Hyperthyroidism?

[The One]

I'll try to be as brief as possible with my story. As a kid I was always sick, went through so many hospitals and doctors to never get any answers. In 1999 when I was 13 [now 21] they did a few thyroid tests, TSH and antibody testing, I tested positive for anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies, doctors DID NOTHING and did not warn my mother of the risks of me developing thyroid disease later on in life, we found the results of these tests not long ago and I took it to a doctor who did not listen [free clinic]. About 8 months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 20, I had severe stomach pains that did not go away on meds and i kept having troubles, they kept saying it was nothing and gave me Prevacid, I was diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes [they refused to believe it could be type 1 even though my levels went over 400 and even though i only weigh 88Lbs] on my own i ordered a test online from Enterolab to test myself for gluten sensitivity because I highly suspected I have Celiac, of course I tested positive, went on a gluten free diet and my stomach symptoms went away.

My problem is that now, gluten free I have been able to separate symptoms better [i used to feel horribly bad all over] and I have noticed palpitations in my neck with breathing difficulties for the past few days [they had happened in the past], they came slowly and worsened over a couple days, a few days ago the weather was a bit warm and i could not seem to stand it, i broke into a sweat at some point [while everyone else was feeling ok almost a bit cold] and i was sweating like it was summertime, my throat palpitations were horribly bad and I was shaking like a leaf [by the way i have had fine hand tremors since around age 13], I started taking my pulse because I felt i was skipping beats and indeed it felt like i was! but it was around 5+ missed beats a minute at certain points [i know they are not actually missed beats, but "premature beats" but of course it feels scary]

I have family history of thyroid disease [grandmother, aunt and cousin, possibly mother too], I had a TSH test done not long ago and it was normal, is it possible to still have thyroid disease? what tests are recommended for autoimmune thyroid disease?

thank you

AJ

[Rachel--24]

I had hyperthyroidism (Graves Disease). My symptoms were pressure behind my eyes, headaches, shakiness, a feeling of being wired all the time, heart palipitations, hairloss, bursts of anger, racing thoughts (my mind was always busy), sweating, feeling unusually warm or flushed, and a huge apetite.

It sounds like you could have Graves based on your symptoms and family history. For me the symptoms would only appear during times of stress and then they would go away on their own or with the help of anti-thyroid medication. The Dr.'s always pushed for radioactive iodine treatment to destroy the thyroid and make it underactive....permantly. I didnt want to go that route.

The last time it happened the symptoms did not go away no matter what I tried. I had always tested with very low TSH and high T4 and T3.....indicative of hyperyroidism. When it got to the point where I wasnt getting better I had more thorough testing which is when I was dignosed with Graves. I had elevated antibodies and then went in for an "iodine uptake test". In this test you would swallow a small amount of radioactive iodine and then after a couple hours they check to see how much of the iodine has been absorbed by the thyroid.

The thyroid needs iodine to function. A normal functioning thyroid would allow for only some absorption of the iodine but an overactive thyroid would rapidly absorb most of the iodine in a short time. In my case there wasnt much left as my thyroid had taken up much of the iodine.

I also had a scan of my thyroid which showed it was enlarged or inflamed.

Because I was uninformed and in alot of pain which was not improving with mediaction I made the choice to have radioactive iodine treatment to kill my thyroid. If I could take it back now I would.

I never got better even after the thyroid was treated and now I'm taking daily hormone since my own thyroid doesnt produce anything.

I have since learned through much research that autoimmune conditions are thought to be caused by the immune response to bacteria, virus, parasites or fungi in the body. Our immune systems are there to fight off these infections....when the infections end up in our tissue the immune system will then attack the tissue. Genetics play a role in which type of autoimmune problems we may develop.

Its been almost 4 years since I had the radioactive iodine and I would say in my case it only served to worsen my situation. I do believe that there are underlying factors involved in autoimmune disease....most likely a chronic and hidden infection.

In recent months Dr.'s have looked heavily at Lyme Disease in my situation. Its not the easiest diagnosis to make and 5 months later I dont have a *clear* picture of whether or not I have Lyme. There is some evidence that the bacteria is present in my body but no real evidence that it is my *primary* issue and cause of symtpoms.

I have been saying for several months now that I do believe that Lyme is present in my body but what brought on my symptoms was mercury. This is what I felt was the cause and mercury in the body also inevitably leads to infection...especially fungal/yeast. I do have major issues with yeast and mold at this time....as identified in testing. After alot of testing using various methods the Dr.'s are now looking at mercury as the underlying cause and its showing up in testing to be more of an issue than Lyme.

I started treatment for mercury detox on Saturday....I've known in my gut for more than 3 years that this was the cause of my illness. I also know in my gut that either Lyme or mercury was the cause of my Graves Disease. The symptoms were appearing under stressful times because my immune system was most vulnerable at these times.....this would be the time when opportunistic bacteria or yeast would try to overtake the immune system.

Thats my story and if I could go back I would not have made the choice to have my thryoid ablated. When you treat the underlying cause often times the autoimmune response will cease.....especially with autoimmune thyroid disease...it very often corrects itself as it did with me when I was able to get it back under control after stressful events.

In the end the majority of the symtpoms I was experiencing at the time I chose to go through with radioactive iodine were actually caused by mercury and/or infection. The treatment did not change this and the symptoms persisted.

My advice would be to get tested for Graves....if you end up having it....do not make an uniformed decision about radioactive iodine treatment. Most people I know who have done it...also regret it....you cannot take it back. Also....if you do not have Graves be aware that those identical symptoms can be caused by chronic infection. Every symptom of Graves can also be confused with the symptoms of Lyme.

You should get more complete testing of your thyroid function and also a more current test of your antibodies.

The most useful labs are TSH, FreeT4 and FreeT3. If hyperthyroidism is suspected they may do an uptake test and/or scan to confirm a diagnosis of Graves.

Hope this helps.

[The One]

Wow thanks so much for all that information, I really did not know that there were other things that could cause similar symptoms, let alone Lyme disease. I will look into that and talk to my doctor and see what they recommend as far as testing goes, I would love to have all the thyroid tests done but the clinic I go to does not offer many tests, maybe they can refer me to another doctor.

It is sad you had to go for radioactive iodine, I believe that is not a solution because they are curing one thing by developing another 'disease' since it causes hypothyroidism. I will definitely not have radioactive iodine treatment if it turns out I do have Grave's.

Now that you mention it, I do have that kind of pressure feeling behind my eyes sometimes and it often causes me to have a headache. I also have a mind that does not stop and I definitely have bouts of anger that do not relate to what is going on, I can be happy one second a raging at the next or just start crying at random times. And I definitely have the flushing and feeling of being warm often when others are not, I tend to sweat a lot while others feel normal or can even be wearing long sleeves. Sometimes these symptoms appeared at times of stress but when the stress was gone it would continue and I would try to relax with no luck. Also I noticed that when I do have these palpitatoins, if I lay down, they get worse, I figure it is because the heart was beating so fast while I was trying to relax and was in a resting position. I also developed a low fever a few of the times this happened and then it would go away leaving me to sweat my butt off.

It is interesting that autoimmune conditions can be caused by viral infections, etc. It seems like gluten intolerance in some way mimics an infection [or maybe due to the inflamed intestines] and allows for antibodies to be produced and let loose into the blood to cause chaos, it is not surprising that diabetes and thyroid and so many other autoimmune diseases can be linked to Celiac.

Best of luck to you with your new treatment, hopefully they finally found the source to all your problems. And yes your post definitely helps ;]

[Rachel--24]

Best of luck to you with your new treatment, hopefully they finally found the source to all your problems. And yes your post definitely helps ;]

Thanks...I have a very good outlook on things and I think I'm heading in the right direction to get my health restored.

Lots of autoimmune disease are linked with Celiac....just as with any autoimmune disease...the possibility of developing more is high. I dont think Celiac is a *cause* for multiple autoimmune disease....even those who do not have Celiac (such as myself) tend to develop more than one autoimmune disease over time.

Celiac requires a "trigger" to be activated. I think in most cases that trigger would be a viral or bacterial infection which became more aggressive while the body was under stress from other factors.

In my opinion Celiac isnt any diferent from other autoimmune disease....it gets triggered the same way....if you are genetically suscepitble you are at high risk for developing it when the immune system is under stress.

If it were true that gluten was the cause for the autoimmune diseases associated with Celiac......then it wouldnt make sense that people are still developing autoimmune disease like diabetes......long after gluten is eliminated from the diet. Gluten cannot be the cause of the immune systems attack on other tissue when gluten is not present in the diet. The immune system should not produce anti-gliadin antibodies when there is no gluten in the diet.

While its true that people develop multiple autoimmune conditions while consuming gluten....its also true that people continue to develop autoimmune conditions even while on the diet. To me this would indicate that there is still a chronic hidden infection or some other underlying cause which is triggerring autoimmunity.

Your symptoms definatley sound alot like mine. I also had more pronounced heart palps while lying down. However, I did not develop fevers from hyperthroidism. Fever is not a common symptom of Graves....except for in the situation of "thyroid storm" which is very serious and would likely put you in the hospital.

Causes of Graves Disease:

Graves' disease is eight times more common in women than in men, occurs most frequently between the ages of 20 and 40 and often arises after an infection or physical or emotional stress. It has a familial tendency. The disease is characterized by the formation of autoantibodies that bind to receptors in thyroid cell membranes and stimulate the gland to hyperfunction.

[The One]

I can't find the article [because I lost all my bookmarks] where it explains exactly the way Celiac [true celiac with malabsorption] causes other autoimmune diseases, I believe it is a reaction to gluten which allows for development of little open spaces in the intestine which allow "bad" proteins to leak into the bloodstream, the body recognizes these proteins as being "bad" and tries to attack them by producing antibodies which will destroy these proteins. Now, these proteins aren't just any protein, they are very very similar to proteins contained in our bodies, so when the body produces these antibodies to attack the foreign proteins, it also attacks our own tissue by a process called molecular mimicy, it could be the pancreas, the thyroid, etc etc. causing autoimmune disease, BUT, you are also right, people tend to still develop autoimmune diseases after a gluten free diet, which is because of what you said, simply because someone with one autoimmune disease is prone to have more than just one which may develop anytime in life. So there is actually two causes of autoimmune disease in Celiacs.

I have read a few articles on the "trigger" for Celiac and indeed it seems to be a group of factors, one being a viral infection, in my opinion, Rotavirus [stomach flu] has A LOT to do with the development of Celiac disease, and in my own experience, they have also a relationship in developing extra symptoms of celiac.

I have one more question I forgot to mention, these 'attacks' happened about two to one week before my period, could this have anything to do with it? I was also having horrible cramps around that time. And when my period came it seemed to be much lighter and shorter than my usual periods which are very heavy and loooong.

[Rachel--24]

I I believe it is a reaction to gluten which allows for development of little open spaces in the intestine which allow "bad" proteins to leak into the bloodstream, the body recognizes these proteins as being "bad" and tries to attack them by producing antibodies which will destroy these proteins.

What you are describing is called Increased Intestinal Permeability...or "Leaky Gut"....anyone can develop leaky gut for any number of reasons...the most common reason is a candida overgrowth. Leaky Gut is common and not limited to those with Celiac. Gluten intolerance will always be a consequence of leaky gut....but not necessarily the cause.

Yes, leaky gut leads to autoimmunity in that it "invites" all sorts of unwanted guests into the bloodstream....this includes bacteria, virus, parasites and fungi....as well as food antigens. Leaky gut keeps the immune system very busy.

Gluten is a protein that has the exact same amino acid sequence that is found in the cell wall of candida albicans (a pathogenic yeast which is the main cause of leaky gut). Candida is the only thing known to contain the same exact amino acid sequence which triggers the immune response to gluten in Celiac Disease.

The immune system is capable of launching the same attack it would on candida....when gluten enters the bloodstream. This would be an example of molecular mimicry. The immune system cannot tell the two apart and the immune system is designed to fight off pathogenic invaders. This is how gluten can be mistakingly seen as invader once it is able to pass through the leaky gut.

It is not Celiac itself which is causing the leaky gut and the other autoimmune diseases. The problem is not limited to those with Celiac....anyone can develop leaky gut....especially after taking antibiotics which have allowed candida to overgrow. Candida can also overgrow for several other reasons.....basically anything which lowers immunity can allow for candida to overgrow.

These are the main factors in the development of leaky gut

[singingserena]

Hey guys,

I was also diagnosed with celiac disease at a very young age, and then in university i noticed rapid pulse (over 85beats/min) and sweating at night. So then, as you may suspect, I had the Ab...soooo...Grave's disease. It sux bout ur radioactive iodine thing....all of this is sucky...especially when most of the ppl I know dont have any of my probs...its hard to find ppl to chat with. Im in school right now, and it pisses me off that most of my classmates are so full of energy pulling all nighters....and i feel so weak by mid-day and then gotta study all night (ya right). How can we function in a society where wheat rules and celiac drooles....

[Rachel--24]

Im in school right now, and it pisses me off that most of my classmates are so full of energy pulling all nighters....and i feel so weak by mid-day and then gotta study all night (ya right). How can we function in a society where wheat rules and celiac drooles....

Awww... I'm sorry you are going through this at an age where you should be having fun with your classmates.

Its a drag I'm sure.....hopefully you will get this under control soon with treatment and can feel better....with more energy. I'm sending positive thoughts your way.

[The One]

Nah I didn't mean that it only happens in Celiac, I meant that when leaky gut happens in Celiac it can cause other autoimmune diseases by that mechanism, not everyone with Celiac has a leaky gut, and not everyone with Celiac has other autoimmune diseases. So I understand what you are saying, I just expressed myself incorrectly..

Ugh I know what you mean singingserena, I used to be able to stay up all night sometimes but then started with all the problems that led to the gluten sensitivity diagnosis and all through that time it was so bad, I was going to bed earlier than ever and getting up late, always exhausted. I'm hopeful it will get better ;]

[nomore]

I also went through years of doctors and specialists repeating the same tests over and over. Thyroid problems were always suspected, since they go back two generations in my family. But the tests always came back normal.

My health did improve after going gluten-free and casein-free, but then other intolerances and weird things happened. Over time I developed all the other common intolerances or allergies... soy, tree nuts, peanuts, seeds, etc.

I learned that many of the neurological, digestive, and thyroid-like symptoms were likely caused by heavy metal poisoning. My tests were positive for mercury, cadmium, thallium, and nickel after a provoked 6-hour urine test. Heavy metals often don't show up on blood tests or regular urine tests.

These can come from many sources, but in my case I believe they came from old "amalgam" fillings. I had them removed and took a look inside before they were refilled with composite. Sure enough, they had "leaked" inside, even though everything looked fine on the surface.

I am seeing a specialist for heavy metal detox. Since then I've gone through many articles about mercury poisoning. Mercury interferes with DPP-IV, the enzyme needed to digest wheat (gluten) and dairy (casein). It also leads to reduced production of stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes.

Some of the food intolerances have gone away, what a relief. I haven't dared touch any wheat or dairy yet though.

[Rachel--24]

I learned that many of the neurological, digestive, and thyroid-like symptoms were likely caused by heavy metal poisoning. My tests were positive for mercury, cadmium, thallium, and nickel after a provoked 6-hour urine test. Heavy metals often don't show up on blood tests or regular urine tests.

These can come from many sources, but in my case I believe they came from old "amalgam" fillings. I had them removed and took a look inside before they were refilled with composite. Sure enough, they had "leaked" inside, even though everything looked fine on the surface.

I am seeing a specialist for heavy metal detox. Since then I've gone through many articles about mercury poisoning. Mercury interferes with DPP-IV, the enzyme needed to digest wheat (gluten) and dairy (casein). It also leads to reduced production of stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes.

Some of the food intolerances have gone away, what a relief. I haven't dared touch any wheat or dairy yet though.

Yup...this is exactly what happened with me as well. I actually *did* have Graves Disease though and not surprisingly I have mercury in my thyroid tissue as well as jaw, brain, kidneys and gut.

I just started chelation less than 2 weeks ago and I'm told by the Dr.'s my food intolerances and chemical sensitivities will diminish with treatment.

Yes, mercury does block the DPPIV enzyme...which is one reason I believe many of us are intolerant to gluten/dairy without having Celiac.

This is why the autistic population does much better on a gluten-free/cf diet. The enzyme is blocked or missing....and they have leaky gut as well.

There is no enzyme system in the body which cannot be blocked by mercury but the DPP4 enzyme is particularly sensitive to mercury.

Some people have other intolerances as well....chemicals found in foods cannot be broken down....things like salicylates, food colorings, preservatives, etc. etc. I have multiple sensitivities caused by mercury toxicity as well as candida overgrowth/leaky gut.

I am also seeing a few specialists for heavy metal detox as well as the resulting infections.

We dont know if I will be able to consume gluten after treatment....thats the one that the Dr.'s say some patients dont regain tolerance for. I'm thinking the people not regaining tolerance may be genetically susceptible to Celiac. I do not have those genes so I'm hopeful that I will make a full recovery with no dietary restrictions but its a "wait and see" thing.

The only way to know for sure is to wait until I'm recovered and do a challenge....see how I feel.

All amalgams leak...they leak for the entire lifetime of the filling. They are leaking mercury vapor even when they are brand new. Some things that increase the release of mercury vapor are hot liquids, smoking, chewing gum/food.

I had a filling break (I swallowed the piece which broke off) 2 years before I got sick...I was already having thyroid disease at that time and I believe the broken filling increased my exposure. I left the filling as it was because it was not bothering me...nor was I sick at that time.

It wasnt until 2 years later when I went to the dentist for a cleaning...and he saw the broken filling....that I was told it needed replacement. He also wanted to replace one other filling which he said was deteriorating and would break eventually.

When the dentist drilled out those two fillings (without doing anything to protect me or himself from the vapors) is when I completely lost my health. Prior to that I had no sensitivities whatsoever.

He replaced my fillings with gold crowns which caused a battery-like effect (galvanic reaction) with the 2 remaining amalgams that were still in my mouth. This very quickly pulls mercury and other metals from the fillings. Within 8 weeks I was no longer functioning and on disability. Its been 5 years now.

I have had food and chemical sensitivities since that time.

[loraleena]

The high antibody test points to Hashimotos Hypothyroidism. I have your symptoms, but am hypo. I am intolerant to heat and cold. I don't have shakes, but I get skipped heart beats.

[Janeti]

Loraleena,

I also have hashimotos, I was diagnosed in 1999. I haven't taken synthroid in several months because since I went gluten-free, my TSH has leveled off. The antibodies of course will always be there. Now 2 weeks ago, I went for all my bloodwork, the TSH is fine, but my T's are low. The Dr said no synthroid if the TSH is fine. In the meantime, I have been having alot of palpitations. Do you think that is why? Are you still taking meds for your thyroid? I have seen 3 endos for my thyroid, and I thought all were jerks. The last one was in Feb, right before I was diagnosed, which was when I was at my sickest. I could hardly get myself out of bed, and when he ordered bloodwork, and I had no vitamins in me, and liver functions were elevated, he said that I was in the beginning of hyperparathyroidism I really don't have much faith in too many Drs...Janet

[loraleena]

First off synthroid is often not helpful. It is much better to take Armour thyroid or Cytomel. I am on Cytomel. Still trying to get it under control. Your doc is clueless. TSH is extremely innacurate. Just because you levels have returned to normal does not mean you should go off meds. Meds are usely for life. You probably went off and your levels got messed up again. The thyroid peroxidase antibody test is what you need to show hashimotos. The levels should be under 20. TSH is only accurate 45% of the time. You need to look at symptoms and relief of symptoms. I urge you to go to drlow.com.

He is the one who helped me inititally. Lots of great info and research on thyroid. This is info you can show your doctor. Good luck and let me know if you have more questions.

[Nikki'smom]

Wow It is actually nice to see this thread here! I have Hyperthyroidism/graves. I was diagnosed about almost 3 yrs ago. My original endo pushed the RAI but I just couldn't do it my guy told me NO! I also had 2 little ones and the thought of me glowing in the dark around them didn't sit well with me. So after a huge fight with the endo I decided to beg my GP to try to help me with the meds. Thanlfully he is amazing! He got me to a point where my thyroid was under control and I haven't been on any meds for almost a yr! although I do feel like i might need to go back on them. Since I feel the heart palpataions a bit but it could just be my imagination. I just had a new blood test yesterday so I should know in a few days.

Rachel it is very interesting you said you noticed in time of stress your symptoms coming back. My 7yr old DD was just diagnosed with Celiac and I think the stress of watching her go through the scope and all the research and the OMG my baby is so sick brought back my symptoms. Thankfully she is a trooper and is doing great on the gluten-free diet! Hopefully it is just my imagination and my thyroid levels are still fine but I doubt it...

[Janeti]

Hello Loraleena,

I went to the website www.drlow.com and it was for an orthodontist? What did I do wrong? Janet

[loraleena]

So sorry. It is drlowe.com. Left off the e.