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Hashimoto's treatment/symptom relief without meds??
Hi everyone. Just this morning I met with a new endo through one of our big city hospitals here in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He did diagnose me with Hashimoto's but he is not giving me any medication yet. He does not want to repeat blood work until November. Although I am relieved with the diagnosis (because I have been suspecting it), I am not relieved that I have to deal with the symptoms.
Can anyone offer some insight on other remedies, lifestyle changes, etc to help with my hypo symptoms? This is all so new to me, I just don't know where to start.
Thanks!
Can anyone offer some insight on other remedies, lifestyle changes, etc to help with my hypo symptoms? This is all so new to me, I just don't know where to start.
Thanks!
The only time I didn't get an exact value was when I was diagnosed, and my TGab was reported as "> 3,000". I assume there's a level above which it's totally irrelevant to keep counting, and sh/tload just sounds so terribly unprofessional. LOL
Danikeyser222, I don't know if it will do you any good to change labs. More and more, labs are reporting this way on all kinds of tests. If you have a choice of labs, you might call around and ask how they report their numbers. I've recently seen one other report where the TGab result was "< 20" with a range of "< 20", just like yours. I agree with Moose that the message is that their equipment isn't sensitive enough to pick up anything below range.
The common interpretation of this kind of value (even my PCP thought this) is that it means "very close to 20". However, my husband recently had a test that reported a value of "< 50%". Our PCP's interpretation of that was "very close to 50%". I called the imaging center where the test was done, and after a lot of runaround, I got someone to actually fire up his pictures on the computer. Her estimate on looking at the actual pictures was that it was "< 10%". 50% is a "discrimination value"...less than that, the doctor doesn't have to treat, above he does. Why should we be more technical? However, I think it's really important to know if your artery is 10% blocked or 50% blocked. If this test were repeated down the road, and the result was 52%, we'd think that nothing had changed, when in fact, there had been big changes. And, we only paid just over $2,000 for that kind of cheap, lazy reporting. I was disgusted.
Danikeyser222, I don't know if it will do you any good to change labs. More and more, labs are reporting this way on all kinds of tests. If you have a choice of labs, you might call around and ask how they report their numbers. I've recently seen one other report where the TGab result was "< 20" with a range of "< 20", just like yours. I agree with Moose that the message is that their equipment isn't sensitive enough to pick up anything below range.
The common interpretation of this kind of value (even my PCP thought this) is that it means "very close to 20". However, my husband recently had a test that reported a value of "< 50%". Our PCP's interpretation of that was "very close to 50%". I called the imaging center where the test was done, and after a lot of runaround, I got someone to actually fire up his pictures on the computer. Her estimate on looking at the actual pictures was that it was "< 10%". 50% is a "discrimination value"...less than that, the doctor doesn't have to treat, above he does. Why should we be more technical? However, I think it's really important to know if your artery is 10% blocked or 50% blocked. If this test were repeated down the road, and the result was 52%, we'd think that nothing had changed, when in fact, there had been big changes. And, we only paid just over $2,000 for that kind of cheap, lazy reporting. I was disgusted.
So should I go to a different lab for my next draw?
I kind of brushed over that one in a way. Weird method for a value though.
"It looks like these aren't real counts, but discrimination values...ugh. "
Thats what threw me. Danikeyser222's particular lab has low limits also. I think the equipment used with higher limits might narrow down the #'s a little more precisely.. If I were the patient and my TGab lab just said its under the ref range of 20, I'd want more accuracy. It could be 19 but not measured - yet.
Even with other people here under the limit, they have an actual count.
My TGab and TPO are always the actual count in three digits, (and way over)..
"It looks like these aren't real counts, but discrimination values...ugh. "
Thats what threw me. Danikeyser222's particular lab has low limits also. I think the equipment used with higher limits might narrow down the #'s a little more precisely.. If I were the patient and my TGab lab just said its under the ref range of 20, I'd want more accuracy. It could be 19 but not measured - yet.
Even with other people here under the limit, they have an actual count.
My TGab and TPO are always the actual count in three digits, (and way over)..
She did post the numbers up ther:
TGab < 20 (reference range < 20)
TPOab < 10 (<35)
It looks like these aren't real counts, but discrimination values...ugh.
TGab < 20 (reference range < 20)
TPOab < 10 (<35)
It looks like these aren't real counts, but discrimination values...ugh.
It would be interesting to see the TPO and TGab #'s. Thus my previous question "Are they just under the limit? Or well under? ".
Antibodies are mysterious to some extent. Most autoimmune issues have specific measurable antibodies associated with them. How the medical field determines the healthy amount of antibodies (under the limit) that we can live with, is not clear. So they start low and move up if autoimmune issues progress. That is why I think its good for you to know just where they are. It is doubtful that none are detectable.
Goolarra explained the autoimmune relationship a little better. Hashimoto is technically an autoimmune disease. Many diseases and health issues that you've heard of are actually autoimmune diseases.
Some are merely autoimmune issues. Example: Some have vitaligo, an autoimmune skin pigment color disorder. The symptoms are only visual in color, zero heath threats.
One of the diabetes is autoimmune, MS, psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, are other examples. So if you develop Hashimoto antibodies , its a good idea to keep an eye on overall general heath.
Antibodies are mysterious to some extent. Most autoimmune issues have specific measurable antibodies associated with them. How the medical field determines the healthy amount of antibodies (under the limit) that we can live with, is not clear. So they start low and move up if autoimmune issues progress. That is why I think its good for you to know just where they are. It is doubtful that none are detectable.
Goolarra explained the autoimmune relationship a little better. Hashimoto is technically an autoimmune disease. Many diseases and health issues that you've heard of are actually autoimmune diseases.
Some are merely autoimmune issues. Example: Some have vitaligo, an autoimmune skin pigment color disorder. The symptoms are only visual in color, zero heath threats.
One of the diabetes is autoimmune, MS, psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, are other examples. So if you develop Hashimoto antibodies , its a good idea to keep an eye on overall general heath.
I've read also that some people with Hashi's test negative to both antibodies, but I'm with you on this one, Moose. If Hashi's is autoimmune thyroid disease, then we have to have some of the little critters present somewhere. I wonder if the operative word isn't "test"...some people TEST negative in blood work for whatever reason, but there are actually antibodies lurking somewhere. I've also read that Hashi's can be confirmed on biopsy if antibodies are negative.
Danikeyser222, be sure to make a list of your symptoms so you don't forget anything when you see the doctor. Google the long list of hypo symptoms in case there are some that you didn't even know were symptoms. It's so easy to get distracted when you're in the doctor's office. With all the other stuff behind you, you can make this visit all about symptoms.
Once we have one autoimmune disease, we are more likely to get a second or third than the general popultion is to get their first. I believe what Moose meant was that we have a heightened probability of developing a couple more (could be any of them) in our lifetime.
Danikeyser222, be sure to make a list of your symptoms so you don't forget anything when you see the doctor. Google the long list of hypo symptoms in case there are some that you didn't even know were symptoms. It's so easy to get distracted when you're in the doctor's office. With all the other stuff behind you, you can make this visit all about symptoms.
Once we have one autoimmune disease, we are more likely to get a second or third than the general popultion is to get their first. I believe what Moose meant was that we have a heightened probability of developing a couple more (could be any of them) in our lifetime.
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