I have had hashimotos now for 8 years. I developed it post partum and was positive for TPO antibodies. Labs previously tested have only ever been TSH and T4, only TPO antibodies at initial diagnosis, have never looked at T3 or antibodies again. Anyway generally feel ok but weight loss still a problem, a problem I never had prior to hashimotos and I do have gut symptoms, frequent bloating and just feel very sluggish. So decided to check bloods and look at addressing underlying immune problem with some guidance from Isabella Wentz book. So after having bloods done commenced a gluten free diet and have started with a low dose of probiotics. Will commence selenium in a couple of weeks. Plan is to re check bloods in 6 months to see if my antibodies have reduced and T3 increased. One other part of my bloods was to see if I would benefit from taking T3?? Do not want to waste money seeing a private endo if likely not needed. But I am not sure if my T3 is high enough? Also does anyone know anything about the thyroglobulin antibodies? My appear normal? Is this normal with hashimotos?
My lab results are:
T4 113. ( ref 59-154)
TSH 0.99 (ref 0.27- 4.2)
Free thyroxine 18.4 (ref 12-22)
T3 3.9 (ref 3.1-6.8)
Thyroid peroxidase abs 145 ( ref 0-34)
Thyroglobulin antibody 24.7 (ref 0-115)
For reference I am currently on levothyroxine 125/100mcgs so alternate days.
Thank you for reading all of this!!
Written by
CharlieH
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Thank you. I know I have had all of them checked in the past and they were all fine but not checked recently. I think I will do all bloods again including these with blue horizon in 3 months as can’t afford to do them all again straight away. I am currently not taking any vitamins. I don’t take Vit D in spring/ summer as spend a lot of time outside, but do take a high dose starting end of September. I have just started probiotics and am starting each supplement and fortnightly intervals. Next will be selenium, then 2 weeks later ferritin. But right now only probiotics and that’s only been for 3 days.
Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.
Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with AITD and HT, especially overt hypothyroidism. Low serum vitamin D levels were independently associated with high serum TSH levels.
The thyroid hormone status would play a role in the maintenance of vitamin D sufficiency, and its immunomodulatory role would influence the presence of autoimmune thyroid disease. The positive correlation between free T4 and vitamin D concentrations suggests that adequate levothyroxine replacement in HT would be an essential factor in maintaining vitamin D at sufficient levels.
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average
Calculator for working out dose you may need to bring level to 40ng/ml = 100nmol
I can thoroughly recommend the Vitamin D test done by Vitamindtest.org.uk as also recommended by Slow Dragon. I have been using them for 6 years since my GP refused to do a Vitamin D test. I was recommended to them from this site and found that I was severely deficient with a reading of 10. It is a fingerpick test done by post and the last one I had done in February 1921 cost only £29. I have mine read every 6 months and am now deemed adequate. I take 2500 iu dose each day and the tablets are cheap as chips.
I'm afraid I am not as proficient in the ins and outs of Thyroid and rely on the likes of Slow Dragon for advice
All of those things that you mention are good. It is a good idea to try T3 - many of us have a hard time converting T4 to T3, although you will not hear that from many doctors. Hashimotos very often occurs after pregnancy (if we have that pre-disposition - it's going to happen then).
If Levo were enough, we wouldn't be hearing about all the problems folks repeatedly and invariably have had over the years with T4 alone - again the lack of conversion from T-4 to T-3 has to do with the particular "perfect storm" of digestive issues (often related to the liver, lack of bile production, diets that are too "sterile" - the gut needs a healthy flora, fauna, balance, etc.) And from your labs, what I can see is the thyroid peroxidase being the post pressing (Hashimotos) issue. The good news is your thyroid is still working, but struggling. Keep tuned here, for you will find what others (myself included) have found, what works, what doesn't...we have to travel this road, because for whatever reason, main stream medical will not, cannot, don't really have the answers , etc. to auto-immune disease.
Isabella Wentz is knowledgeable, so is Dr. Alan Christianson. (Wentz gave her written endorsement on his book: Thyroid Reset). They both give away much free knowledge in the hopes that you will also buy there "plans", vitamins, etc. For my money, (which is not unlimited), I take the knowledge and do my best buying elsewhere. Dr. Lowe is also quite knowledgeable about T3 and (while he has passed on), his successors continue to be a source of very accurate knowledge / education / and reasonable glandular products that contain T3.
Couple of anecdotal experiences from 30 years of battling Hashimotos (and finally winning! It took me 20 years to find HealthUnlocked) When you are trying to find the balance between taking both T4 and T3 you will likely find the ceiling and the floor of your thryoid hormone balance. Try not be frightened if experience heart palpatations, etc. from too much. Remember with T4 doses, think days (if you ever become overdosed, it usually takes days for the body to eliminate the excess), with T3 think hours. Mind you I am not recommending that you experiment without the help of a Dr. or labs, but I had to. I live in an area (rural America) where Doctors know little to nothing about treating Hashimotos in a way that actually makes one feel better)
Anecdote 2: Try reducing iodine. Dr. Christianson recommends that we try a 30 day "iodine balancing" diet. It's very similar to what we already do with Isabella Wentz (gluten free, dairy free, etc.)
If you use iodized salt, try using kosher salt (better than sea salt in reducing iodine). Iodine is a necessary nutrient, and our thyroid must have it to function. It is not possible to "eliminate" iodine, as it is in almost every food. Our modern diet has hidden sources of iodine. Foods that are high in iodine (here in the US) are: commercial bread, all dairy (milk, cheese - cheese is in everything), eggs, many seafoods. My own experience? After all these years (did I mention 30?), trying all the diets, the medicines (T4, T3) the digestive enzymes (which helped!), olive leaf extract, pro-biotics, pre-biotics, selenium, vitamins, folic acid (some of which I still take - those that through trial and error have been found to work for me), NOTHING and I do mean nothing, worked as well, as quickly (feeling better within days!) as reducing iodine intake / balancing iodine.
As of this writing, I take very little T4 and T3 (tiny amounts every two or three weeks). I have energy, brain fog is gone. depression is gone, muscle aches and pains gone, skin is not dry, eye lashes growing back like they were in my teens, hair becoming shiny and full of life. AND if I do forget and eat cheese, commercial bread, any other restaurant food, prepared food, etc. that has iodized salt / iodine added (for whatever reason) - I will know within 24 hours. Energy decreases, skin gets dry, brain fog returns....which tells me I still have a ways to go to be healed. But I am on the right path. I have had genetic testing and have the MTFHR genetic abnormality - which basically means I eliminate toxins very slowly. Iodine overdose (for me) becomes a toxin which contributes to all the other things we know as a factor in Hashimotos.
Many, many things contribute to Hashimotos. Likewise, on our way back to health, many many things will contribute to feeling well. T4 and T3 are like crutches that we must have (if we are going to function in any modern way) until we find what heals the thyroid. (Some of us may never be able to heal completely - depending on the amount of thyroid damage that occurs, among other factors) The good news is...we have more and more folks that have found their way, on their own, and with the help of "other than main stream medical" folks like Wentz, and Christianson, and Lowe. And our dear, dear knowledgeable and generous friends here on HealthUnlocked.
Thank you so much for your detailed reply. Very interesting about the iodine. Funnily enough I work as an Health care prof in mainstream medicine but I know it doesn’t address many autoimmune conditions. My inspiration for really trying to look at this is that my husband has psoriasis and he has been guided through many changes to his diet and supplements from a lady who got rid of hers with some radical changes. The results I have seen in him are amazing. So I totally believe the people can really change things, it’s just psoriasis is much more visible. Because of my husband we already use Himalayan salt which has no added iodine but I will look into this further, so thank you.
Baby steps at the moment, but right now I feel fab! 4 months back at the gym, 3 weeks gluten free and taking probiotics, 2 weeks of a drink of apple cider vinegar and this week have started selenium. I have lost 5kg and my abdominal bloating has gone! So no idea if this is helping my thyroid or not yet, but next step in to start 5000iu vit D in 2 weeks. Then more labs where I will check my vitamins too in December.
Thank you for sharing what has worked! I like the Apple cider vinegar and forget to take it all the time so I reminded and will use it some more. Please keep me posted on how you guys are doing. It’s so encouraging to hear success stories.
It helps in that many thyroid problems, come with other problems, many pieces of a malady that can contribute to attacks on the thyroid. Conversely, finding ones way back to health, is often times a many sided solution, with or without medicine. (And almost always T3 / T4 is needed as a crutch, until we find that solution / heal - like a cast for a broken leg). Here is a one site (there are many), bulletproof.com/supplements...
that explains in detail and mentioning studies on the many benefits of ACV. You won’t see “Thyroid” there, but you will see “balancing the gut”, “help with low stomach acid”, etc. These things will not by themselves “cure” a thyroid in trouble, but they may contribute to nutrients becoming better utilized and absorbed in the gut, and more. Even main stream medicine and Science is becoming more and more aware of the great role the gut plays in immunity, health and healing.
Would like to hear more about the radical changes - my husband has minor reoccurring psoriasis (he just might consider doing something differently with his diet there is hope!). Please private message me if that seems more appropriate.
He follows a book called Radiant by Hannah stiltoe. He does have pretty severe psoriasis though and has had such nasty size effects with a lot of the drugs used to treat psoriasis which are not the gentlest of medicines!
It is radical though so if it’s only mild it may not seem worth it. My husband is now gluten free, dairy free, no sugar, not vegan, eggs are good as is fish, occasional chicken, as in maybe once or twice a month, no nightshades. Follows similar to gut health type supplements, high dose of vitamin D, amongst many other supps. Oh and he makes a tonne of green smoothies everyday. This diet ain’t cheap!!
He will gradually re introduce things to his diet and see how is psoriasis is in small incremental doses. But he has since had flares eating certain nuts, so I am wondering if he actually has an allergy and looking into approaching GP for allergy testing.
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