Hashimoto's, Vitamin D3 And Gluten Intolerance

[JWSoFla]

I was just told by my health pratitioner today that my low thyroid hormones require steady doses of Vit D3 and that I should stay off gluten. I have studied celiac disease for the past 20 yrs before it was suspected in many autism cases and back then participated in several diets from Macrobiotic to Natural Hygiene and realized the benefits. In the past 4 yrs however I slid down the rabbit hole and am now concerned about an underactive thyroid that could be related to Gluten sensitivity and that the D3 can help preserve what's left of my thyroid. I never connected the gluten and thryoid. Anyone else hear of this and, if so, am I stating it correctly? PS: I'm a new member today. JWSoFla

[ShayFL]

We see a lot of similarities among Celiacs/Gluten Intolerant individuals.

Hashimotos/Thyroid Disease

Low Vit D

Low Iron/Ferritin

Low B12

And others.......

[still tiredofdoctors]

JWSoFla - welcome to the board. Even though my "history" shows very few posts, I am an "old-timer"! Just couldn't get my password . . . That being said

Given that Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, it is not uncommon having concommitant autoimmune diseases. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is very common with Celiacs.

I was treated for years for a "multinodular nontoxic goiter" . . . I had to change endocrinologists due to insurance constraints. Even though the the right lobe was 2 1/2 x the normal size and the left was 3, the physician to whom I was referred did not believe in using Synthroid to control the condition. He discontinued the medication and I remained off it for ten months. I ended up hospitalized and in extremely poor condition.

I returned to my prior endocrinologist at the urging of the hospitalist treating me at the time. She then tested me and it was determined that I did, in fact, have Hashimoto's. Because of this, despite Vitamin D3 treament, my thyroid continued to grow at a rapid rate. It actually grew inward, with the left lobe wrapping around my trachea and extending in the front down under my breastbone.

At one point, my endocrinologist asked, "How would you feel about having your thyroid removed?" Given that I had seen her previously for years and this had never come up, I said, "Well, we really haven't talked about it before." She said she just didn't like how it felt . . .

The otolaryngologist I saw didn't agree with her suggestion and wanted me to wait three months. Within that time frame, I had a follow-up appointment with the endocrinologist. She was trying out an ultrasound machine she was considering buying, and asked if I would allow her to use me as a "guinea pig" and obtain images. I readily agreed.

She found that the cysts had become hemorraghic - a precursor to thyroid cancer. The biopsy after rapid removal of my thyroid indicated that it was consistent with long-term Hashimoto's and was indeed pre-cancerous.

The reason for this very long post is to confirm your suspicion that gluten-sensitivity and/or Celiac can very much be concommitant with Hashimoto's. It is important to continue monitoring your TSH, T3 and T4 levels, along with Thyroid antibody levels in addition to monitoring your D3 level.

It may be well worth your time and money to have at minimum your antigliadin antibody level checked. If you have insurance coverage that will underwrite the costs, you may then want to ask that your antitransglutaminase and antiendomysial antibody levels be checked as well.

I wish you the very best during this endeavor - the advice I could best give you is that maintaining consistent documentation and having tenacity will be your strongest mechanisms with regard to managing your conditions.

[ShayFL]

My Mom's thyroid panel came back "normal" with NO antibodies just a few weeks before they removed her thyroid (after a scan showed problems). She had SEVERE Hashi's and thyroid cancer. The doctor said the reason she had NEG antibodies is that there wasnt much tissue left for her body to attack and she had very low total IgA. The blood tests dont always tell the whole story. My Mom could very likely be dead if they had gone by blood alone.

Get an ultrasound of your thyroid too.

[LIS-Guy]

We see a lot of similarities among Celiacs/Gluten Intolerant individuals.

Hashimotos/Thyroid Disease

Low Vit D

Low Iron/Ferritin

Low B12

And others.......

Now that's very interesting to hear, Shay. As it so happens, my Vitamin D and B12 are severely deficient (as measured by blood test last spring), and my doc says I'm starting to show signs of Hashimoto's, which runs in my family. The more I read on this board, the more it seems certain that I am Celiac.

LIS