# Can you tell how long you've had Hashi?



## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

Hi everyone

This is my first post. Is it possible to have any idea how long you've had Hashimoto's from test results? My initial numbers were very high!

March 2016:

*TSH 88.60 H* (normal: > or = 20 Years 0.40-4.50)

*T4 (THYROXINE), TOTAL 2.5 L* (normal: 4.5-12.0 mcg/dL)

Also: *ALT (alanine aminotransferase enzyme) 33 H* (normal: 6-29 U/L)

June 2016 (on 75mcg Levothyroxine):

*THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES >900 H* (normal: <9 IU/mL)

*THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODIES 3 H* (normal: < or = 1 IU/mL)

*THYROGLOBULIN 0.7 L* (normal: 2.8-40.9 ng/mL)

*T4, FREE 1.2* (normal: 0.8-1.8 ng/dL)

*TSH 1.71* (normal: 0.4-4.5 mIU/L)

July 2016 (still on 75mcg Levothyroxine):

*T4, FREE 1.0* (normal: 0.8-1.8 ng/dL)

*TSH 2.13 * (normal: 0.4-4.5 mIU/L)

I'm very tired, depressed, brain fog. Plus weakness, constipation, fingernails splitting. Seems I've had some or other issues since I was a teenager (yes, I've been tired that long...30 years, but worse lately).

Thanks for any insight!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

No, its not possible. Thyroid disease is a slow, long chronic process. I don't think I recall anyone who was able to say that a moment X, they had the disease.

I do hope you have had an ultrasound of your thyroid, yes?

They should be running free t3 along with free t4.


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

I just wondered if you could determine an estimate somehow. I know when my partner was diagnosed with MS, the dr said he'd probably had it for 15 years (don't know what he based that on).

Yes, I've had an ultrasound. That was the first thing that determined thyroiditis.

I haven't had free T3.

Do you have an opinion on cause & treatments...diet, gluten, epstein-barr, iodine, zinc, etc etc??

Thank you!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

No one knows about causes. You can read about people's theories and they talk about everything under the sun.

I don't think there's any one "right" way to tackle this issue. I think you have to do a bit of experimenting to figure out what works for you.

There are people who swear by going gluten-free, or dairy free, or sugar free. None of that really had much of a difference for me.

I do really well on straight up synthroid. A lot of people prefer other types of medications (or combinations of medications).

Things I think are worth doing: insisting of free t3 testing and finding a doctor who is willing to consider t3 medications if needed, obsessively monitoring your las work and symptoms so that you can present your provider a complete picture of your health, educating yourself/advocating for yourself, making sure your Vit D is in a good place, making sure your ferritin is also good, be extremely consistent with how and when you take your medications, making sure you get regular lab work, and making sure you follow the directions on how to take your meds.


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

Thanks Joplin1975! I am following everything pretty closely, as much as I've been able to. I will as for free T3.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

If he won't order Free T3 testing, you can always order it yourself online (for pretty cheap).


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

Thank you! After reading so much about supplements, minerals, etc., I'm wondering if I should have any of them tested. My oncologist tested my vitamin D last year and it was low. I had no idea it was so important!


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

I have permanent nerve damage from Hashi's.

Intermittent tingling in my finger tips and toes.

I was told it takes decades for this to happen with autoimmune thyroid disease.

I remember being tired a lot but I didn't know any better.

I thought that was the way everyone felt.

When my thyroid started to swell 6 or 7 years ago is when all hell broke loose.


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

I'm so sorry creepingdeath. I've been tired for many years. Doctors have always said there's nothing wrong with me. My blood work was always right down the middle of normal. 

What are you on now?


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

I am taking Armour Thyroid.

I have a bad reaction the synthetics.

I'm one of those who never went to a doctor.

I was tired but I could work an extremely physical job.

One Day I felt OK but knew there was something wrong and the next I had intense tingling in my legs and fingertips.

I had no insurance and thought I hurt my back but there was no pain.

The tingling subsided a few months later but I started feeling real sick and my neck swelled up.

That's when I decided to see a doctor.

So you can live with the symptoms for a long time and not really notice them.

Just feels like your getting slowly older.

Then your thyroid levels drop below that special place unique to you and everything just hits you like a freight train...............

I am a lot better after 5 years of suffering but still have symptoms.

But most of them are tolerable as I have become used to them.

Hopefully it get better for Me, You and everyone having a hard time with this disease.

Just keep fighting and searching till you find that treatment that works for you.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

It's sort an attempt at reverse engineering. At least for me. When I first realized what I had I started looking back over time. When did my voice change, when did I first start feeling the account was too cold or that 70 was cool enough for fleece, when did my ambition start to wane. It is obviously longer than that, but how long did I miss those things and just blame it as a cold from the kids or being an older daddy, etc.

The more I look, the further it goes back.


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

Creepingdeath,

Thanks for your story. Now that I've been hit by that freight train, I look back and wonder how much of past issues have been because of Hashimoto's. I've always battled with depression and FATIGUE! I've also had a number of "temporary" problems...allergies, dizziness, etc.


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## pritcharddesign (Jul 27, 2016)

WhatHappened,

Thanks for your reply. I did a health history as Dr. Wentz suggests. I wonder how much of my things are from Hashi too.  I've always put things off to just how I was. I was always underweight (Mom was too, but in hindsight she may have had Hashi symptoms!), so I put some things off to that. But I've been tired since I was an adolescent, which has been awful!


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