Hello,
I have just joined this group and want to share my journey over this past year including my new revelation for those who might be interested or it could help.
I was diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism a year ago and offered levothyroxine by my GP due to my symptoms but that was and is not a route I wanted to go down. I wanted to find the root cause of what was driving the hasimotos/ hypothyroidism and not just symptom management.
This past year I've been working with a functionally trained forensic nutritionist and naturopath. Ive had multiple functional diagnostics done in US and Denmark including food intolerance tests across multiple arms of the immune system (adaptive and innate) looking at IgE, IgG and complement and IgG4 responses, all vitamin and mineral status checked, Advanced intestinal barrier tests looking at DAO, histamine, zonulin and lps (essentially looking to see how leaky my gut was). DNA tests to see potential genetic backdrops that may be contributing to the hypothyroidism. Plus stool samples to analyse my gut microbiome and look for pathogens, bacteria, parasites etc.
I follow a carnivore based diet that is AIP compliant. Essentially my diet consists of grass fed/finished organic meat, wild fish, healthy organic oils (tallow, coconut oil, olive oil),bone broths, grass fed liver, low lectin, low oxylate, low salicylate, non cruciferous organic vegetables, berries and a bit of raw honey. And lots of water. Obviously no caffeine, alcohol etc. Ive been eating like this for over a year.
I take rosita extra virgin cod liver oil, Vit D and K, liquid magnesium, oxygenated magnesium, liquid minerals (iodine, selenium, chromium, zinc etc), copper, wild grass fed beef organ supplements, methylated b complex, vitamin c, various probiotics, tyrosine - these supplements are personalised and based upon my indiviual needs so im not suggesting everyone take these.
The liquid minerals i mention above are ReMag and Remyte by Dr Carolyn Dean - ive found them really helpful. As they are liquid and have a unique picometer form they are MUCH more bioavailable than tablet forms.
A year later my vitamin and mineral status is now optimal and I have healed my leaky gut. !!
I felt much much better within weeks of starting my protocol in March. By the summer my thyroid labs were returning to normal ! My anti Tpo halved! All without any medication. Then i've suddenly gone massively downhill these past 2 months- bed bound and unable to even get up and down the stairs, and my labs have got much much worse. My TSH was 30 when I got it tested 2 weeks ago.
I've just had a mycotoxin panel back from the US showing that my body is riddled with mycotoxins (mould metabolites), particularly a strain I have in very high amounts that disables the immune system! It is these mycotoxins that I believe are essentially what are driving the autoimmunity and therefore hypothroidism.
Ive spent the last year researching and researching root causes of hypothroidism- physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Toxic mould seems to be an important physical root cause/driver for many people. Especially this time of year when the weather gets damper and mouldy. Pleople who get well over the summer then flare up when it gets to autumn take note. Its not just that we are getting less vitamin D from lack of sunlight.
I have never taken levothyroxine- personal decision not judgement on anyone else.
My decision not to take levothroxine from the beginning is based upon the fact that firstly I do not want to take a synthetic, pharmaceutical drug unless there is no other option and secondly as my liver has been and is stressed, T4 monotherapy will invariably be ineffective as my liver will not be able to effectively convert T4 to T3. This was always my gut feeling but now has been confirmed by the mycotoxin panel result- mycotoxins interfere with and suppress the enzymes responsible for T4-T3 conversion.
I told this to my private endo (apparently one of the 'best'!! in the counrty)and he had never heard of the connection between tould toxicity! He asked me to send HIM the research papers id found! Both he and my regular GP flat out refused to prescribe me NDT
I have just got a private prescription from a wonderful thyroid specialist who is recommended on one of your links. She has prescribed me NDT which both my GP and Private endocrinologist refused to administer despite not being able to cite me any references or research papers as to why it would in any way be effective.
I am about to start a mycotoxin detox protocol with my functional nutritionist and hope that when i clear the mould from my body i can put the hashimotos into remission and come off the NDT.
This is possible- i have spoken to people who have successfully done this.
Ive found both my GP and private endo to be pretty clueless around all of this and have had to do all the research myself.
So for all of you out there who have quit gluten, dairy, followed AIP, adressed nutrient/vitamin/mineral status, have learned to minimise and manage stress and who are STILL suffering...... take a look at Mycotoxins.
My test was arranged regenerus labs through my nutritionist, but you can order one yourself as it is a urine sample not blood test. I believe they are also available through great plains laboratory.
I appreciate that all the testing I have done has been very expensive and not within everyones budget, but i wanted to share what's worked for me so far as I contine my journey.
Wishing everyone well and sorry for poor grammar - brain fog is overwhelming