# Best diet for Hashi, and watching out for other diseases.



## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi,

I was recently diagnosed with Hashi's (a genetic gift from my mother, who after 20+ years of being told she was fine, was diagnosed herself not 3 months ago).

24 years old, and as cases go I'm not too bad. T3, T4 mildly normal, TSH is 4.5 and antibodies at 450. At the moment, I'm on 50mg thyroxine a day.

Recently, after a bit of reading on Hashi's I decided to go on a gluten free diet, which I have to say has made me feel a million dollars. Does anyone know a lot about gluten and the thyroid? If so, I'm really interested in hearing your thoughts.

I was talking to my endocrinologist, he has asked me if there were any other symptoms I'd like checked out - and I mentioned that the only thing on my mind recently was I am starting to get indigestion more than usual (even before going GF). He mentioned coeliac (or celiac in the US) and asked me if I wanted a biopsy (I have to get a biopsy of the nodules on my thyroid, all 8 of them - why not knock them out roughly the same time?).

Does anyone here have Hashi's and Coeliac disease (or gluten intolerance)? If so, when did the coeliac/intolerance become a problem? I have a 2 friends that are coeliac (sisters) but they've known all their lives - can you develop it later on? Does anyone know more about connections between Hashi and Coeliac?

Many thanks !


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Celiac/gluten intolerance seems to be very common with Hashi's. A lot of people find that they get good relief of their symptoms when they go gluten free.

It would be helpful to have the testing to know for sure if you have celiac/gluten intolerance. In the meantime, there is absolutely no harm in following the diet if it makes you feel well.

Good for you that you tried it and are feeling better.


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

I am Hashi and Celiac. I was diagonsed with Celiac 12 years ago (and was symptomatic for CD 10 years prior to my diagnosis) and did not develop Hashi's until last year at age 50. My brothers were both diagnosed with Hashi's in their 20's and I had basic thyroid tests annually since my mid 30's to see if I had developed it.

Both are autoimmune disorders and people with one AI disorder often have more. I have 3, my older brother 5 and my younger brother 2. I am the only celiac of the three of us.

Many people with Hashi's do better on a gluten free diet. Testing for CD is not accurate after you have been on a gluten free diet. You need to reintroduce gluten into your diet to get accurate results. The biopsy for CD is more invasive than a FNA of the nodules. I would ask yourself what would you do with the results if they came back positive for CD? What would you do if they came back negative? If the answer to both questions is "I would stay on the GF diet" then I don't think I would subject myself to the invasive biopsy for CD. If you feel better on a GF diet you are obviously CD or gluten intolerant. And regardless of which it is the treatment is the same!


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## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

Northernlite, thanks for your insight. In regards to being on a GF diet, regardless of actually being coeliac or not was exactly what my endocrinologist said. Why go through the trouble if I was cutting gluten out anyway? It would be only completely nessessary if I needed absolute 100% confirmation, and I guess I don't (at the moment).

I was always under the impression that coeliac's are always quite slim (my two contacts are tiny little things), and although I'm not extremely overweight, I would not fall into any sort of 'slim' category, haha. Is this correct?

What other diseases your brothers have? Being diagnosed in their 20s, I am curious to see what developed.

Lainy - I would def. say that I feel better on GF diet. It has also helped with some weightloss (although completely unexpected, as that has been the only lifestyle change at the moment).

Thanks for your time in replying


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

beingmeags said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was recently diagnosed with Hashi's (a genetic gift from my mother, who after 20+ years of being told she was fine, was diagnosed herself not 3 months ago).
> 
> ...


Gosh; please do let us know when you are having the nodule biopsy and what they determine if anything.

And Welcome!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

I agree; why go through the trouble of a biopsy to rule in/out CD? If the gluten-free route works for you, then it works. It's amazing how many things are now gluten-free in the grocery store.

:anim_32:


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

My older brother had was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a teenager, rheumatoid arthritis and hashimoto's in his 20's, some where along the line he developed raynaud's syndrome, 4 years ago at the age of 48 he was diagnosed with PSC or Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. PSC is a bad one where the body destroys the bile ducts in the liver and is considered terminal. He had his common bile duct removed because it was completely blocked in a unique surgery that rerouted everything and so far has exceeded all expectations by years and is currently in decent health so we are grateful.

My younger brother has Hashimoto's in his 20's and rheumatoid arthritis in his early 30's. He has both under good control and is well.

I have CD, Raynauds and Hashis. I think I had CD since my late 20's but was not diagnosed until I was 40. I can't remember when I first had Raynaud's symptoms and I was diagnosed with Hashi's at 50 and now that my medication is almost right, I feel great...better than I have in years.

CD is a very interesting disease because the small intestine is very long and CD doesn't damage the same part of the intestine in all people. So the symptoms vary based on what part of the small intestines are damaged and what that part of the intestine absorbed to help your body. Many have digestive upsets but many others don't. I did but I was never really thin at the worst of my CD. I have a sister-in-law who is biopsy diagnosed CD who only had one symptom...anemia. The part of her intestine was damaged that absorbed iron. I know two people with that are biopsy diagnosed CD with no symptoms at all. They were both tested because their children or siblings were diagnosed with CD.


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## SimpleSonflower (Aug 11, 2011)

I just recently changed to a gluten free diet and I have Hashi's too. I've been on the diet about a week now and I definitely feel like my gasiness/bloating have gone away. I think it can make a difference. My numbers are all very close to yours. My doctor prescribed my desiccated thyroid and it was great at first but then I started to swing to hyper symptoms. How has your experience been thyroixine (sp?)?


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## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

So far, my experience with Thyroxine has been pretty positive. The only thing I think I need to look at is my dosage, which may be what you need to check, if you experience hyper symptoms. I have 500 times more energy compared to previously, and as I work as designer all that energy is not being used, and so I've gone from sleeping 12+ hours a day to about 5hrs. But, I may not be used to that 'awake' feeling so I don't know if it's unusual.

If it helps, I weigh 80kg, and on 50mcg which I think may be a bit much for me.

I have my next blood test in about a week to check my TSH so I I'll let you know how I go. The endo has indicated we should be aiming for 1-1.5 so it will be interesting what it will be like.

Andros: yes, of course! Was speaking to my mother, who also has multiple-nodules (8, like me) but hers are all under 5mm, whereas I have two 10mm nodules and six 7mm nodules so now I am getting a bit more into finding information about it all.

Northernlite: thank you for your reply, the CD information was extremely helpful and interesting. I believe I know someone who's father had PSD, which ended up being really unfortunate.

Thanks for your notes everyone! Glad I have someone to compare notes to! Haha.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

beingmeags said:


> So far, my experience with Thyroxine has been pretty positive. The only thing I think I need to look at is my dosage, which may be what you need to check, if you experience hyper symptoms. I have 500 times more energy compared to previously, and as I work as designer all that energy is not being used, and so I've gone from sleeping 12+ hours a day to about 5hrs. But, I may not be used to that 'awake' feeling so I don't know if it's unusual.
> 
> If it helps, I weigh 80kg, and on 50mcg which I think may be a bit much for me.
> 
> ...


It is so good to hear from you. Get your labs so you can see where you stand with your thyroxine!

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.
http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=3

When is your FNA scheduled?


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## beingmeags (Aug 23, 2011)

I'm back! Andros, I had a response all ready to go about a week ago but my iPad died and I lost it, so I just waited until I got my results back.

My latest test results as follows:

TSH: 1.24 (was 4.52) 
FT4: 16.8 (was 10.3)
FT3: 4.0 (was 5.8)

I have had my blood done at two different places, which I have just realised have two different ranges provided. I may have a chat to my specialist about it when I see him next.

Andros, in the link you provided it talks about the ranges for TF4 and TF3. It suggests a normal TF4 range of .7 - 2. Thyroxine has allowed me to bring my TSH to what I need it to be, what are your thoughts on my current level now? (Out of curiosity - I'm trying to learn as much as I can!)

In regards to my previous comment about my dosage being too high, I think I was wrong. I increased my energy output - I started running again, and I feel 'normal', or more than I was before. I think I wasn't used to the energy!

FNA is to be done by February at the latest. The doctor said that he was happy to wait and see if the thyroxine would shink any nodules, but he was really allowing me some time to think about the process and decide whether I wanted to do a small intestine biopsy as well. He probably wanted to give me some time to get the money too - doubt it will be cheap!

I think I want to get it over and done with - so I might just get in and do it (quick, like taking off a bandaid!).


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