I am slightly hypothyroid, but am not on meds. Major issue I have been experiencing for the last few years was fat malabsorption - if I eat a lot of it, I have cramps the next day because it comes out the other end.
This week was horrible, I cannot eat anything without stomach burning, bloating, gnawing, stabbing, feeling heavy like a rock. I started considering two sources of fat digestion: gallbladder (clear), and pancreas (unremarkable on ultrasound). I read a lot online about pancreatitis and how the pain is horrible, but main is not severe, I am worried about fat indigestion though.
Anyone has experience with pancreatitis? Does it sound like it?
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darkknightlt
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Pancreatitits is extreemely painful, you can be in agony rolling around. Pancreatic enzymes can be measured in the blood and may be very high. Something like this should be investigated by a gastroenterologist, there are many possible causes and it's best not to try and self diagnose. Gastroenterologists have tools to carry out appropriate investigations.
I've had pancreatitis which was awful, and severe enough to necessitate a 999 ambulance trip and admission to hospital one Christmas Day. In my case the pain was horrendous, and I was unable to even think about eating, or even stand up straight - I was doubled over in pain. The ambulance people, surprisingly, weren't very nice, completely missing the possible pancreatis diagnosis, telling me I'd obviously over done the Xmas celebrations when in fact I'd not been able to eat or drink a single thing. So that was my experience of acute pancreatitis which may be different from your experience of course. Your symptoms might be evidence of a number of things, and more a chronic condition than an acute one. Have you looked at malabsorption syndrome?
My pancreatitis was similar, a gallstone had blocked the common bile duct putting the bile into the pancreas. You know when you have acute pancreatitis.
Low stomach acid common with Hashimoto's too. Low stomach acid often results in low vitamin levels
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Medichecks currently have an offer on until end of May - 20% off
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
Could this possibly be due to low stomach acid ? Apparently I have low acid (nutritionist diagnosed) and have had some of your symptoms, as well as IBS when stressed. I have unmedicated Hashimotos. I have improved beyond belief by starting acidophilus probiotics, a teaspoon of organic cider vinegar in warm water before most meals and slippery elm powder in live yoghurt! I occasionally have lactulose as well. This has helped me so much and my symptoms have pretty much gone after one week (including bad colon pain and gas). Just a thought, but we are all different so this may not be for you. I hope you find some answers soon and your symptoms improve!
I have had those as well and terrible bloating and needing to go to the loo quite quickly sometimes after a fatty meal ! I have read that Hashimotos can really screw up the gut. I really hope you can get to the bottom of this either with professional help or trying different things yourself.
Have you herd about having a leaky Gut?This can have a huge impact on our Thyroid too,try a strict Gluten free and Dairy free diet for at least 60 days,take vitamin D3 and B6 supplement, have your iron levels checked,keep a diary of all you eat and how you feel that day with marks out of 10,Hope this helps,I think at least we should do everything we can to help our Thyroid condition the best it can be,and this is one way we take back some control,hope this helps,Im on day 25 and have seen a huge improvement!
When you had a blood test for thyroid hormones was it at the very earliest? Fasting? and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the blood test? If not your results will be skewed. If you didn't follow this procedure ask for another test or, if you wish, you can get a private test and they are home pin-prick tests. If you decided make sure you are well hydrated a couple of days before blood draw.
I shall give a link for labs, just in case you want to use them. Doctors seem to only look at a TSH result and it drops throughout the day, that's why a fasting (you can drink water) plus a 24 hour gap between last dose and test - and take it afterwads.
I have a 2,2 cm gallstone and don't have the excruciating pain most are talking about. I have dull pain, slightly right to my stomach, that gets worse after eating fatty, sugary food, and after stress. Also, I have referred pain in the tip of my right shoulder and my jaws clench, if the gallbladder flares up. And yes, belching, fluttering, bloating and gas...
Don't know if that helps your diagnose anything. But just wanted to share that gallbladder disease does not necessarily come with the extreme, labour-like pain most described.
You could look at Gilbert's Syndrome. If this is the explanation it's good news as can be controlled through diet and exercise! Gilbert's is where an enzyme is lacking which helps digest fats; bile can also be released into the bloodstream which makes you feel rough. See it the whites of your eyes look white or a bit yellow. It's hereditary and pretty common.
How was it diagnosed? Did you have abnormal stool, like fatty greasy? I noticed this was the thing for the last few years. I had an ultrasound but it did not reveal anything wrong with pancreas or gallbladder. I am thinking of getting fecal elastase test, that would show if there are issues. The pain I get is random, to the right, to the left of upper abdomen. After eating it is located in center abdomen. It is not horrible though.
Sounds like you may have a hernia, the pain from pancreatitis is extreme (10/10 sometimes) and you’d have vomiting, bile diarrhea, pain in upper left abdomen etc.
I am no expert, but if you have undigested fat in stools it would suggest that for whatever reason you are not ejecting enough bile from your gallbladder into your stomach when you eat to emulsify and absorb any fats you are consuming in meals. The functioning of the gallbladder is intricately linked to levels of hormones - and one of the key ones is thyroid hormone. If you don't have enough thyroid hormones another part of the biliary system will also not function properly, called the sphincter of Oddi. This is a little sphincter which anatomically controls the flow of enzymes from the pancreas to the stomach and the flow of bile from the gallbladder to the stomach. It needs thyroid hormones to stay relaxed and open to allow the bile and enzymes to flow normally. Without the right levels it will snap shut and you will get a back up of enzymes in the pancreas and bile will back up in the gallbladder. This will cause pain in the upper abdomen on the left and the right and if you are eating what would be regarded as a normal meal [normal portion size, mix of nutrients] expecting it to be digested it won't happen because there won't be the bile and enzymes needed for that getting into the stomach - hence pain gas discomfort. It would be something to research for yourself and maybe raise with a gastroenterologist - Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction [SOD] - it may be what you have going on - it may not. Unfortunately little about it is understood about it by much of the medical profession - they certainly won't make the link with a thyroid problem. Thyroid problem and GB problems go hand in hand and yet the medical profession separates all of these parts of the body out as if nothing under the skin is joined up to anything else. I have GB issues. All I am offered is the removal of my gallbladder - I was given my gallbladder for a reason and if you work hard enough at it you can keep it. I do not intend to let them remove it without first fully evaluating my thyroid status and trying to do something about that if it isn't right. You may not have SOD but may also get similar pain and symptoms if biliary sludge is blocking the sphincter of oddi. This is where bile is thick and filled with crystals or micro gall stones because bile is not thin and flowing freely. This can be helped by drinking several cups of very hot water throughout the day [hot helps the sludge dissolve] and by having a very small cup of cloudy apple juice [get it in litre cartons in lidl] with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in it in the morning before breakfast [drink with straw or it will rot your teeth].
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They suspected that in my case too, but it turned out not to be. 
Digests
Digestion
Digestion and constipation
Fluctuating digestive sypmtoms 
hashimoto ,slow digestion
