# Hashimoto's and exercise frustrations



## SeanWhit (Jul 7, 2016)

Hi all,

I am trying to get a feel of everyone's experience with exercise on the board. Before I was diagnosed and put on medication, I would work out hard, and for the next few days I would be in a very bad mood. I stopped getting workout "highs" from weightlifting and was generally perplexed as to what was going on with me. I thought I was just extremely overtrained. After a lot of rest(several weeks/months) I still didn't recover though. I also had extreme fatigue and a desire to stay in bed. I finally saw the DR and was diagnosed Hashi's via TSH/TPOAb and ultrasound tests and subsequently put on Armour. The medication has helped with the fatigue immensely. I've gone from 60mg to 90mg since 2014.

Now, when I exercise I don't get in very bad moods for days, but I still don't get a workout "high". I can get very sore calves just from walking a few laps and feel tightness/soreness from my hamstrings just from leaning over too far. I get strange sensations in my quads as well. I can be sore for days and my muscle recovery after exercise is extremely slow. I have a strong desire to exercise and it's not a problem for me to get motivated, the problem is the side effects of exercise! It's extremely frustrating and I'm driving myself crazy spinning my wheel's. What's your opinion on whether this is just Hashi's and does anyone else experience this? I am a 37 yr old male in decent shape, maybe 20lbs overweight and enjoy being active when it doesn't make me feel like crap. I posted something similar in my introduction but I just keep getting the feeling there might be something else. Any suggestions for tests, specialists, or anything at all would be helpful.

As a side note I stopped my medication for 2 weeks to see "if it was really helping". Well, that pretty much got me out of denial and confirmed for me that I really really do have thyroid issues, as the crushing fatigue that I haven't experienced while on medication came right back at the end of that two weeks. Perhaps an increase in medication would help with the exercise issue? I will be asking these questions and more of my DR next time. All opinions here welcome though!

Thanks

Sean


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

That can and does happen with Hashi's.

But -- your thyroid numbers are really all over the map. Were you changing doses a lot?

Have you had a thyroid ultrasound?

Also, are they doing anything about that testosterone number?


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## SeanWhit (Jul 7, 2016)

Hi Joplin,

I have had an ultrasound after testing positive for antibodies. I'm not sure if any nodules or cysts were found, I didn't get a great explanation from my doctor. I will be arranging a visit soon and will ask about that more in depth.

The testosterone plan is to wait and see. They didn't recommend replacement hormone for that yet, and I of course have misgivings about getting on more medication, but if it's what I need I will have to be willing. I had just come from a trip where I had been eating very poorly so I thought that might have something to do with it.


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

Are you taking any supplements such as B12, Vitamin D, magnesium? or anything else?

Have you had any tests for those? If so, please post. Oh, I see a Vitamin D from 2014 which is low out of range...you want that number to be around 75. Start supplementing right away!

Your testosterone is very low. I wouldn't wait any longer if it was me...


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## SeanWhit (Jul 7, 2016)

Hi Pamzilla13,

I haven't had any recent vitamin tests, but I just made an appoint with my Dr for Wednesday of this week and I am going to request that the lab work be done. I also bought Vitamin D(with K vitamins) supplements today at lunch which I am going to start taking immediately. I would also like to know if I am deficient in anything else like the B vitamins and et cetera. I've looked into testosterone replacement therapy and the side effects are a concern, but I agree it is very low. I may also seek a second opinion on my muscle recovery issues from a specialist.

I will give an update after my appointment. I've also started going strict gluten free as of this weekend, and I'm hoping that will help. If not, I will continue to eliminate dairy, all grains, nightshades and others known to be bad for autoimmune inflammation.

Any of you all read the book "The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease, Heal Your Body" by Sarah Ballantyne? I just bought it and there were lots of hashimoto's people in the reviews saying it helped.

Thanks!


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

I also wanted to point out and ask if your labs you have posted are they Free T3 and T4 or Total T3 and T4?

When you go to your doc request the Free T3 and Free T4 test (if the ones you have listed are Total)

Stop the Thyroid Madness website is a wealth of info. that you may want to read. It will explain the differences in the tests.

I supplement with testosterone and so does my husband and we have had nothing but positive experiences.....just to let you know.

You could always give it a trial and then wean if you don't like it, but I think you will be amazed.

I personally have been paleo for years way before that book came out and before I was even diagnosed. I can't imagine eating any other way. I hope you benefit.


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## SeanWhit (Jul 7, 2016)

On my lab results is states that it is Free T3 and T4(thyroxine). I am going to fast and have her check my Vitamin D as well.

I will definitely check out Stop the Thyroid Madness and probably buy the book. I found another great site that explains the tests as well, https://labtestsonline.org/

I will ask about testosterone again tomorrow also, and I'm hoping that eliminating some foods assists with how I feel. Today has been one of the bad ones where everything is hard to do and my anxiety is high...ugh

Thanks Pamzilla13! May I call you Pam?


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## SeanWhit (Jul 7, 2016)

Update:

I saw my doctor yesterday and she answered many of my questions. I am being tested again for my thryoid levels, vitamin D, B12 and other nutrients, and my testosterone. I will be starting hormone replacement if my levels are still in the basement(bioTE most likely). The plan after that is to see the other Dr at the clinic (which is a functional medicine office btw) and to go completely autoimmune paleo and drop all of the gluten, dairy, grains, legumes and whatever else is on that diet. It's going to be hard to give up rice and beans! But if they are harming my gut health and exacerbating autoimmunity I will do it. I told her I want to get my blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin D and nutrients and thyroid levels all stable. We may look at raising my meds also because I may not be optimal. I'm educating myself and self-advocating my health now and my girlfriend has agreed to go on the diet with me. She also suffers from autoimmune(psoriasis) and her sister has Rheumatoid Arthritis (at 21!). So, I pray that this helps, these last few days have been trying. Thanks everyone.


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## marath (Aug 19, 2016)

Hi Sean

Sorry about poor English.

I'm a sports men. Or used to be... With about 30 years old my life changes. Doctors said it was stress and panic. I never believe them and I never do they stress medication. When they don't know what to say...is stress...and panic...

With about 40 years hashimoto's was found. More than 13000 TPO antibody's, with a established limit of 60. My runs have been worse...and worse...and worse, year after year. My performance is nothing compared with my friends, since thyroid attack start making damage. I've been out of gluten for more than 2 years. Nothing changes. So today I'm eating everything again. Running just 10 KM, in a slow pace...

So sports with this disease is a pain in the ass, but we should not quit.

I use vitamin d3, sometimes c, and selenium. Tried BCAAS and glutamine but found no improvements.

T4 is a great business for pharma industries and a cure will not be found, so we simple must live a day through the other, and ask this disease don't pass to our child as it has passed to us.

Keep doing your sport but don't try to compete in sports with healthy guys


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## BurntMarshmallow (Feb 26, 2016)

Check this out: http://www.testshock.com/why-vitamin-b-is-more-important-to-your-testosterone-than-you-might-think/

I've had really great improvement from taking a lot of B-vitamins. I recently started taking very high amounts of thiamine, in addition to a B-100 complex twice a day. There is research on this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351023

Now I'm just trying to figure out why. I mean, the study implies that we have a transport problem. Which is why high amounts are needed, because only a tiny percentage crosses into the bloodstream. But why? Most of us were able to get by with just the RDA of thiamine for years until the thyroid problem started. I want to know what's changed.

So I'm looking into SIBO now. "Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth", which can result from low stomach acid. Certain bacteria can cause thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is needed for making stomach acid, so one theory is that we get caught in this cycle:

low stomach acid = bacterial overgrowth = thiamine deficiency = low stomach acid

This is perhaps one reason why some thyroid patients get results from diet changes, or probiotics, or vitamins....

A ton of info on SIBO here: http://drjockers.com/14-strategies-to-beat-sibo-naturally/

I had all the symptoms you are describing with exercise, and all are gone now that I'm taking larger amounts of B-vitamins. But my plan going forward is to get to where I can be normal on just the RDA. I take a digestive enzyme, and Betaine plus Pepsin. And I may really reduce my sugar based on what I read about SIBO. And also I'm going to try between meal fasting, and taking a shot of vinegar with meals. Not excited but I'll try it. lol


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