New member (long post): Just joined and am... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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New member (long post)

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Just joined and am looking forward to being a member of this dynamic forum

I just turned 50 (woman) and was diagnosed with Hashimoto´s in January 2001 right before I turned 31. My levels at that time:

TSH 18.5 (0.4-4.2)

FT4 0.5 (0.8-1.8)

anti-TPO 6566 (<11)

anti-TG 441 (<1)

No FT3 tested at the time as that is not standard procedure where I live (Sweden). Levo only is the treatment of choice.

I stayed on levo (Euthyrox) until 2014, taking as much as 225 mcg daily without much symptom relief. I managed to get my FT4 levels up to 1.8 and my TSH slightly suppressed at 0.09 but most symptoms remained, such as bloating, puffy face and bags under my eyes, high blood pressure, very heavy periods, problems losing weight (I weighed 95 kilograms at the time of diagnosis and measure 173 cm).

I was diagnosed mostly due to coincidence. Back in 2000, I enrolled in Weight Watchers and, while everyone else lost about 1 kilogram a week, my weight wouldn´t budge or I´d even gain a kilo or two. WW told me I must be cheating as everyone will lose weight on their programme, and asked me if I was really weighing all the food...I will never forget the humiliation I felt when I failed to lose weight like everyone else, and how that made me feel like a failure although I knew I had not exceeded my daily number of points.

At that time, I had a colleague who had lost a lot of weight using Reductil (sibutramin; later banned in the EU), and I went to see her doctor to get a prescription. He said sure, no problem, but let´s first check your thyroid function. That is how I was diagnosed.

I never tried Reductil as I realised I first needed to normalise my metabolism. Which, according to the doctor, would take 5-6 weeks once on levo...

That was 19 years ago, and while some things have definitely improved, I am still struggling in other areas.

Back in 2014, I managed to get my doctor to test my FT3 levels for the first time, and they came back low: 3.8 pmol/L (ref 3.5-6.5). My doctor had no idea what FT3 was and just dismissed the results by saying they were "in range".

At this time, I decided to go to Belgium to see a doctor trained by T. Hertoghe. It cost me a fortune in travel costs and labs (many of which were not covered by my health insurance), but it was worth it because things have much improved since, although I still need to figure some things out.

I was first put on Novothyral but, although I felt I had more energy on it than on levo only, I felt the T3 in it was very strong...it was like being kicked by a horse a couple of hours after taking it. Also, I had trouble adjusting my FTs. For some reason, and although levo only did not work very well for me, I tend to feel worse when my FT4 levels drop too low...they came back at bottom of range (0.8; ref 0.8-1.8) while my FT3 levels came back at the top of range (6.4 pmol/L; ref 3.5-6.5). Also, like NDT, Novothyral is a combo drug containing T3 and T4 in fixed ratios. I took one pill a day (containing 100 mcg of T4 and 20 mcg of T3), split in two doses, but felt overstimulated on it although my FT3 levels remained in range (very top of range).

So the doctor suggested I try NDT instead. He said that NDT is considered to be kinder to the body than synthetic T3, that it´s absorbed more slowly and therefore is better tolerated by some. He prescribed Erfa, but when I checked with the pharmacy I had a shock when I realised what it would cost me: between 1500-2000€/year depending on my maintenance dose.

I had read about people using Thai NDT with great success and at a fraction of the cost, so I ordered a small amount of all three brands available at the time (Thyroid-S, Thiroyd, TR). Thyroid-S suited me best; I am not too crazy about all the fillers, but I feel more stable on it than on the other two brands; my energy levels are even throughout the day, without ups and downs, and I am able to take it once daily (around 5 am) without feeling the need to multi dose. I only split the dose the day before I have labs.

I have slowly worked my way up to 4.5 grains daily which is quite a lot but seems to suit me. My TSH is now completely suppressed (<0.01), something my GP is freaking out about, my FT4 levels are 1.2 (0.8-1.8) and my FT3 levels 6.4 pmol/L (3.5-6.5) 12 hours after taking 2.25 grains of NDT.

I feel neither hypo nor hyper, but normal, and many symptoms of the past are now gone, such as hair loss, low energy levels, puffy face and bags under my eyes. However, my blood pressure won´t come down no matter what, and my GP has now put me on perindopril arginine 10 mg daily.

My GP claims I am hyperthyroid and risk osteoporosis and heart problems and God knows what, and even claims my high blood pressure could be a result of what he calls hyperthyroidism (based on a suppressed TSH), but I simply tell him not to bother with my thyroid and that the "specialist I am seeing abroad" will be responsible for my treatment. He is not happy about it, but ended up saying "as long as I have nothing to do with it", adding that he could lose his license if he prescribed a drug that suppressed the TSH.

Although feeling much better, I have been struggling with borderline diabetes 2 for years. My latest labs showed slightly over range fasting blood glucose (105, ref 70-110; should ideally not be >80 from what I´ve read), and my fasting insulin came back at 18 (ref 2-25; should be <5). So I am not yet diabetic but pre-diabetic and that could explain why I am still struggling to lose weight. I weigh 85 kilograms and would like to weigh ca 70. While I´ve lost 10 kilograms since switching to NDT, I still have a long way to go.

I know low carb diets are very popular these days, and often recommended to people with blood sugar issues, but I have also read that hypothyroid people need carbs. I cannot remember why...something to do with T4 to T3 conversion? That might not affect me since I´m on NDT so less dependent on conversion.

What I have been wondering is if it would be possible to combine WW with low carb? Of course, being on WW would not allow me to eat limitless amounts of fat, but I could eat lots of non-starchy vegetables (all of them 0 points so can be eaten freely), and combine them with lean protein such as poultry, eggs and fish (also 0 points) and then add healthful fats (butter, olive oil, nuts, avocado) until I reach my daily number of points?

The info is very conflicting, with some experts claiming that calorie counting is useless and even counterproductive, while others claim weight loss is always about calories in and calories out.

I have read that hypothyroid people are more prone to blood sugar issues and diabetes 2, although I am not sure why...except that the whole endocrine system seems to be messed up.

I was recently put on HRT as well, Lenzetto spray daily and Utrogestan 200 mg twelve days a month. I have read that estrogen can cause weight gain and fluid retention, but also understand that natural progesterone is supposed to counteract that...also, that bio-identical HRT is different from synthetic hormones in that respect?

I have also been working on optimising my vitamin and mineral levels. I used to take vit D during winter months only, but now take it every day (Doctor´s Best, 5000 IU daily). I switched from taking it a few months a year to every day after my latest labs showed vit D levels of 30.9 ng/mL (ref >30.0) but my doctor wants them to be at least 50.

My zinc levels came back at 806 ug/L (ref 700-1200) which I guess is on the low side...?

Also, for the first time, my triglycerides came back out of range at 166mg/dL (<150, came back at 71 last year). I have read that a rise in blood sugar and insulin levels can cause that; last year, my fasting blood glucose came back at 90 (ref 70-105) and my insulin at 13 (2-25) so definitely lower than this year.

Of course, my GP thinks I am eating too much saturated fat to end up with triglyceride levels like that.

Since having labs, I have added wild Alaskan salmon oil capsules.

My vit B12 levels came back at 1050 pg/mL (ref 189-883); not sure if that is optimal or should be even higher?

My ferritin levels are low and that remains a problem: they came back at 40 ng/mL (ref 10-205). I have tried every available iron supplement on the market but to no avail. I have been thinking about trying beef liver available on many sites such as Amazon?

My doctor only tests ferritin, but I think it would be a good to measure iron and TIBC?

It feels like, although I am seeing a specialist who is a lot more competent than most doctors, I still need to do a lot of the job myself...!

Also, I often have the impression that things have not improved thanks to, but rather despite of, doctors...! I feel i have to stay on top of things, stay updated, get advice from others in the same situation and then try to steer my doctor in the right direction...even if he´s supposed to be a hormone expert...?!

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30 Replies

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greygoose5 years ago

Hi Anncats70, welcome to the forum.

Yours is a long post, and much to be said, but I'd like to concentrate on the weight-loss problem. Personally, I wouldn't bother with WW. It may work - temporarily - for some people, but organisations like that make their money with returning customers. Like the pharmacutical companies, a customer cured is a customer lost! It's not sustainable. The whole idea of calories in vs calories out is unsustainable and not based on scientific fact. Have a look at this wonderful post which explains it so well:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

On top of all that, you need a decent calorie intake to be able to convert T4 to T3. Low-calories diets really aren't recommended with hypo. For one thing, they often end up causing low nutrient levels, and you need optimal nutrients for your body to be able to use thyroid hormone. So, stop counting calories and count nutrients in stead.

Low carbohydrates? You're right, hypos do need carbs to convert, so like low-calorie, it can be counter-productive and make you put on more weight, rather than losing it, by making you more hypo. You could try cutting down on carbs, see if it helps, but just don't go too low.

But, the main question your need to ask yourself is: what is this extra weight? What does it consist of? Is it really fat, that can be reduced by diet and exercise? Or is it actually water-weight, caused by excess mucin? That is a very important point to ponder. So, if you don't know what mucin is, try using the search window at the top of the page. Type in 'mucin' and see what comes up.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

Thanks, Greygoose! You´re right, I´ve never heard of mucin but will look it up right away!

As for WW, low carb and weight loss, I believe you´re right and what you say is in line with what I´ve read in many articles debunking the "calories in-calories out" theory. Of course, most mainstream doctors still believe in it...!

I managed to lose 10 kilograms - slowly but steadily - by cutting out unnecessary carbs (snacks and fast food which also has the advantage of cutting out trans fats and hydrogenated oils). I also replaced white rice and pasta with whole grain rice and pasta made with chickpea flour etc, and that also helped in that they did not cause sugar cravings. So maybe low carb high fat is not really the way to go for someone who´s hypo, but GI would be better (a low glycemic diet so you can eat carbs, but should favour complex carbs)? I have also read that resistant starch, the one found in boiled cold potatoes and beans, can actually lower blood sugar levels and help you lose weight.

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

I believe you´re right and what you say is in line with what I´ve read in many articles debunking the "calories in-calories out" theory. Of course, most mainstream doctors still believe in it...!

Yes, they do. But, then, they know nothing about nutrition, and very little about thyroid, so their opinions count for nothing. They just don't learn about these things in med school.

So maybe low carb high fat is not really the way to go for someone who´s hypo, but GI would be better (a low glycemic diet so you can eat carbs, but should favour complex carbs)? I have also read that resistant starch, the one found in boiled cool potatoes and beans, can actually lower blood sugar levels and help you lose weight.

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Maybe. In someone with a fully functioning thyroid. But, I'm not sure that's going to make much difference to a hypo. And, you do still need plenty of good fat, hypo or not. If your weight-gain is caused by mucin retaining water, then no rules for losing weight are going to apply. They are for people with excess fat, not water.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

Thanks again, Greygoose! Yes, that´s what I´ve read as well about needing a lot of good fats. I read recently that all hormones are made from good fats, and that low fat diets can cause a drop in essential hormones, incl sex hormones, even leading to fertility problems in some women who have been dieting a lot since they cannot make enough sex hormones without sufficient amounts of fat.

But I am not sure what a good ratio between saturated and monosaturated fats (such as olive oil) would be...? I prefer butter to margarine and full-fat cheese to low-fat cheese anyway, but would like to find a balance between the different kinds of fat. The Mediterranean diet is said to be very healthy and it consists of mainly monosaturated fat (olive oil, olives, fish). I am not afraid of saturated fats, far from it, but am anxious to find the right balance.

I do think that any kind of diet is doomed to fail in the short or long run as you cannot fight hunger or cravings indefinitely, and many diets will lead to that. I think a common problem is that cravings make you eat more bad carbs, when the real problem may be too little fat in your diet...so I am anxious not to walk into that trap.

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

I'm not sure there is any fixed ratio of saturate to monosaturated. I should imagine that, like most things, it differs from person to person, as we're all different. I'm not even sure it's that important.

Cravings are usually caused by nutritional deficiency - although salt cravings probably mean adrenal problems, because adrenals need salt. So, it is essential to get your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested, and supplement according to the results. Being hypo will probably mean you have low stomach acid, which means you will have difficulty digesting food and absorbing nutrients. Being on a low-calorie diet will add to that.

Fat is necessary for the absorption of some nutrients, like vit D and vit K2. Sex hormones are made from cholesterol. So, when you read that all hormone production needs fat, I'm not sure whether they're confusing fat with cholesterol - a common mistake, but actually, there's no connection.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

Yes, possibly. I actually read this on the website of a private women´s health/ fertility clinic.

I have been reading a lot about the need to raise stomach acid levels and use Betaine HCL; is that a good idea or not? There is so much advice out there, often conflicting, that it´s difficult to know what is good for you and what would basically be a waste of money…!

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

I don't think Betaine HCL would be a waste of money, but as I've just said, we're all different, and what works for some, won't work for others. Some do very well on Betaine HCL to raise their stomach acid. Others don't. I can't speak from personal experience because I rarely have that sort of problem. If I do have a bit of acid reflux, I take some vit C and it seems to do the job. But, I know that a lot of people do well on Apple Cider Vinager - a teaspoonful, of organic ACV, with the mother, in water or orange juice, drunk through a straw (to avoid damaging teeth) just before a meal. Others use lemon juice. But, you're going to have to experiment to find what works for you.

Very often the source of conflicting advice comes from the fact that some people believe there are no differences between us. And base their 'advice' on what works, or doesn't work, for them. But, if they came and did some reading on here, they'd realise that the differences are real and varied! There is rarely a one-size-fits-all!

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

About the ignorance of doctors: when I saw my GP (on Feb 25), he said: "At least I have some good news; you no longer have Hashimoto´s because your labs are in range for the first time!"

anti-TPO <6 UI/mL (ref <6)

anti-TG 1 UI/mL (<4)

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

Stupid man! Of course you still have Hashi's.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

Yes, doctors are incredibly stupid when it comes to thyroid disease. I have all but given up on them...I am not even sure there is any point in measuring antibodies once you´ve been diagnosed with Hashi´s...

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

There isn't any point in measuring antibodies once you know you have Hashi's.

shaws• in reply to5 years ago

It is not uncommon for some women to have weight gain when hypothyroid. Sometimes it's due to the doctor not increasing dose of levo sufficiently and many are 'happy' to get the TSH within the range when we actually need a TSH of 1 or lower with both Frees (FT4 and FT3) should be in the upper part of the ranges. Also B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate should be checked.

They following may give you some encouragement.

Sometimes, for some people, levo alone doesn't raise their metabolism.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

• in reply toshaws5 years ago

Thanks a lot, Shaws, I welcome all info!

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

I was curious about WW´s new programme, said to be "their best ever" as it offers much more flexibility and hundreds of foods are now "points free", incl pasta, rice, and potatoes.

So I read some more about it, compared it to when I did WW 20 years ago, and it seems that fat is even more "expensive" now than it used to be.

For instance, one teaspoon (5 ml) of olive oil = 1 point. Three teaspoons of olive oil = 15 ml so should "cost" 3 points, right? Instead, you now have to "pay"4 points. If I had chosen the programme most fitted to my needs (they now offer several programmes based on your individual needs), I would have 16 daily points to spend on food. One single table spoon of olive oil (which is the minimum I´ll pour on my salad) would "cost" me 1/4 of my daily points.

In other words, it seems WW is now "penalising" fat even more than they used to, in order to enable you to eat as much pasta and rice as you´d like.

OK, they stress this possibility should be used sensibly, and that you should favour whole-grain pasta and wild rice, but how easy is that when you suffer from blood sugar problems which are only likely to get worse when you eat a lot of "free" carbs? From what I have read on several low carb sites, the effect on your blood sugar levels when eating whole-grain pasta will only be slightly less compared to pasta made with refined wheat flour.

So, to sum up, it would seem WW is still all about calorie-counting, which may work in metabolically healthy 20-year-olds who got fat from sitting in front of the computer all day eating junk food. But it wouldn´t do much for me since I have several hormonal issues. On the contrary - basically excluding fat from my diet, while increasing my carb intake, would most likely cause me to gain even more weight.

Also, WW stresses the importance of eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. OK, fruit contains vitamins and fibres, but there is nothing in fruit that you cannot get from vegetables, right, and if you choose vegetables over fruit you also get a lot less fructose. So, I don´t think fruit and vegetables should be seen as one food category, since fruit (especially high glycemic fruits) will affect your blood sugar (and insulin) levels much more than non-starchy vegetables.

I have now decided to embark upon a low carb diet and see how it works out. At least I figure I have nothing to lose, since my insulin and blood sugar levels show I have insulin resistance, and I don´t think I will be able to lose any weight on a standard diet based on carbs. It would seem there are few truly "healthy" carbs (except non starchy vegetables), and all the rest affect our blood sugar levels quite a lot, even carbs said to be "healthy" or "slow".

So I will now limit my carb intake to non-starchy vegetables, and increase my fat intake, and see what happens. I expect my blood sugar and insulin levels will go down without the usual carb intake.

I´d love to hear from others who have tried LC diets, especially if you had blood sugar and insulin-related problems as I do.

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

WW has always been based on low fat. I think it should be avoided like the plague.

Be careful with low carb, too. You need carbs to convert.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

I know, but I was wondering if lots of vegetables can provide enough carbs, or if other carbs are necessary too (fruit, berries, starchy veggies, even low GI bread and pasta, wild rice etc)? It seems even low GI pasta such as buckwheat or quinoa pasta, as well as rye bread (often touted as healthy) can raise blood sugar levels quite a lot. My latest fasting blood sugar readings came back at 104 (ref 70-105) and my fasting insulin levels at 18 (ref 2-24.9, should not be>5). I want to avoid diabetes medication if at all possible as they only treat the result, not the cause. Since I´m clearly insulin resistant, borderline T2 diabetic even, I think that reducing carbs is the way to go as low-fat diets make me too hungry. I only manage to stick to them for a couple of days before I give in and stop binging. But, in order to eat enough fat, I think less carbs are necessary as a diet high in both fat and carbs will most likely not only keep me insulin resistant, but also make me gain more weight…?

I have read that virgin coconut oil is great for weight loss, and it´s recommended to work you way up to three tablespoons a day, Some add it to their coffee and tea. It seems the body cannot store the fat in virgin coconut oil, but instead it increases metabolism and helps with weight loss.

Some lose weight on a low carb diet and are then able to switch to a low glycemic diet where they eat carbs but only low GI carbs (which makes perfect sense to me).

I guess once insulin resistant = always insulin resistant? Meaning I can lower my BS and insulin levels by eating less carbs, but if I go back to the WW approach "I can eat anything as long as I stick to X number of calories a day" won´t work for me, as I will always have to watch my carb intake?

I even suspect my insulin resistance could have been originally caused by my hypothyroidism, even though most doctors are unaware of the connection between thyroid disease, adrenal disorders, and insulin resistance/T2 diabetes. They only think you have blood sugar issues because you are overweight and don´t exercise enough.

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

I'm afraid I cannot answer any of your questions. Like most things, it's going to vary from person to person. You have to find what works for you by trial and error. But, I certainly wouldn't recommend you go back to low-fat/low-calorie/WW diets under any circumstances. The body needs fat. Quite how many carbs you need will be a very personal thing.

5 years ago

Yes, I take a vit B supplement. It´s called Vitamin B Complex from Birch & Wilde. I added it about a year ago after my vit B12 came back at the bottom of range (my doctor only tests vit B12 but I figured it would be a good idea to balance it with other vits B as well). My hormone specialist said he likes to see vit B12 levels above 1000. Anyway, I figured since it´s a water soluable vitamin it will not be stored in the body and build up to toxic levels….?

mandyjane5 years ago

Hi. Please try to avoid dieting. It often seems to cause hypothyroidism and can definably make things worse, especially avoid ww. It is a very low fat diet and the last thing you need. People who have struggled with their weight for many years often find it very hard to normalise their eating and usually swing from under to over eating or from deprivation to binge. This is a normal reaction to dieting and dieting similar to denying yourself enough water but reaction slower, so if you under eat for a while you will almost inevitably over eat to compensate in the same way as you would drink lots of water if you have been thirsty for a long time. A good book to help is the 'Compassionate mind for over eaters' and mindfulness excellent for helping with the kind of cravings you might get and find hard to control such as when the biscuits in the kitchin are calling you. It does take a while to get things right and start to lose weight. I used to belong to over eaters anonymous, and lost about 15 stone in 10 years or so. It is the only group I know in which people do have long term weight loss and maintain it. They used these funny little slogans 'progress not perfection' and another saying was that 'to be a normal size you to have to eat a normal diet'. I have also found calorie counting helpful to normalise eating. It is good as long as you aim to eat about the same amount of calories as you are calculated to have burnt up or just slightly under. A good weight loss goal is about 1 pound a month ( not week that is much too fast). Yes frustrating isn't it but that 1 pound a month is gone for good and is not going to bounce back with a bit extra in 3 months time. You might also want to keep a diary and watch carefully your bodys reaction to the food you eat. I have found I have to avoid refined sugar and caffeine as they cause low blood sugar and cravings. my stomach also tends to hurt when I am hungry as if the bacteria in my gut are munching away at me and because of this and a few other reasons I know I need to eat a high protein diet. I think what I am try to say is that a diet will especially something like ww or slimming world discourage you from finding you own bodys needs re diet and this is very individual. I have also found having more seasalt helpful to remove excess fluid from my body and have lost about 17 pounds by using it for this. I am not trying to say that your thyroid care isn't important and you are unlikely to lose weight unless it is good but you are also unlikely lose weight if you are stuck in eating patterns that developed over a long period of time as a result of periods of undereating. People have recently posted on here that eating green veg has helped with low iron in a way that taking tablets never did. Good luck with the liver, best eaten with chilli I have found.

• in reply tomandyjane5 years ago

So true...I know exactly what you mean!!!

I just read about how high fructose corn syrup messes up your body, raises blood sugar and insulin levels, and causes fatty liver which means your liver cannot cannot clear your body of toxins, causing them to build up and cause chronic inflammation. It seems fructose is a common cause of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes 2, and many chronic inflammatory diseases, and not fat as was once believed. It seems modified starch is equally bad for our health. And when we go on a diet, avoid fat and increase our intake of foods containing HFCS, we only create a vicious circle.

I was amazed to realise how many foods contain HFCS and modified starch...almost everything unless you cook it yourself. Even breakfast cereal marketed as low carb...

What you say about sea salt is very interesting as I have always been told by doctors salt causes fluid retention and high blood pressure (which I am on medication for). Of course, there is a difference between table salt and sea salt...do you use Celtic sea salt?

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

Doctors know nothing about diet or nutrients. Never take advice from them on that subject, they have some very weird ideas. It's rare for salt intake to cause high blood pressure. And yours is far more likely to be due to your hypo. As long as your kidneys are healthy, reducing salt can have all sorts of undesirable effects. Your adrenals need salt, and they are probably suffering at the moment, and need all the TLC you can give them - including adequate salt. Low salt diets can also cause low stomach acid - which you probably have, anyway, so don't want to add to it!

As for water retention, the opposite is true. When you lose water - perspiration, urination - the salt goes with it. As the body needs salt, it tries to hang on to as much as possible, even if it means hanging on to the water, too. So, low salt diets can cause water retention.

• in reply togreygoose5 years ago

Well, that´s very reassuring as I really enjoy sprinkling Maldon Sea Salt on salads and other dishes...I should probably increase my salt take, not decrease it. I know some people mix sea salt with water and drink it several times a day...might be a good idea as well. Plus, I read you can use Himalayan Rock Salt in your bathtub and it will drain toxins out of your body...sounds interesting. I think I´ll give it a try.

greygoose• in reply to5 years ago

Not sure about the Himalayan Rock Salt. I did try sea salt in my bath for a while, but didn't notice any improvements.

mandyjane• in reply to5 years ago

I had a vet grandmother and there was very little she didnt seem able to cure with salt. I am sure at times we are told especially by doctors the exact opposite of the truth. I use Cornish sea salt. my grandmother swore by it for reducing fluid retention. The theory being that salt draws water to it by osmosis, it attracts water so if you have more salt in you stomach and a higher level in your blood the water gets drawn out of the tissue cells into your stomach and blood stream from where it is excreted. You have to be careful not to over do it and cause hypernatremia which can cause you to be dehydrated and get twitchy. It is a electrolyte issue if that happens so you have to be careful to drink ordinary water if you get thirsty. I take about half to one teaspoon at night. my grandmother used to say that your taste buds and your body would let you know how much salt you needed, so If my glass if water with salt in it tastes too salty I have to water it down and for the last few nights I have felt like I cant face having it. My bodys way of telling me I dont need it I think. I have found the boxes you can have delivered in uk with all the ingrediants for four meals really helpful.It has really added a lot of variety to our diet and ensured that the food is made by us from single ingrediants. Another big problem is pesiticides, they are so poisonous and very much part of what we eat. Wheat is sprayed with it just before harvest so bread in particular quiet toxic. Never feed bread to birds as they are only little and cannot cope with the levels of poison. Always wash you fruit and veg properly to get if off. Buying organic can help a bit. I always buy organic bread and flour but there is pesticide residue in rain water and apparently it is not safe to drink anymore, so even organic veg has been rained on and needs a good wash.

• in reply tomandyjane5 years ago

Great info, thanks for sharing!

SlowDragonAdministrator5 years ago

As you have Hashimoto’s we frequently benefit from strictly gluten free diet

Have you ever tried it?

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

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone

Ferritin remains an issue you need to improve

Gluten

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 Doctor 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...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

Gluten free diet is often lower in carbs too, more fresh food with lots of protein

• in reply toSlowDragon5 years ago

I have gradualy become more or less gluten free as I try to avoid starchy carbs (I have insulin resistance and want to avoid becoming diabetic). I eat a lot of vegetables, berries, and some fruit, but stay away from bread, pasta and other high carb foods. Of course, there are GF alternatives, but the list of ingredients is suspiciously long and does not look very healthy...these foods are often high in sugar/fast carbs despite being GF so may be worth trying for people who are gluten intolerant, but won´t help someone with blood sugar issues. Since changing my diet recently I have noticed decreased cravings so I´m definitely on the right track.

SlowDragonAdministrator• in reply to5 years ago

This link explains why it does need to be absolutely strictly gluten free

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

Glad you’re making progress

I find lower carb better too. Avoiding potatoes, rice etc

Beertje5 years ago

Hello,

I have been experiencing same problems for the past 18 years. Also diagnosed with hashimoto. Since i was 14 years old. You have no idea how many doctors and paramedics i already tried to find a solution.. I saw that you visited Hertoghe clinic, is this something that you would recommend? Because after all these years and all my efforts i miss the courage and patience to start a new chapter of tests... Thanks in advance

helvella• in reply toBeertje5 years ago

When you see a user name of Hidden, it means that the person is no longer a member of this forum.

We often close posts that were originated by people who have left - there is no point in wasting our time making replies. Occasionally, the thread might still be active and popular and will be left. More often, it is simply a case of none of the admins noticing!

I shall now be closing this post to replies.

We recommend that you write a brand new post to ask your question. Definitely worth doing as Hertoghe clinics have been mentioned several times.

If you wish to call your post to the attention of another member, such as someone on the old thread, you can follow this Help topic:

support.healthunlocked.com/...