Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism ?

[Nanjee]

Hi everyone .......

Along with severe gluten intolerance,numerous other food allergies, fibromyalgia,

I also have Hashi's hypothyroidism.

I know that thyroid disease is seen often with gluten intolerance.

I am wondering how many have this condition, and what thyroid replacement med has helped you the most ??

I have done a lot of research about Armour replacement - natural instead of synthetic. I tried the Armour, and seemed to tolerate it well - except it gave me loose stools. After 4-1/2 years of having diarrhea - this was NOT a welcome side effect !!!

Wondering if anyone else has had luck with Armour - or if Synthroid has been a better med for you ??

Also - once the hypothyroid is treated, and TSH levels come down, did you feel even better ??? I feel so much better stomach and intestine wise, but the energy level is in the ditch .... and I am hoping that with the proper thyroid treatment, recovery would be better. Even the muscular pain I think could become better with optimal thyroid treatment.

Thanks in advance for your responses .... be wishes for good health

Hugs,

Nancy

[jenvan]

Nancy-

I don't have too much to offer--but my mother has Hashimoto's. She has been taking a low does of synthroid for years with little issues. At this point, she hasn't tried any other meds for it. I don't believe she had many other symptoms besides the growth on the thyroid.. Good luck!

[Nanjee]

Thanks, Jen, for you reply.

Hoping there are some others out there who have been diagnosed with Hashi's ??

Thanks a bunch,

Nancy

[Guest jhmom]

Hi Nancy - I was recently dx with Hashimoto's and have been on thyroid meds since 1999. I am currently on 100 mcg Levoxyl and it works well for me as my TSH, T3 and T4 have been normal for several years.

When I was dx with Hashi's in January I was having other problems too, also was just dx with Lupus. My rheumy decided to run some test because my thyroid was enlarged (as it has been for a long time) and my thyroid antibody test came back SKY HIGH! So off to the Endo I went and still my levels were good, so my treatment has not changed in a very long time.

I do hope you begin to feel better soon!

[Nanjee]

Thank you Stacie

I will keep on trying till I feel the best I can !!!

Best health wishses to you ....

Nancy

[Sovern]

Hi! I have Grave's disease (thyroid disorder) and celiac. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid in 11/04. I was treated with radioactive iodine and then in 02/05 was severely hypothyroid - (my TSH was 202 - I didn't know that was possible!) Now I'm on Synthroid 0.125 mcg and my thyroid levels are more normal but I'm having problems with weight gain (despite diet and exercise) and hair loss. I too am having muscle pain - unofficially diagnosed as fibromyalgia but I believe it's thyroid related. It's such a struggle to find a doctor who can correlate all my problems and find a solution. I have gone to several and I'm in the process of finding new ones. It sure is frustrating!

Diagnosed with Celiac 10/03

[sspitzer5]

Hi, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's about 7 years ago, long before I found out about the Celiac's. I tried taking Synthroid, Armour, and one that is now off the market. I had problems with Synthroid. Armour wasn't bad, but the ratio of t4 to t3 isn't exactly what a human body needs (although great for pigs - that's where it comes from) and sometimes people end up taking a pure t4 replacement along with it (like Synthroid or Levoxyl). I am now taking pure t4 and t3 that is compounded at a special pharmacy. This seems to work fairly well for me. If you get it compounded, you don't have to worry so much about fillers. I think the fillers were the problem with me and Synthroid.

It's very hard for me to tell which symptoms are thyroid and which are Celiac (except the digestive stuff). My energy level is still sometimes pretty low, but I have only been gluten free for a few months. Hopefully I'll see some improvement soon.

Susan

[Nanjee]

Thanks to both of you

Yes it is sometimes difficult to know what right now is gluten related, Fibro related, or hypo related ........ arrgghhhhhh

The exhaustion is frustrating - because I was used to being such a high energy person, even with FM.

I have a lot of strange dizzines - not vertigo - just a strange dizziness. I haven't figured out yet if it is my body still mending from the gluten damage, or if it is from the thyroid. It gets to be trouble some enough that I need to lie down for a while. Frustrating.

Time will tell - and it's nice to be able to chat with people who understand.

Thanks for taking time to read my post ...... I look forward to getting to know you all better

Have a good holiday weekend,

Nancy

[tammy]

Hi,

I have hypothyroid, gluten sensitive, casein sensitive, adrenal issues and hormones issues. I manage my thyroid with Levoxyl and Compounded Sustained Release Cytomel. I seem to feel better when my TSH is around 1.5 but it is a balancing act at best. Yes, you should feel much better once your levels are in a normal range.

Are you getting adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D?

I too find it more than a challenge to know what is the right treatment when managing multiple issues.

I would love to hear from you.

T.

[Nanjee]

Nice to meet you Tammy .... isn't this all just fun !!!!

I think that I have adrenal issues as well - now to find the appropriate tests for me. So many docs think of only Addison's disease - but there are so many out there with just plain hypoadrenia - and it is miserable.

I have researched this quite a bit - and until adrenal issues are treated - it can be very hard to treat the thyroid. Thyroid meds are one of the biggest stressors to sluggish adrenals.

I am taking calcium supps, and get mag injections twice a week. Off days from the injections I take a low dose mag glycinate.

My Vit D level had been down to 6 - so yes I am supplementing with Vit D3 as well.

This hasn't been easy - I am doing somewhat better - but this has really been a long road.

Are you addressing your adrenals ?? A lot of people are helped tremendously with very low doses of Cortef - the natural form of hydrocortisone.

And yes -I'm sure my female hormones are just as screwed up as the rest of me !!! I use natural progesterone cream at bedtime, and sometimes during the day. It helps my mood, and is also helpful with sleep issues.

It is nice to meet you. Hoping to get to know you better. Maybe we can figure out all of this hormone mess together ?????

Thanks for your reply ..... have a great holiday weekend.

Nancy

[Guest barbara3675]

Please let me add or confirm the need to add calcium, magnesium and vitamin D if you have fibro, celiac disease and a thyroid problem. In my case I take a supplement that has magnesium with malic acid and my fibro is pretty much under control....however I do take Mobic daily too. That is an anti-inflammitory that is of a different category than the ones that they are taking off the market rather rapidly these days. This is not to say that I do not have pain or occasional flares, but the whole thing is workable and I can surely live with it. If you take calcium, you should be taking not only the D that is in that pill, but another D pill too....much is printed about that these days. The combination of conditions we have is not unusual and doctors are JUST beginning to realize the connection if they do at all.

Barbara

[sspitzer5]

Yeah, these issues are really a mess. In addition to the thyroid and Celiac's, I also think I have low adrenals and messed up female hormones. I'm not sure how to go about sorting it all out, but like you ... it's been a LONG road. Sometimes I feel fine, but frequently I am tired and have extremely persistent headaches. My life would be much better if I could get rid of the headaches. I'm only 38, but I feel like I'm in my 70's at times.

It's nice to know that I'm not alone in all this, as it certainly feels that way sometimes.

Susan

[Nanjee]

Thanks for your responses

Susan .... I have the constant, unrelenting headaches too. Magnesium injections have helped tremendously, so that the severity is not as bad - but the frequency has not changed.

I don't get the migraines as frequently since the start of the Mag IM's - before I was having "auras" almost daily, and it was hell !!

I know that many people who are hypo can have a lot of problem with headaches, and severe muscle pain ...... ???

Barb - thanks for your input on Vit D/Mag/Calcium. I have done a lot of research on Vit D deficiency - it is scarey what this deficiency has been linked to.

I am taking "baby steps" right now - adding and uping the minerals and vitamins as my body adjusts to them. I am not like a "normal" person - who can just take a handful of vitamins/minerals and go about their day !!!

I may try adding some malic acid - hoping my stomach likes it

Thanks again - there is a wealth of info here - and sharing like this is so valuable.

Good health wishes ......

Nancy

[Heidi Kelly]

Oh I am so glad I found this thread!! I too was diagnosed with Graves Disease in May of '04, had RAI in July of '04 and after my thyroid finally "died" in Oct '04, I have gained 50 lbs despite of weight watchers, etc.! My T4 and T3 are in normal range but my TSH has gone from 151 in April (under .075 L-thyroxine) then to 21 in May (under .2 Synthroid) then I was diagnosed with Celiac (IgG was 42, but did not have the biposy) have been Gluten-free since mid May and my re-check with the Endo in June showed my TSH rising again (to 28) so the Endo put me on Levoxyl .225 and Cytomel 5mcg about 2 weeks ago. I dont feel any different on these drugs, I just feel horrible and my weight wont budge downwards. My emotions have been all over the map due to my lowering self-esteem and the fact that I so want to have another baby, so after braking out in tears in front of my Endo, he put me on Lexapro 20mg.

My question is, I just got a copy of the "Gluten-Free Bible" and it says in there that Levoxyl contains gluten. But on the glutenfreedrugs.com website and the Drug Smartlist says it is gluten-free....does anyone know for sure?

Thanks!

Heidi

[KaitiUSA]

Heidi-

The "Gluten Free Bible" is filled with numerous errors with what is and is not gluten free. I would not listen to everything in that book. This site is a much better resource.

I also have Graves Disease

[Jnkmnky]

Open Original Shared Link

If you have thyroid problems, do you avoid soy? I've recently gone dairy free and thougth I would use soy instead. I bought the soy milk THEN looked on line for confirmation that this was the best alternative to dairy. I was surprised to find endless information on the web about the dangers of soy. Just google "dangers of soy" and see for yourself! Anyway, we're using rice milk now. I was wondering if anyone with thyroid issues believed that soy was bad for the body? What are your opinions on soy? Do you think it's fine? Have you known about the concerns surrounding soy? Or is this news to you as it was to me? I've put up a link here....it's long and the scariest parts are from the middle down, but it really blew me away. What do you think?

[KaitiUSA]

I was actually told by the doctor to eat things like soy and peanuts to slow my thyroid down.

About half of the Internet info is inaccurate so it's hard to know what is wrong or right sometimes. You can look up dangers of almost anything and find things that are pretty scary . There are some things in the article that I know are inaccurate as well.

I think soy is ok in moderation. I think everything, even if it is good for you, in excess has potential harmful side effects.

I have regular dairy as well as soy and I'm not heavy on either of them and it has seemed to do well for me. Also, my thyroid has been monitored and is not getting worse either. My diet seems to be doing well for me at this point.

If I notice I have a problem with soy I will eliminate it though.

This is just my 2 cents worth.

[mommida]

I was diagnosed with Hashi's in 93, long before I had ever heard of Celiac. I tried Levoxl, and I ended having an allergic reaction rash. The formula might have changed since 94. It definately had something in it that that synthroid didn't.

It is important to also watch the T3 and T4 levels with Hashi. It is also very important to watch the timing when you take the medication. Iron and Calcium affect the absorbtion. Now they have added a new instruction for the dose to be taken with a full glass of water.

AS for soy... There is a lot of information on the net. It seems to be well proven that soy does inhibit thyroid function. That is enough for me to feel secure with my decision to avoid it. There are other sources of information that are definately disturbing. If we think wheat is in everything, think again about how much stuff has soy in it.

Laura

[Jnkmnky]

Open Original Shared Link

Kaiti,

What parts of that soy link were inaccurate? Here's a more mainstream link from the NY Daily News. I did google Benefits of Soy, btw.... I didn't see much to persuade me to consume it. I would like to find some info to refute the negative info I've been reading. Are the dangers in the links I posted exaggerated? Or completlely inaccurrate? I'm curious. I believed the negatives because I wasn't finding anything to prove otherwise...and I did look.

[cdford]

Two of our family are hypothyroid. We did not have good success with Synthroid. Changed to Armour Thyroid with much better results. It took a while to adjust to the correct dosages, but after three years we are doing much better. I just talked with the endo this week because I think mine needs to be adjusted again. We'll see after a visit in a few weeks.

[KaitiUSA]

I didn't get a chance to read the full article but I did read a bit of it and it seemed to have some conflicting info from previous things I have read. There has been alot of debate on soy.Soy is common for people to have reactions to so I am not doubting that there have been reported problems. I think that the symptoms and side effects were highly exaggerated on though. I also think that some people may benefit from soy where others may be sensitive to it or have a negative effect.

I think that bigger things to be concerned about are additives like MSG(look at those side effects wow, now that is scary).

Here are some recent articles I have found:

The Benefits of Soy

The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary benefits. This nutritional powerhouse has stayed under wraps for too long. Apart from being the only vegetable protein all 22 amino acids essential for our health and well being, the humble soybean has many other virtues. Read on to discover just how incredible this food source can promote your health and well being.

One of the ways that soy seems to promote heart health is thanks to its high content of isoflavones. Isoflavones are a class of phytochemicals, which are compounds found only in plants which have strong antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent or repair damage to cells caused by pollution, sunlight, and normal body processes. These elements cause oxidation in our body, which produces dangerous chemical compounds called free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive and have the potential to damage DNA, causing mutations that can result in the malignant transformation of cells. Free radicals can easily cause harm to the immune system, whose cells divide often. They may also be responsible for some of the changes of aging.

Soy isoflavones block the chemical reactions that generate free radicals in the first place, and destroy the ones that have already been formed.

So what are some of the specific health benefits of this nutritional powerhouse?

1. Reduce risk of heart disease. Soy's protein and isoflavones lower LDL (the bad) cholesterol and decrease blood clotting (thrombosis), which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. In one study, people who drank a "milk shake" containing 25g of soy protein for nine weeks experienced, on average, a 5% reduction in LDL cholesterol. And people with the highest LDL levels experienced a 11% drop. (For each 10% to 15% drop in the LDL level, the risk of a heart attack decreases 20% to 25%).

In 1999, the FDA approved a dietary health claim for soy foods, recommending an average daily intake of 25 grams of soy protein, with soy isoflavones, in addition to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, to reduce the risk of heart disease.

2. Protection against cancer. Soy's soluble fiber protects the body from many digestive related cancers, such as colon and rectal cancer. While its isoflavones may protect the body from many hormone related cancers, like breast, endometrial (uterine) and prostate cancer.

Isoflavones act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs. Population-based studies show a strong association between consumption of isoflavones and a reduced risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Women who ate the most soy products and other foods rich in isoflavones reduced their risk of endometrial cancer by 54%.

3. Counter the effects of endometriosis. The phytoestrogens (isoflavones) in soy products may help to offset the action of the body's natural estrogen, which is often responsible for instigating the monthly pain, heavy bleeding and other symptoms of endometriosis. 4. Protect against prostate problems. Eating soy products may protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland. The size of the prostate gland tends to increase with age, causing various types of urinary difficulties, including frequent nighttime awakenings.

5. Guard against osteoporosis. Soy's protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium in the bones, while its isoflavones slow bone loss and inhibit bone breakdown, which helps prevent osteoporosis. There is evidence to suggest that isoflavones may also assist in creating new bone.

One study of postmenopausal women found that consuming 40 grams of soy protein a day resulted in a significant increase in bone mineral density in the spine, an area often weakened by osteoporosis.

6. Control symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Soy's isoflavones help the body regulate estrogen when this hormone is declining or fluctuating, which helps alleviate many menopausal and PMS symptoms. Research has shown that soy isoflavones can reduce menopausal hot flushes in women.

7. Help control diabetic conditions and kidney disease. Soy's protein and soluble fiber help regulate glucose levels and kidney filtration, which helps control diabetic conditions and kidney disease.

8. Help control weight gain. According to Dr David Heber in "The LA Shape Diet" women who are on a weight loss program, need about 100 grams of protein per day to fight against hunger and to build their best personal lean muscle shape whilst losing weight. Without the appropriate level of proteins in a low calorie diet, people and women in particular, risk of losing 1 pound of muscle for every 4 pounds of weight lost.

Dr Heber recommends soy-protein shakes or soy-protein fruit smoothies as a safe and healthy way to achieve fast and permanent weight loss. Apart from the wonderful health advantages of soy, this a safe protein source without the unwanted cholesterol and saturated fats that accompany animal protein sources.

Health Benefits of Soymilk

Soymilk is an important soyfood and offers many of the health benefits of soy foods. Research has shown potential health benefits of soy in preventing breast cancer, preventing and slowing prostate cancer, and fighting heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and kidney disease. Soyfoods, including soymilk, are also thought to alleviate symptoms of menopause and to promote eye health.

Soymilk may carry risks for the few who are allergic to soy and some who may have certain conditions.

[Jnkmnky]

"As little as a 5- to 8-ounce serving of soy milk a day has been proven to suppress thyroid function," says soy researcher and nutritionist Michael Fitzpatrick. Drs. Daniel Sheehan and Daniel Doerge, former senior researchers at the Food and Drug Administration, have strongly opposed the soy industry's proclamation that this humble bean is king. In a 1999 letter, the two scientists stated that rather than tout its health benefits, the FDA should attach a warning label to soy products. "The possibility that widely consumed soy products may cause harm in the human population via either or both estrogenic and [thyroid] activity is of concern," said Sheehan in a recently published study."

Kaiti,

The articles I put up links for say exactly the opposite of what your article says! I've read similar articles such as the one you posted, but I don't think they make as much sense as the ones leaning against soy. I had nothing against soy when I decided to go dairy free and assumed I'd be drinking soy instead. I've found the research against soy more compelling and supported. I read an interesting article today that told of drs and scientists fabricating studies, patient cases, etc in order to win grant money.... It's all so hard to figure out. However, I don't doubt that soy has a negative effect on the thyroid. I am convinced by that evidence alone to stay away from soy.

[Jnkmnky]

Open Original Shared Link

Kaiti- Here is a link that I thought was balanced. This was the last site I looked at when I decided the risks were real enough for me to avoid soy. I went through my pantry and found soy in practically everything. Actually removing soy from my pantry was more difficult than removing gluten.

[KaitiUSA]

Thank you for the link...I am getting ready to leave the comp so I will read it next time I get back on.

I definitely like learning all perspectives so I can make the best choice for my diet. I will definitely weigh out options and research the topic more.

[sspitzer5]

Hi Heidi,

I'm really sorry that you are having to go through all of this. Dealing with thryoid issues and Celiacs is really complicated and frustrating. I hope you have some positive progress soon.

As to the thyroid levels, most people feel better when their TSH is under 2 and yours is still really, really high. I felt terrible when I was diagnosed and my TSH was only 7 at the time. So, on the surface it seems that you are still undermedicated.

I don't know if Levoxyl is gluten free or not, but I would recommend getting your doctor to call the prescription in to a compounding pharmacy. They can make a pure version of T4 and/or T3 that has little or no fillers. I've been on that for a while and it seems to work. I've been using Apex pharmacy in Hamden, CT and they ship all over the country (I'm in California now and still use them).

Best of luck.

Susan