I've made an appt with a naturopath next week as I'm having an increase in bad symptoms since starting levothyroxine 4mths ago and cannot stand it any longer.
I'm expecting to be told to go gluten free. However there's corn/maize starch (contains gluten) in the meds so I'm wondering about those of you who are gluten free - what type of meds are you on?
I hear these go hand in hand and wondered if anyone who is following a gluten free diet has actually gotten better thyroid results without the meds?
View 10 RepliesI am also coping with hypothyroidism and I've been searching for the best possible ways to get my health (and life) back. The doctor I have been working with has made the suggestion to go on a gluten free diet. She didn't go into great detail about it, but mentioned that she'd like for me to nix the gluten. I have also read numerous times on the internet about how gluten is a thyroid destroyer. I have tried countless times to go GF, but boy is it hard. I tested negative for gluten and dairy allergies but my doc (a naturopath) was still adamant that I give up the gluten. I feel like such a failure because I only manage to stay gluten free for about 2 weeks at a time until I cave and have something like a slice of pizza or some pasta or bread. There are gluten free alternatives to these items but sometimes they are hard to obtain or are a pain to cook. I have a very healthy diet for the most part but I've found that removing gluten entirely isn't easy. I've also lost weight while going gluten free, which I did NOT want to do. I'm actually already a little bit underweight.
Does anyone have any tips for me? Has anyone out there successfully gone gluten free long-term, and did it affect your condition in a positive way? I feel like a failure because I keep trying to give it up but it never works out in the long run. I always slip up.
Does anyone know any more about gluten and thyroid function? Read somewhere that going gluten free will improve health. Any thoughts?
View 1 RepliesCan someone please help, my anti-TPO antibodies (range 0-34) have gone from 33.5 in March to 141 in August despite being told to go gluten-free and did so consistently for 3 months? My endocrinologist said going gluten-free would definitely sort the antibodies out. I am on 50mcg T4.
View 7 RepliesNot to go into too much detail, but I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's last Dec (2012). I have seen MANY docs that have no idea what they are talking about. I have finally found a good Endocrinologist who understands hypo-thyroid....but she just wants to treat with synthetic T4 meds. I have also found a Great Holistic doc, that happens to also be a certified nutritionist as well....who understands for every action, there is a reaction. I use both of these docs to collaborate on my health and lab results...to decide how I WANT to treat my self so I can get back to optimum health.
Ready anything you can get your hands on...I repeat! Read anything you can get your hands on! Turn off the TV....and start researching your own health. It's worth it.
I am finding that docs just "treat" the already diseased body, rather than looking for the underlying cause of the disease. Your body is more than capable of taking care of itself if you have the right balance of vitamin/nutrients/minerals. It's when these levels get deficient...that's when you open the door for disease. Once that starts, your health will spiral out of control.
Find out what your deficient in and you can fix your health issues!
So, keep reading and learning. Hashi's patients....look for gluten free, fluoride free...look up iodine and it's effect on your thyroid health. (Dr. Brownstein-Iodine Loading test) Try to get back to the basics....rather than eating frozen foods and processed foods. Check into organic food (Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15). Do a Saliva test to check your adrenal hormones, check your Neurotransmitter levels too (Pharmasan Labs-run it thru your insurance). Read, "Stop the Thyroid Madness" to understand treating thyroid disease with natural desiccated thyroid, rather than just synthetic T4 medication.
There are people out there that understand how to read these results. All of the "goofy" people that tell you not to eat this, take this supplement, etc...may not be as crazy as you think. Look for a holistic, natural doc. Some are better than others...try a couple and see who you are comfortable with.
My 12 yr old son is experiencing no BM after 4 days of switching him to this GFDF diet ... Before he was IBS .... Not sure what to do
View 7 RepliesI was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 14, and since then i have been taking Levothyroxine to help with it. I am wondering, will I need to take levothyroxine forever? Or is there a fix for thyroid problems? I don't see my weight going down at all, or my thyroid level. My doctor has been increasing the dosage of my levothyroxine, and has three times now. I recently got Levothyroxine in 0.137mg dosage, and it smells terrible. My old ones were 0.125mg. Is this a very small change, and will it even do anything?
View 1 RepliesDuring a routine blood test in August I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid. I wasn't feeling ill so was quite surprised when I read the symptoms. I've been on Levothyroxine for 3 months now and I feel terrible. I'm so drained and exhausted, angry and frustrated, bloated, fat, stomach pains and unhappy, I keep going back to the doctor but she just pops me more pills and I don't feel she is very understanding or sympathetic. I didn't feel this bad before I started the medication so I'm going to stop it. I was placed on 50mg and two weeks later my blood tests were normal and have been since so for such a small dose does it really matter? I'm so low, sometimes it's all too much I want to have a paddy and a tantrum and smash the place up and if anyone gets in my way then they'll get it too.
The doctor wants me to try CBT self help courses to understand what troubles me. When I'm not having some kind of flip out I know what troubles me - things are a struggle and I hate being ill and I want to be better.
After many years struggling with ongoing Hypothyroid symptoms, despite continuous treatment with Levothyroxine (125 mg daily) I came up the plethora of information, mainly from the USA challenging the efficacy of the current tendency of GPs to test only T4 and TSH Levels and to prescribe only Synthetic Thyroid Medications (like Levothyroxine) despite evidence that people so treated continued to suffer from many Hypothyroid symptoms. I asked my own Doctor- apparently, tests for T£ levels are "very expensive" and so won't be offered on the NHS, and even if I had private blood tests done, he wouldn't be able to prescribe additional T3 (Cytomel) or Natural Thyroid Extract for my condition. So, I'm left with a choice- self medicate, buying these products from possibly "dodgy" online sources, or continue to take my Levothyroxine and suffer from ongoing symptoms in silence. Not a great choice, is it? I'd be interested to hear about fellow sufferers experiences and advice, please, on what I should do.
View 56 RepliesDiagnosed hypothyroid >10 years. I have struggled all of this time to feel 'normal'. Drs have continually increased Levothyroxine to attempt to normalise TSH. Six months ago they prescribed 300mcg. The pharmacist queried this! I take it regularly, without food etc. I am still symptomatic and free T4 & T3 still low. Anyone else on this dose without effect?
View 171 RepliesSo my latest blood work revealed that I need a dose change and that I'm insulin resistant. I am now taking 200mg of levothyroxine for hypothyroidism and 40mg of atorvastatin for cholesterol and fatty liver. I also take fish oil, multivitamin, D3, allegra, and baby aspirin. My medical provider is focusing on my thyroid before tackling everything else. I should also mention that my mother has non alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, dementia, diverticulitis, and myopathy. I'm considering taking coQ10. I'm just wondering what is the safest otc pain medicine for me to use(ibuprofen, goodies), and is there anything else I should know?
View 2 RepliesHello I am 30 years old and a smoker for about 14 years my results came back for my ct spine scan and an incidental finding of a 9mm cyst in my upper lung should I be concerned that this maybe cancer? Will they remove the cyst if at all anyways thanks for any information I appreciate it.
View 3 RepliesI have been diagnosed with Hashimoto. Everywhere I read it is controlled with Armour or some kind of thyroid medicine. I have tried Armour and Synthroid and Levothyroxine and have had no change in my leves. One is suppose to be a 4 and mine is a 7 and one is suppose to be less than 9 and mine is greater than 900.
What happens when it us uncontrollable with Medicine?
I was diagnosed only yesterday and took my first pill today. I have been quite worried to hear about people's experiences levo, but more importantly I'm worried about the antibody attacks!
I don't have many symptoms except feeling the cold - that's the main one.
But my results were really bad: TSH 79.9, T4 6.8, AntTO 4777.7
My question is, while the thyroxine will regulate my hormone, what do people do about the anti-body attack? I'm getting a coeliac test done, although have previously come out negative.
What do people think? I've read about functional medicine practice is to heal the gut and cut out grains, which I will certainly try. Just wondered because no one seems to be questioning this and it's the antibodies causing the destruction!!
Do antibody levels decrease on Levo? What do you do about this? Anyone else gluten free?
Not sure what vitamins I should be taking as doc diagnosed me and prescribed me and off I went , ive no idea what my TSH level is either, just that i have underactive thyroid, I'm taking Levothyroxine lowest dose? I'm feeling cold and tired most of the time too.
View 2 RepliesI've been on 300 mcg Levothyroxine for several years. Was still hypo until I was given Adderall 40 mg day. Except for PTSD was fine. Old Doc retired and new Doc is freaked because my TSH is almost undetectable, T3 and T4 high side of normal. She lowered it to 250mcg and I'm in a tailspin in less than a month. Crying, shaking, cramps in my feet, leg tremors, etc. ANXIETY out of control.
View 44 RepliesI have recently "not quite" been diagnosed yet with Lupus however I have certain signs not yet enough for an official diagnosis. High ANA is one, pericardial effusion (mild), no inflammation or symptoms yet. Would have never known I had a problem until the Dr. told me I did!! I used to have severe stomach problems for years, cramps, diarrhea after eating a meal. For hours I would suffer. But for the past 4 or so years it has stopped completely and I am wondering if that is when my immune system started to go overactive due to a possible gluten allergy and now turning into an auto immune disease as a result. I am starting a gluten free diet, today is only day 3, i want to suppress and relax my immune system by not giving it so much work to do!! Unconfuse it and calm it down by eating gluten free and healthier. So nutrients can get absorbed better? Add probiotics, making sure to get Vitamin K...D, B12 etc. (I know K is a big one for Lupus) Does anyone have any views on this or have tried diets like this?
View 8 RepliesHas anyone tried the new range of gluten free food Udi's?
I saw them in Tesco the other day on 3 for 2 and tried the bagels, muffins and crisps. They all taste just like the real thing! I've really missed bagels since I was diagnosed at 18 so it was great to eat them again.
I am mid process during the diagnosis (I've had the MRI with and without contrast and get results Monday. I'm currently refusing LP and have the evoked potentials scheduled). If I were to be diagnosed (still hoping not) I have read a lot about being gluten free and that helping with symptoms. As a matter of fact, I may try it regardless of diagnosis to see if it helps. But, has anyone with MS tried it? Did it help?
View 4 RepliesI'm going to a party tomorrow night and of course I want to be safe about the drinks I'm choosing to have. I have been doing research on gluten free drinks, but I haven't been able to find anything on Sourpuss! Has anyone given it a go?
Also, what are some good gluten free coolers I could pick up?