Aa
Just a thought...
Now I am well aware of everyones opinon on NOT CURING Hashimotos or thyroid problems...I was wondering though, most pple have done some sort of research on this subject if they have been diagnosed with it. So here is my question (again please avoid the obvious expected response of THERE IS NO CURE)
If you were going to try to find a cure....where would you start? Where do you think there could be a connection?
Just open thoughts......
If you were going to try to find a cure....where would you start? Where do you think there could be a connection?
Just open thoughts......
Get your results from your doctor (he has to provide you with them upon request). Find out if he's been testing FT3 and FT4 as well as TSH. Ask if TPOab and TGab were both tested to confirm Hashi's. I'm sorry to say (because I share this disease with you) that I think your efforts would be much more wisely spent in MANAGING your disease, not curing it. There may one day be a cure, but I, personally, think it's quite a ways off. We're just chipping away at the tip of the iceberg at this point. The best you can do at this point is maximize your quality of life (a pretty good thing!).
see, I had blood work done and now Im not sure what?? It was a little while ago......I know I was told I had a goiter, which i knew didnt mean I had hashis...I just was told that after the ultrasound (: and the bloodwork...so I assumed it was correct diagnosis.
There is some interesting posts from the recent past on this topic if you try finding them!
I understand how newbies are thinking that there has got to be something better than replacment hormone - so far not yet. For those whose thyroid was removed or died off from antidodies, we have no choice. Hopefully there will be in the future. Yea, 'med' can be a pain, oh well....
If you dont have Hashimoto, that would be a good thing, you need proper testing to find out
: )....
I understand how newbies are thinking that there has got to be something better than replacment hormone - so far not yet. For those whose thyroid was removed or died off from antidodies, we have no choice. Hopefully there will be in the future. Yea, 'med' can be a pain, oh well....
If you dont have Hashimoto, that would be a good thing, you need proper testing to find out
: )....
I was just reading some of your comments on another MH forum and would like to throw a few ideas out for you.
You said that you were told you had a goiter and that meant you had Hashi's (not necessarily true, although there's a high probability since Hashi's is the most prevalent cause of hypo in the developed world).. A scan (ultrasound?) of your thyroid showed no nodules. Were TPOab and TGab ever tested? A blood test showing elevated levels of one or both of these antibodies is the definitive test for Hashi's. You should not have to wonder whether or not you really have Hashi's.
You said that your levels were only "slightly off". Which levels were tested? FT3, FT4 and TSH are all necessary to prescribe and monitor meds. Ranges are very flawed because when they were originally established, many hypos and undiagnosed Hashi's got into the "normal" group. The whole lower half of the FT3 and FT4 ranges is suspect, and TSH range should most likey be much narrower as well. What I'm trying to say is that if your levels of FT3 and FT4 were out of range, that might mean that they were much further off than you might think.
Iodine deficiency is virtually nil in the developed world. Some people with Hashi's actually feel worse taking iodine. "Goiter" is a very generic term. It means any inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid. As such, it is a SYMPTOM, not a cause of hypo. It's the antibodies causing the goiter, not vice versa. So, getting rid of the goiter will make you feel better, but it won't eliminate the antibodies.
Meds do not destroy thyroid function as Moose noted. Meds work in combination with your own thyroid function until that is completely destroyed.
If I were you, I'd be very careful of weaning off of meds. Your symptoms sound quite hypo, and they will only get worse with less med.
"I personally do not care for thyroid replacement hormone of any kind...". I think we're all with you there, i.e. were there a choice, we'd all prefer to not be on them. It sounds to me like your Hashi's/hypo is not being managed properly if you still have most of your symptoms after three months on meds. Do you have labs to post (if so, post ranges as these are lab specific)? That might be a start in managing your condition.
You said that you were told you had a goiter and that meant you had Hashi's (not necessarily true, although there's a high probability since Hashi's is the most prevalent cause of hypo in the developed world).. A scan (ultrasound?) of your thyroid showed no nodules. Were TPOab and TGab ever tested? A blood test showing elevated levels of one or both of these antibodies is the definitive test for Hashi's. You should not have to wonder whether or not you really have Hashi's.
You said that your levels were only "slightly off". Which levels were tested? FT3, FT4 and TSH are all necessary to prescribe and monitor meds. Ranges are very flawed because when they were originally established, many hypos and undiagnosed Hashi's got into the "normal" group. The whole lower half of the FT3 and FT4 ranges is suspect, and TSH range should most likey be much narrower as well. What I'm trying to say is that if your levels of FT3 and FT4 were out of range, that might mean that they were much further off than you might think.
Iodine deficiency is virtually nil in the developed world. Some people with Hashi's actually feel worse taking iodine. "Goiter" is a very generic term. It means any inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid. As such, it is a SYMPTOM, not a cause of hypo. It's the antibodies causing the goiter, not vice versa. So, getting rid of the goiter will make you feel better, but it won't eliminate the antibodies.
Meds do not destroy thyroid function as Moose noted. Meds work in combination with your own thyroid function until that is completely destroyed.
If I were you, I'd be very careful of weaning off of meds. Your symptoms sound quite hypo, and they will only get worse with less med.
"I personally do not care for thyroid replacement hormone of any kind...". I think we're all with you there, i.e. were there a choice, we'd all prefer to not be on them. It sounds to me like your Hashi's/hypo is not being managed properly if you still have most of your symptoms after three months on meds. Do you have labs to post (if so, post ranges as these are lab specific)? That might be a start in managing your condition.
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Once the antibodies have done the damage to your thyroid, it will not repair, even if the antibodies were to go into remission, which would only happen once there is no more tissue to destroy.
No one minds questions of this nature. You are right that we all have to find our own way of dealing with Hashi's; while there are things we can do to help make the whole process more bearable, once the thyroid is destroyed, it ultimately comes down to taking the replacement hormones in order to be able to live and function.
No one minds questions of this nature. You are right that we all have to find our own way of dealing with Hashi's; while there are things we can do to help make the whole process more bearable, once the thyroid is destroyed, it ultimately comes down to taking the replacement hormones in order to be able to live and function.
I do apologize, I meant no offence to anyone in regards to the last statement I made. You are correct on the antibodies....I personally do not care for thyroid replacement hormone of any kind....just my opinon. I know it helps alot of pple function. I am happy that you are being helped at all....and the discussion on autoimmune might come up often on this forum however, I am new to it, so please forgive me if I asked a question one too many times. I am determined to work on a way to cure myself...and even if there is not a cure now, there will be. At least for me. I understand, however, those who hesitate on that previous comment...but that is my personal journey. Everyone has to find their own. I am curious as to if one would lower the anti-bodies low enough to be normal....wouldn't it reverse hashimotos. I understand that they don't lower significantly...it is just a theoretical comment...and is why I called it it "open thoughts" I hope you don't mind.
Discussions / info similar to 'what starts autoimmune' comes up here several times per year. And, although we don't have a universal connection there are many theory's I'm sure we've all read about.
Regarding thyroid 'medicine' and your last sentence - Replacement hormone is not technically 'medicine'. It does not damage the thyroid, antibodies do. My body would be damaged if I didn't take dessicated hormone, I would not be able to function, muscles would not rebuild and organs would fail in time.
Regarding thyroid 'medicine' and your last sentence - Replacement hormone is not technically 'medicine'. It does not damage the thyroid, antibodies do. My body would be damaged if I didn't take dessicated hormone, I would not be able to function, muscles would not rebuild and organs would fail in time.
Awww....intersting thoughts. I am seeing BIG RED FLAGS with pharmaceutical....and BIG RED FLAGS...for the immune system. I have read of research in which people who have avoided allergens (such as gluten, dairy, any such environmental allergens) have supposedly seen fantastic results of reversing autoimmune in some cases. Well, that certainly wouldn't go over with our wonderful pharmaceutical companies now would it? haha......I mean why try eating according to your own bodies, when you can pay for a pill to help them pay for their condo! (: I personally, dont care what anyone says....docs, or whoever...I believe there is a connection possibly to inflammation/allergens/and environmental sensitivities in the individual. If they don't want to help me, then I'll help myself. Does anyone know how long it takes to be on thyroid medication before it actually will permanently damage the thyroid itself?
I have to agree that the answer will be in SELECTIVELY controlling the immune system. At the moment, we can ramp it up as a whole, as was the case in medicmommy's treatment, or supress it completely (e.g. to reduce the rejection of transplanted organs). Obviously, suppressing it completely is a fair trade-off after transplant surgery, but not so appealing in dealing with a disease that can be treated by taking a pill every day.
There is research going on at MIT (I believe, maybe Harvard) to develop a "cure" for autoimmune diabetes. The study plans to go on to other autoimmune diseases once diabetes is taken care of. I can't remember the whole list at the moment, but MS and Lupus were both on it...neither Hashi's nor Graves' even made it onto the list!
I agree with LazyMoose. A lot of R&D used to come out of the pharmaceutical companies. They came to the conclusion a while back that treating people with meds that they'd be on for the rest of their lives was a lot more lucrative than curing them. All that's left of Big Pharma's R&D in most cases is the government tax incentives they are given to maintain their "R&D".
There is research going on at MIT (I believe, maybe Harvard) to develop a "cure" for autoimmune diabetes. The study plans to go on to other autoimmune diseases once diabetes is taken care of. I can't remember the whole list at the moment, but MS and Lupus were both on it...neither Hashi's nor Graves' even made it onto the list!
I agree with LazyMoose. A lot of R&D used to come out of the pharmaceutical companies. They came to the conclusion a while back that treating people with meds that they'd be on for the rest of their lives was a lot more lucrative than curing them. All that's left of Big Pharma's R&D in most cases is the government tax incentives they are given to maintain their "R&D".
Us human beings have many antibodies just waiting for some triggered response to escalate in numbers. Finding out what does this to all the different antibodies would stop the start of many diseases, not just thyroid. And then pharmaceutical companies would not have life long 'customers', so why would they want to sponsor any research on this?
As far non - autoimmune (non-antibody) thyroid disorder, it has many causes simply since the thyroid is one on the weakest glands.
As far non - autoimmune (non-antibody) thyroid disorder, it has many causes simply since the thyroid is one on the weakest glands.
Hello,
A thought on this...Prior to being diagnosed with Hashi's, I'd gone through a chemotherapy-like treatment that was designed to ramp up my immune system while suppressing the virus I was fighting. It did work, but my immune system has not completely calmed down since (almost 3 yrs ago.) I'm certain it is what triggered the Hashi's as I'd never had any thyroid related issues beforehand...I now have allergies to things that I did not before (bees especially) and seem to be sensitive to gluten (I feel better and do not have joint swelling and pain when on a gluten-free diet.) So, some food for thought...It seems that calming the immuno-antagonists would also decrease the antibodies attacking the thyroid...Input?~MM
A thought on this...Prior to being diagnosed with Hashi's, I'd gone through a chemotherapy-like treatment that was designed to ramp up my immune system while suppressing the virus I was fighting. It did work, but my immune system has not completely calmed down since (almost 3 yrs ago.) I'm certain it is what triggered the Hashi's as I'd never had any thyroid related issues beforehand...I now have allergies to things that I did not before (bees especially) and seem to be sensitive to gluten (I feel better and do not have joint swelling and pain when on a gluten-free diet.) So, some food for thought...It seems that calming the immuno-antagonists would also decrease the antibodies attacking the thyroid...Input?~MM
I HAVE been researching! ALOT! I am determined to find out the who/what and why of the failing immune system, for it is so important to health. There seems to be so many people suffering from similar symptoms. Many going undiagnosed, but still having similar complaints. I want to know WHY??!! (Chemtrails? GMOs? Just really bad doctors that don't know how to support the immune system even tho it is under attack? But are so quick to dispense synthetic drugs?)
Especially in younger victims where there is NO family history or genes for many of the diseases of auto-immune disorders.
I am starting with "where did it first begin and why?" Is it a mutant virus? A surgical implant of some type? Past vaccinations? Medicines? Lack of ______? Environmental?
With me I have no EBV or other virus like many as I have read on medical forums such as this - although as a child I had viral meningitis.
Surgical implant? Possibly the collagen used in a lip augmentation I had, and an implant my daughter has as well?
Vaccinations? How to begin there? Medicines? Possible. Lack of {iodine}? Environmental would be difficult (- I have mercury fillings but my daughter does not. Killed that theory). Once the offending thyroid is removed, is the PROOF as well? Just a thought.
But my investigation began as a way to help my daughter with her issues of Hashis, hypo, gluten intol and pcos. My journey with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis has just begun (goiter discovered in 2005 and nothing has been done by doctors. Although they sure have been pushing surgery like crazy. I wonder...)
I become obnoxious to many. I don't mean to. Just trying to find a way. What I must do is control my unhappiness toward my own doctors for their incompetence? For I am finding something could have / should have been done for me in 2005. I didn't know until reading medical forums. But I was overlooked or just plain ignored.
I am going back to that group of endos soon. And I will be heard this time.
Especially in younger victims where there is NO family history or genes for many of the diseases of auto-immune disorders.
I am starting with "where did it first begin and why?" Is it a mutant virus? A surgical implant of some type? Past vaccinations? Medicines? Lack of ______? Environmental?
With me I have no EBV or other virus like many as I have read on medical forums such as this - although as a child I had viral meningitis.
Surgical implant? Possibly the collagen used in a lip augmentation I had, and an implant my daughter has as well?
Vaccinations? How to begin there? Medicines? Possible. Lack of {iodine}? Environmental would be difficult (- I have mercury fillings but my daughter does not. Killed that theory). Once the offending thyroid is removed, is the PROOF as well? Just a thought.
But my investigation began as a way to help my daughter with her issues of Hashis, hypo, gluten intol and pcos. My journey with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis has just begun (goiter discovered in 2005 and nothing has been done by doctors. Although they sure have been pushing surgery like crazy. I wonder...)
I become obnoxious to many. I don't mean to. Just trying to find a way. What I must do is control my unhappiness toward my own doctors for their incompetence? For I am finding something could have / should have been done for me in 2005. I didn't know until reading medical forums. But I was overlooked or just plain ignored.
I am going back to that group of endos soon. And I will be heard this time.
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