Ate Gluten To Get Ready For Celiac Test:::Very Troubling Results. But.....Could There Be A Synthroid-Celiac Symptom Correlation?

[GlutenGrr]

Hi Everyone. I so hope that someone will have some suggestions or knowledge of this. I'm going to try to make this as clear as I can.

Past 3 Years, severe sickness, a lot of Thyroid symptoms.

2 Years ago diagnosed with Hashimotos

Started Synthroid/Only got marginally better, slightly functional.

Began to see correlation between gluten ingestion and sickness.

Main Symptoms on Gluten were: Extreme sleepiness, like a feeling of "being drugged", powering off kind of. Fuzzy brain, bloating, weakness (that kind of goes with the sleepiness), feeling of being "weighted down

Going off Gluten 4 months ago helped me a lot but I can't seem to stay well every day. I decided to get tested for Celiac, so I glutened myself starting last Thursday. I was pretty scared to eat it. I thought I would end up in the hospital, since the last glutening I got was from inhaling drywall dust, and the reaction was very severe. I could not open my eyes, and I could not talk.

Now, I am NOT getting a major reaction. (Just minor, and has gotten even more mild since Thursday) I have eaten bread, pasta, perogies etc. The only thing different between 4 months ago and now is that I haven't taken my Synthroid in a few days,

Is it that the Synthroid reacts with gluten in my body, and that the Synthroid caused all my gluten reactions.

(I'm 35, and the gluten reactions seemingly "came out of nowhere".)

I have another idea as well on what could have caused this, but I would like to address the first idea first.

The only research I can find is that there is a correlation between Celiac Disease and Thyroid disease. But, could it not also be a correlation between Synthroid and Celiac? Please help, any thoughts are appreciated.

[Wolicki]

  On 3/1/2010 at 7:43 AM, GlutenGrr said:

Hi Everyone. I so hope that someone will have some suggestions or knowledge of this. I'm going to try to make this as clear as I can.

Past 3 Years, severe sickness, a lot of Thyroid symptoms.

2 Years ago diagnosed with Hashimotos

Started Synthroid/Only got marginally better, slightly functional.

Began to see correlation between gluten ingestion and sickness.

Main Symptoms on Gluten were: Extreme sleepiness, like a feeling of "being drugged", powering off kind of. Fuzzy brain, bloating, weakness (that kind of goes with the sleepiness), feeling of being "weighted down

Going off Gluten 4 months ago helped me a lot but I can't seem to stay well every day. I decided to get tested for Celiac, so I glutened myself starting last Thursday. I was pretty scared to eat it. I thought I would end up in the hospital, since the last glutening I got was from inhaling drywall dust, and the reaction was very severe. I could not open my eyes, and I could not talk.

Now, I am NOT getting a major reaction. (Just minor, and has gotten even more mild since Thursday) I have eaten bread, pasta, perogies etc. The only thing different between 4 months ago and now is that I haven't taken my Synthroid in a few days,

Is it that the Synthroid reacts with gluten in my body, and that the Synthroid caused all my gluten reactions.

(I'm 35, and the gluten reactions seemingly "came out of nowhere".)

I have another idea as well on what could have caused this, but I would like to address the first idea first.

The only research I can find is that there is a correlation between Celiac Disease and Thyroid disease. But, could it not also be a correlation between Synthroid and Celiac? Please help, any thoughts are appreciated.

Hmmm. Not sure, and I can't add much, but if it turns out that you are Celiac, Synthroid is not gluten free.

[nora-n]

Hmm. I ahve been on thyroid forums for many years and I am not so sure synthroid has any gluten.

But I ahve seen that there are always some patients that are extremely sensitive to fillers in medications, and now the latest issue was when Armour changed the tablet formulation so it contained much much more cellulose as filler, and lots of patients got sick from that. It is all over the save natural thyroid facebook group.

Now teh active ingredient in synthroid is levothyroxine sodium and it is uesd all over the world and it is identical to the natural hormone, except that it contains the sodium vs Thyrodi is boind to albumin.

Now thyroxine does not react with gluten.

The connection between hashimotos and celiac is there, and there is a genetic connection too. And, both are autoimmune conditions, and if you have one, the chance for another autoimmune conditon is much greater.

Are you sure you are not reacting to the cellulose? maybe the drywall has cellulose?

Lots of messages on the internet about the cellulose bothering thyroid patients out there. Some had to go to the E.R.

Are you sure you do not have multiple chemical sensitivities?

About the sleepyness, I was very very tired and after some time off gluten, I woke up one day and was not so extremely fatigued.

[Brien]

My phamracist and I went through the ingredients and bonding agents of Synthroid and could not find anything that would be considered "Gluten".

[Gemini]

  On 3/2/2010 at 9:48 PM, Brien said:

My phamracist and I went through the ingredients and bonding agents of Synthroid and could not find anything that would be considered "Gluten".

The problem with Synthroid is that they use outside sources for their fillers and additives. Because of liability concerns and companies not willing to disclose their ingredient lists, the makers of Synthroid will not put the 100% gluten-free stamp on their product. It could mean that Synthroid is 100% gluten-free but there are no guarantee's on that. If any one of their suppliers change an ingredient, you won't know and you may be ingesting gluten. There are many other thyroid hormone manufacturers who will make sure their product is gluten-free so I stick with those. Plus, Synthroid is one of the most expensive replacement hormones on the market....why pay more when you don't need to? Doctors routinely prescribe Synthroid because they receive BIG perks from the drug companies to do so. It's all about the money. My cousin is a drug rep....my information is 100% accurate. I am appalled at some of their tactics.

I wouldn't rely too much on pharmacists for gluten free status on a drug. I have yet to meet any one of them who know much about where gluten is present....unless they have Celiac themselves and are serious about following the diet. I have had pharmacists tell me that as long as you don't swallow something, it can't hurt you. This was in response to a prescription oral rinse I needed to use, prior to gum surgery. That made me almost scream!