Fuzzipeg wrote: »

I think this whole thyroid problem is so much bigger than we ordinary folk can know in my life time. Enabling my body to function properly is what I want to achieve. I am responsible for my body and others for their own. For most of the last 40 years I have eaten, drunk, and done most of what was considered the healthy way to live. All this time and longer I have had disregarded thyroid symptoms. I now discover as I approach last few years of my three score years and ten that doing what was the "right way" of being healthy, actually made me ill and at my worst weighing some 20 stone. I am striving to make the best of what I have left and I hope it is at least another 30 years to enable me to do some of what my disabilities had taken from me though it will never replace the work years I lost. All because I did as I was advised.

I have said many times, I am salicylate sensitive, actually I live my life in a state of salicylate toxicity, tinnitus very loud all the time with additional different threads, if it has a mind to as my salicylate levels increase, as well as other acknowledged overdose symptoms. No, I do not pester the doctors, I use them at arms length where possible now, hospital visits are a nightmare, some hospitals are easier than others for some reason. The organ which should direct or control the elimination of this toxin is malfunctioning fortunately my other organs involved in elimination seem to be surviving, (recent blood test). In the '60's and up till now many people believe full fat or semi skimmed milk products are bad for you, like eggs but these foods are good for iodine and selenium which would have fed my thyroid when it needed it most to enable me to drink tea and coffee, eat the oranges, grapefruit, pineapples, broccoli, cucumber, radish, herbs spices, ordinary foods like tomato purée, maize starch for thickening sauces and holding most pills together and chocolate flavoured with vanilla. Christmas used to mean mince pies, puddings and Christmas cake, wine and fruit juices but not any more. I really miss my nuts, chocolate coated Brazills, wonderful. Then I also have to cope with salicylate some of it synthetic in modern personal and domestic hygiene products. Could you survive without toothpaste or washing powder??? And I have not mention the outpourings of plants in the gardens. I know what it is to give things up and have good reasons not be a sheep.

I have come back from chronic fatigue, fibro, joint and muscle pain and various problems causing me to use sticks and breathing problems, IBS and more just by avoiding aspirin and later the salicylate in foods which took the pressure off my thyroid at every step and probably saved my other organs. Once there was nothing I would not eat, well I hated pilchards, school dinners! I have my life back as long as I keep away from peoples perfumes, use masks, nasal filters, dehumidifier. When I used to travel my air filters and air purifiers were needed just to keep my equilibrium. I use vitamin and mineral supplements as well as omega 3 capsules to try to promote the best health I can. I know I can improve my thyroid function by using eggs, goat milk and cheeses, sheep cheese which are even better for iodine and selenium than cow. I decided it was probably too dangerous to self medicate even though I achieved some dramatic results, I was perturbed by the palpitations I started to experience so I fought for maize free levothyroxine and hope I achieve normal thyroid function before my time is up.

So to answer your question. Would my body be better off if it was not subjected to gluten? No. My body has told me it is now happy, even more delighted now I have found self raising wholemeal flour. I am able to have a normal digestive system, and all my other symptoms are work in progress if and when I am permitted an increase in my medication. (One 25 mcg of tablet levo daily for a month almost had me in a wheelchair for such a small amount of maizestarch. Time or may be the lack of it will tell.

My advice to anyone is to read as much as you can, keep to the proper science on reputable sites and ones of support and learning, set your symptoms and diet against lists and see what you come up with. Daily I thank Anne Swane an Australian Dietitian with associates who did much of the investigations which have created the salicylate food lists. I hope no one else has to endure what I do. This has not been a life choice, for me it is I fear a life sentence. Know what you are doing and why. Live life the best way you can you only get one crack at it.

Thyroid UK, Food can make you ill, Stop the thyroid madness, Salicylate Sensitivity, Autism support sites, Thyroid Australia and USA. There are others I could also throw at you too but these are probably enough.