As many of you know from my previous posts, I’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s by my private Endocrinologist and a scan confirmed this.
He refused to prescribe me anything as said nothing could help improve my symptoms. This was after five visit to see him.
I’ve gone gluten free since September as per advice on here and I’ve given up my fizzy drinks, I’ve also managed to get my vitamin levels to an acceptable result.
I’ve still got symptoms of extreme coldness, neck stiffness, muscle pain especially my fingers, sleep pattern not consistent, hair loss, low libido.
I’ve got trouble tummy pains, and sometimes the pain is so painful I can’t move and my tummy is so tender for days.
I’m seeing a nutritionist as obviously I have a leaky gut to see if I can improve my eating.
However, I seem to also be experiencing new symptoms, my throat feels like there is something stuck in it, and it feels tight sometimes.
Even when I burp (not often) it doesn’t help or go away, I would say feels swollen.
Is this a Hashimoto’s issue or a diet issue.
I’ve cut right down on milk, and just have it in my tea, maybe three teas a day. The rest of the time I drink water.
I’m very careful of what I eat and haven’t had any gluten free bread, gluten free products for weeks
I’ve been sticking to salads, fruit, vegetable, keeping it simple, homemade soup.
I’ve been having sliced peaches for breakfast with cinnamon.
I’m going to be self medicating soon, but it’s an awful feeling. It appears you get rid of one thing, then something else hits you.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Best wishes
Peanut31
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Peanut31
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The tummy pains might not be anything to do with your thyroid condition. It's not a usual symptom of hypothyroidism as far as I'm aware so worth getting checked out. It sounds like you've worked really hard to optimise your health so I hope the doctor would properly check it out and refer you for further investigations if you need it.
It could be a Hashis flare which can make the thyroid gland swollen and tender. You can take Paracetamol if it is painful and 100-200mcg selenium daily is good thyroid support. Other than that you can't do any more and will just have to ride it out.
If the tummy pain has been going on for a while you might want to see your GP about it.
Yes I already take selenium everyday, I did think it maybe Hashimoto’s related.
I absolutely hate the doctors in my surgery, I had to move doctors when I moved just done the road, my previous doctors said I was now out of the catchment area.
My previous doctor’s surgery was fantastic.
I only had a choice of two and one was in special measures.
None of the GP’s are understanding and when I went about my Hashimoto’s she told me it was anxiety and that I had been misinformed about Hashimoto’s.
I told her I was being supported by Thyroid UK, she also argued that a TSH of 6 was in range.
I am positive they all back each other up in the surgery and will not go over another GP’s opinion.
Your old practice wasn't very nice as if you are in England as long as you agree not to have home visits you could have stayed at your old practice if they agreed - nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSs...
I phoned NHS direct and they said it was down to the surgery,
I wrote to the practice manager, I phoned the practice manager, I wrote to my allocated GP.
They basically said I was moving out of the area (only down the road) and I couldn’t stay. I argued that I was nearer than now than before. They reckoned that let me stay before as I had been a patient with that surgery since being a baby (40 years now)
They sent me a letter giving me so many weeks to register with another surgery.
Had I know about this article I would of not given up, but NHS direct never informed me of my rights.
It appears from my own experience recently that the NHS don’t have your best interest at heart.
If you stick around this forum you see it is a common occurrence for those working in the NHS to mislead patients.
I suspect your old practice didn't want you as they feared you would be expensive as a patient particularly as you got older.
Oh and from stories I heard from other people before the internet and before people had access to their own records under the Data Protection Act it was even worse if you had the "wrong" illnesses.
It is good advice. I imagine most people with an under active thyroid/Hashimoto's are doing everything they can to support their health with sensible eating choices and vitamins etc. The BIG issue is that clinicians are deaf,dumb and blind when it comes to prescribing T3 or NDT.One gets the impression that so called experts are colluding with each other.
Why is it so hard for clinicians to accept that patients are their own best experts on their own bodies? It cannot be all due to money because clinicians could prescribe T3 or NDT and patients could order and purchase the drugs from International Pharmacies abroad much much cheaper. But, the all important prescription is not forthcoming.
The fact is that T4 can actually do more harm than good when taken over a long period of time and can cause the very symptoms it is meant to alleviate. Some people do not tolerate T4 almost from the start and many people can not convert T4 into T3. If our bodies need T4,T3,T2,T1 which is supplied by NDT why is it deliberately withheld? T1 has been found to be essential to brain function - not enough and brain fog and possible an increase risk of dementia is no laughing matter.
Damage to other organs, like liver and heart is not exactly something to smile about either.Clinicians know this and yet........ I wonder that clinician who prescribe it privately are not speaking out about the benefits of T3 and/or NDT. They have nothing to fear from their colleagues in the NHS.
I notice the deterioration in my daughter and,frankly, I am frightened!!!!
From your diet I'm just wondering if you're vegan or vegetarian? What are you doing for protein and good fats??
If you have a leaky gut, surely your nutritionist wouldn't be recommending sweet fruit for breakfast? The cinnamon will help to balance your blood sugar but you need to be eating foods that soothe and heal the stomach. Salads and vegetables are good but fruit has too much sugar. I suggest that you ask your nutritionist for some more specific meal ideas to mend a leaky gut, & to provide protein & good fats to balance the carbs.
I'm shocked at your private!!! Endo', how can he not prescribe Thyroid hormones when you have Hashi'??? I would find a new one as you're paying anyway.
It's good that you're taking Selenium - was this at your Nutritionist's advice, & how much? Has your (Endo' or) Nutritionist got you to do an Iodine test (urine)? There is much patient evidence that Iodine helps with Hashi' so IF Iodine is low you need to supplement, but your Nutritionist should be able to advise on that.
It's great that you have a Nutritionist, hopefully s/he will be able to advise....
I having further blood test with my nutritionist before she starts me on an eating plan.
I’m not vegetarian, eating chicken, beef, fish etc.
The private Endocrinologist was actually from the list provided on here (I know it’s not a recommendation though). No urine test requested, as said before I mentioned the full thyroid and paid private for it, which he totally ignored. Needless to say I’ve lost all faith in the so called specialist and my GP.
I’m not wasting any more money on the ‘specialist’ I have learnt more on here.
Having now seen some of your earlier posts I now understand why your Endo' said what he said about your improved hormone levels - EXCEPT that he did NOT test your T3, & so can have no idea if you are 'well' or not! You may not be converting that T4 into T3 & there is no way of knowing without the test. When you provide an update on the Endo' to the forum please make sure that you mention that he didn't do the full spectrum of tests as he should have.
When you say that you're going to self-medicate, are you intending to get T3 and/or NDT?
Thanks, I did see these very comprehensive earlier test results in one of your earlier posts.
What I was getting at was that in your Endo's Test Results, he had not tested your T3 - so even though in 'his' results your TSH & T4 were in range, he has no idea whether your corresponding (i.e. at the same time) T3 results were also in range. Your T3 results could really have shed a lot of light on why you continued to feel so poorly. That's why I was saying that it would be worth mentioning to Thyroid UK that this Endo did NOT test T3, which is after all essential.
At least you have confirmation via antibody tests of Hashi', & some great advice on here, so at least you know where to focus.
Best wishes for your future recovery and return to 'full health'.
One thing that jumps out at me is that you seem to eat quite a lot of sugar - has your Nutritionist tested you for Candida? That might explain (some of) your stomach problems.
One of the problems with 'gluten-free' foods is that they contain a lot of refined starches & often a lot of sugar/glucose, which might be feeding Candida.
Similarly the fructrose from fruit is loved by Candida!
One can be sensitive to some of the 'gluten-free' flours used as a substitute: e.g. many people are sensitive to corn (possibly because so much US corn is GM), & I am actually sensitive to Buckwheat, which is often found in 'gluten-free' flours.
I personally find 'gluten-free' baked goods worse than those with plain organic wheat in them! Not that I eat either very often!
Also, I note that you say you only have a little dairy per day in tea - a small amount of an allergen can often be worse than lots, because it continually causes irritation. Perhaps you could try your tea without milk, or swap to green tea (without milk)?
Really worth giving up the dairy for at least a few weeks.
I moved to green tea & herbal teas many, many years ago and some are delicious!!
Peanut i have this feeling right now, neck and throat feel tight like someone has their hands around it and pressing on your windpipe, i have heard other people complain of this on a hashis flare and who have hypo, i think im on a flare of it. I also get a very sore thyroid and shooting pains, sounds but odd but it seems to make the back of my nose seem swollen aswell. Strange.xx
I am addressing this post and the one from a month ago.
I have Hashimoto’s, celiac, and multiple food and chemical sensitivities.
You definitely still have classic hypo symptoms. But, I see you will be self medicating soon, which should help those symptoms.
However, the feeling of lump, swelling, tightness in throat could also be indicative of a food sensitivity or low grade allergic reaction. I get the same symptoms along with stomach rumbling when I am exposed to small amounts of an offending food.
Note: Some folks have to be careful even with gluten free packaged foods. Enough gluten can still remain to cause a reaction in certain individuals. I have a problem with food dyes, especially red. But, in the states ours are chemical based, so that may not apply. Even trying gluten free lip balm is a good idea if you tend lick it off your lips.
I get the popping sensation when I forget to take Digestive Enzymes with a meal. A Hashimoto’s hallmark is low stomach acid. (NOW Digestive Enzymes w/ Ox bile ..Amazon.. are what I use.) Make sure ox bile is always in the formula. Bile is required for digestion of fats. Low bile is common, so I am all for giving the liver/ gallbladder a break whenever I can. Take one every time you eat.
Since you are gluten free already, you need to ditch the dairy completely to see if there is any improvement.
Be aware that mold sensitivity is common. Some people have problems with black tea, coffee, and mushrooms. There can also be cross reactions for people that are celiac, with coffee especially. Rooibos is a great tea alternative or regular herbal teas. Also, coconut or rice milk could be used in tea.
Healing the gut can help resolve some of the sensitivities allowing for possible reintroduction of some of the foods.
Glutamine is good for healing the gut. Glutamine is an amino acid that can help reseal the junctions in the gut lining. It is regarded as safe, but like with anything, some people can have a sensitivity. It is a tasteless powder that can be mixed in cold or room temperature drinks, taken away from meals. I still use it, though not as often as my gut health has improved.
The one thing that has helped my gut heal the most is resistant starch. Namely, white boiled potatoes with a little ghee or coconut oil, salt to taste, preferably cooled/chilled in the fridge.
Diet wise, what you have been doing sounds good, except for the dairy. The problem with restricted diets, though sometimes necessary, is that over the long term they tend to cause even more sensitivities than you started with. That's why it's good you will be working with a nutritionist to help you get back as many foods as you can. The more diverse and varied the diet, the healthier you will be.
Muscle cramps are torture. I have found that potassium helps greatly to get them under control along with magnesium. Potassium is an essential electrolyte, yet you never hear much about it. The daily requirement is 4700 mg, which is much greater than the 300-600 mg of magnesium. Most people are deficient in both. Electrolyte balance and adequate hydration are key for muscle health.
300-600 mg magnesium glycinate daily/ magnesium oil--if skin can tolerate it/ Epsom salt bath few times a week
*Magnesium is also required for production of stomach acid. It is best absorbed through the skin. An Epsom salt bath can really relax muscles and help you to sleep better.
Eat plenty of potassium rich whole foods. It can also be supplemented. Though fine for most, overdoing potassium tablet supplementation can worsen certain conditions. So, do your research.
Stay on top of B12 and iron levels. Deficiencies can cause muscle, nerve, skin problems. I find I have more muscle cramps when either of these is low.
Just a final thought regarding muscles. I had severe muscle spasms when I was struggling with yeast/candida (fungus). Sugar feeds it, so keep that low in your diet so yeast never gets the upper hand.
In the end, it could very well be that getting on the right dose of hormone will resolve it all. I sincerely hope that will be the case for you.
In the meantime, maybe some of these pearls of wisdom from the trenches can help you out.
My nutritionist has done another blood test for food allergies, I’m waiting for the results.
I’ve definitely got low stomach acid as I’ve done the burp test.
I’m definitely going to have to cut milk out.
It’s funny you mention mushrooms, I love them but that caused me major tummy pains so I’ve cut them right out.
The popping you describe is what I am experiencing, it’s terrible tonight, I think it’s because I’ve had some chocolate (no gluten in), and I’m very windy.
I’ve been eyeing the chocolate tin since Christmas, but, I was so ill over Christmas (put on antibiotics as stool sample nutritionist suggested revealed nasty bacteria infection in the gut) anyway the antibiotics were brutal.
I’m paying the price now for eating them.
As I have reacted to them it must be milk that my body doesn’t like either.
So true about the antibiotics. They wipe out everything good and bad. Get some plant/soil based probiotics. These are great for people with dairy sensitivity. You will need them to build up the gut microbiome with good bacteria and then continue with them for life. Just another consequence of the toxic fallout in which we live.
Dark chocolate is good for you, unless you are truly sensitive. One way to double check is to see if you can tolerate it by eating some that is dairy free. If you have cocoa powder at home look online to find gluten, dairy free recipe for homemade chocolate candy. You can use stevia instead of sugar. Some are very tasty. There is no need to have to give up more than is absolutely necessary, I always say:))
Yes I like the normal Coca Cola but always had diet as the normal fattening.
I didn’t know diet ones worse than normal.
You mentioned you are in the USA, when we go over (Florida) we are amazed at the range of fizzy diets available and the consistent refills of them in restaurants. We would have half a glass still left and they took it away with a fresh glass.
There are some restaurants in the UK that offer refillables, but you go and top them up yourselves with a self serve machine. Not many places do this. We do have all you can eat buffet restaurant, but not as many as the USA.
We do have a lot of choice in our supermarkets, but, we couldn’t get over the bag sizes of your potatoes chips (crisps) the size of the ice cream tubs, even the cereal boxes and also milk etc.
We absolutely loved publix, the fruit and vegetable section was unbelievable. More gluten-free choices than here as well.
Portion sizes amazed us as well, we could share a starter between us.
My son had to go to McDonald’s we couldn’t believe the choice, in that they cook fresh omelettes etc, far more choice than the UK McDonald’s.
Off to bed now as gone past midnight, past my bedtime.
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