Hello everyone,: Since May this year I started... - Thyroid UK

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Hello everyone,

Giulia12 profile image
21 Replies

Since May this year I started experiencing changes in my health, my eyesight is not very good, with black spots increasing on my both eyes, my hair started falling, I noticed when I did a climbing , I was out of breath, just like the time before I started my medication, before I was diagnosed. I am also experiencing continual negative though, fear and anxiety. I am on Carbimazol 5 mg every other day. I also take a mix of dried plants for balancing my thyroid, Guggul for nodules and cysts, a Progesterone oil , another drug for the health of my breasts as I have cysts and these I have been taking for a month now. My blood test are slowly returning to normal. My TSH is 1,8,: 0,27 4,2, FT4 is 15: 14-22 and FT3 is 4,5: 3,1-6,8.

Thank you

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Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12
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21 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

I wouldn't say those results were 'normal'. They're in-range, yes, but the TSH is a bit high, and the Frees are a bit low. It looks like you're going hypo, now.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to greygoose

My GP said is going to stop my Carbimazole in January and he is telling me to go for surgery or RAI as there are 50/ chances to relapse. I am thinking of continuing with Carbimazole even after he stops it. I am hoping that the remedies that I am taking now will help balance it.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Giulia12

By January you're going to be very hypo. And I firmly believe that there are no plants that will balance it - what are they? Adaptogens?

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to greygoose

herbs like that are helping with disinfecting my body, helping different parts to detoxify: sage, lavender, lemon balm, Jasmin, yellow bedstraw and false acacia,

in reply to Giulia12

Why do you need to "disinfect" your body? From what?

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to

Viruses

I don´t know very much about Graves disease, but I think the idea is to wean off the anti-thyroid drugs and see if thyroid hormone production normalises. I remember reading that you are usually told to try Carbimazole for up to three times; if you relapse the third time, you are usually recommended RAI. If I understand your post correctly, your doctor plans to wean you off Carbimazole? But should you really have an op or RAI just because you might relapse? I know many people who regret having RAI. Would it not be best to wean off C and see what happens?

And, should a GP really be handling Graves? I thought Graves patients were always referred to endocrinologists.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to

Sorry, it was my endo. I am totally refusing surgery. It has to be a way out of it.

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot

Giulia all the articles and testing on guggul that I have read cite it as a treatment for hypothyroidism and for promoting the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. If you are hyperthyroid then this would not be a good thing.Your current results show that you could now be in danger of your thyroid hormone levels being too low. If those were my results I would be concerned and be seeking advice from my doctor

I was hyperthyroid. I was on carbimazole for 5 years. Over those 5 years I had 3 trials of coming off carbimazole but relapsed each time. In the end I had RAI and am now hypothyroid.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to Lalatoot

I am doing the treatment with an Ayurveda specialist and she told me that Guggul is used to clean your blood and slowly remove the nodules and cysts.

Please, do not tell me such sad news. I know that there is hope out there. I just talked to my endo and he said that my results are good and they are constant so I should not worry about it. It has to be a way to balance this crazy thyroid. I am not giving up untill I will find it.

in reply to Giulia12

I am doing the treatment with an Ayurveda specialist

TBH, that does not sound good. Aren´t Ayurveda specialists promoting herbs and other alternative treatments instead of Western medicine? Well, there are times when you need Western medicine!

If you are hyperthyroid, you need anti-thyroid drugs. And, if she tells a hyperthyroid person to take a supplement said to stimulate thyroid hormone production, she does not know what she is talking about. I think that borders on medical malpractice.

Sorry to be so blunt, but I have seen naturopaths in the past and they definitely did not make me better; if anything, they may have made things worse by prescribing high doses of iodine. I don´t have any evidence, of course, but I did end up with an atrophic thyroid gland.

in reply to Lalatoot

guggul that I have read cite it as a treatment for hypothyroidism and for promoting the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland

I´m curious: does it say how? Because most people with hypothyroidism have autoimmune disease where the hormone-producing tissue is slowly destroyed by the immune system until there is not enough left to ensure adequate thyroid hormone production. How is guggul supposed to help with that?

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot in reply to

healthline.com/nutrition/gu...

"Animal studies, some of which are dated, suggest that guggul extracts improve hypothyroidism by increasing iodine uptake and improving the activity of enzymes produced by the thyroid gland (2Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

One human study investigated the management of hypothyroidism employing Triphladya Guggulu tablets and a Punarnavadi Kashayam decoction.

Results showed that this treatment significantly improved signs and symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, such as weakness, fatigue, and muscle aches (11Trusted Source).

Yet, human studies are limited. Ultimately, more research is warranted before steadfast conclusions can be made regarding this topic."

Westin Childs also mentions guggul. If you Google guggul and thyroid there is quiet a bit of reading. Westin Childs does point out though that for it to have an effect a person needs to be hypo but have some functioning thyroid.

I would always advise anyone thinking about taking any supplement to do a bit of research on Google first. Then decide whether it is worth trying the supplement for themselves. As I found to my cost taking the wrong thing can throw the system way out of balance. I took a supplement which had iodine in it that I didn't know about .

in reply to Lalatoot

I should think that the improvement is temporary at best in patients with Hashimoto´s. As the disease progresses, there is more and more loss of thyroid function. So not sure who would benefit from guggul long-term.

I used to read Westin Child´s articles. Back when he was still working as a doctor, I thought he wrote some interesting things. But since he gave up/had his licence revoked (not sure which, only that he is no longer a doctor) and started selling his own supplements, all his articles seem to be about promoting them. The last article I read recommended one of his supplements to boost T2 levels. He also sells a "T3 conversion booster". I simply don´t trust him anymore. He will say anything to sell supplements. They are expensive as well. He even claims that people who cannot find a doctor to prescribe T3 or NDT can raise their T3 levels using his supplements. Sorry to come off as aggressive, but I really find that reprehensible.

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot in reply to

Don't apologise. I fully understand. I do not follow any of the pseudo experts who sell products. I believe in taking as little as necessary and knowing what you are taking.

serenfach profile image
serenfach

Much as I admire the way you are trying to go forward, please take care of your liver. Your liver is what detoxifies the whole body.

I would not be happy with those results, and it seems your body is not either. I wish you luck and better health.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12

thank you

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator

I saw you replied on an “old” post about antibodies. I’ll reply here as older post may not be replied by members who do not visit so frequently.

Always best to start a new post.

There are 4 antibodies which are used for testing -

TRab (TSH receptor antibodies - measures stimulating, neural & blocking antibodies).

TPOab (Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies)

TGab (Thyroglobulin antibodies)

TSI (Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulin)

TrAb & TSI are used to diagnose Graves.

TgAb & TPO are present in both autoimmune condition, (Graves & Hashi) highest elevations in Hashi.

It’s also possible to have over producing hyper nodules without any antibodies.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to PurpleNails

Hi, thank you for replying to the post. I know about these antibodies. What I was trying to understand was what were the blood tests that showed why do you have them elevated not what were their levels. Thank you

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator in reply to Giulia12

If you are asking at what level is classed as elevated (positive) then it depend on the lab range.

If you are trying to find out what does positive antibodies means. Then it shows your immune system is reacting to either substances which are released into body from damage or targeting receptors.

If you want to know what causes the autoimmune system to do this, and how to test for that - then there no explanation or standard test.

There are theories that genetics / environmental / infections / damage/ stressors & hormones are factors but the simple answer is doctors don’t know what causes it and don’t “treat” the autoimmune aspect. They treat the result by managing thyroid levels.

Giulia12 profile image
Giulia12 in reply to PurpleNails

I am repeating myself: what is the cause? Busyy said that his endo is going to test to see what causes elevated antibodies. That`s it.

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