hypo HELP

cainisable
cainisable Posts: 28 Member
A few weeks ago I found out I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.. AND Celiac Disease.. JOY to the world!

I haven't been able to lose any weight what so ever since about June.. and randomly have put on about 20 pounds since June as well. So, finding out about Hashi's made sense because I was literally doing everything right! I was also having weird rashes and a few other symptoms that I never even suspected to be gluten.

I have been GF for about 5 weeks or so.. and it's going fine.. no more stomach aches. I have also just recently cut out soy and most dairy (I use grassfed butter, raw cheese, and goat cheese without trouble as far as I know).

My TDEE is a little above 2200 (I did a 24 hour burn using my HR monitor) and I am told by my doc to do a 1200 calorie diet. I try to stick to it but I get SO hungry that most days I range between 1400-1600 calories.. which should still be enough to lose weight. But I'm not.

I'm not on any medication.. but am wanting to do it the natural way.. using desiccated porcine thyroid (armour or a different brand) but my endo says since my levels are still technically normal I just have to wait until they get out of range. So the only thing she says I can do is get my levels checked every 2 months three times and then once a year.

That has to be bull malarkey.

There has to be SOMETHING I can do. I just need input, help, personal experience, ANYTHING!

If you're here to ridicule then don't even bother. If you don't have any type of thyroid problem and never have.. you don't know what my body is doing. I am simply here asking for advice and helpful input.

Add me as a friend if you have Hashi's!

Replies

  • Oh man, sorry to hear! Hopefully with a diagnosis it will be easier from here on out to start feeling better!

    Two general thoughts:

    First, I'd ask your endo for more specific info on your tests: look at your own labs. TSH, Free t3, and free T4. If your endo just ran TSH, it's not the whole picture, and it's also possible that your endo is using outdated ranges for "normal."

    Second, since you have that dual diagnosis, and both conditions can cause serious malabsorption problems, it is worth finding out whether you have any nutritional deficiencies. Healing from the inflammation of Celiac's and making sure that basic nutrition is in place (meaning you might need to supplement or focus on getting extra iron or vitamin D, for example, since those often end up low in hypo and Celiac's folks) might really help with the thyroid issues and help the scale start moving in the right direction. I'm hypo and gluten free and it took a few rounds of testing and about 4-5 months of being gluten free and really focusing on my micronutrition as best I can to really feel much better and even lose weight as quickly as I should based on my deficit.

    I hope you start feeling better soon!
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    thanks for the response!! I had all my lab work sent to me.. I will have to post the numbers tomorrow.. But I had TSH, TPO antibodies, T3 and T4 tested.. all came back "normal" to her.. except the TPO. I have an appointment to check for any deficiencies Dec 18 and it can't come soon enough!!! I will post my results from the tests ASAP! :)
  • Syriene
    Syriene Posts: 238
    It does sound like bull malarkey. As mentioned earlier, the ranges they are using are probably the outdated ones. If you are still not feeling well and this doc still wants to wait it out, might be time to find a new doc. I recently switched to Armour and it made a big difference. I hope they let you try it out.
    This site should give you more info on the tests and whatnot http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/
    If you are exercising regularly, 1200 calories may not be enough to keep your tummy from grumbling. It's good that you bumped up your intake. Got to fuel your system.
    Good job on eliminating gluten and soy. It's crazy how much those things can do to a person!
  • Hang in there. I have thyroid problems as well. Just because your numbers are in the "normal" range doesn't mean they are normal for you. I've had one doctor tell me I'm fine since I was in the "normal" range yet I was experiencing symptoms. I saw a different doctor that increased my dosage and I feel much better. My advice would be to see another doctor or specialist. Get a second opinion. Eating well and exercising are always good so keep up the good work.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    I finally have my levels in front of me to share..

    TSI (thyroid-stimulating immunoglobin.. not sure what this is): 1.2 [reference range <1.3]
    TSH with free T4 reflex: 1.777 [range 0.300-5.900]
    T3 free: 2.6 [range 2.0-3.5]
    TPO: 378 [range <21]


    these were taken November 6th.. so almost a month ago.

    my symptoms include.. but are not limited to (lol):
    fatigue
    achy muscle/joints
    back pain
    muscle weakness
    blurred vision
    dry eyes
    dry hair
    peeling finger nails
    mood swings
    no sex drive
    hot flashes
    night sweats
    cold hands/feet
    anxiety
    insomnia
    can't lose weight
    gain weight easily
    swelling in the morning
    heavier period/cramps

    sounds a bit much BUT there it is lol hope you all have some good input!