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Hashimotos disease.
i just got diagnosed with hashimotos disease, im on some new meds and i have to take them for the rest of my life, im worried about a number of things but most of all im worried things are going to get worse n worse. id rather hear from someone who actually has it and can tell me what is going to happen... im only 19 and the last 5 years i was fighting depression and now iv been told i might of had this for the last 5 years and im sorried the damage could already be done. i meen i noticed a year ago in 6 months i went from 60 or so kilo's to 100 now. i have a terrible memory altho i thought that was normal and im just so confused my heads hurting im getting stomach aches all the time and its not about bowl movements. i cant focus on anything and im trying to get into work. is this the right time for me to be working?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I get copies of all my labs, then note on each one, what medication(s)/dosage(s) I was on at the time of the blood draw, along with any symptoms or anything significant about the way I felt. Those lab reports have become a running record of my thyroid condition, and I know, at which levels I feel best, and which ones to target.
The choice of thyroid hormone replacement in Australia is short and sweet. Sigma Pharmaceuticals are the makers of Oroxine and Eutroxsig (both synthetic T4) and Tertroxin (synthetic T3). Compounding pharmacies make up natural desiccated thyroid, usually from a pig's thyroid gland, which contains T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. Competition is fierce lol. So you can try another thyroid medication but there is not much to choose from. You may need to cut back the dosage as well. And a good rule is to request all your lab work so you have a copy of them. The pathology notes are very informative too.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Exactly how long have you been on the medication?
"i saw my results last before i took my meds it said my thyroid was at 4.6 or something" Was that 4.6 the TSH? Is that all that was tested? What about Free T3 and Free T4?
TSH is a pituitary hormone and is not necessarily indicative of actual thyroid status. You need to know what the actual thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4, are. Even though they might be in "in range", doesn't mean that's normal for YOU. Your body might require more hormones, than just being at the bottom of the range.
It's not unusual for patients to report worsening symptoms (or even different ones) after starting on medication. Your body has to adjust to having the hormones it's been doing without.
Another possibility is that you were started on too high a dosage. Maybe you could try splitting the pill in 1/2 for a week or so, and see if 1/2 the dose works better, then once your body gets used to it, you could resume taking the entire pill.
"im sure i can survive without the medication cant i?" No, not indefinitely. As the destruction caused by the Hashimoto's progresses, your thyroid will make less and less hormones; you will probably have to increase medication off and on, in order to accommodate, this loss. You have to have thyroid hormones in order to live. They control your metabolism, heart rate, body temperature and other necessary body functions. Without thyroid hormones, your adrenals try to take up the slack, which, over time, puts too much strain on them and they will eventually fail. Death due to lack of thyroid hormones is rare, because you would be so sick, you would have to seek help.
"i saw my results last before i took my meds it said my thyroid was at 4.6 or something" Was that 4.6 the TSH? Is that all that was tested? What about Free T3 and Free T4?
TSH is a pituitary hormone and is not necessarily indicative of actual thyroid status. You need to know what the actual thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4, are. Even though they might be in "in range", doesn't mean that's normal for YOU. Your body might require more hormones, than just being at the bottom of the range.
It's not unusual for patients to report worsening symptoms (or even different ones) after starting on medication. Your body has to adjust to having the hormones it's been doing without.
Another possibility is that you were started on too high a dosage. Maybe you could try splitting the pill in 1/2 for a week or so, and see if 1/2 the dose works better, then once your body gets used to it, you could resume taking the entire pill.
"im sure i can survive without the medication cant i?" No, not indefinitely. As the destruction caused by the Hashimoto's progresses, your thyroid will make less and less hormones; you will probably have to increase medication off and on, in order to accommodate, this loss. You have to have thyroid hormones in order to live. They control your metabolism, heart rate, body temperature and other necessary body functions. Without thyroid hormones, your adrenals try to take up the slack, which, over time, puts too much strain on them and they will eventually fail. Death due to lack of thyroid hormones is rare, because you would be so sick, you would have to seek help.
im on thyroxine 50mg and when i saw my results last before i took my meds it said my thyroid was at 4.6 or something im not too sure i could be wrong. it was the only red number on the screen
thankyou, im in perth in australia. i understand it all i just never had any problems before taking this medicine other than depression now i have headaches and stomach aches and im sure i can survive without the medication cant i?
COMMUNITY LEADER
What made you decide to go gluten free? Are you gluten intolerant?
It's always best to stay away from processed foods, sugar and salt. Cabbage in a goitrogen, which can inhibit thyroid function, but it's not the only one. I eat it regularly, with no adverse effects, but then I don't eat it every day, or in large quantities.
Soy can inhibit absorption of thyroid medications. I avoid it at all costs.
There are some good ayurvedic herbs that can help different conditions; unfortunately, Hashimoto's/ ypothyroidism isn't one of them.
Seaweed contains iodine, which is usually contraindicated, with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, as it can exacerbate symptoms, rather than alleviate them. I don't know how long you've been taking it, but if it's not sanctioned by your doctor, you might want to think about stopping it. If it IS sanctioned by your doctor, you might want to think about getting a different one.
There's nothing wrong with desiccated thyroid hormones, and there are some people who do best on them; however, if you're reducing your med dose every few weeks, and you are feeling good, I don't really see how switching to desiccated is going to help anything.
With Hashimoto's the body sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it. There is nothing that will stop the destruction, and you will eventually, have to increase your thyroid medication, again.
It's always best to stay away from processed foods, sugar and salt. Cabbage in a goitrogen, which can inhibit thyroid function, but it's not the only one. I eat it regularly, with no adverse effects, but then I don't eat it every day, or in large quantities.
Soy can inhibit absorption of thyroid medications. I avoid it at all costs.
There are some good ayurvedic herbs that can help different conditions; unfortunately, Hashimoto's/ ypothyroidism isn't one of them.
Seaweed contains iodine, which is usually contraindicated, with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, as it can exacerbate symptoms, rather than alleviate them. I don't know how long you've been taking it, but if it's not sanctioned by your doctor, you might want to think about stopping it. If it IS sanctioned by your doctor, you might want to think about getting a different one.
There's nothing wrong with desiccated thyroid hormones, and there are some people who do best on them; however, if you're reducing your med dose every few weeks, and you are feeling good, I don't really see how switching to desiccated is going to help anything.
With Hashimoto's the body sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it. There is nothing that will stop the destruction, and you will eventually, have to increase your thyroid medication, again.
Thank you for your comments Barb. Hashimotos is my problem, and my mother's before me.
Many of my symptoms are going now that I don't eat gluten. (swollen throat shrinking now and weight returning to normal)
Also, I stay away from processed foods, white sugar, salt, and keep cabbage and soy low. I take some common vedic herbs like turmeric and shatavari. Dulse is my favorite seaweed.
Every few weeks my Synthroid meds are being reduced.
I wonder if natural dessicated thyroid 'armour' would be a better choice.
Thank you for all your knowledge, I enjoy your posts/
Joni
Many of my symptoms are going now that I don't eat gluten. (swollen throat shrinking now and weight returning to normal)
Also, I stay away from processed foods, white sugar, salt, and keep cabbage and soy low. I take some common vedic herbs like turmeric and shatavari. Dulse is my favorite seaweed.
Every few weeks my Synthroid meds are being reduced.
I wonder if natural dessicated thyroid 'armour' would be a better choice.
Thank you for all your knowledge, I enjoy your posts/
Joni
I hired this book out from the library. It's overdue lol but worth the fine. I live in Australia btw. This book is from an Australian author, the book was published in Australia, and it has the thumbs up from Thyroid Australia. :)
A very informative book is by Robyn Koumourou called Running On Empty. There is a section in the book that lists the side effects and symptoms that worsen during treatment. This section is 5 pages long but this is an excerpt...
"It is not uncommon to start thyroid hormone therapy and find that your symptoms become worse before they get better. When you begin taking thyroxine the areas in the brain that control thyroid hormone production sense the increase in T4 levels within the blood stream. This feedback system will then cause the thyroid glands natural production of thyroid hormones to slow down.
Less natural T4 and T3 will then be produced and released and blood levels may remain stagnant or even decrease temporarily. Less free T3 hormone available to the body will slow down cellular metabolism. The symptoms of hypothyroidism may become worse until an increase in thyroxine is taken or an optimal dose is found."
"It is not uncommon to start thyroid hormone therapy and find that your symptoms become worse before they get better. When you begin taking thyroxine the areas in the brain that control thyroid hormone production sense the increase in T4 levels within the blood stream. This feedback system will then cause the thyroid glands natural production of thyroid hormones to slow down.
Less natural T4 and T3 will then be produced and released and blood levels may remain stagnant or even decrease temporarily. Less free T3 hormone available to the body will slow down cellular metabolism. The symptoms of hypothyroidism may become worse until an increase in thyroxine is taken or an optimal dose is found."
I have some classic symptoms but they only started when the medication did e.g headaches stomach cramps that nearly drop me to the floor, im tired all the time iv gained weight like crazy and i just feel like ****... If i decide to stop taking the medication, how long can i expect to survive...
COMMUNITY LEADER
Many of us on this forum have Hashimoto's. It's the # 1 cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world.
Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, in which the body sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it. The destruction often takes years or decades to complete. As the antibodies destroy the thyroid, it produces less and less hormones, so you may have to increase your medication periodically, to keep up with the destruction.
There's really no treatment for Hashimoto's; it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated, and if treated adequately, you shouldn't get worse.
Do you have recent labs that you can post, so we can better assess your situation? Be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and must come from your own report.
You have classic symptoms of being hypo; what medication are you on? What dosage? Your medication should begin to alleviate symptoms, within a few weeks, though it may take some time for them all to go completely away.
Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, in which the body sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it. The destruction often takes years or decades to complete. As the antibodies destroy the thyroid, it produces less and less hormones, so you may have to increase your medication periodically, to keep up with the destruction.
There's really no treatment for Hashimoto's; it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated, and if treated adequately, you shouldn't get worse.
Do you have recent labs that you can post, so we can better assess your situation? Be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and must come from your own report.
You have classic symptoms of being hypo; what medication are you on? What dosage? Your medication should begin to alleviate symptoms, within a few weeks, though it may take some time for them all to go completely away.
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