Hashimoto's and gluten

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Replies

  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    @Naley2322
    Wow, that's awesome, happy to hear stories like that, thanks!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    worddigger wrote: »
    @aggelikik
    Are you *kitten* kidding me? I am fully aware of the ramifications of Hashimoto's and take care of myself accordingly with all diagnostic testing. Are you a doctor, if so, you apparently have not completed your ethics courses. Give me a *kitten* break.

    Oh, it is one of those threads... You read some random blogs telling you would cure Hashimoto's by going gluten free, since apparently gluten free is the current fashionable cure for everything. Ok, yes dear, avoid gluten, it cures everything. Better now?

    My personal opinion is no it won't cure Hashimoto's nor do I expect it to. I just started synthroid. I need medication. What I don't want is the swelling and flare ups and I have noticed a major reduction in swelling since going GF.

    You mentioned swelling and hives which are not typical Hashimoto symptoms. Both are symptoms of gluten sensitivity though. There is no such thing as a Hashimoto flare up. Talk to your endocrinologist about what you have noticed, there is something secondary going on.
    As for Hashimoto, since you are newly diagnosed, and newly medicated, expect several months because the meds actually start changing things for the better.
  • emilysnc
    emilysnc Posts: 2 Member
    I'm just beginning to eliminate gluten and dairy on the Whole30 guidelines to see what kinds of results I get. My Hashi's was diagnosed in the early nineties. I generally avoid soy anyway, but am reading labels much more carefully while I do this. I'm looking forward to more in this thread. I'll post updates (I'm only on day 2). I think things I'm noticing right now are probably placebo effect. I don't expect this to cure anything, just looking to see if I generally feel better.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
    Cutting out gluten has helped (along with a host of other lifestyle and diet changes) lower my antibodies, but hasn't eliminated them. When I eat gluten, my joints become very very painful and I have horrific constipation. GF was never presented to me as a cure to Hashi's, just as a way to possibly lower my antibodies. I was more impressed with how so much of my chronic pain was eliminated; that was unexpected.

    Someone mentioned that gluten free and Hashi's are quackery. I guess my doctor is a quack, then. But he's been very helpful to me so I'll keep seeing him.
  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    @Tried30UserNames @emilysnc @aggelikik @rml_16
    Thank you all for the views and information regarding gluten and Hashimoto's, your input is appreciated...
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    I'm an RD (I don't practice anymore, but keep my license current). I also have Lupus, Hashimotos, Fibromyalgia and Behcets Disease. The ONLY time I cut gluten was when I was on a medication for my Behcets that had negative interactions with gluten. There is no science correlating gluten and Hashimotos. As someone else mentioned, once you have an autoimmune disease, you are likely to be diagnosed with more than one (they are like chicks who can't use the bathroom by themselves...always popping up in groups), but unless Celiacs disease has been diagnosed, there is no reason to cut gluten from your diet. Nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, etc. have higher acidities, so should be eaten sparingly surrounding the times you take your meds so you are able to absorb your medications effectively. There are a few meds for Hashi's where you should not eat grapefruit, because the type of acid in it breaks down the medication faster, thus causing potential overdose. But nothing about gluten.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I was diagnosed with celiac and Hashimoto's in the same week. I don't think going gluten free helped with my Hashimoto's symptoms much but it is hard to say because any symptoms overlapped.

    For some, going GF can help if gluten is casing an inflammatory response due to celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. That inflammation could cause a flare up and cause your hormones to rise or fall. My thyroid wasn't doing much anymore when I went gf so perhaps that is why I did not notice much of a difference.

    If you do go GF, you need to give the diet many months before you can judge its effectiveness; 6 months is best. If gluten is causing inflammation it can take months for your body to calm down. As a celiac, it took me almost a year GF before my body had mostly stopped attacking itself. The GF diet is not a quick fix.

    My big improvement came when I switched to a natural desiccated thyroid with the full range of thyroid hormones. Synthroid did almost nothing for me, at a full replacement dose, even though I gave it almost a year.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    personally no different whatsoever with gluten. If you think you are celiac, get tested. Otherwise i don't see a reason to cut it out.

    I also have sjogren's syndrome which causes dry skin/nails/hair/mouth/eyes.

    Eating foods high in water and fiber (like fruits and veggies) as the main staple of my diet has helped, and i've also cut down on things like dairy and soy (which was definitely causing me problems).

  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    @chunky_pinup @nvmomketo @rainbowbow
    Thanks so much for all the input, appreciate it!
  • walk2health4me
    walk2health4me Posts: 30 Member
    I am cancer survivor I got Hashimotos from being in a incubator for 3 months and army drs xrayed the hell out of me during that time My Father had MS and my Mom had cervical cancer thyroid cancer I have them both but ours was due to synthetic estrogen we both were exposed to in utero for me dibethistibestoral yah its a *kitten* spelling it but i was told at age 13 the cancer diabetes and hashimotos was all linked to piss poor immune system synthroid works great for irrg heartbeat and yes i can not eat gluten no white rice no bread no pasta no carbs i am back on high fat low carb and feel great when i stick to it... this prob means squat but its a bugger the way health problems tend to go bonkers sometimes
  • walk2health4me
    walk2health4me Posts: 30 Member
    forgot to add any soy products screw up thyroid meds...
  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    @walk2health4me
    Thank you for sharing that, I appreciate it and wish you well...I think it is really a subjective experience, research aside, when designing a plan that fits, and having the information to make sound choices helps the process immensely...
  • emilysnc
    emilysnc Posts: 2 Member
    Whole30 Day 4: morning stiffness and general aches throughout the day are fading. Feeling more alert. Maybe it's placebo effect, but I'm enjoying it thus far and not really missing anything.

    I've been diagnosed with 2 other autoimmune diseases in the past, but they've been pretty much under control for the last 15 years.

  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    @emilysnc
    That's awesome, happy to hear...;):)
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    @chunky_pinup

    Lol'ed at chicks who go to bathroom together!
  • worddigger
    worddigger Posts: 79 Member
    My own experience has been: adding back gluten this time around has not caused me any major discomfort that I could say would be a reason for me to avoid it entirely, though I keep sugar and refined carbs at a minimum... I am trying to have a balanced diet while focusing on anti-inflammatory foods, and have actually found a better sense of well being with the Hashimotos since adding in more carbs, as I was eating very few. My calorie limit is 1350, as I aim to lose 40 pounds We are all so unique in our make-ups, we find things that make us feel our best and tend to stick with them... Most of the time.