# Anyone stop meds and work on diet?



## sharilynnw (Jul 16, 2013)

I was diagnosed with Hasimotos a few years back and have taken Synthroid .088 and liothyronine 20 mcg. on and off. I haven't been religious taking meds, since feel exactly same whether I take or not. I have been reading about how some people feel taking the meds doesn't address why the thyroid is being attacked with antibodies. Some feel we can possibly rid the body of the thyroid antibodies and in turn have normal thyroid functioning. A lot of information seem to point to changing diet and possible connection with gluton and other types of food.
I am wondering if anyone out there has tried to correct the cause of underactive thyroid rather than taking meds to handle issue?

thanks for any responses


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

IMHO, working on your nutrition, vitamin / mineral levels, and allergies & sensitivities (gluten, etc.) should go hand-in-hand with taking thyroid hormones. Like you mentioned, a lot of our problems are due to high antibodies, which are in turn likely due to our overactive immune systems. You have to approach the problem from both forks in the road. I don't see them as mutually exclusive. My $0.02

If you stop taking your Synthroid (T4) for a day or two, you might not notice much (although some of us do), as the half-life is measured in days and weeks. Stopping Cytomel (T3) would be something you should notice sooner, as its half-life is measured in hours and days.

I wouldn't just stop taking the medications. Work with your doctor, or find a naturopath if you want to address the other areas.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I pretty much agree with Bigfoot.

That said, I often wonder why the pharmaceuticals don't come up with a biologic drug like Enbrel or Humira, the stuff used to turn off the antibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

There should be big money there!

[These drugs run about $30,000 a year.]


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

sharilynnw said:


> I was diagnosed with Hasimotos a few years back and have taken Synthroid .088 and liothyronine 20 mcg. on and off. I haven't been religious taking meds, since feel exactly same whether I take or not. I have been reading about how some people feel taking the meds doesn't address why the thyroid is being attacked with antibodies. Some feel we can possibly rid the body of the thyroid antibodies and in turn have normal thyroid functioning. A lot of information seem to point to changing diet and possible connection with gluton and other types of food.
> I am wondering if anyone out there has tried to correct the cause of underactive thyroid rather than taking meds to handle issue?
> 
> thanks for any responses


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

I switched to gluten free a few years ago and my thyroid disease did not magically disappear, but I feel a lot better and since gluten intolerance or celiac can be related or co-morbid with hashimoto's and can trigger autoimmune diseases I think it is the best thing for me. I don't want to end up with another autoimmune disease and already know that I am at least gluten intolerant. I warn anyone with a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease to try going gluten free right away. I am afraid once the damage is done things will not reverse. Problems that I attributed solely to thyroid disease did clear up (skin problems). I would never advise someone to stop meds first as that can be dangerous. My thyroid disease was undiagnosed for far too long, I was extremely sick , had all the symptoms and a TSH level of 119 by the time I was finally tested. I believe it was myxedemic coma, my heart rate was 50 bpm, they phoned me at work and told me it was an emergency. Anyhow, long story, but if I went off medication I would likely go back to that state and it would only get worse.

After over 16 years with this miserable disease I now have bad symptoms when on levothyroxone and have had to go on my own for treatment. I have had horrible experiences with endocrinologists, not fun!! I am back on liothyronine and will have to find someone else to make sense of this disease and how my body reacts to it. Thanks for reading this long post! If anyone else is reading this and can comment on synthroid no longer working please do!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

FYI -- many drugs, either OTC or RX, have various fillers. If you are taking Levothyroxine, whether brand name or generic, do some research and check to see if it's gluten-free; especially if you have a sensitivity or are Celiac. This one caught me off guard a couple of years ago! I can't tolerate brand-name Synthroid and I do wonder when Levoxyl comes back on the market, exactly what its new makeup will be.


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

Bigfoot, Yes, I think many of the pharmaceutical companies are reformulating to make sure there are no gluten fillers, now that people are sensitive and wheat (in particular American wheat) can trigger autoimmune diseases. I checked fillers on every generic synthroid they gave me, there was no gluten. Some multivitamins and vitamin supplements I had either had soy or gluten and I had to toss them.

I did find a site (perhaps through Mary Shomon) that mentioned five reasons why one can have normal labs but still feel sick and not absorb the thyroid they need. Cortisol is one, and I've been under a lot of stress for a long time--so I will ask the new doctor about a cortisol test (saliva test) to see what my levels are. Do you know what they give to treat adrenal fatigue???

Being gluten free has helped me enourmously, all eczema is gone, the chronic bloating and pain in my gut, that I tuned out, is gone (that took a year to go away) what looked like the beginnings of vitilago on my elbows and chin, and general well being are all so much better. I remember having to take pepcid a half hour before I ate pizza or french bread, those two were the worst, but a local bakery made a sourdough based olive herb bread that did not bother me like others. I haven't had that since 2012 :-( and I opted not to get the biopsy, though I think they checked years ago and I was negative for celiac--still with so many tests showing false negative, I go by how I feel. I miss bread, but there are some good alternatives for pasta at our Trader Joes, and I make things like Socca when I crave pizza. I order a millet flaxseed bread or purchase it at a healthfood store (frozen), it's the best that I've tasted. I never like baking much, but I have a variety of flours and will likely try making crackers and such. The best I've had are lentil crackers, and Glutino bagel chips (false bagel chips).


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Glad to hear you've been checking your meds -- you're absolutely right, it seems like "gluten free" is the recent fad, just like Atkins was years back. For those of us who have a true gluten problem, it just means lots more choices for us! I don't know if I've mentioned it to you or not, but research going "Paleo". More of a lifestyle change than a diet. Emphasis is on proteins, veggies, grain free, healthy fats, etc. I'm not 100% Paleo, but I do notice it helps with blood sugar, energy, and keeping some weight off.

"Adrenal fatigue" is another one of those areas treated as pseudoscience by a lot of doctors. If you can find an doc who thinks outside the box, they might check into it for you. For example, my naturopath was the first one who mentioned it to me and checked for it with the 24-hr saliva test you mentioned. If your doc won't check into that, try to do a 24-hr urine collection, separated into different collection periods. You can also do an ACTH or Cortisol blood test, but the problem is it's only a snapshot in time -- not an overview of how your body is functioning daily.

Cushing's and Addison's Disease are over- and under-active adrenal glands, respectively. Trouble is, there is quite a gray area between your adrenals putting out too much or not enough hormone. I think the adrenal fatigue angle is the idea of optimizing your adrenal glands and their sub-par performance. Like you mentioned, the stress is a big contributor. Large amounts of Vitamin C (like 2,000-3,000 IU a day) are supposed to help strengthen the adrenals. There are also all sorts of other natural remedies such as ashwagandha that can help. Worst-case scenario, you wind up taking a small amount of steroids to help in the short-term. Cortef is one, although it's not very potent. Prednisone is another, which is much stronger. The steroids all have their pros and cons -- I will tell you that taking them can help, depending on your issue(s), but trying to taper off them is a royal PITA. Naturally, your body makes anywhere between 5-10mg of Cortisol a day.

BTW, the brown rice & quinoa pasta at TJ's is amazing. You almost feel like you are eating real pasta.  We use it for almost every pasta dish we can think of. Bob's Red Mill is a great maker of GF flours and mixes. And we've been known to sneak a Betty Crocker GF cake mix in here and there.


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

Yeah, I don't have Cushing's disease--I have serious stress. I hate to hear the word fad attached to gluten free when people who get sick from eating wheat, etc., including celiacs will likely develop cancer of the small intestine if they don't cut it out. I think people are ignorant--I go to restaurants and ask whether something is "breaded" and some of the wait staff don't even understand what that means, I've heard waitresses who don't know what I'm talking about when I mention "flour". Can you believe? Anyhow, I really don't want another autoimmune disease, or cancer of the small intestine (the pain in my gut from eating wheat, might lead to it), small intestine is where all nutrients are absorbed, so if you have a problem with wheat and gluten then you will not get the vital nutrients your body needs. I have been gluten free--as much as I can for years now, so am well aware of Trader Joe's pasta, that is why I mentioned it.

Thanks, and if you (anyone) have chronic symptoms of heartburn, reflux, or other related things you might just try going gluten free for a few weeks and see how you feel--it beats having a biopsy of your small intestine.

Unfortunately naturopaths are cost prohibitive, they don't recognize any health insurance companies and vice versa--so they are off limits for me. I just have to find a doctor that is willing to listen, and get my one doctor willing to prescribe liothyronine to help me until I find someone (a GP, Internist, whomever).


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## BatMan (Oct 2, 2013)

i have given up all allergens and vices including gluten and eats a GAPs stage 2 diet and have done for a year, I have seen no improvement yet. But I do think its MOST important to work on inner health as thats where a large part of our immunity starts.


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

I had to google GAP, interesting--I'll read more later. My two aging dogs are on a special diet, the corgi has the same problem as me (grain/wheat intolerance--or celiac?), so they both eat a rather expensive grain free salmon and sweet potato kibble, then a dollop of plain fat-free yogurt and canned pumpkin. They seem pretty healthy, happy, and no stomach problems. Yogurt really is the wonder food, but since we cannot eat calcium rich foods at the same time as taking thyroid, I would wait until afternoon to have yogurt, and I had it daily. Just getting back into the habit now that I have to lose the weight I gained after being on liothyroxine for five months.

You know I never learned from a doctor that soy absorbs thyroid and is a no-no for those with thyroid disease (unless in moderation). I was taking soy supplements for years before I read about it or a pharmacist told me--it's hard to believe how little they educate patients. I used to eat a lot of Korean style tofu, with sesame oil, chilies, soy sauce, hot peppers and scallions--yum, but not anymore, an no soy supplements. A friend getting her doctorate in pharmacology advised me that one should really wait eight hours before taking any supplements with minerals, and six to eight hours before ingesting anything with calcium. She was at UNC Chapel Hill, a very good research university with a top medical school, some of the local pharmacists really know a lot (if they're recent graduates of UNC) but you have to ask.

I agree with the inner health philosophy. My husband's family has type 2 diabetes and I had to (still have to) teach my husband about nutrition. His mother baked cookies, pies, rolls, you name it and she stuffed them with these nutritionally void foods (she had type 2 first, she passed away almost ten years ago), they ate so many simple carbohydrates that my father-in-law developed type 2 diabetes in his 60s or 70s, and one of my brothers-in-law.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Funny you mentioned your dogs being on a special diet -- our GSD doesn't do well on wheat, either. Costco makes a pretty good dog food (Nature's Domain, I believe) that is grain & wheat free. They have 2-3 different flavors, but he seems to like the salmon (blue bag) the best. It's surprising how many dog treats even have wheat in them (including Greenies of all things).

And you had to bring up Korean food -- I was just getting started on bulgogi before going GF. Argh!


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## Pili (Mar 29, 2014)

I would think eating tofu occasionally and hpurs after your thyroid pill is fine. I used to frequent Korean delis in D.C., they have great salad bars and that's when I ate a lot of tofu. I eat tamari at home and soy sauce occasionally but I'm in another state now so no more Korean delis. I avoid soy sauce when possible for the wheat content. Bulgogi should be ok, though it's probably marinated in soy sauce. I can have a little gluten without getting sick, but have a close friend that gets sick after a tiny bit of soy sauce :-( and she has Hashimoto 's too (celiac and hashi).

My son's close friend (BFF) is Korean American and both his parents have Hashimoto's, he says it's very common on Korea, I wonder if they know about soy consumption. I will ask, kimchi (kimchee?) is healthy if you can stomach it  No edamame for me!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

LOL -- we have a store near us that sells, of all things, a refrigerator *especially* for storing kimchee. Tried kimchee once -- don't know if I would eat it again. :tongue0013:


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