Hi, my name's Colin. About 5 years ago I got food poisoning. After a few days I got better, but following the episode when I drank alcohol at the weekend I would get a sore stomach the following day, something that never happened before. This gradually got worse. About 4 years ago I went to the doctor after feeling cold and tired all the time. I was told I had hypothyroidism and put on 50mg of thyroxine. About 2 years ago after drinking I woke up the following day with a sore stomach that's never went away, not for a moment. I wake up sore, I spend my day sore, I go to sleep sore, on and on and on. Epigastric pain, chest pain, palish stools, constipation. I've had scopes, ct scans, bloods (countless bloody bloods) impedance test, ultrasound, but was told that theirs nothing physically wrong with me and that I have functional dyspepsia. This just seem like an umbrella term for we don't know what's wrong with you. I still get cold, especially this time of year in Scotland, and tired also, though not so much as before my 50mg of thyroxine. Could my digestive woes possibly be due to my thyroid being under or wrongly treated. I do get my bloods checked but my dose has never changed. These symptoms are life debilitating, as such I now suffer from depression also, and glaring weight loss due to not eating as much as I would like. I also very seldom drink alcohol, which I greatly miss. Any input would be helpful. Thanks
Stomach and chest pain: Hi, my name's Colin... - Thyroid UK
Stomach and chest pain
Welcome
50mcg is a started dose was it never increased.
What were your last results. TSH. FT4 and FT3.
you sound like you need a increase and have not been on a sufficient dose all this time.
Thanks for your reply. They started me on 25, but I was quickly moved up to 50. Been tested at least once a year, sometimes twice, but I've just been told everything is fine. Dose has never been raised since. I have got in touch with a private thyroid clinic in London and after a consultation they've ordered me blood and vitamin tests, but with the postal strikes I've not yet received them. That was 3weeks ago so I had to cancel my follow up conceltation that was supposed to be today untill they arrive.
Was test done in clinic.
Or do you mean a finger prick test at home.
Knowing you thyroid function and nutrients level will be best information to decide on next step.
You should have heard something by 3 weeks. If a home kit the results can often be available online quickly. If there was a delay the sample can't be used and it would have to be drawn again.
I've not received them yet. They think there may be a delay due to postal strikes. They have sent another set out today, asked that I return one if two sets turn up. Thanks
only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday mornings
Obviously not when strikes on
they don’t know how to dose Levothyroxine or how to interpret blood tests. Appalling levels of ignorance re thyroid treatment and fairly widespread. I am just incredulous- but have been made ill by the same. If you click on my face it will take you to my bio which I have kind of written as a case study. I try to highlight in as clear a way as possible what’s happening. Hope it helps.
Thank you
welcome to the forum
Are you still only on 50mcg levothyroxine per day?
This is only the standard starter dose levothyroxine
Typically dose is increased slowly upwards in 25mcg over 6-12 months until on full replacement dose (approx 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight)
Levothyroxine doesn’t top up failing thyroid, it replaces it. Essential to be taking high enough dose levothyroxine
Being under medicated for thyroid results in LOW stomach acid, poor gut function, acid reflux and poor nutrient absorption. Leading to low vitamin levels
Do you have any recent thyroid test results
ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually. Extremely common to need to supplement continuously to maintain optimal vitamin levels….usually vitamin D and vitamin B complex ……occasionally also B12 and iron
When were vitamin levels last tested?
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested for autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Depression and anxiety are common hypothyroid symptoms
As is constipation
Pale stools suggests anaemia
Many GP’s are clueless on how to manage thyroid disease
Approx 2 million people in U.K. are prescribed levothyroxine, but often treated totally inappropriately……hence this is by far the busiest forum on Healthunlocked
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
First step get hold of copies of all your blood test results
Then is to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options and money off codes
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
If you need antibodies tested use Medichecks or Blue horizon
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins 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...
Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65 (but no antibodies)
monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...
Thanks. I've seen so many doctors, specialists, and nurses over the last two year. Each of them asked and was told that I was on thyroxine for an underactive thyroid, but none suggested a possible connection. As, stated above, I have ordered the tests. I suppose I'm just anxious that it won't infact be a problem with my thyroid and I'm back to square one. Thanks for your help. It's greatly appreciated
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
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
Get hold of all these results
Come back with new post once you get copies of test results and ranges
On levothyroxine the most important results are ALWAYS Ft3 (rarely tested by NHS ) and Ft4 (shows how much levothyroxine is in your blood)
ALWAYS Test with last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
TSH has pronounced daily variation. Important to test early morning
Is this how you do your tests
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
Exactly what vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH
Frequently NHS only tests TSH……completely and utterly inadequate
Approx how much do you y weigh in kilo
Do you normally take your levothyroxine on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Do you take levothyroxine waking or bedtime
I'm around 78 kilos at the moment. I take levothyroxine in the morning an hour before eating
so likely daily dose levothyroxine eventually on approx 125mcg per day
Likely to find you’re results show you are very under medicated
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Teva
Teva upsets many people
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.
Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet.
you will very likely need to increase your levothyroxine dose to 75mcg after blood test
So if wanting to avoid Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)
Aristo (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free.
Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord
Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets
Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets
Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but Accord doesn’t make 25mcg tablets
beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva
List of different brands available in U.K.
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...
Posts that mention Teva
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Teva poll
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Government guidelines for GP in support of patients if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands
gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...
If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient.
academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Netherlands (and Germany?) guidelines are for thyroid patients to always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
verywellhealth.com/best-tim...
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
Does weight always determine dose? If not then do you know any reasons why I'd only be on 50mg
Almost certainly you are under medicated
Because of the feedback mechanism between thyroid and pituitary…..levothyroxine doesn’t “top up” failing thyroid….it replaces it ….
So yes, almost everyone will be on at least 100mcg levothyroxine eventually…..and many/most on at least guideline dose of 1.6mcg per kilo per day. A few need higher dose, especially if poor gut absorption…..a very few might need very slightly less
Unfortunately thyroid disease, although extremely common, is frequently misunderstood by many GP’s and endocrinologists
Vast majority of endocrinologists are diabetes specialists and useless for thyroid, especially autoimmune and/or gut issues
It’s totally inappropriate to dose levothyroxine by TSH
It’s ESSENTIAL to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together. The most important result is ALWAYS Ft3…..followed by Ft4
Testing early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test…aiming for Ft3 at least 50-60% through range and frequently Ft4 (levothyroxine) will need to be at least 70-80% through range or higher
Levothyroxine is T4 - it has 4 atoms of iodine. It’s a storage hormone and inactive. Ft4 = Free T4 and measures the amount of levothyroxine that’s unbound and “free” to use …..
Before we can use Ft4 it must be “converted “ to Ft3 by dropping one atom of iodine
For GOOD conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 we MUST have GOOD Vitamin Levels and good gut function
Poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 results in higher Ft4…..lower Ft3 …..and lower TSH
Low Ft3 results in lower vitamin levels and poor gut function……and spiral downwards
It’s essential to test the whole lot together…..especially if left on totally inadequate dose levothyroxine
When were vitamin levels last tested
Are you currently taking any vitamin supplements n
You’re not alone in being left on inadequate dose levothyroxine……we get 1 or 2 new people arrive on here most days …..often having been left years on woefully inadequate dose levothyroxine
Hypothyroidism is not a rare disease, but it’s rarely understood and treated correctly
Many medics are unaware how interconnected poor gut function and being hypothyroid is
Roughly where in Scotland are you
Email Thyroid U.K. for list of thyroid specialist endocrinologists and doctors
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
I was personally left 5 years on 75mcg…..by then extremely unwell …more on my profile
Full thyroid and minerals, cortisol saliva, and hormones
Thank you so much for your Great Information that you share with us day in day out. Much appreciated.
well said- SlowDragon had a major part in me getting well along with other members from this wonderful group! 🤗
Low stomach acid happens to many of us.
Here are 2 links worth reading.
healthline.com/health/hypoc...
drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Hypochl...
The 'burp test' is easy to do and will give you an idea of whether your acid is low.
Suggestion 1
The original food poisoning could have given you gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastr...
If the cause of the food poisoning was never identified and properly treated then gastritis can become chronic. I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis and erosions in my stomach lining after an endoscopy. Have you been given an endoscopy and biopsies? If not, in your shoes I would want to follow this up.
What about having a stool sample checked for parasites or other unwanted things, such as blood, helicobacter pylori or other bacteria?
The pain you are getting could be as a result of stomach acid eating away at erosions in your stomach lining.
You might still have some infection that your body can't wipe out because of having too little stomach acid. Stomach acid isn't an optional extra, it is part of the body's protection mechanisms. Having too little could allow pathogens to take up residence in your gut.
nhs.uk/conditions/food-pois...
The above link suggests the following as the most common causes of food poisoning. You could research these and see how you might test for them, and how they should be treated.
campylobacter bacteria – the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK
salmonella bacteria
E. coli bacteria
norovirus (vomiting bug)
.
Suggestion 2
Being hypothyroid tends to reduce the body's output of stomach acid. There is a simple, cheap test you can do at home which will give you some idea of whether you have low stomach acid or not.
Read about the Baking Soda test on this link :
healthygut.com/3-tests-for-...
healthygut.com/hypochlorhyd...
One thing you could try is taking PPIs for 8 weeks. They cut off your stomach acid completely and give the stomach a chance to heal. Then you would have to come off them because PPIs are not good for one's health in the long-term.
howtotreatheartburn.com/how...
.
One thing that will really help you in dealing with your stomach problems is to learn what triggers the valves at the top and bottom of the stomach to open and close.
You could download the free e-book on the subject offered on this link :
chriskresser.com/what-every...
.
Doctors tend to treat patients with gut problems with PPIs because they think that the problems of indigestion, stomach pain associated with eating, bloating, wind, reflux etc are all caused by excess stomach acid. But it really isn't true. It is too little stomach acid that causes so many problems. That e-book I mentioned above explains this.
Some more useful links :
healthygut.com/how-to-suppl...
healthygut.com/articles/4-c...
.
Be aware that if you ever need to take NSAIDs (e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) for pain, long or short term, they will damage the stomach lining. The damage can be kept at bay with PPIs. If coming off the NSAIDs is impossible you may have to take PPIs permanently, which is really not a good state to be in. People with hiatus hernias may need to be on PPIs permanently too.
Regarding your chest pain...
If you've had this investigated and you aren't having heart attacks, then your gut problems could be causing the chest pain. If the pain is bad enough then muscles can go into spasm and cause pain severe enough to be mistaken for a heart attack. (Been there, done that.)
But another cause of chest pain is having too little iron. Iron supplements should never be taken unless proper testing shows that they are required. Taking iron inappropriately is not safe because the body can't get rid of excess iron.
Did the blood test include liver function? Was your liver scanned for fatty liver?
May be a long shot but look into Oddi dysfunction. See if those symptoms or anything that will help you discover what’s wrong with you
hallo! 👋 this is EXACTLY what’s happening with me! Well nearly - minus alcohol and food poisoning. Stomach pain especially at top, chest pains and also breathlessness? Saw GP who thinks it’s inflammation of the gall bladder. Has given me antibiotics which I’m not really happy about taking (they are still on the shelf) because I don’t have any symptoms or sensation of an infection. Hate anti-bs they can really mess up the system. Have you looked into hiatus hernia? Or stomach ulcer? These can cause referred pain? I think I have HH but GP disagrees so what do I know? 🤷🏻♀️ but symptoms point to that really. Also apparently quite common for us hypothyroids.
chest pain and breathlessness is frequently low iron/ferritin
When did you last get full iron panel test for anaemia including ferritin
your symptoms sound like mine and mine is h pylori
No hh or ulcer. I was told that I have nonerosive gastritis, but apparently its very mild and quite common. I was put on ppis but this only made things worse.
Vast majority of hypothyroid patients have LOW stomach acid
PPI lower stomach acid further
We need high stomach acid to absorb nutrients and maintain good vitamin levels
Are you still taking PPI or did you stop
Thousands of posts on here about low stomach acid
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
But never assume you have low stomach acid
healthygut.com/4-common-bet...
Web links re low stomach acid and reflux and hypothyroidism
nutritionjersey.com/high-or...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
How to test your stomach acid levels
healthygut.com/articles/3-t...
meraki-nutrition.co.uk/indi...
huffingtonpost.co.uk/laura-...
lispine.com/blog/10-telling...
Ppi like Omeprazole will lower vitamin levels even further
Magnesium deficiency
gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...
low B12
webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/ne...
pharmacytimes.com/publicati...
PPI and increased risk T2 diabetes
gut.bmj.com/content/early/2...
Iron Deficiency and PPI
medpagetoday.com/resource-c...
futurity.org/anemia-proton-...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
sciencedirect.com/science/a...
What treatment are you having for SIBO
Food poisoning can trigger Hashimoto’s
drhedberg.com/hashimotos-th...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
You likely need testing for H pylori, SIBO, gastris etc
TI tested possitive for sibo, mild nonerosive gastritis, but no h pylori.
SIBO more common with low stomach acid…..therefore more common when hypothyroid
posts that mention SIBO
Weight loss
Most hypothyroid patients gain weight……but a significant minority struggle to maintain weight, or lose weight if not adequately treated
Extremely common to develop gluten intolerance and/or dairy intolerance
With weight loss GP should have tested for coeliac disease
Have you test done?
This sounds like my journey. Have you been tested for H pylori? I was diagnosed hypo/hashimotos 5 years ago and have been struggling ever since,numbers have been suppressed for 4 years until last week when they went back up to 2.69 TSH. I started feeling really bad about 8 weeks ago and like yourself went back for bloods and a stool sample and tested positive for H pylori. It can cause symptoms similar to thyroid disease but it can also stop you're body from absorbing b12, folate and other vitamins and you're thyroid meds so can cause symptoms of these deficiencies also. Maybe worth asking you're doctor to test you as it can go hand in hand with thyroid.
hello, you have had quite a lot of info but I have suffered this with the pain being so bad I’ve been to a&e twice! Dead centre at the bottom of my rib cage, can’t move breathe or talk… it’s like being punched in the diaphragm and the fist getting stuck! Also aggravated by alcohol and anti inflammatories. If it sounds similar/familiar the most long term solution I found is a cranial osteopath in petersfield did something to my duodenum and it has been significantly improved since then! There’s not much difference between the pain of duodenitis and grastritis, and if the doctors can’t see physical damage it may be something a bit subtler which a good cranial osteopath can pick up on… he said my duodenum was twisted and too much tension so not release acids appropriately…
I hope you get to the bottom of your problem! It’s hard trying to source what’s causing a problem when you have a few different impacting factors or conditions…
Thanks
Thanks
Hi Colin, sorry to hear you're feeling so rubbish, I had very similar issues. I also was diagnosed with mild gastritis (and IBS) but nothing else (tested for coeliac along with most other potential causes too). I vomited daily for 6 months and lost 3 stones in weight making me underweight. After the endoscopy, I started a gluten free diet and within 2 weeks I had stopped vomiting and gradually improved from there. I added in supplements which I was then able to absorb and that also helped improve things for me. Just something that should be aware of, in Scotland we seem to have different GP systems to the the rest of the UK so you're unlikely to get any results online. You can phone the surgery and ask for printed copies of your results but I usually just phone and ask them to tell what the results are and write them down myself. Unless there's a discrepancy, or unexpected result in which case I ask them to be printed. We can usually also get our T3 tested if the GP adds it to the lab blood forms. My main problems (pains and fatigue that they diagnosed as fibromyalgia) actually turned out to be caused by too low T3. (A fact that my rheumatologist picked up on 18 months before I finally asked to be seen by the endo. I only discovered this last month when I asked for copies of my hospital records!! Still waiting for my GP ones!). I was always just under or on the bottom of the range and I kept being told that my results were normal and wouldn't be causing my symptoms (I had been taking 150mcg levothyroxine for 10 years at that point - weight 68kg usually). Finally in 2018 I talked an endo into letting me trial T3 and I haven't looked back. I went from being bed/couch bound to going to the gym 3 times a week and more or less fully functional again. It did take about a year/18 months for the full effects to show, I'm assuming because I had been poorly for so long that my body needed the time to heal. So when you find your ideal dose of thyroid meds, it might take a bit of time for you to feel the full benefit, don't assume it's because you're still undermedicated, your body needs at least 6-8 weeks to adjust to the new dose, never mind start to heal. Best of luck.
Thank you
They have posted a full thyroid and minerals test a hormone and cortisol siliva. I've not received them yet. Postal strikes are being blamed.
I have had an under active thyroid for 7 years. For the first two years I was being treated with levo by my GP and had constant chest pain and stomach pain. I finally gave up on the GPand went privately. I now take NDT and I am on a gluten free diet. I always have bloods done yearly to check on my vitamin levels so often need to take b12 , vit D and folate. I no longer have stomach or chest pain and can’t believe the GP and the hospital couldn’t sort out the problems. It may be with a raise levo you may feel better but for many of us T3 or NDT is required to feel well again.
I might be misunderstanding this but I think Colin is explaining that the tests themselves need to be posted out, not the results. You can’t get results until after the tests have been done. 🙂
I too have a bit of digestion woes - especially the pain in the stomach after having even one glass of wine (no constipation).
What has helped my stomach is collagen! It’s tasteless if you a good quality. I mix it in coffee, juice, anything that I can think of (not milk!). All dairy is rather to be avoided as much as possible for hypothyroidism. It is constipating and it contains high amounts of iodine. Foods that are high in iodine are tough on the thyroid.
Collagen is good for both the stomach and the thyroid - all connective tissues really as it is anti - inflammatory. When you start shopping for it you will find all sorts of marketing jargon. Collagen II and III (and 4 and 5, etc) bovine collagen, marine collagen, etc. A nice bovine collagen is best in my opinion, and especially for thyroid. Make sure it is grass fed - organic is best but hugely more expensive. You can make your own beef broths from beef with bones and cooked for hours, but the collagen powders are better, easier, and more convenient.
Stay away from marine collagen altogether. Especially that from the sea. If it is from the sea, it’s higher in iodine, and again tough on the thyroid. I once broke out in hives experimenting with marine collagen. It’s cheaper and sounds good - it’s not for us.
Try a 30 day experiment with bovine collagen and reducing iodine. (All foods contain iodine - some more than others). Foods high in iodine include all dairy, (dairy is also constipating) anything from the sea, and many processed foods, eggs (iodine is in the yolks), and most things that are deep dark red. (What color is iodine, right?). Think beets, kidney beans, even red wine. It just might work - it does for me. My stomach felt better in 3 days, and now it’s gone completely. My pain / symptoms were not as bad as yours, but the pain does return if I slack off the collagen / have a glass or two of wine. (I still do!) I use kosher salt because here in the U S much of the salt is iodized. After 30 years on thyroid meds, I am so much better.
January is the beginning of my 3 rd year without prescription meds for thyroid. I still take minuscule amounts of bovine thyroid glandulars. Levothyroxine never worked for me during that 30 years (Drs kept insisting it did!) Natural dessicated porcine or bovine glandulars always worked better. Made me FEEL better - is that not to be considered??!!
You have a balancing act to find. Diet (less iodine) is the longer road to thyroid health, and there is iodine in all of meds too. When you find the balance I think you will find relief from the stomach pain, the thyroid woes, and the constipation.
Please report back when you find your way. There are more and more each day that develop thyroid disorders. They will need to hear what works.
PS: the chest pains are most likely directly related to the thyroid. There is more and more research emerging that says more heart attacks are caused by too much / too little of T3 / T4 than from any sort of cholesterol problems. They are even beginning to treat heart attacks with thyroid hormone in the emergency rooms. It’s can be scary! Again it’s a balancing act. Just as your body is telling you now that something is way off (regardless of what the tests and Drs say), you will know when you find the balance between iodine intake, thyroid hormones, and the right diet.
Let me repeat the idea about balancing iodine. We must have it, but some of us are easily overdosed from sources that seem innocent (like food!). When we become toxic from too much iodine, the thyroid can be like the canary in the coal mine. Good health to you Colin.
Hi Colin,
Food poisoning sometimes leaves a person with dysbiosis/small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) afterwards. This may be diagnosed as IBS however research now shows that many cases of IBS are actually caused by SIBO. This dysbiosis can then lead to other diseases such as hashimotos thyroiditis. Hypothyroisdism itself can also lead to SIBO due to slowed motility and low stomach acid.
Also, when a person starts levothyroxine but they do not convert it from its T4 form into T3 very well, they can end up with even worse hypothyroidism symptoms. This happened to me. A blood test that tests for both Free T4 and Free T3 is required to know if one is converting the levothyroxine effectively or not.
Such a common problem for us all unfortunately.
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