I'm 42 and I was diagnosed with Sjogren's, Hashimoto's and Graves 4.5 years. My T4 was only slightly elevated and after a friend recommended I saw a homeopath (who gave me some awful brown solution) my TSH came back to life and back in to normal range after 7 months. Despite my thyroid bloods remaining "normal" for the last 3.5 years I still had chronic anxiety, fatigue and brain fog until I gave up refined sugar and increased my vitamin B (I had already gone GF & DF) and amazingly my brain fog reduced and energy levels improved and gave me hope after 4 years of so much effort and no results. I was delighted that my graves antibodies (TSH a/b) were back in the normal range last Oct. However since then I haven't had a period and my March bloods showed I'd gone hyper-thyroid again and antibodies for Graves and Hashimoto's back. (I have realised that I took Fulvic Minerals and a supplement containing Iodine which may have contributed to this?).
Here's my last 3 thyroid bloods:
01 Feb - TSH 0.61 / Free T4 12 (7.9-14.4) / Free T3 5,9 (3.8-6)
19 Mar - TSH 0.005 / Free T4 34 (7.9-14.4) / Free T3 7.8 (3.8-6)
Ouch yes I think Iodine supplements are meant to be avoided if you have a thyroid issue, best to let your doc know and review your supplements.
Have they done any tests about periods, I know prolactin can affect this but normally other meds affect this. I would ask your GP about the non periods as it has been many months since October. Make sure you are getting enough nutrients gluten and diary free that cuts out a lot so the missing periods could also be diet related.
I was told graves can just flare up anytime, I've only been diagnosed recently so first time on meds, and can come off Dec if still in range so 12M treatment to start with. My nurse advised I would then still have blood tests every so often as there is always a chance it can flare up again, so with you being 3 or 4 years stable that could just be your body and no effect from the diet changes itself. I don't think you can cure it naturally but I did see a youtube video about rubbing some oil in your neck (Almond oil?) and neck exercises but I really don't know if that is really true!?! Very bizarre! I'm sure others on here will know more than me but I love my food too much to try gluten or diary free! My T3 was around 10 at the highest yours was only slightly out of range, and looks like they are coming down so it looks like you are moving in the right direction
Hi KittyElen, thank you so much for your response it is very much appreciated (and so sorry for delay). I am sorry to hear you have recently been diagnosed with Graves, sucks doesn't it. Yes I do wonder whether the iodine played it's part but it does seem to be taking a while to recover. I'm having bloods done on 20 July which will be 4 months since I've been hyper-thyroid.
With regards to my periods I have had my hormones tested in Feb and March and results varied a lot in both bloods, my prolactin was 332 (102-496) so in normal range but I might phone GP and see if hormones can be done on 20 July too so thank you for this suggestion.
Believe me my diet changes have only been out of complete and utter desperation :o( .....
I have been reading Anthony William's Medical Medium books which make for a very interesting read, he says that most chronic health issues and auto-immunes conditions results due to viral and bacterial loads in our bodies (something the medical system are unaware of at present) . I paid for a private chronic fatigue profile and it came back with very high levels of the Epstein Barr Virus (the root of all evil according to Medical Medium books) so I have been focusing on supplements and foods which naturally help heal the body and don't feed viruses and bacteria, my brain fog has lifted and my energy is slowly coming back.
Thanks for letting me know that your T3 was 10, this "episode" has been the first time my T3 has been high in 4 years so I will ask my Endo and GP what this means.
Thanks again, good luck with your 12M treatment and take care xx
The only reason I mentioned it was because a youtuber I watch mentioned her periods stopped for a while as she wasn't getting enough nutrients, she had gone vegan and looked like she had lost some weight too
I hope you find out some answers about your periods, it's good you have more energy
Longer answer—which is actually another question, sorry—are you sure you’ve ever been officially diagnosed with Graves or just had a doctor say it is? Because this looks an awful lot like what Hashimoto’s does, especially when it flares. It’s not obviously Graves (with Graves the T3 and/or T4 results tend to go much higher).
Hi Jazzw, thank you for your response and so sorry for my delay. I was diagnosed with Graves and Hashimoto's because of my anti-bodies.
Thyroid Peroxidase Anti-bodies [0.27-4.20]
My TPO antibodies were 310 on my first bloods, went up to over 1,300, came back down in to 275 (I have been doing a lot of natural healing with a functional doctor) and in April were 505. I believe these a/b are usually indicative of Hashimotos?
Thyroid Stimulation Hormone Anti-bodies [<1.75]
My TSH was 4.1 when I first got diagnosed and stayed around here for about a year and then slowly started to come down (again I've been doing a lot of natural healing and cutting out inflammatory foods which promote healing) from Feb 2018 until it was in normal range 1.38 in October 2020. Unfortunately in this latest episode it was 8.06 on 21 April.
T3 [3.1-6.8]
My T3 has always been around 5 throughout the last 4 years and in the normal range. This episode is the first time it has been high 7.8, then 6.9 so it's coming down.
I asked this question on here a while ago and upshot seems to be no one reported a natural "cure" but some hypos did admit to symptom improvement. It wasn't a scientific trial by any stretch! Personally I believe there is a chance of reversal but only at an early, sub-clinical stage.
Thank you for sharing this with me it's very helpful, i wonder if i can find the post somehow. When you say" early, sub clinical stage" what do you mean by this?
Underlying factors may include nutrient deficiencies eg iodine, selenium, zinc, vit D as well as autoimmunity with improvements possible if such root causes can be corrected.
Thank you for this and for the link to you article, much appreciated. I have spent the last 4.5 years trying to heal naturally. I have done a few gut healing protocols (suffered with painful stomach since age 13), 4 intense 1 week 1:1 detox's, addressed vitamin and life-style changes. I went gluten free 4 years ago and a year ago I finally went dairy free, egg free (Medical Medium Anthony William) and sugar free. Sugar free seemed to make the most difference for me and helped my brain fog and increased my energy together with high strength good quality vitamin B,B12, C, D, Zinc, Calcium, Iron, Selenium, 5HTP, Omegas 3, 6, 7. Good luck with your health journey.
I have read many times that AI diseases can tend to run in " packs " and I'm sorry you are having to deal with this trio.
I have Graves and was treated with RAI back in 2005 and now manage lingering Graves, Thyroid eye disease and hypothyroidism, which hhas actually been more challenging than dealing with the initial diagnosis and wish I had the opportunity back then to stay on the anti thyroid medication long term.
You might like to read further around Graves and I found the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website the most well rounded of all my searches. Elaine has Graves and has also now written several books on AI thyroid conditions and has spent years researching other, holistic and more alternative options to the current medical mainstream thinkiing.
It's is essential that you have confirmed the antibodies unique to Graves which would be expressed in a blood test as over range and positive TSI ( a thyroid stimulating ) and or the TR ab ( a thyroid receptor blocking ) antibody.
Hashimoto's and Graves both initially start with similar symptoms and we have seen on here some confusion by the medical profession as to the correct diagnosis.
Left untreated, in Graves Disease the T3 and T4 keep rising and without medical intevention to block these thyroid hormoes rising further, it can be said to be life threatening.
Hashimoto's isn't treated with AT drugs as the " hyper " flares are temporary and your T3 and T4 levels will drop back down into range by themselves.
Given time, your thyroid gland becomes further damaged, and less productive, by these AI attacks. Your thyroid hormone production becomes erratic and ultimately you will require thyroid hormone replacement medication to replace and support the ailing gland as you may well start to experience symptoms of hypothyroid.
Hi PennyAnnie, Thank you so much for helpful and informative post, I can not tell you how much I appreciate this. So sorry it's taken me a while to respond. I am sorry hear that you have had to deal with all this and the challenges of the lingering conditions.
Firstly thank you so much for the information regarding the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation, it looks a great resource and I hadn't heard of it.
You mention it being essential to confirm anti-bodies and i'm wondering whether these results confirm:
Thyroid Peroxidase Anti-bodies [0.27-4.20]
My TPO antibodies were 310 on my first bloods, went up to over 1,300, came back down in to 275 (I have been doing a lot of natural healing with a functional doctor) and in April were 505. I believe these a/b are usually indicative of Hashimotos?
TSH Receptor Anti-bodies [<1.75]
My TSH anti-bodies were 4.1 when I first got diagnosed and stayed around here for about a year and then slowly started to come down (again I've been doing a lot of natural healing and cutting out inflammatory foods which promote healing) from Feb 2018 until it was in normal range 1.38 in October 2020. Unfortunately in this latest episode it was 8.06 on 21 April.
T3 [3.1-6.8]
My T3 has always been around 5 throughout the last 4 years and in the normal range. This episode is the first time it has been high 7.8, then 6.9 so it's coming down.
T4 [12-22]
My T4 was initially 22.5 when I got diagnosed and quickly reduced to around 19 where it remained for 6 months. Since then it's been between 12-16.8 until my recent episode in March when it's been 23.7. I must add that even when my T4 and TSH where in the normal range I still felt rubbish (fatigue, brain fog, aching muscles)
Does the above help and confirm Graves and Hashimoto's in your opinion?
Please can I ask how and when your Thyroid Eye Disease started (and how long after Graves diagnosis).
My T4 has never gone above 23.6 and this is the first time my T3 has slightly elevated so I do hope I'm not doing any long term damage my waiting a few months to see if my levels return to normal.
Interesting to hear that Hashimoto's isn't treated with AT (what is AT?), it sounds like Hashimoto's treatment is more natural.
Thank you for the info re: long term effects of being hyper-thyroid, something to definitely take in to considerion.
I very much look forward to your thoughts on the above?
Thyroid Peroxidase Anti-bodies [0.27-4.20] My TPO antibodies were 310 on my first bloods, went up to over 1,300, came back down in to 275 (I have been doing a lot of natural healing with a functional doctor) and in April were 505. I believe these a/b are usually indicative of Hashimotos?
...... yes they are usually indicative of hashimoto's .... however they can sometimes also be present in Graves.
TSH Receptor Anti-bodies [<1.75]
.........These are the antibodies that would indicate Graves (if over the range).. but you have not put a result for these.
....you have put a TSH result underneath (4.1) ....but 'TSH' is a totally different thing to 'TSH Receptor antibodies'
TSH Receptor anitibodies are also written as TRab or T(SH)Rab.
it looks like the range for that TRab test is <1.75 .. meaning a result of less than 1.75 is OK and a result of more than 1.75 is indicative of Graves.
Could you check your results to look for the TRab result.. as this is what will tell you if you have graves or not.
* edit * apologies , i have just looked back at your post from 4 yrs ago and see that the 4.1 IS indeed a positive TRab result...... perhaps if you edit your answer above to say 'my TSH Receptor antibodies were 4.1' rather than 'my TSH was 4.1' it will avoid any further confusion , as i assume this is why Jazzw thought you had not had the correct test for graves.
So, your TRab of 4.1 and now 8.06 does seem to confirm Graves, even though it has not resulted in the very high fT4/3 results you would normally expect it to cause.
Thank you so much for your response and yes you are correct it was my TSH anti-bodies that were 4.1 on diagnosis, gradually came down to 1.38 normal (Oct 2020) but now are 8.06. Thank you for confirming that it IS this one that usually determines Graves. Strange that my T3 has always been normal until March this year and that my T4 doesn't go high either. I'm having more bloods on 20 July. Thank you again.
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