Coeliac Disease and Levothyroxine.
I have coeliacs and follow a gluten free diet. This is not helping my symptims of chronic constipation, fatigue and depression. I take 150mg Levothyroxine, which is gluten free, but not lactose free. I need to trial a lactose free diet (as well as continuing to be gluten free) for 2 weeks. Should I continue with my tablets, or stop them for 2 weeks? I can't get a gp appointment for 3 weeks.
I think your post has published twice, so if anyone wishes to see replies, it might be better to post them on this thread so they're all in one place:
healthunlocked.com/glutenfr...
The post has been posted to two different communities - Thyroid UK and Gluten Free Guerillas. It's quite common to post the same post to two different communities if two different groups may have something useful to contribute.
Giving up levothyroxine is not a good idea for someone who is hypothyroid. You may feel better for a few days but you would soon start to feel much, much worse than you do now.
Are you trying a lactose free diet on the instructions of a doctor or is it your idea?
Which iron products or supplements have you tried, and at what dose?
Ferrous sulphate 400mg daily, ferrous fumerate not sure of dose, ferric maltol 60mg daily.
And it's my idea to try lactose free diet
Teva is the only UK brand of Levothyroxine that is lactose free
All Levothyroxine is gluten free
Definitely do NOT stop taking Levothyroxine
Your likely under medicated and/or poor vitamin levels
Conversion of FT4 to FT3 is often poor with gluten intolerance/coeliac
As you are coeliac you are likely to need the addition of small dose of T3 alongside Levothyroxine
Also as coeliac vitamin levels are especially likely to be low
What vitamin supplements do you currently take and when were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested?
Can you add recent blood test results
Post from 5 months ago showed you were under medicated and extremely poor conversion
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Ferritin absolutely dire...did you get iron infusion?
Folate, B12 and vitamin D all too low
You need full Thyroid and vitamin testing again to see if FT3 has improved at all
You may need further dose increase in Levothyroxine.....important to see how high FT4 is in comparison to FT3
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood 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)
I didn't get any help with iron infusion. The gastro said that I would have to try all oral iron again, since I had been diagnosed with Coeliacs and was now gluten free. SO ANGRY. I still can't take oral iron, as I am still totally constipated and can't make it worse with iron. I am assuming that absorbing issues are still present, so I thought I should try a lactose free diet.
I am totally fed up with the medical profession and really unhappy at feeling so awful all the time. I am a vegetarian, but I am now considering going back to eating meat, which I really don't want to do for ethical reasons.
My house it totally gluten free, new toaster, utensils etc. High temp. wash in dishwasher for all cutlery, crockery, trays etc.
Well Isabella Wentz believes with Hashimoto's it's extremely difficult/impossible to be vegetarian
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
Are you supplementing magnesium?
Gluten free diet is often low in magnesium. Magnesium supplements can help improve constipation too.
That article is really interesting, as I have been anaemic for at least the last 30 years, vegetarian for about 11 and hypothyroid for around 5. I don't take magnesium, but I think I should.
Well you have probably been coeliac for decades....
Once you went vegetarian did you always supplement vitamin B12?
Large number of people on here, supplement magnesium, especially if supplementing vitamin D
Anyone on gluten free diet likely to be low magnesium
theceliacmd.com/articles/ma...
thespruceeats.com/gluten-fr...
Magnesium supplements
Calm vitality magnesium powder is cheap and easy to use. Good at improving constipation.
All magnesium supplements should be at least four hours away from taking Levothyroxine
Why Magnesium is important
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
Links about iron and ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post about different iron supplements.
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Better You do vitamin D with vitamin K2 mk7
Some people find Better you iron spray effective, others say not strong enough
Even getting all vitamins optimal is essential, but you are still likely to need addition of small dose of T3
Once FT4 in at top of range, if FT3 is still below 5-5.5..... you will need T3
Look at getting DIO2 gene test.....this can help prove you need T3 (assuming you test positive)
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Email Dionne at Thyroid Uk for list of recommended thyroid specialists who will prescribe T3
The chronic constipation prevents absorption of nutrients and causes a mountain of problems... I had it for my whole life and the only 2 things that have really ever helped in all that time (I'm old😊) were magnesium citrate (I use Viridian powder) and T3...I'm fine now ~ it's like a miracle! 👍 Golden Linseed can also be very helpful, as it goes slimy once ingested, and aids transport of food through the system...rich in omega 3 and fatty acids too. I use Linusit.
Don't stop the Thyroxine, wait and see what happens, maybe buy some Better You mouth sprays... they're great as they avoid the gut, but as with everything, always check ingredients. They do an iron spray now, which has been another life saver, as I could never absorb iron or Vit D in tablets or capsules ~ they gave me terrible stomach pain and sickness, and had little effect on levels. I hope you find some improvements soon, it's a miserable business. x
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