Hashi's

[Manjiajk]

Hi everyone! Has anyone had any success losing weight with Hashimotos? xx

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum,

On your Profile you've only put your name. You can put some of your thyroid history on it so that members have some background to look at and you don't need to be asked repeat questions.

When were you diagnosed? What dose of levothyroxine are you taking?

Do you have a print-out of your latest blood test results with the ranges?

When we have a blood test it should always be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose and the test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as that seems to be the only number the doctors look at.

Always get a print-out of your results and make sure the ranges are also stated as labs differ and ranges enable members to respond.

The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and a Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the ranges but the latter two are rarely tested. Members get a private test from one of the recommended labs who do home finerg pin-prick tests if you require.

Your vitamins/minerals should also be optimal, i.e. B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum. Please add recent Thyroid results and members can comment.

Frequently we are not on correct dose of Levothyroxine, or

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

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Essential to regularly test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Have these been tested? Add results and ranges if you have them

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

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

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 or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first




Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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

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

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

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

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I can’t tolerate gluten/wheat and cut it out of my diet years. I supplement all of the vitamins you’ve mentioned.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

You need to test vitamin levels at least annually. Twice yearly might be better

Do you have vitamin results and ranges to add

If you are gluten intolerant then gut is affected

You may have DIO2 gene variation

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

What’s DIO2 gene variation? I’ve had intolerance testing and it shows that I’m not gluten intolerant, but I still can’t eat it- Gluten wipes me out.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

Many Hashimoto's patients have poor conversion of FT4 to FT3

What's your FT3 and FT4 results

Also many of us have DIO2 gene variation.

Private testing only (unless in small area of Kent )

Medically recognised test that has to include compulsory counselling

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Wider testing for "educational purposes " with no counselling

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

T4 is 14.1 and T3 is 4.81

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

Sorry we always need ranges on all test results

Each lab is different

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

TSH)

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21.2 mIU/L

0.27- 4.3

Free Thyroxine (FT4)

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14.1 pmol/L

12-23

Triiodothyronine (FT3)

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4.81 pmol/L

3.1- 6.8

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase antibodies

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65.3 kIU/L

0- 34

Thyroxine (T4)

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88.2 nmol/L

66-181

Anti-Thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAB)

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100.0 kU/L

0-115

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

These results are presumably from before starting on levothyroxine?

Standard starter dose is 50mcg

Bloods retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Dose goes up in 25mcg steps until TSH is under 2

FT4 in top third of range

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

Is it normal to have a lot of water retention with Hashimoto’s?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

It's often mucin rather than water

Thick jelly held under the skin

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Do you Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after.

Many take early morning, on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime.

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Other medication at least 2 hours away, some like HRT, iron, calcium, vitamin D or magnesium at least four hours away from Levothyroxine

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve started on 50mg of levothyroxine.

Is mucin hard to get rid of?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

How long have you been on 50mcg ?

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

I only started it today, so I have a long way to go yet.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

Well yes, but it's a first step!

Getting bloods retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and coeliac blood test too

[Manjiajk in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much, this all really helps.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Manjiajk]

Can you add your most recent TSH, FT3 and FT4 results

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw). This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

[Sveistre]

Hi ajkoistan, I do have Hashi's too and after total crisis where I told myself I can’t live like this anymore and I’ll do everything to get my life back I’ve done research online and came up with Keto diet + IF, I’ve lost over 50lbs in 8 months only changing my diet completely and I felt improvement after 2 weeks straight away. I do supplement as well and got my meds to right doses and right meds itself (T4/T3 combo), hope that helps, I know how frustrating and impossible that might look

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

Hi, is IF intermittent fasting? How does that work? Thanks. I'm on a low carb diet anyway, then last year, after being vegetarian for most of my life, I decided to become vegan. To be honest, I don't think veganism is right for this condition and I have introduced fish back into my diet. Do you find dairy to be OK? Thank you.

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

Also, have you has any water retention with this issue? I have terrible water retention.

[Sveistre in reply to Manjiajk]

Hi, yes it’s intermittent fasting - let’s say you’re doing 16/8 or 18/6 which means you are fasting for 16 or 18 hours and 8 or 6 is your eating window - 2 or 3 times your choice, no snacking whatsoever. In my opinion, Keto is a great way to lose that weight because as you’re eating many fats and no carbs your body starts to use your own fat for energy - ketosis. But it’s just my opinion and experience, do your own research first to see if that’s for you. I am using dairy with no problem at all, no water retention as well. You can check videos from the doc I learned a lot about Keto, IF etc..

m.youtube.com/watch?v=OX2tm...(Not working as expected?)

Hope that helps x

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

Great. Thank you x

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

One other thing, have you found that the diet has helped with any other symptoms? X

[Sveistre in reply to Manjiajk]

Since I started it after a week or two I didn’t have any bloating, fatigue, body aches were gone too and defo better mood, more energy and motivation x

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

Sounds like heaven! I’ve started it this evening, so fingers crossed I have the same benefits x

[Sveistre in reply to Manjiajk]

I feel like it helped me to get my life back! Hope it will work for you too, and by the way, I’ve noticed an improvement when I introduced HLC+peptin after high protein meal as it says most of us with Hashi’s have low stomach acidity therefore much of the energy is used for food digestion, fingers crossed for you!🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[Manjiajk in reply to Sveistre]

I take digestive enzymes and they contain HCL and pepsin. Thanks again for the help.

[Manjiajk]

I saw something about Gigi Hamid yesterday, will have a Google. Thanks