.

drbrighten.com/is-your-thyr...

[Ajwag in reply to shaws]

Thanks so much x

[ShinyB]

Hi, I used to get really bad acid problems & indigestion. Since cutting out grains and sugar, it's completely cleared up. It's bliss! I sympathise with the camera procedure. I had that done too. Had a short acting sedative for mine, so that I didn't feel or know a thing. Have you been offered that?

[Ajwag in reply to ShinyB]

Yes I think so , thanks , I have cut out things from my diet , hardly eating anything , can only few fruit and veg at moment x

[ShinyB in reply to Ajwag]

oh dear, that sounds miserable Have you tried adding some quality fats? coconut oil for instance? When I cut down carbs and sugar, I also increased the amount of fat I ate, so that might have also been what made the difference.. Hope you get some answers soon x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Here's some links about low stomach acid

Lots of posts on here about how to improve with Apple cider vinegar or Betaine HCL

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/hypochl...

scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Other things to help heal gut lining

Bone broth

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Probiotics

carolinasthyroidinstitute.c...

Low stomach acid suggests you are still under medicated

Did this start after change in Thyroid medication or even change in Levo brand

what are your most recent thyroid results and what about vitamin D, Folate, ferritin and B12

What supplements do you take?

Do you have Hashimoto's (high antibodies) if so, you probably need to be strictly gluten free

I also worried badly about camera down throat. I had the mild sedation. It was absolutely fine, didn't even know it had been done. I would have another no problem

[Ajwag]

Thank you for good advice

Tsh 0.22 (0.35 -4.94)

Serum free tri 3-90 (2.63- 5 .65)

T4 level 11.20 (9.01-19.05)

Vit D 84. .4 (80-150)

Ferritin 25 (20 - 204 )

B12 378 (187-883)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Ajwag]

Your FT4 is too low, should be nearer 17. Indicating you need dose increase

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

Is this how you did the test?

Low vitamins are not helping

Your ferritin is far to low

Vitamin B12 is on low side

No folate result?

Vitamin D, lots of us find it needs to be around 100nmol.

Here's SeasideSusie reply to similar low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Do you have high thyroid antibodies?

It's essential to know.

But even with no antibodies, many find strictly gluten free diet helps improve gut issues.

Improving low stomach acid is necessary for very very many with hypothyroidism

[Maxxxx]

Hi - you've been given some good advice so I just wanted to add that I too had the camera procedure done and the Consultant Gastroenterologist said in a perplexed voice, "your stomach acid wasn't that high" but didn't connect the dots and say I should get tested for hypothyroidism so it wasn't until about six months later that I finally found out what was wrong with me.

So I reiterate - people with hypothyroidism can have LOW stomach acid which causes GERD. I actually was coughing for six months and even lost my voice which i why I was sent to the Consultant in the first place.

Now that I'm on the right dosage of levothyroxine and taking Betain with Pepsin with meals that contain meat, taking vitamin supplements (B12, D3, selenium & zinc) and have gone gluten free - I don't have any problems with the stomach acid.

Get off the PPI's (omeprezole, nexium) as they lower you stomach acid further which means that you don't digest your food and therefore don't get the proper nutrients which leads to deficiencies.

Hope this wasn't too rambling and makes some sense!