Hi, I'm Theresa. Anyone here have Hashimoto's Thyroid disease? I do and am wondering how the low carb diet has affected their disease and the stumbling blocks I should expect. I'm just starting my WOL today!

Theresa

Hi Theresa.

I too have Hashimotos but I haven't been to my doc since I started LCing. He did tell me on my last visit though that he wants me to lose weight and said to watch my carbs. He said he used to believe that it was beneficial to watch fat but now believes that carbs are the culprit. Incidently, he was voted Detroit's #1 Endo doc in a local magazine too!

Good Luck to us both. I go back to him in June (hopefully lighter than I was!). I was supposed to lose 12 pounds and I know that I've lost about 10 since starting LC but I saw the doc before the holidays - so you know what that means!!!

Lesa

This is great, at least three of us with Hashimoto's. If we pool our experiences and data, maybe we can find a pattern. This is my second time around with Atkins and the first time was not very successful. And now I am starting at an even higher weight than before. Ugh.

Let's compare basic metabolism and physical stuff, if you don't mind. For instance, I get cold fairly easily and tired very easily. I have been on thyroid medication for 26 years since I was 12 years old. My dosage has been lowered over the years as the accepted normal levels changed. I'm on 0.15 mg eltroxin right now.

Day 6 of Atikins Induction - so far, no weight loss.

Let's check in at least once a week and compare notes!

Cheers,
Moneca

I just found out last year that I have Hashimoto's... and gained 70 lbs before I was able to get the medication dosage right.

So far I'm on 150mcg Synthroid... and hoping to get on Unithriod when it comes out. I have very bad...um...oh yeah, short term memory loss . I shed like crazy. I always feel a little colder than everyone else around me. I get wierd muscle cramps too... my calf and under my shoulder blades... I hate those.
I haven't been to see a doctor since last August, because I'm supposed to be moving, for my job, to New Orleans, and it takes 4 months to get an appointment with my doctor. I was supposed to be down there last October, but the project keeps getting delayed and I can't get a straight answer out of my boss.
Oh yeah... and I have a bad habit of rambling.

Ashyr

Hey Guys!

Thanks for replying to my post. I have been on the road for the past two weeks and havn't been able to read emails very much, long enough post to the forum.

I was diagnosed almost 19 years ago at the age of 23. I currently am on Levoxyl - 112 mcg. For years, I was on a lot higher dose of Synthroid, but I did the Atkins diet almost 5 years ago and the doctors could not understand why my thyroid functioned better eating this way and they had to lower my dosage. Unfortunately I did not keep it up after losing 30 pounds and after a hysterectomy gained all of it back. Then I felt like I wasn't getting enough of it. I made a very bad mistake of going to a doctor who treated me for Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome. He put me on natural T3 hormone and took me off the levoxyl. I was to stay on the T3 for about 3 months and then go back to the lovoxyl. Now, I had a check up and my LIVER enzymes are elevated and the doctor I am going to at Duke University thinks the T3 might have caused a problem because my thyroid is now all SCREWED up. Oh well....... thanks to doctors. I'm going back to Duke today and being retested so hopefully the levoxyl has kicked back in.

Keep up the good work with this WOL. I know it works because of past experience and NOW........ I have been perfect for 11 days and have lost 9 pounds. I haven't changed my profile yet!

I have done some investigation and the low carb diet does help with Hashimoto's. In fact, one guy has posted on another website that with low carb eating and some other treatments such as green tea and others, that he has been able to reverse Hashimoto's and he NO LONGER has the antibody.

Wouldn't that be nice?????? Maybe as we get further, we can check that out together!

Have a good one!

Theresa

Ashyr - you mentioned Unithroid? What is that and why are you interested in switching to it?

I have always been on Eltroxin since day one, but I've never seen anyone else on it, it's always Synthroid. I have never had any problems, at least not problems I can obviously attribute to it. Anyone else on Eltroxin? Ever had problems? What types of problems are other people having?

I used to be on Cytomel, as well for many years, but at least 15 years ago I was taken off it. The Dr. at the time said that excess T4 is converted to T3 so I did not need to take T3 separately. And yet, I've seen many msgs from folks who report being on Cytomel still as well as Synthroid or similar. Any insights on this?

As far as Atkins - still no weight loss, although I went on a business trip and ended up eating some bread on two consecutive days, so I am still getting back into ketosis now.

Everyone who has checked in here - it's great to see so many of us. Please post your challenges and observations so we can see if there is a Hashimoto's pattern.

Is there anything that folks with Hashimotos can or should be doing to make Atkins or LCing in general any more effective?

Cheers,
Moneca

From what I have read on the internet and other publications, Synthroid is not approved by the FDA for use, however it has managed to stay on the market because of the "necessary for life" clause.
A smaller drug company (with less political pull and less money) came out with Unithroid a few years ago, and instead of directly being able to sell it without approval, they were forced to go through the FDA for approval... and it passed.
Synthroid apparently cannot pass approval with it's current makeup... that is why there was a pending lawsuit against them... anyone who was on Synthroid and suffered from certain side effects ( I think it was before 1990) was invited to participate.
Also, all the gossip in the medical periodicals suggests that Unithroid was supposed to come out sometime this year. I asked the local pharmacist, and she said that she has heard of it but not anything about the release date.
I'll try to re-find the exact articles for everyone to read.


Ashyr

Hi Theresa!

I was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My GP ran just the TSH test only (at my request) it came back elevated and she prescribed Synthroid, did not run any other tests to see about direct thryroid measurements or an antibody test. She doesn't seem interested in why it's high more of the "take this and then we'll see" type. I am looking for an endrocrinologist for a second opinion. I would love a recomendation with someone in the triangle area. Duke would be definitely a doable drive. Do you have any drs. to recommend?

Thanks,
fleadogs

Yep, I have it too. Just joined this group.

Many, many people have posted to this forum with Hashi's. You might scan through some of the older posts and read what they found.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to ALWAYS get copies of your blood test results and keep them in a folder. That way you can research for yourself and see if your thyroid levels are "in range" or whether they're actually optimal.

Good luck to you all!

Hi, I'm new.

I'm a T2 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and alopecia areata.
I take Byetta, Metformin, Synthroid, Cytomel, Iron (SR) and Vitamin C for the aforementioned conditions. I see Dr. Nathan Becker at UCSF medical center. He diagnosed the Hashimoto's back in 2003, when I was severely depressed and not responding to antidepressant therapy. Turns out, it was my non-functioning thyroid (which also houses a small tumor).

Hi!
I thought I would chime in here. I will be taking the thyroid antibodies test soon--likely within the next 2 weeks---and will know then if I for sure have Hashi's or not. ( All indications point to Hashi's, for me.)In the mean time, I research as much as I can about hypothyroidism. There has been so much I didn't know!

There are several helpful forums that will give you great info and support about hashi's and hypothyroidism. Try Yahoo's Natural thyroid Hormone (NTH) groups and also a great forum called "Real Thyroid Help". (easy to google it). A terriffic web site with good info is "Stop The Thyroid Madness".

You can feel better, have higher body temps, and possibly arrest the progression of Hashi's.

Right now I am having good results on Tertroxin (pure T3 just about the same as Cytomel). My body temps stay around 98.5 to 98.68*. Other symptoms have stopped---so far---like sore throat and joint and muscle pains. I'm even a bit less foggy. So far---only been taking Tertroxin for less than a month.


Best wishes and good luck!

HEY THERE , I ALSO HAVE HASHIMOTOS........I JUST STARTED THE LC THREE DAYS AGO. MY REAL NAME IS LESA. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE ELSE SPELL IT WITH AN E EXCEPT ME.

Hi everyone
I am also a Hashi-thyroid gal and Low Carb Queen! I have been Hashi for 5 years or more and figured out way before I found out about my thyroid that Low Carb was the only way I can eat and not get fat.
I have been able to maintain within about 10 pounds of my idea weight for about 10 years now. Still, as I get older it is harder! I quit smoking just over 18 months ago (yeah me) and gained weight for a total of about 20 pounds. Now I am almost back to where I feel good. Hoping to get some new ideas and inspiration.

I was diagnosed a week ago with Hashimoto's. I was feeling fine a few months ago and then BAM....no energy and exteme fatigue. It was confirmed with blood work. What I find interesting is that you guys are promoting a low cal diet for Hashimotos. I was very active prior to getting this....I would walk 5k (3 miles) to work, either run or walk 5k on my lunch, walk to fitness class a few kms away, do an hours class and then walk home. When my thyroid started acting up, I couldn't even manage the one walk to work let alone all the other stuff. But what I'm wondering is if my diet prior to being diagnosed has something to do with it. My weight was in the low 170's and I was down to 155. I was doing the South Beach Diet and kept away from white bread, white potatoes, pasta and white rice. I ate colorful foods, lean cuts of meat and whole grains. Plus I started to eat a medium/large sweet potatoe everyday at lunch (sometimes with other veg). It was low in calories, but I'm wondering if too many carbs can trigger Hashimotos. My father has low thyroid and is taking .100 Synthroid. My doctor started me off with .112 and it doesn't feel like its working. How long before I start to feel like myself?