What to do? Young mother who just got diagnosed with hosimotos thyroiditis.

[Mommyof03boys]

Hello, I'm a 28 year old female married with 3 boys. (Stay at home mother) my journey started when I noticed red bumps on my stomach after my third child and going through my husband's battle of lymphoma cancer (he beat it) I first went to a dermatologist where they did a biopsy and it came back with nothing, so they sent me to an allergist where I had many allergy tests and blood draws (even testing for leukemia and lymphoma) all labs came back good including THS. The allergist being concerned of my weight loss from 125 to 90 sent me to a endcronologist. He had blood taken and my autoimmune antibodies were 625. He diagnosed me with hosimotos thyroiditis, did ultrasound which showed complex nodule, I had a biopsy it came back ok. He put me on synthroid 25mcg only after me asking for something that might help, he said my symptoms had nothing to do with the disease (I find hard to believe) I've done research but nothing is really helping me understand the whole picture of this disease and if/what it will do to me. I want to live a long life to see my kids grow and marry. My energy is low, my muscles are very weak even to carry my 1yr old for to long. My stomach has red bumps that u can't feel and do NOT itch, but are very noticeable, my hair has thinned dramatically. My husband doesn't try to understand this disease and isn't to interested thinking that there's a quick fix. I would like to know any and all info on this if anyone can help, including if you think I should see a dif. Endocronologist. Thank u in advance.

[shaws Administrator]

First of all, welcome to our forum. You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease - also called Hashimoto's and I'll give you a couple of links for information about it.

By going strictly gluten-free you can help reduce the antibodies and it is the antibodies which attack the thyroid gland until you are hypothyroid.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Most on this forum found that Endocrinologists or Doctors know little about how to diagnose and treat dysfunctions of the thyroid gland and people who don't have a problem with their gland have no idea how many clinical symptoms there are.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

All blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levothyroixine and the test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as that seems to be all the doctors take notice of.

You need a blood test which consists of:

T3, T4, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies. B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

Get a print-out of the results with the ranges and put on a new post for comments.

The following doctor resolved her hashimoto's and there are other articles in her link:

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/book/

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Extremely common to be low

Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

[Mommyof03boys]

Thank you so much, unfortunately I think I'm on my own. Everytime I tell him anything new I find out he says your not a dr. If it was that easy to look stuff up then everyone would be a dr. And I would have cured myself of cancer. UGH. So annoying.

[Mommyof03boys]

I'm most definitely going to just rely on the help of others I'm so thankful I came across this web community.

[Mommyof03boys]

Your a good spouse to stay by his side and fight through it all

[Josiesmum]

This website is a good place to start, loads of info here:

thyroidpharmacist.com