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Gluten with Hashimotos?
If I have Hashimotos do I have to eliminate gluten completely? Could it be the reason for my inability to lose weight?
I have now called the doctor three days in a row and no one has called me back. I can't get my darn labs. So frustrating. Tomorrow I am driving there and not leaving until I get them. I had another crying spell today at the gym, it was so embarrassing for seemingly no reason. I have gained 6 lbs since April when I started the Synthroid yet I am working out 5-6 days a week and eating nothing but chicken, egg whites and veggies. I am tempted to just stop taking the stupid Synthroid. I feel like ever since I started the medication I have gotten worse! It is hard to stay optimistic when you feel worse very day. I won't get new labs for at least 3 weeks which right now see,s like an eternity. The gaining weight thing is just making me more depressed.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your puffy eyes and the crying are more hypo symptoms.
Ferritin is an iron storage hormone; your iron panel looks good, so you'd have to actually get a ferritin test to know whether or not you need to increase that.
Studies have shown selenium to help with the conversion of FT4 to FT3. I find that if I don't take it for a few days, my thyroid seems to swell and I feel like I'm choking.
Your wanting to sleep in the middle of the day could be from your low B12 levels, as well as being hypo. I agree that you need to get another B12 test to make sure that oral supplement is working for you.
Definitely time for new blood work and be sure to insist on the FT3.
Ferritin is an iron storage hormone; your iron panel looks good, so you'd have to actually get a ferritin test to know whether or not you need to increase that.
Studies have shown selenium to help with the conversion of FT4 to FT3. I find that if I don't take it for a few days, my thyroid seems to swell and I feel like I'm choking.
Your wanting to sleep in the middle of the day could be from your low B12 levels, as well as being hypo. I agree that you need to get another B12 test to make sure that oral supplement is working for you.
Definitely time for new blood work and be sure to insist on the FT3.
Thanks so much you guys. I have been trying to reach my doctor to get copies of my labs, I have had two new blood work panels done since I started the Synthroid in early April but I don't have copies of either of those yet. The weird thing is that I feel like all of a sudden I am worse. I am always tired, but it is usually really bad when I first wake up and when I get home but for the past week it has been in the middle of the day to the point I am having a hard time focusing at work. I just want to go to bed. Also, my eyes are puffy? And I started crying for no reason yesterday. Husband kept asking what was wrong, and I honestly couldn't answer him.
Definitely need to go get the results and new bloodwork, I can't imagine that my levels are right, they certainly don't feel like it.
Regarding the Ferritin is that just a vitamin supplement? If so how much should I be taking daily? My mother who is also hypo/Hashi sufferer said I should be taking selenium as well. Thoughts?
Definitely need to go get the results and new bloodwork, I can't imagine that my levels are right, they certainly don't feel like it.
Regarding the Ferritin is that just a vitamin supplement? If so how much should I be taking daily? My mother who is also hypo/Hashi sufferer said I should be taking selenium as well. Thoughts?
Yep B-12 and Vit D are low. Some people don't feel well with B-12 until it is in the very upper ranges like 900 or so.
You may also want to test Iron and Ferritin levels as well.
All of these things are if too low fatiguing.
My wife LIVES your pain with regard to weight loss. No matter what she does it seems almost impossible to lose weight. And many people report that until they have optimized their Thyroid, that weight loss was virtually impossible.
Problem is, you can start to feel pretty well and still not be optimized completely. That is where my wife is at now. She feels pretty well. But still finds it impossible to loose weight. We are hoping a bit higher dosage may help that last little bit for a "breakthrough". But I don't think you can expect miracles. SOME people are lucky and with a little bit of thyroid the weight just melts away. Not so with most people.
You may also want to test Iron and Ferritin levels as well.
All of these things are if too low fatiguing.
My wife LIVES your pain with regard to weight loss. No matter what she does it seems almost impossible to lose weight. And many people report that until they have optimized their Thyroid, that weight loss was virtually impossible.
Problem is, you can start to feel pretty well and still not be optimized completely. That is where my wife is at now. She feels pretty well. But still finds it impossible to loose weight. We are hoping a bit higher dosage may help that last little bit for a "breakthrough". But I don't think you can expect miracles. SOME people are lucky and with a little bit of thyroid the weight just melts away. Not so with most people.
It's been a month or so since these labs were drawn? When they were drawn, how long had you been on meds? You have to be on the same dose for 4-5 weeks so that the dose has reached its full potential in your blood.
Yes, when you do have labs again, request FREE T3. Some doctors don't like to order that, so you might get some resistance. Once I've seen your FT4, I can give you some idea on how you might approach that.
You should request another B-12 test, too. Pernicious anemia is another autoimmune disease, and once we have one, we are at increased risk of developing another. So, you want to make sure that oral supplement is working.
I also think you should be supplementing D.
I'll look for the rest of your labs later.
Yes, when you do have labs again, request FREE T3. Some doctors don't like to order that, so you might get some resistance. Once I've seen your FT4, I can give you some idea on how you might approach that.
You should request another B-12 test, too. Pernicious anemia is another autoimmune disease, and once we have one, we are at increased risk of developing another. So, you want to make sure that oral supplement is working.
I also think you should be supplementing D.
I'll look for the rest of your labs later.
Thank you Goolarra- I will be sure to post my labs when I get them hopefully tomorrow. It has been a month or so since I had any, should I request another set and ask them for my Free T3 ( is that right)?
At my initial visit she said I was very healthy and everything was perfect but that I could use a supplement, and suggested 1000 mcg go B12 daily, that and I had Hashimotos. She never even said I was hypo. It wasn't until I called my OB who had run labs 18 months prior where my TSH was .89 ( and at the first visit was up to 2.95). On,y then did I get a VM saying they were calling in a 'script for the Synthroid. I have never seen the Dr. since. Only her practitioner and the only follow up discussion because I didn't know better solely centered around my new TSH.
They have never told me my B12 levels are better or worse or mentioned any other recommended supplements.
At my initial visit she said I was very healthy and everything was perfect but that I could use a supplement, and suggested 1000 mcg go B12 daily, that and I had Hashimotos. She never even said I was hypo. It wasn't until I called my OB who had run labs 18 months prior where my TSH was .89 ( and at the first visit was up to 2.95). On,y then did I get a VM saying they were calling in a 'script for the Synthroid. I have never seen the Dr. since. Only her practitioner and the only follow up discussion because I didn't know better solely centered around my new TSH.
They have never told me my B12 levels are better or worse or mentioned any other recommended supplements.
I'd like to see your complete thyroid lab report before commenting on where to go from here.
Your B-12 is way too low. The range used in Europe starts at 500, so you would be deficient there. You need to supplement that and follow up to verify that oral supplements are increasing your level. Pernicious anemia is the inability to absorb B-12 through the gut. If your B-12 doesn't increase with oral supplements, you might have to try injectibles.
Vitamin D is also dismal. Many people with thyroid disease find it has to be closer to top of range.
Deficiency in B-12 or D can each cause symptoms that mimic thyroid, so you should work on those.
My advice to you will really depend on your current FT4 level.
Has your doctor suggested any meds changes or adding any supplements?
Your B-12 is way too low. The range used in Europe starts at 500, so you would be deficient there. You need to supplement that and follow up to verify that oral supplements are increasing your level. Pernicious anemia is the inability to absorb B-12 through the gut. If your B-12 doesn't increase with oral supplements, you might have to try injectibles.
Vitamin D is also dismal. Many people with thyroid disease find it has to be closer to top of range.
Deficiency in B-12 or D can each cause symptoms that mimic thyroid, so you should work on those.
My advice to you will really depend on your current FT4 level.
Has your doctor suggested any meds changes or adding any supplements?
I wanted to add my symptoms as well. All of a sudden I am getting yeast infections every month whereas I maybe had 4 in my lifetime until this year. As I mentioned before, in spite of training with a fitness expert. And I mean expert, and eating completely clean, I have not lost 1 lb and actually since starting the Synthroid have gained 4 lbs ( not much but not good when you are killing yourself to lose weight). Exhausted in spite of getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Weepy, quick to anger, depressed. ZERO sex drive....
Goolarra- thank you for responding. You are so knowledgable. All u was told at my last apt. was that my TSH was 1.4. I don't have copies if my labs ( but called Friday o request them).
Regarding the CBC, there are a lot of line items, which are important?
There is:
Absolute Basophils: 9 (0-200).
Absolute Eosinophils: 18 (15-500).
Absolute Monocytes: 366 (200-950).
Absolute Lymphocytes: 1826 (850-3900).
Absolute Neutrophils: 2410 (1500-7800).
Platelet Count: 180 (140-400)
B12: 375 (200-1100)
Folate/Serum: >24.0
Iron Total: 132 (40-175).
Iron Binding Capacity: 318 (200-450).
% Saturation: 42 (15-50)
Vitamin D:, 25-OH: 34 (30-100).
Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3: 34. (Says see note but there is none).
Hemoglobin A1c: 5.1 (<5.7% of total Hgb).
I don't know if these help at all? Based on all of this, where do I go from here?
Regarding the CBC, there are a lot of line items, which are important?
There is:
Absolute Basophils: 9 (0-200).
Absolute Eosinophils: 18 (15-500).
Absolute Monocytes: 366 (200-950).
Absolute Lymphocytes: 1826 (850-3900).
Absolute Neutrophils: 2410 (1500-7800).
Platelet Count: 180 (140-400)
B12: 375 (200-1100)
Folate/Serum: >24.0
Iron Total: 132 (40-175).
Iron Binding Capacity: 318 (200-450).
% Saturation: 42 (15-50)
Vitamin D:, 25-OH: 34 (30-100).
Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3: 34. (Says see note but there is none).
Hemoglobin A1c: 5.1 (<5.7% of total Hgb).
I don't know if these help at all? Based on all of this, where do I go from here?
Your TSH is 2.95. Labs use many different ranges, but several years ago now, AACE recommended that TSH range should be 0.3-3.0. So, you can see that yours is very high in the range, indicating hypo. Many people have to have it far below that.
FT4 is 30% of range, and 50% is recommended for FT4. That's low, too, also indicating that you are undermedicated.
These are old results, though? Have your meds been changed at all since these?
The big piece of the puzzle missing is your FT3. Your body can't use T4 until it is converted to T3, and some people do not convert well (slowly). Your doctor should be ordering FT3 as well.
Ferritin is also low. Thyroid hormones need adequate iron/ferritin levels in order to be metabolized properly.
Did they test any other vitamins or minerals? Anything out of range on your CBC?
FT4 is 30% of range, and 50% is recommended for FT4. That's low, too, also indicating that you are undermedicated.
These are old results, though? Have your meds been changed at all since these?
The big piece of the puzzle missing is your FT3. Your body can't use T4 until it is converted to T3, and some people do not convert well (slowly). Your doctor should be ordering FT3 as well.
Ferritin is also low. Thyroid hormones need adequate iron/ferritin levels in order to be metabolized properly.
Did they test any other vitamins or minerals? Anything out of range on your CBC?
I should add my ferritin was 21 (range 10-154).
I have a CBC section as well but not sure what line item is important?
I have a CBC section as well but not sure what line item is important?
TSH 3rd generation : 2.95 there are no ranges listed
TPO: thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: 122 (<35IU/ml) H
TFree: 1.1 (.8-1.8 ng/dL)
What else do you need?
Since this original lab work after going on 25 mcg go Sybthroid mt TSH is now 1.2 but I don't the other results.
TPO: thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: 122 (<35IU/ml) H
TFree: 1.1 (.8-1.8 ng/dL)
What else do you need?
Since this original lab work after going on 25 mcg go Sybthroid mt TSH is now 1.2 but I don't the other results.
It's much more likely that your inability to lose weight has to do with your thyroid hormones not being adjusted properly for YOU, personally. Please post recent labs with reference ranges, meds and other symptoms.
Many of us with Hashi's have found no good reason to eliminate gluten in our diets. If eliminating gluten makes you feel better, then by all means do it. However, if you're doing it because someone has suggested that it will "cure" Hashi's, you're probably going to be very disappointed. I have Hashi's, and for me, it's totally unrelated to gluten.
Many of us with Hashi's have found no good reason to eliminate gluten in our diets. If eliminating gluten makes you feel better, then by all means do it. However, if you're doing it because someone has suggested that it will "cure" Hashi's, you're probably going to be very disappointed. I have Hashi's, and for me, it's totally unrelated to gluten.
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