I have been suffering from ill health for a very long time, ~10 years.
I had an ultrasound scan on my neck to monitor an enlarged lymph node, the scan also showed I had damaged to the right lobe of my thyroid.
I went to the GP, who then ran my bloods:
TPO Ab: 220 ku/L
TSH: 2.81 mlU/L
Free T4: 16.7 pmol/L
Free T3: 5.5 pmol/L
At my GP appointment, he said that I have Hashimoto's... but as everything else is in range, it's just a matter of wait until my thyroid is damaged further and stops working?!
I feel at a loss... I am so ill every single day. The fatigue has such a significant impact, I am always cold, I feel myself getting slower mentally due to the fog, I have big hair loss, weight gain, sore and aching muscles.
Surely there must be something I can do?
I have read that Hashimoto's is often coupled with another autoimmune disease... the GP won't refer me to a rheumatologist as my ANAs have come back negative.
Other Abnormal Blood Results :
Bilirubin: 21 umol/L (fluctuates with every test, range 42 - 21)
Serum ALT: 8 u/L
MCHC: 305 g/L
Hypochromasia: 4%
Complement C4: 0.44 g/l
NT-PRO BNP: < 5 pmol/L / <47 pmol/L
I truly believe that there must be something that is making me feel so ill... the doctors try and suggest anxiety but I am so far from anxious. I do suffer with low mood, but that's purely because my physical condition really impacts my quality of life.
If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be so grateful. It is so challenging to keep adovcating for myself when I'm being told it's in my head all of the time.
Thanks in advance!
Written by
M0lly
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I've not had my vitamin levels test recently, however I was B12 and Vit D deficient years ago. I am vegetarian, so put it down to this. I used to have B12 injections, but these were stopped when I moved surgeries and my B12 was then in range.
I don't take any vitamins currently.
I had my Thyroid bloods taken before 9am and I fasted, so hopefully they are the most accurate.
So as vegetarian with Hashimoto’s it’s HIGHLY likely that your B12 and iron/ferritin will be very low
Get tested now BEFORE starting any supplements
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first as per NICE Guidelines
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
With loads of vegan dairy alternatives these days it’s not as difficult as in the past
the doctors try and suggest anxiety but I am so far from anxious. I do suffer with low mood, but that's purely because my physical condition really impacts my quality of life.
Congrats on not being gaslit! I too have never been depressed or anxious… but being hypo,
#1 anxiety is a symptom for some, but the treatment is optimizing your thyroid as the root cause… not anti- depressants (unless one needs them, which many do, and that is ok!)
#2 I always make the distinction between anxiety due to blood chemistry, and situational anxiety/depression.
I’m just dropping my reply here because I think it’s so important- especially given how often doctors would rather prescribe antidepressants than the proper thyroid hormone replacement.
Also- optimize your vitamins
I will also reiterate the importance of optimizing B12, folate, d3, and ferritin (which includes a full iron panel if necessary).
Deficiencies in each of those have a surprisingly noticeable impact on how we feel. Each has symptoms of their own, but also each work in concert with our thyroid function.
For example, if you are iron anemic, then even if your FT3 looks sufficient, it will have trouble working at the cellular level where your body needs it.
Those 4 above are the priorities and optimizing them (nit just getting them in range) can have a big impact on how you feel.
That being said - advice on management of your actual TSH, FT4, and FT3 equally important and well covered above!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
