Curious what’s wrong with the other 10%?

[rosserk]

If 90% of people who are hypothyroid have hashimoto disease what do the other 10% have

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hypothyroidism for another reason.

Thyroid surgically removed for one reason or another, or plunged into hypothyroidism due to RAI for hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism triggered by trauma - whiplash, injury to the thyroid.

Childbirth can trigger it.

Glandular fever/Epstein Barr virus can cause it.

Idiopathic.

[rosserk in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SeaSide Susie, I don’t know if I have hashimotos yet because my doctor refused to test for it. She said it didn’t matter either way and it made no difference to the treatment.

I’m due for my six week blood test in two weeks time so I am going to have a full thyroid/ vitamin and antibody test with medicheck at the same time.

I had some unusual antibodies in a previous test that were sent to a specialist laboratory to be tested, which resulted in a diagnoses of sjogrens which was several months before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I’d been visiting my doctor for three years to get to this point. 😜

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to rosserk]

Well your GP is correct in that the treatment is the same, but if you knew you had Hashi's then you could help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet and supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily, although your GP would probably poo-poo that anyway!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances too, especially gluten. So it's important to get tested, but NHS often refuses to test antibodies or FT3

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise

Hashimoto's affects the gut and often 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...

As you already are diagnosed with another autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's is likely cause

[rosserk in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon, it will be interesting to see all the results from medicheck. I was tested for folate and ferritin by my rhuemotology consultant and both were low. She wrote to my GP and asked her to consider prescribing me supplements but the GP didn’t think it was necessary and wouldn’t prescribe them. That was about two years ago so it will be interesting to see what they are now.

Kindest regards 😜

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rosserk]

How outrageous that GP declined recommendation of a consultant to correct serious nutrient deficiencies

Low vitamins affect thyroid hormones

See Box 1. Towards end of article

Some possible causes of persistent symptoms in euthyroid patients on L-T4

You will see low vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 listed

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

[rosserk in reply to SlowDragon]

It was only just below the normal range and I hadn’t been diagnosed as hypothyroid. The consultant only asked her to consider supplements I remember seeing the letter and the question mark. So I guess the doctor considered it and disagreed. I didn’t push it because it didn’t seem that significant to me, it was only just below the normal range think I cooked liver for a couple of weeks and forgot about thinking I had more serious health worries than a minor vitamin deficiency. It’s only since I’ve started coming on here that I’ve realised the importance of vitamins.

I’ve just had my delivery of Vitamin B12 and D mouth sprays and I’ve been taking selenium for a few weeks. I will add or omit any after I’ve had the medicheck results.