Hashimoto's and low carb diet-Advice please....

debbiepa

Earlier this year I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and started medication. While my lab numbers improved, I remained symptomatic and didn't feel any better. My endo recommended that I try a low carb diet, which I've been doing since July and feel great since then. I usually try to eat 100 grams or less of carbs per day with the occasional carb meltdown or splurge. I still have flare ups of my symptoms at times; not sure if it's related to higher carb days or not.
I'm wondering what others with Hashimoto's limit their carb intake to each day. Also, has anyone with Hashimoto's tried to increase their carbs and how did you tolerate it? I'm not sure that this a something I can maintain long term, but I really don't want the symptoms to come back frequently.
Thanks much!

islandmonkey

What meds are you taking? Is it a T4-only supplement like sythroid or levothyroxine?

What labs is your endo testing? If it's just TSH I would push for a free (not total) T3 and free T4 test. Many people with Hashi's find that they can't properly convert T4 into T3 (the active thyroid hormone) and those tests can help determine if you are struggling with that.

As well, keep in mind a few things about TSH:
1. it is NOT a thyroid hormone, and therefore a terrible indicator of how your thyroid is function...
2. ...especially once you are already supplementing. TSH is often very supressed in people taking thyroid meds, often well below 1.0 or even in what uneducated doctors would consider a "hyper" range. Don't let an uneducated endo dose you based on TSH.
3. Many/most doctors are still using an outdated range for TSH anyway. Since 2002 the range has been .3-3.0, and the top is likely to drop to 2.5 in the near future. Many more educated thyroid docs would argue that anything above 2.0 is too high.


I'm surprised your doc said low carb....it's usually gluten-free that is suggested for people with autoimmune thyroid issues like Hashi's.

Anniel88

I limit my carbs to under 75g a day. I probably average around 50g net. I do find carbs are a big trigger for me and not simply gluten. Low-carb is typically low-gluten, but I also get flare ups if I eat rice. For some people, going gluten-free may be the answer, but it doesn't work for me. There is a link between celiac and hashimoto's so it is something to keep an eye out for.

I do occassionally indulge in carbs, pizza or pasta. If I limit it to once a week, I tend to avoid flare ups. Although, several days of high carbs will cause symptom flare-ups for me (joint pain, lack of concentration, goiter) to last a few weeks.

Other triggers that cause flare-ups for me: stress, lack of sleep, cold. It becomes more important for me to focus on my diet during those times. Of course, when I'm stressed I crave the carbs - ugh!

I also agree with what islandmonkey said about finding a good thyroid doctor. I have an appointment with one in January, keeping my fingers crossed that I finally found one that will help me manage it!

If you're looking for friends, feel free to add me! I keep my diary open to friends. With an auto-immune disease, symptoms and treatments are really different for everyone so it's a trial and error process to find what works for you. Good luck!

Cassierocksalot

Since I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 10 years ago, I've moved around a lot which means I've had several doctors. I had one tell me that I had Hashimoto's but no doctor since has even brought it up. I never heard of this trigger with carbs and/or gluten but it makes sense. I had sushi for dinner 2 days ago and I'm still feeling sluggish.

Anniel88 mentions joint pain which is also something I've never heard of, but it would make total sense for me! I feel way older for my age the way my joints always hurt, but if it's a symptom of my thyroid levels being out of whack that would make much more sense!

I was unemployed for a while and unable to pay for blood work and medications so I was untreated for about a year; my first blood test back showed my TSH levels at over 300! They tested my T3 and free T4 too, the levels were definitely off but I can't remember exactly. Ever since I went back on my medication I have had a HORRIBLE time getting my weight under control. I'm hoping that finding this message board will help.

debbiepa

Thank you for your replies. Originally, my endo did a large blood work up, including TSH, free T3 and T4, cortisol levels, ect. I already was on Levo and the doctor kept increasing it until my TSH was at 0.8. My symptoms continued until I started to limit my carbs. I still have joint aches, particularly in my fingers, when it gets bad. I also get puffy. Overall, I feel so much better. I get tired of meats, cheese and nuts. I miss fruits and sandwiches. :sad: I'm curious to know how it's been for others with similar experiences.

islandmonkey

Since I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism 10 years ago, I've moved around a lot which means I've had several doctors. I had one tell me that I had Hashimoto's but no doctor since has even brought it up. I never heard of this trigger with carbs and/or gluten but it makes sense. I had sushi for dinner 2 days ago and I'm still feeling sluggish.

Wow, they should definitely be monitoring your Hashi's antibodies. Hashi's can create a lot of roller coaster thyroid swings.

Anniel88 mentions joint pain which is also something I've never heard of, but it would make total sense for me! I feel way older for my age the way my joints always hurt, but if it's a symptom of my thyroid levels being out of whack that would make much more sense!

Joint pain is one of the top hypothyroid symptoms!!

I was unemployed for a while and unable to pay for blood work and medications so I was untreated for about a year; my first blood test back showed my TSH levels at over 300! They tested my T3 and free T4 too, the levels were definitely off but I can't remember exactly. Ever since I went back on my medication I have had a HORRIBLE time getting my weight under control. I'm hoping that finding this message board will help.

I would get your free T3 and free T4 levels checked again. And, as the OP mentioned, some people need to make lifestyle adjustments to be symptom free (especially people with Hashi's). Once you have one autoimmune disease you're at higher risk for having more, and there seems to be a particularly strong link between Hashi's and Celiac (as one example). It might involve some trial and error to find out what works for you - but many, many people with Hashi's find improvements when going gluten-free.

Have you looked into taking a natural thyroid med that contains both T3 and T4? This website can help you find a doctor (assuming you're in the US) that is open to natural thyroid meds:
http://www.thyroiddoctors.com/

islandmonkey

Thank you for your replies. Originally, my endo did a large blood work up, including TSH, free T3 and T4, cortisol levels, ect. I already was on Levo and the doctor kept increasing it until my TSH was at 0.8. My symptoms continued until I started to limit my carbs. I still have joint aches, particularly in my fingers, when it gets bad. I also get puffy. Overall, I feel so much better. I get tired of meats, cheese and nuts. I miss fruits and sandwiches. :sad: I'm curious to know how it's been for others with similar experiences.

I have a speculation (totally unsupported as yet) that there's something about gluten that either blocks the conversion of T4->T3 or causes your body to create too much reverse T3 (which blocks the action of "regular" T3).

Since it's such an issue for you I'd definitely explore the option of a natural thyroid med that contains both T3 and T4 - it seems like a lot of people that find relief with gluten-free also respond very well to natural thyroid meds.