Hashimoto's Disease....does anyone treat it naturally?

lots of docs arent that great at treating our symptoms just our labs..I actually think sometimes the meds we are on cause weight gain..im up 20 lb from 2 yrs ago despite diet and exercise (it may be some muscle gain) but still...my daughter is 7 and ive been thinking recently how sad i would be if she had it!

Hello all - I just wanted to invite you guys to join a group I created for those with Hashi's to get together and network and all that good stuff on MFP. Those with hypothyroidism are welcome as well ^_^ http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/16887-butterfly-chasers

I haven't had time to read all the comments so I'm not sure what all has been said but I think there is some confusion here on what Hashimotos is and does.

Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. This means that pieces of your thyroid will actually be gone and will not be recovered. This is why people with Hashimoto's will develop hypothyroidism over time. This is also why no matter what kind of diet you eat you must take some sort of hormone replacement - whether natural or synthetic, you have to find what works for you. Your body will not produce more thyroid hormone on your own because pieces of your thyroid are actually missing. Whether you need a natural or synthetic hormone will depend on the person. You can find an interesting article (written by a neurologist specializing in natural medicine) here: http://drclark.typepad.com/dr_david_clark/2011/11/which-thyroid-hormone-is-best-for-hashimotos-synthetic-or-bioidentical.html.

It is correct to say that hormone replacement will not treat your Hashimoto's, but you still need to take it. The article above likens it to a prosthetic leg - it is not natural but it is replacing something your body no longer has and can no longer produce on its own.

If you have Hashimoto's you DO need to find a doctor who understands it and wil work with you to treat the disease, not just the thyroid symptoms.

So, basically, you need to be taking a thyroid replacement hormone AND treating your Hashimoto's (through diet and supplements) because once your body begins producing antibodies and attacking one tissue, other tissues also become threatened. This is why many women with Hashimoto's struggle with miscarriages, because the body views the baby as a foreign object and attack it. You will also be at greater risk for developing other autoimmune diseases like Celiac, which attacks the gut.

I have Hashimoto's and have lost two babies to the disease. I take Synthroid for the hormone replacement and am looking into treatment for the autoimmune disease.

Additionally, if you are treating the thyroid with hormone replacement and your symptoms are not going away, the same guy who wrote the article above deals with that in several articles here: http://drclark.typepad.com/dr_david_clark/hypothyroid/

I do not know him, but he has a lot of very helpful information on his site.

Hope that helps!

Hashimotos can be treated naturally...with an individualized diet and individualized supplemention according your autonomic balance, nutrients and supplents to heal gut permeability, detoxification procedures such as coffee enemas and liver flushes, and thyroid protomorphogen extract to promote your thyroids normal functioning. Then there's the healing foods like beef and fish, the hormone balancing effect of proper sleep, and the gland supportive effect of positive emotions.

This Clark fellow who you mentioned (above) is not a "Neurologist" in the sense of being an MD... I'm not even sure how he can legally call himself a neurologist... He is a DC -- A Doctor of Chiropractic...

If you read up on the Chiropractic Doctors who are getting into the thyroid issues -- there are some serious issues regarding this. Not saying they can't help -- but I would much rather put my care into the hands of someone who is educated in a scientific manner as to how bring about the results that will help me effect healthy changes for my thyroid.

After researching Hashimoto's on the internet for about three months, I too was faced with TONS of statements that appear to be true, so many different METHODS that appear to have different results, there are the Western Doctors, the Naturopathic Docs, the Chiropractic Docs, acupuncturists, Chinese Medicine, Integrative and Functional DOCS -- people coming at this from varying points of view, some coming together on their point of view. I now have an endocriniologist, a GP and a very interesting MD who really is a "holistic" MD. THE endocrinologist and the GP approach the thyroid from a "STUDY and Experience-based" point of view, meaning specifically, that for example studies have proven that thyroid hormone can lower TSH and TPOab... A scientific study in which the results can be proven over and over and over and over again by different scientists with different people in different settings. The endocrinologist, so very well studied and knowledgeable in his field also told me to take selenium -- "Studies have shown" the results that can be achieved. (Note: Not all people can take selenium.) My GP was going to let me self-treat -- The endocrinologist was upset because some people DO ACHIEVE remission and one approach that HELPS this is to get the TSH to 1.0 as soon as possible. Note: My endo is not a guy who is just treating the TSH.

I believe in the natural help as well, so off to the "holistic MD" I go and add her to this mix... I've got blood tests from here-to-there -- iron, ferritin, hormones, vitamin D and so on and so forth -- I love that we learned more about me... BUT... It seems apparent to me that some of the things she may be suggesting may be possibly harmful to me (like the iodine loading test) and not all seem to be "STUDY BASED" but rather "anecdotal. For example, Dr. Khazarian (I think that's his name) which once was "For" iodine" is now re-thinking that, even suggesting that iodine supplements might be like adding gasoline to a fire... Could it be because of studies like this: http://www.eje-online.org/content/139/1/23.full.pdf showing that you might just want to be careful before adding iodine to your regimen... (I seemed to have a reaction to a low dose of iodine and it scares me to have a 50mg pill... But the "holistic" MD would have just done this test.) Then my friend who is an MD tells me, the ONLY place in the body that stores iodine is the thyroid gland - Yet there are everyday people suggesting that iodine can help Hashimoto's people and woeh - they could actually help someone who wants to just "try it" harm their thyroid! I've had the sed rate test... Normal (this means I don't have an abnormal "inflammation" in my body like all these people suggest is the case with hashimoto's -- People make the statements over and over that you need to heal your gut and reduce inflammation to help your hashi's but show me the proof -- because I don't have an inflammation problem and my gut is HAPPY, nevertheless, I have often added probiotics anyway since I have had antibiotics at some point in my life. Seriously though, these statements people make, are they "anecdotal" or are there any studies that prove it? My body tells me something that differs from the apparently "anecdotal statements" that many people "claim". I've had the allergy tests -- I'm glad to say my body likes eggs, dairy, wheat... I'm good - still have hashi's. My wonderful endocrinologist prescribed synthroid, I couldn't tolerate it. He prescribed tirosint, I couldn't tolerate it. He now has me on armour (I am so dearly GRATEFUL for this!)

I would love it if changing my diet would make me well. As it is, I consume mainly a "whole foods" diet. I'm willing to consider "safe anecdotal" ideas such as having read that cutting out iodine for some has made their autoimmune attack (tpoab) stop. THAT is NOT A STUDY I can prove - but just like cutting out gluten, not a problem to try. So like many of us who research on google and go from "claim to claim" and "site to site" -- we need to look for EVIDENCE. When someone makes a claim, such as that halides damage the thyroid... SHOW ME THE STUDY. Don't show me one "paper" from one MD that asserts data, drawing info from all sorts of sources including himself, (Guy Abrams) but show me a scientific study (meaning that it can be replicated again and again). A statement like that needs to be followed up with TRUTH and PROOF - otherwise what in the world are you basing your statement on? And be careful because there are people making statements and then if you read the study... Look at their sample group... Was it a study from a small tribe in the central region of Asia which is a place that turns out they don't even consume the same diet as you? They don't even live in the same temperatures or have similar toxins or daily stresses? Some studies may not even apply to your situation.

Endocrinologists ARE what they ARE because of the rigorous studying they have done and the achievements they have achieved. CHIROPRACTORS ARE NOT MD NEUROLOGISTS as you might think if you don't read carefully.

I have just been diagnost with hashimoto's symptoms of pain exhaustion weight gain irritable moody depressed my doctor told me they don't treat hashimoto help.

You can't cure autoimmune disease with diet, you can ease the side effects but you can't cure it

can someone please help me.... im sooo depressed and i cry every night and i always think of dying coz i dont knw what else to do. i was diagnosed with hashimotos 1 year ago and i still havent been able to feel all right. i did feel a bit better and started loosing a bit of weight last year when i was on armour but when the medication finished i had no option to switch to levothyroxine and that really screwed me over. i dont think i have ever been this depressed or gained this much weight in my life.

i dont even have the motivation to work out or do anything. i am gluten free to a great extent. i still feel miserable and my hair is falling out and i dont know what to do. i feel so hopeless and aimless....

help...

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/NaturalThyroidRecoveryGuide

Hello. I have been having those same symptoms and I have my first appt with a sleep specialist this week. I have a feeling I have hashimoto's disease. How long did it take before your symptoms started improving? Thank you for any help.

I have been having those same symptoms and I have my first appt with a sleep specialist this week. I have a feeling I have hashimoto's disease. How long did it take before your symptoms started improving?

It took a while just to get diagnosed: blood tests (for hormone levels & antibodies) plus an ultrasound of my throat. I have blood tests every three months & my endocrinologist increases my medication. It's been 2 years, and my levels have only just now become "normal."

Edited to add that there's been some misinformation posted in this thread, so I'm going to repeat some truths:

I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and take Synthroid (T4) & Cytomel (T3). (The other option, Armour, is dessicated pig or pig + cow thyroid glands.) Just like diabetics with insulin, I will take thyroid meds for the rest of my life. ("Autoimmune" means my body is attacking & destroying my thyroid gland.) The meds reduce my fatigue, so I'm more active. But even on the meds I kept gaining & gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly.

The advice in the Sexypants post worked for me: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

MFP has two thyroid groups:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/51427-butterfly-chasers

My endocrinologist told me there's no need to avoid any foods, so I eat gluten + all the vegetables. My diary is public, so take a look.