Does hypothyroidism affect urinary tract and bladder?

[Tythrop]

I have noticed a significantly slower flow and less need to pee. Also my tummy is pretty distended. NHS say that I am Hashi but not hypothyroidal. Both my ths and T4 tests are in the bottom 25-30% of the range and have been for many years. I had post partum overactive in 1999. I have TPO antibodies in the high range (results posted recently) Do your members have experience of links between Hypo and urinary tract /bladder issues?

[Marz]

Every cell in your body has a receptor for T3 - so yes everything and anything can be affected by low hormones.

Do you have lower back issues ?

[Tythrop in reply to Marz]

Not yet

[Marz in reply to Tythrop]

I only asked because nerves controlling bowel and bladder come from the lower spine ...

[Tythrop in reply to Marz]

Oh I see. I will keep an eye and maybe lie to GP and say I have, toake them panic a bit.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

More frequent UTI are common hypothyroid symptom

As you have Hashimoto’s important to regularly test vitamin levels

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[Tythrop in reply to SlowDragon]

Fraid not... I'm a bit "old school" I'm afraid. I eat meat too....

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tythrop]

With hashimoto’s we usually need good protein. So meat and fish , plenty of good fats and veg

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and 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 intolerance. Second most common is lactose intolerance

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find strictly gluten free diet reduces symptoms, sometimes significantly. Either due to 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

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet

(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)

Trying strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months

If no noticeable improvement, reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Different diet options

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

[Marz in reply to Tythrop]

Being old school is fine - because in the olden days wheat was wheat. Today it is sprayed and sprayed again and after harvest is sprayed again with 14 more chemicals .. so if the gluten doesn't get you the toxins will 😥

[posthinking01]

Hi there - as someone who has had Hashi's for many years - yes it can affect these areas and of course everywhere else - the reduced flow is concerning - please see your GP to have a urine test CULTURE grown - do you have any other symptoms? Pain in tummy etc.

[Tythrop]

Yes I will go. No I have no pain just bloated. Thanks 4 respond

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tythrop]

Low output

boostthyroid.com/blog/2019/...

Reduced GFR

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Tythrop in reply to SlowDragon]

Ta

[Tythrop]

Some stuff I have googled seem to say probs resolve when properly treated.. Which is why I need somehow to penitrate NHS protocol.. I have just started very low dose Armour.. GP won't like it but what do we do?

[Deeseona]

As Slow Dragon mentions, there is a link between Hypothyroidism, Hashimotos and frequent UTIs. A while ago I did find a couple of research articles writing this in their findings. Unfortunately when I mention it to any of the GPS in the practice I attend and and a Urologist I was referred to, they just dismiss it. However, their a more clued up GPs that acknowledge it and a few Consultants, from what I have been told by other UTI and Hypothyroid sufferers. I belong to a UTI support group online and it’s very interesting to see how many of them have mentioned they have an under active thyroid too. On another note, since eating gluten free my bloating has stopped.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Marz]

Yes I remember it being 'modified' after the Russian grain harvest failed during the Cold War and they had to go cap in hand to the US. At that time they also started to manipulate the weather !

[Hillwoman]

Besides Hashi's/hypo, other autoimmune conditions can lead to frequent UTI's. Pernicious anaemia can affect the bladder quite badly in ways that differ between individuals: 'overactive' bladder, urinary retention, low flow. I had years of bladder misery before diagnosis and treatment with B12 shots.