Hashimotos

[janecp]

Hi I have suffered Hashimotos for over 7 years and struggle to come to terms with not being able to lose weight and feel myself. Has anyone managed to reverse this auto immune disease?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

Which brand?

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of copies. You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

Far too often only TSH is tested

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially as you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels if not been tested yet

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)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[janecp in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your reply. I have responded to your questions below.

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

100mcg

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

No i moved to Teva as i seem to tolerate this better, the difference being lactose i think, which is in the other brands.

Which brand?

Teva

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Vit D

First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of copies. You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

I do see my blood results each time as i have access to my records on line.

Far too often only TSH is tested

I think this is the case with me some results below

Specimen

Specimen Type: Serum

Specimen Reference#: 1

Specimen Providers Comments: Thyroxine; : On T4 (Levothyroxine)

Collected: 17 Feb 2021

Received: 17 Feb 2021

Requester Sample ID: 72662723

Provider Sample ID: 21U00076411

Pathology Investigations

Serum TSH level 1.04 mIU/L [0.27 - 4.2]

Report Date: 17 Feb 2021

Specimen

Specimen Type: Blood

Specimen Reference#: 1

Specimen Providers Comments: NHS Healthcheck; : Continue; : Yes; : On T4 (Levothyroxine)

Collected: 27 Jan 2020

Received: 27 Jan 2020

Requester Sample ID: 72097776

Provider Sample ID: 20U00049400

Pathology Investigations

Serum TSH level 2.40 mIU/L [0.27 - 4.2]

General Information

Service Type: New

Status: Unspecified

Provider Report ID: 63310960

Report Date: 27 Jan 2020

LIPID PROFILE

Fasting Sample? No

Serum cholesterol level 5.0 mmol/L

Serum triglyceride levels 1.4 mmol/L [0.5 - 1.7]

Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.7 mmol/L

Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.9

Serum LDL cholesterol level 2.7 mmol/L

Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 3.3 mmol/L

General Information

Service Type: New

Status: Unspecified

Provider Report ID: 63310137

Report Date: 27 Jan 2020

HAEMOGLOBIN A1C

Haemoglobin A1c level - IFCC standardised 35 mmol/mol

HbA1c Report comment No evidence of diabetes currently.

HbA1c may give false indication of glycaemia if

rapidly changing or if abnormal red cell turnover

rate (NICE NG 15 and 28).

General Information

Service Type: New

Status: Unspecified

Provider Report ID: 63319451

Report Date: 27 Jan 2020

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Hashimoto’s and gluten intolerance often go together

Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s 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

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

healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?

Assuming coeliac 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 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...

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

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

[Geegee777 in reply to SlowDragon]

Going gluten free did help tremendously also processed food elimination did as much, now I may need to eliminate lactose..... There's always someone else worse off💖

[Geegee777]

Hi, I was diagnosed 4yrs ago, no ihavnt reversed my condition, but accepted that i will have good and bad days, but what helps me most is eating a keto/paleo diet and avoid stressful/toxic situations.My weight has slowly decreased, but if I have too many carbs, I look bloated.

Carbs are important, just learn to count them and you will find a balance.

Incidentally, I used to go to the gym and love exercising, now it's walking the dog and keeping busy, but back off when I start to feel tired.

Hope this helps🌸🌸🌸🌸

[janecp in reply to Geegee777]

you are definitely correct regarding stress. Its like i have a flare up when i am stressed. And i also believe training too hard is to be avoided. Do you believe it is possible to reverse this condition?

[greygoose]

I don't see it's possible to reverse Hashi's, without knowing what caused it. And, how would you find that out? Doctors certainly make no effort to find out.

And, of course, you would only have a very short window in which to do it, before the immune system damaged the thyroid beyond repair. For most people, it takes so long to get diagnosed that they are way beyond that window before they even know they have. Once the thyroid has been damaged enough to need thyroid hormone replacement, it is too late, you will need to take it for life. The thyroid cannot regenerate the tissue it has lost, even if the immune system attacks were to stop.

The weight is often difficult to lose because it is water-weight, not fat. So, nothing to do with diet or exercise. I only wish I knew what it was to do with, but I'm afraid I don't. Sorry.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As you prefer Teva are you lactose intolerant and on lactose free diet

Lactose intolerance very common with hashimoto's

Often means need higher dose levothyroxine

Obviously need to get full thyroid and vitamin testing done

Always test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything apart from water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Come back with new post once you get results

[Geegee777 in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry for the late reply, I do get an itchy throat and dry occasional cough if I have too much dairy products, maybe its a sign of sensitivity?