I wanted to reach out to see if any of the people on this board have any good information regarding Hashimoto's Disease. My Fiancé has just been diagnosed with it and we are both scrambling to gather information about it. We are both fairly healthy eaters and make most of our meals at home. Neither of us really bother with fast food, and mostly stay away from processed foods. Getting the jabs wasn't even an option for either of us and honestly my fiancé really doesn't partake in Western medicine for the most part.
We did find a great nurse practitioner that is in line with the Frontline Doctors that has been very helpful in helping us determine what might be causing these ailments. I am looking for any information that is helpful towards diet and lifestyle changes that might curb or reverse the effects of this disease. My fiance has been very lethargic lately (which is not normal for her), felt very weak (muscular) and had achy joints. She has taken a couple of blood tests, which have pointed us towards Hashimoto's, but I do think that there are other tests that might make sense to assure we aren't dealing with a mis-diagnosis. My fiance has noticed that she feels better when she cuts dairy products out of her diet, and sadly has noticed worse symptoms when the stress of her job is greater.
Any information that anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated as well as thoughts and prayers.
I appreciate this community greatly and how there are so many people that are willing to offer up education that they have on subjects or links they have that are helpful to other people.
Honestly, I consider this group of people to be more of my family and friends than those individuals I have grown up with and who don't currently see the world through a critical perspective in both social and political views.
Thank you for taking the time to read my plea for help. She is my world and all that I ask for in life is for her to be healthy and happy.
My wife had Graves Disease (over active thyroid). They used radioactive iodine to effectively destroy her thyroid gland, but she never felt the same on Synthroid replacement. The Endocrinologists proved useless. We went to a functional medicine doctor.
Don't rely on just a TSH blood test. Ask for specific Free T3 and T4 blood tests. My wife turned out to be one of the rare cases were her body was not converting the T3 in Synthroid to T4 so she had T3 levels way too high and T4 way to low. The TSH test dose not recognize the difference and just looks like you are overall low thyroid.
She is now on a compounded thyroid hormone that has both T3 and T4. She is doing great on it.
Thank you for your time to respond. I did read late last night about how there are more specific tests than just the TSH blood test, that is where were are planning to go next with the Nurse practitioner that we are working with.
I am glad your wife is doing so well!
Just for correction. Synthroid is a T4 replacement. The body is supposed to take this inactive form of T4 and turn it into the active form T3. Some of us, myself included, do not convert T4 effectively and therefore have to also take additional T3 - sometimes called Cytomel. To top matters off, a few of us also do not uptake this T3 well on the cellular level. It is known as Wilson's Syndrome - not to be confused with Wilson's Disease. However, Wilson's Syndrome is not recognized by mainstream medicine as even being a condition. This is discussed more in alternative health care.
You will need to do some homework and see if you can find a health care practitioner in your area that specializes in thyroid - and I don't mean an endocrinologist. This is a field of study that a practitioner decides on their own to look into because they are not happy with the more traditional explanations and treatments.
Hi Mac!!!! Thanks for your input. This is all helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to reach out.
I just had my thyroid rechecked and u/Steven4385 is right. On top of the TSH, free T3, and T4, I also had my Reverse T3 checked. I’ve also tried taking Synthroid, both name brand and generic, and neither worked for me. My OBGYN, then put me on NP Thyroid and that has helped keep my slightly elevated thyroid levels regulated. I realize everyone is different, but this has been my story. Like you and your wife, I eat healthy and I workout 6x a week. Someone a year ago told me eating Asian seaweed helps your thyroid, but I can’t stand that stuff.
most stores carry "Nori" which is dried seaweed, some of my friends eat it like chips, look near the asian food section. I know Costco here in Texas carries it as well.
I think you meant that the other way 'round: T4 levels way too high and T3 levels too low.
Dang it, I always mix them up. Thanks