still confused as to What Is Hashimoto's

[tiredfedup]

I am still very confused about Hashimoto's.  I understand that it can cause Hypothyroid or Hyperthyroid and that sometimes it goes up right before it goes down.  I am meeting with a nutritionist and found an endocrinologist I can call Monday, but I am stressed over being so confused.  I saw an endocrinologist who suggested I have Hashimoto's, but how will that actually affect me now??  TSH normal, but doctor never mentioned what my T4 or T3 was or if it was even tested...next time I will request it!  If anyone can explain Hashimoto's better to me and let me know if any doctor has told them that it is normal to feel sick from this?  Thank you so much!

[Barb135]

What are your most recent levels?  If you have a copy of your latest lab report, please post the results, along with the reference ranges used by your lab.  

Most of us are aware that many labs use outdated reference ranges for TSH, however, you must keep in mind that TSH is a pituitary hormone and not necessarily indicative of thyroid function.  You also need to know what you Free T3 (most important) and Free T4 levels are.  You are right that we need to be treated by our symptoms, but without the blood work, it's impossible to make a proper diagnosis.  

You will need to be tested also for antibodies in order to be diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  

Without seeing your lab results, it's very hard to comment or make suggestions.  

Good luck and I hope you get to feeling better.  

[KimberlyB]

Also, can anyone mind telling me what the treatment is for someone who has Hashi's who keeps alternating from Hyper symptoms to Hypo symptoms??
If I was to be given a T4/T3 combo, would that stop, or increase, the Hyper symptoms?
I am so curious about the treatment for this!
Thanks so much..
KIM:)

[KimberlyB]

Hi everyone..
I feel for ALL of u, and I finally dont feel so alone and frustrated with my 20 yrs of  (still undiagnosed) Hashimoto's symptoms that have pretty much made me go crazy and have ruined my life for the last 20 yrs. Maybe my words will touch a newcomer...and make someone else not feel so alone.
At this point, I am still seeking out the RIGHT Dr to help me, because my symptoms continue to be brushed off by the Dr's I have already seen, and my blood tests are being mis-read as "normal" when they arent...not to mention, several of the necessary blood tests for Hashi's have not even been done yet. (These Dr's are a sheer PAIN IN MY A--, TO SAY THE LEAST!) With all of the research I do, I wish I could just diagnose and treat myself so I could bypass all this illness and drama that I have had to put up with each day, for the last 20 yrs of my life!

I want to inform everyone about something very important in order to get properly  diagnosed...(this is through all of my research!)
First ... I recently found out that there is a small percentage of the population WITH Hashimoto's that will NOT show anti-bodies in their blood work. This is VERY important for you and your Dr's to keep in mind. It is imperative that everyone with symptoms of Hashi's finds a GOOD DR WHO WILL LISTEN TO YOU AND PAY ATTENTION to your SYMPTOMS instead of ONLY GOING BY YOUR BLOOD TEST RESULTS!!!

Secondly...Please note that the American Endocrinology Association changed the "normal values" of the TSH levels in 2006. Before 2006, the "normal range" of TSH levels was 0.5-5.0. However..due to so many people still having many symptoms of Hashi's and low thyroid, the "normal range" levels were changed...the new "normal range" for TSH is now 0.3-3.0. (When a person has Hashi's, they will feel MUCH better when their TSH levels are kept close to 1.0)
If you would like to know more about this "new normal TSH range"..go to the website: www.About.com
Look up thyroid problems..and search for the new normal ranges for TSH levels, changed by the American Endocrinology Association.
It is imperative that everyone informs their Dr's of this!
If u, or they, are unaware of this, the same thing will happen to you, as it has for me,  as a patient..
you will continue to get sicker, and be told that your tests are normal, when they clearly ARE NOT.
I am on the hunt to find someone who WILL GET ME ON A PATH TO WELLNESS.
I am in Miami, Fl...so, if anyone has any Dr's they would like to recommend to me, please let me know.
My plan is to kick this illness in the butt...then begin doing educational lectures on thyroid disease wherever I can, and to become a patient advocate for people with thyroid disease.
Patients need someone on THEIR SIDE, someone to TALK to their Dr's, and someone to get them to Dr's who will listen and GET THEM ON THE PATH TO WELLNESS.

Thank u all for reading, may we all get well....and stay that way!
KIMBERLY:)

[Jennifer1987]

Im confused too. Newly diagnosed with hashimoto's....I want to know will we have this for ever?? If not how long do we have to suffer.. Im so depressed I just cant take much more!

[samiam914]

I recommend reading Dr.Stephen Langer's 'Solved: The riddle of illness" as a start. Thyroid is the cause of so many illnesses, cholesterol elevation, heart disease, fibromyalgia, cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthiritis........

[Autumn1103]

I'm sorry, I don't know.  From what I have read here levels really depend on the lab's rate of normalcy.  Did you get a copy of your blood work?  I need to get a copy of mine still so I can post here, but the first one I received back when I was first diagnosed actually states what normal levels are for each test.  If you do not have a copy I would suggest getting a copy and seeing if you can find out that way.  It helps to have all the numbers and information in front of you.  My Dr. always just pointed out one particular level, told me it should be a 1 and I keep needing a medication increase to try to keep it at a lower level (keeps going back up to between a 4 and a 10).  I can't remember which test it is (T3, T4, etc...)

[tiredfedup]

Thank you so much for your support and understanding.  Funny you should mention breaking out...My face is normally so dry, but I am breaking out like a teenager lately.  Do you know anything about T4 level?  Mine was 0.9 last year...think that's low, but wondering what you know?

[Autumn1103]

I also have Hashimoto's.  Was diagnosed at the age of 30 with a normal physical.  I denied it at the time and refused medication because I didn't have any symptoms yet.  Now I can only go a few months after a medication increase before the symptoms kick me in the butt again.  Some other symptoms I didn't see mentioned before can be dry skin, adult acne (when you don't normally have acne), dry eyes, and swelling.  I have had swelling in the abdomen (makes my pants tight), ankles, fingers, and face.  I have read that there are certain foods that make symptoms worse and that will actually cause you to gain weight even though they are considered diet foods (broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale/kelp, cabbage, there are others but I can't remember).  Hang in there.  This is a great site with wonderful people that can give support and help you feel less abnormal.  :-)

[tiredfedup]

Thank you so much for your help.  I will definitely talk to the nutruitionist about the muscle spasms and see if I need some more vit D.  I do feel like I am losing my mind sometimes!  I appreciate all of your tips....it is so helpful to me!  I get more relief from the stress reading everone's explanations and tips than I do from my own doctor.  I am looking forward to meeting with the nutritionist. thanks!!

[FTB4]

Depression, Fatigue, Anxiety,Brain Fog, Muscle aches, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol and Trouble swallowing, Sleep apnia/Insomnia are all syptoms of thyroid disorders, Prior to finding this out here, I thought I was coming apart at the seams, and loosing my marbles at the same time. After I found out that my thyroid was the cause, I could cope with it better. Another good tip I received here is, if you have mild to severe muscle cramps and spasms, that if you take Vitamin D (1,000 to 2000 units per day for ages 50 to 70) And 400mg per day of Magnesium. They made a huge difference in my muscle problems, and only took a week to work, I also take Vitamin B Complex, It helps deal with stress, which can aggravate everything else. You can request your nutritionist or your Endo do a vitamin work up to see if your system is lacking. Good Luck FTB4

[tiredfedup]

Thank you so much!  This really does help.  It is such a confusing thing, but I think I get it.  It sounds like from what you are saying is that even if my TSH and other levels are all "normal", if I have Hashimoto's, I may still be feeling sick before it shows up on tests.  

I definitely have antibodies, not as high as yours, but they are there and I feel horrible and it comes and goes for sometimes long periods of time.  So I am most likely not crazy...lol.  I am pursuing a holistic nutritionist and a second opinion of an endocrinilogist.  I don't even know if the first one checked my T3 and T4.  I will also have my Vit D checked...some people suggest.  

Are your levels ever "good".  Maybe you don't really know and base it on how you feel.  It's a horrible disease, but I think it's more common than doctors acknowledge.  As women, especially, our hormones fluctuate and go out of whack.  Many of us get diagnosed as depressed, fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue.  I bet someday they will realize that it's actually the thyroid!

I appreciate all of your knowledge!!!  Have a great day!

[redheadaussie]

Hashimoto's is an auto-immune disease. The thyroid makes anti-bodies to try to stop the disease from attacking it. This is a continual cycle. The thyroid may go into a hypo mode as it tries desperately to recoup from the attack or even hyper...more likely hypo though.
  Eventually left untreated your thryoid will inevitably die off. Usually before this happens the thyroid will enlarge in response to the attack. This may or may not cause discomfort to the 'owner'. This can take a number of years, for most people.
  Hashimoto's itself can never be cured, but the symptoms of the hypothyroid state is treated.
  Some people feel totally miserable with their disease, others may never realise they have it. There is no one level that says, You will be sick at X amount of antibodies.
  I felt terrible for 15 years going up and down hypo to hyper over the years.
You can have normal levels of all the tests...but you need to have the anti-bodies to know if you have it or not. My levels were always 'normal' but slightly high on the TSH...but this was not enough to convince doctors I was sick. Only the anti-bodies test proved I was REALLY sick! (my anti-bodies were 1468 after I had my left thryoid out...god only knows what they were BEFORE that side was out!)
  It is more a case of living with Hashimoto's and learning how to deal with it when you get an attack...recognising the symptoms will help you manage it better. For me personally, I know now that intense stress, or lack of sleep or even a lack of routine, can set me off to be quite miserable.
  Hope that helps to let you understand a bit better.

[FTB4]

I have Hashimoto's also, here is what my Endo explained to me, Your Immune system (T Cells) that fight off infection and bacteria do not recognize your thyroid as part of your body, so it attacks it in an attempt to detroy it.(This is the Hashimoto's Portion ) When this happens it retards the manufacture of hormones that are secreted into your system by your thyroid, it also causes an inflamation to the thyroid and it increases in size (And sometimes creates protrusions from your thyroid called nodules) Normally your pituitary gland will send a signal to your thyroid (When Needed) to manufacture hormones (I believe these hormones are T3 and T4) The signal sent by your pituitary is your TSH, in the case of "Underactive Thyroid" The higher the TSH the Lower the hormone output/ in case of an "Overactive Thyroid" the TSH is too Low, Most good Endo's and Md's will go by an Average of around 3.0   Many people can have Underactive Thyroids without having Hashimoto's, they just have an underactive thyroid. So to medicate the problem they prescribe hormone medication to correct the loss, the speed at which the medication works is based on each person, some adapt sooner than others, 6 weeks have to pass between lab blood work to allow your system to adjust to the dosage changes. I think you would be better off with an Endocrinologist than a GP, Most Endo's are more familiar with our problems. If you need more info just post and members will be glad to help, the same goes for your first lab results, if you want to post them. Good Luck FTB4