Hello everyone! Can dysphagia be associated with hypothyroidism? Or b12 deficiency? I’m trying to sort out what condition caused mine Thanks

[Gigi216]

I developed dysphagia 5 years ago I have hypothyroidism and b12 deficiency. I feel I’ve been under treated on my thyroid. I’m working on getting my thyroid optimal it’s hard to find a doc that will not just treat TSH! I can swallow liquid but can’t swallow solids. Any opinions are appreciated. Antibodies for myasthenia were negative. Thanks!

[greygoose]

It's more likely the other way round - your hypo caused your dysphagia and B12 deficiency.

It could be that your thyroid is enlarged and affecting your swallowing. Have you had an ultrasound? And, stomach acid can be low with hypothyroidism causing nutritional deficiencies. Have you also had your vit D, folate and ferritin tested? How about Hashi's antibodies - TPOab?

[Gigi216 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for reply, I’m getting an ultrasound in 3 weeks. I have had a vitamin D deficiency in the past and low ferritin for many years. I take spatone several times a week for iron, and take a multivitamin each day to cover other things. I will order vitamin labs next week and post results when I get them. Usually a week or two. If I get thyroid numbers in mid range or higher maybe it will resolve. It has resolved 3 times once when I went to the ocean and came back home I could eat for 3 weeks! Then progress went away again I feel that was a hint! I’ve tried iodine drops but my right leg goes numb and hard to walk so I stopped. Thank you again!

[Gigi216 in reply to Gigi216]

Also my TPO antibodies were 81 so I did show some but they were low

[greygoose in reply to Gigi216]

Well, everybody has some antibodies, but what was the top of the range?

Even if that test was negative, it doesn't rule out Hashi's, because antibodies fluctuate all the time. Plus, some Hashi's people never develop high antibodies. So, you can rarely say with any certainty that you don't have it.

[Gigi216 in reply to greygoose]

81 range <9 so it was above 9 and must be positive for some activity

[greygoose in reply to Gigi216]

You have Hashi's. No doubt about that. And, you will have probably had it for quite some time before you even noticed anything was wrong, because the body adapts. So, seems more and more likely that your dysphagia and B12 deficiency were caused by your hypothyroidism.

[greygoose in reply to Gigi216]

Dump the multi-vit. At best it won't do anything at all, at worst it could be dangerous with things you don't need. You should always take what you need, not just a presumed insurance policy in a pill. Rarely works. Which is why we always ask about testing nutrients.

[Gigi216 in reply to greygoose]

I will post my ferritin vitamin d etc when I get results in a couple of weeks and maybe then there will be a fuller picture

[greygoose in reply to Gigi216]

Indeed.

[Heloise]

Hi Gigi, I think you are correct about being under treated. I feel the same and even in the U.S. it can be difficult to get the treatment you prefer. I fought for NDT but no T3 and later I did acquire T3. My P.A. did look at Ft3 and Ft4 which you have to know if you want to assess your treatment.

I have a post on the vagus nerve and this nerve runs very close to your palate and it dominates a lot of the activity of your organs. Dr. Tom O'Bryan says "you don't have a disease, you have a dysfunction" and I believe the nervous system is out of kilter and then leads to all sorts of dysfunction. I've also posted John Bergman's videos, he is brilliant and reveals how the body functions. He doesn't really treat but explains and believes in healing. His videos are all great on you tube.

[Gigi216]

Yes I’ve wondered about the vagus nerve and if that is part of my problem. I will look up those two men and study their work. I find in the US that doctors don’t want to go against the insurance companies so they just prescribe T4. Naturopathic doctors are nice but none can be licensed in the southeast where I live so not many here. It seems difficult for a person to get the care they need. You are so full of knowledge and kind to share it! I always feel very informed when I read what you post! Thank you