THYROID DISEASE

Read and learn more about chronic thyroiditis. For more, visit the Thyroid Disease website ThyroidDiseaseWiki.com.

Q: Need writer/publisher for my story: how to overcome illness: Sjogren’s Disease, Chronic Fatigue, Obesity, etc.
I have learned how to combat illness that apparently was stressed-induced due to divorce, death in family, loss of job, etc. and the outcome was physicially and emotionally debilitating. The results were Pneunomia, gall bladder disease, Sjogren’s Disease, Hoshimotos Thyroiditis leading to Hypothyroidism, Chronic Fatigue, weight gain to 250 lbs, etc. I need someone who can obtained the relative facts and write the story of how I overcame these illnesses (now weight 135 and productive) in order to help others who may be dealing with devastation in their lives or dealing with similar illnesses. Many thanks to alternative medicine!!

A: I have Cronic Fatigue Syndrom, Fibromyalgia, Orthostatic Hypertention, Depression and I saw a Dr. Peter Rowe at John Hopkins and was cured within 2 1/2 months, with 3 medications.

Q: can steroids be given in early pregnancy?
my wife is pregnant abt 6 wks,she is suffering frorm chronic thyroiditis ,having thyroglobulin antibody positive,doctors want to give steroids ,is it safe to give dexamethasone in early pregnancy

A: i wouldnt for the sake of your unborn childs health xx

Q: Kelp and toxins, hair loss?
Hello,

I have been reading that iodine is a key nutrient that has been shown to be helpful with thyroid problems and regulating metabolism, and a lack of iodine can contribute to weightgain, low energy, etc. Most of these articles list kelp as an excellent source of iodine, however, when I have taken it before, I had problems with hairloss and some other minor symptoms. I have done a little research and found that some kelp, depending on how it is processed, contains highly toxic contaminants like arsenic (!!). The article about this is as follows:

Thrombocytopenia Causes:
Toxic Chemicals:
Exposure to toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, arsenic, and benzene, can slow the production of platelets

It is noted that kelp can concentrate heavy metals, and that some kelp preparations contain substantial levels of arsenic. It has been noted that urinary arsenic excretion in patients with peripheral neuropathy, who have been taking kelp tablets, has increased, and seaweed ingestion has been linked with chronic thyroiditis. Arsenic intoxication can cause bone marrow depression and megaloblastic changes. Physicians need to be aware of the potential dangers of contaminants in some kelp preparations.[Severe Dyserythropoiesis and Autoimmune Thrombocytopenia Associated With Ingestion of Kelp Supplements, Pye, Kathryn G., et al, The Lancet, June 20, 1992;339:1540]

My question is, has anyone else experienced these sorts of symptoms with kelp ingestion? And also, are other seaweeds, such as Nori and Wakame, also potentially harmful? What are some other sources of iodine (other than iodonized salt, as I prefer to use seasalt)?

A: I’ve never heard of symptoms like that unless it was due to Iodine toxicity (too much Iodine), which can do all sorts of damage.
Technically, any sort of seaweed could be harmful and/or contaminated, but it would only be low quality companies that would have contaminated products. If you’re concerned about contamination, just make sure the company has a good rating with either the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) or USP (U.S. Pharmacopoeia), as those are the main quality assurance organizations (USP is for the U.S., GMP is for the U.S. and worldwide).

Honestly, most Americans actually get several times the RDA of Iodine because the typical American diet has so many processed foods, which typically have Iodized Salt in them. If you eat even a few processed foods every day (pre-packaged foods, chips, cookies, crackers, and most other snack foods), you probably get more than enough Iodine. Good luck!

Q: Chronic Hives?
Since May of last year, I have been breaking out in hives. Not normal hives, but hives double or triple the normal size, and they go everywhere on my body. And just recently,( 10 days ago) they just stopped. I have had to take 15 mgs of Zyrtec everyday to keep them from coming. The doctors have no ideas what is going on. Also, i have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Can anyone explain what is going on????

A: My daughter had these and we finally realized she had developed an allergy to nuts – and she would even break out when she ate something like chocolate that had been in a factory where they had nuts. Try to write down what you eat each day and narrow it down to see if it’s a food allergy.

Q: should i see a doctor?
i have hashimoto’s thyroid disease (chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis). for a year i have had a pea size lump on the right side of my neck, and about three months ago i got one under each ear a little bigger then a grape. my neck is sore and my actual thyroid hurts.

A: Yes! DOn’t ask us we are not Doctors! SO even if we thing we know we might not so get your butt out that door and go get looked at!

Q: Help with a book-how I overcame illness?
I learned how to effectively overcome and eliminate Sjogren’s Disease (doctor said no cure!), Chronic Fatigue, Obesity and deal wiBack/neck Disc Disease/Degenerative, Rheumatism/Arthritis… some illness may have been stressed-induced due to divorce, death in immediate family, loss of job, (all at the same time)-the outcome was physicially/emotionally debilitating. The results were (over a 3-yr time frame) Pneunomia, gall bladder disease (had operation), Sjogren’s Disease, Hoshimotos Thyroiditis leading to Hypothyroidism, Chronic Fatigue, weight gain to 250 lbs, etc. I need suggestions on writing the story of how I overcame these illnesses (now weight 135, healthy/productive) in order to help others who may be dealing w/ similar illnesses. I couldn’t walk up or down stairs (had to sit & go one step at a time..w/a baby on my lap; difficulty dressing, etc. Now I work out in gym 5 days a week!!

Seek suggestions on how to let others know.

A: Wow! Congratulations on your recovery!!! If I were you, I’d write an “article” first and submit it to several health magazines, who might sponsor your book. I’d also submit the same information to Discover Health Channel – they may want to do a show about your amazing recovery. God bless!!!

Q: elevated levels of IgA (613) but don’t have celiac disease. what’s wrong with me?
i have idiopathic gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying with no known cause or trigger) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune thyroid condition). my gliadin and tTg antibodies were not present and my duodenal biopsy showed norma villi functioning, so i have a conclusive “no” for celiac’s disease…. but why is my IgA so high? ref range is 81-463 and mine is 613. this is my biopsy report from april. what does this indicate?

A. Duodenum, biopsy:
Duodenal mucosa with vascular congestion, focal minimal chronic inflammation
and preserved villous architecture.

B. Stomach, antrum, biopsy:
Gastric antral and fundic mucosa with mild chronic inflammation, vascular
congestion and mild reactive fibromuscular and foveolar hyperplasia, suggestive
of mild reactive gastropathy. No H Pylori organisms are seen with routine stain.

C. G.E. Juction, biopsy:
Gastric cardiac and fundic mucosa with edema and vascular congestion.
No intestinal metaplasia seen.
No squamous mucosa present.
yes, i have seen an endocrinologist. i know quite a bit about my gastroparesis and hashimoto’s already. my question was more directed at my elevated IgA levels and whether the results of my biopsy could help determine why my IgA is so high.

A: Are you seeing an endocrinologist? here is what I found on the net..

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/search?term=thyroiditis&submit=Search (clinical trials…one with selenium..one with hep c relationship to hashimoto’s, one with postpartum link)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashimoto’s_thyroiditis (wikipedia)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000371.htm (medline plus)
http://autoimmune.pathology.jhmi.edu/diseases.cfm?systemID=3&DiseaseID=22 (John Hopkins…hashimoto’s thyroiditis is linked to sjorgren’s syndrome)
http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdbdetail_abstract.html?disname=Hypothyroidism (NORD..hypothyroidism…scroll down for related organizations)
http://www.hormone.org/public/thyroid/hypothyroidism.cfm (the hormone foundation)
http://www.thyroid-info.com/hashimotos-encephalopathy.htm (Hashimoto’s encephalopathy…rare)
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/yersinia.htm (hashimoto’s and food borne infection,Yersinia enterocolitica infection, via contaminated meats — especially raw or undercooked products — poultry, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, seafood — and particularly oysters — from sewage-contaminated waters and produce fertilized with raw manure. Foods can also be contaminated by food handlers who have not effectively washed their hands before handling food or utensils used to prepare food. Improper storage can also contribute to contamination.>> stool test that can detect yersinia enterocolitica )
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/cohen.htm (hashimoto’s and anergic depression)
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hypothyroidism/a/hashivshypo.htm (hashimoto’s vs hypothyroidism..what is the difference… In the study of 21 patients with euthyroid Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (normal range TSH, but elevated antibodies), half of the patients were treated with levothyroxine for a year, the other half were not treated. After 1 year of therapy with levothyroxine, the antibody levels and lymphocytes (evidence of inflammation) decreased significantly only in the group receiving the medication. Among the untreated group, the antibody levels rose or remained the same.
The researchers concluded that preventative treatment of normal TSH range patients with Hashimoto’s disease reduced the various markers of autoimmune thyroiditis, and speculated that that such treatment might even be able to stop the progression of Hashimoto’s disease, or perhaps even prevent development of the hypothyroidism. )
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hypothyroidism/a/hashivshypo_2.htm (page 2…selenium might help…and calcium with magnesium supplements for nighttime problems)
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hashimotos/a/encephalopathy.htm (hashimoto’s encephalopathy)
http://thyroid.about.com/od/hypothyroidismhashimotos/a/preventative.htm (treating antibodies when TSH is normal)
http://thyroid.about.com/blcohen.htm (treating anergic depression)

3 books on disease symptoms and treatments

you could also get these books on ebay or amazon or a half price book store. (last two are very similar)..
1.Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine
2.Handbook of Diseases (Lippencott)
3.Professional Guide to Diseases (Springhouse)

Q: obese and anorexic can’t get the medical world to take me seriously?
I started starving myself 21yrs ago after the birth of my first child, diagnosed with hash’s thyroiditis ended up with out a thyroid. I’m currently 100lbs overweight despite severe anorexia,chronic edema (lipedema) I’m told to starve myself more, exercise more until I get results. I keep a food journal which they say I lie on ..what would I gain from lying ..NOTHING.. I have 4 beautiful kids to live for I want to be healthy not dead. I do not purge I abuse laxatives,colon cleansers, prescription strength diuretics and plain don’t eat. I used to be very athletic,muscular and happy had a career now I look in the mirror and see this fat,ugly person who tries desperately to be thin. I had been going to a nutritionist but I couldn’t come to grips with what he wanted me to eat because i knew if I would eat I would swell/gain wt. my weight can change within 5-15lbs on any given day. I can wake up heavier than when I went to bed. my body temp stays right at 95.3-96.2 any suggestions ?? thank you!

A: stop eating completely. your body will eat the fat before you starve. FYI you could just get lypo.

Q: Autoimmune Hypothyroidism?
Just a brief summary of my overall health….when I turned 13 I experienced chronic fatigue (slept all day and couldn’t even get schoolwork done) and depression. In my late teens and early twenties, I always felt an extreme lack of energy and inability to focus on anything + periodic hair loss and premature graying. Not to mention that I have an apparently weak immune system which caused me to get boils on my legs over a period of 6 or 7 months.I am in my late twenties now and have reached a point where I can’t function at work and am now on sick leave. I have just about every single symptom of hypothyroidism -except for brittle nails. I’ve been losing lots of hair over the past 8 months – my eyes are extremely puffy – I’ve gained weight and am unable to lose it or gain muscle mass – despite vigorous exercising. I’m experiencing memory loss and I often find it difficult to speak or focus at all. I am exhausted and unable to get out of bed – I have heart palpitations and panic attacks. I’m constantly dehydrated and urinate quite frequently (every 10 min), but my blood sugar is 6 which is normal, I guess. I had a blood test done – and these are my results: S-Anti-TPO = 132* Free T3 = 4.3 Free T4 = 13.1 S-TSH = 1.2 it also showed that I have a vitamin B12, D, and Iron deficiency. My doctor thinks my problem is stress but she agreed to have me take Thyroxine for a few weeks to see how things go – but I’m not sure what my problem is….is it the vitamin deficiencies, depression/mental illness, or autoimmune thyroiditis? Is it dangerous for me to take this medication? Could this be the start of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism? If the latter, then could taking these pills be dangerous? Can it cause cancer or be detrimental to my health?

A: LDN, a drug approved in the 1980s for treatment of drug and alcohol addiction — is being used successfully at very low dose levels to treat a variety of immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, lupus, and autoimmune thyroid diseases, and new studies are learning more about uses for this medication.

Please consider reading more about Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) here:

http://honestmedicine.typepad.com/ebook-sept%2021-2009–The%20Faces%20of%20Low%20Dose%20Naltrexone.pdf

Q: Fatigue… Help me figure it out?
I have fought chronic fatigue for years… maybe 10. I am now 29. My first diagnosis in regards to me seeking answers was Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis… I was treated for about a year but according to my lab results since my thyroid is always “normal” so no treatment for about 9 years. Then I went back because I was having fatigue again and they said same thing thyroid is fine but I have B12 deficiency and I get monthly injections… sometimes not always as often as I should. I am still having issues so I went back a few months ago. Issues this time included fatigue, vertigo, and metalic taste in my mouth. I was tested and told that a mono test came back positive but I was never told that I HAVE mono or treated with anything other than vitamins.

I just went back to the Dr. today for migraines and sinus pressure thought it was a sinus infection but it isn’t… my ears hurt, I am exhausted, migraines and eye pressure are my current sympotms. They did a lot of blood work and said they were going to do a viral titer in regards to the pos mono test, look at my thyroid again and send me for another thyroid ultrasound. What could be the cause of all these issues… I just can’t seem to et any relief from the fatigue and it’s starting to drain on my emotional state too.

A: When you have failed to see results from the treatments you have been getting, there comes a point when one should critically analyze the doctor’s approach.

CFS is a complex problem that conventional medicine was very slow to recognize: for a long time, many doctors claimed it was all in the patient’s head. While CFS is gaining recognition, doctors are still not very good at treating it. CFS is a highly individual disorder that arises from a variety of causes (nutritional, hormonal, infectious, etc. )- the “one size fits all” treatments that conventional doctors offer are unlikely to attack the causes of the problem.

There are MDs who combine aspects of conventional and alternative medicine to produce more effective results for CFS patients.

The leading CFS doctor is Jacob Teitelbaum, who, in the book “From Fatigued to Fantastic” details his own battle with CFS and provides treatment suggestions for patients and doctors. His book and website endfatigue.com constitute some of the best resources out there.

Dr. Ronald Hoffman is another outstanding doctor who provides relevant information and suggestions.

It is possible to improve your condition with the right guidance: it’s time to go beyond slavish obedience to conventional medicine and explore other alternatives.

Good luck on your journey to recovery.

Q: What Do You Know about Vaccines?
Did you know that most veterinarians will over vaccinate your dog? (1)

93% of Veterinarians will Recommend the following schedule for vaccinating your dogs.
6 wks – DHLPPC Lyme B
8wks – DHLPPC Lyme B
12 wks – DHLPPC Lyme B
16 wks – DHLPPC Lyme B R
1yr – DHLPPC Lyme B R
2yr – DHLPPC Lyme B R
And Every year after that till death – DHLPPC Lyme B R

American Animal Hospital Association, American Veterinary Medical Association Council On Biologic & Therapeutic Agents, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine will Recommend the following schedule for vaccinating your dogs.
6 wks – DHPP
8wks – DHPP
12 wks – DHPP
16 wks – DHPP R
1yr – DHPP R
4yr – DHPP R
7 yr – DHPP R
10 yr – DHPP R
Every three years till death – DHPP R

***
D= Distemper
H = Hepatitis (CAV2)
L = Leptospirosis ( 4 serovars)
P = Parainfluenza
P = Parvo virus
C= Corona virus
B = Bordetella
R = Rabies

Did you know that when tested, the duration of immunity for Rabies vaccine, Canine distemper vaccine, and Canine Parvovirus vaccine, have all been demonstrated to be a minimum of 7 years by serology for rabies and challenge studies for all others? (2)

Did you know that yearly vaccines for dogs have negative affects on the immune system? (3)
Dr. Michael W. Fox DVM – “Adverse vaccination reactions resulting in disease (so called vaccinosis) include injection-site fibro- sarcomas in cats, and various immune-system dysfunction diseases, possibly hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, various chronic skin conditions and kidney disease. More research has been done in dogs, where certain breeds and lines are particularly prone to develop vaccinosis. Conditions associated with same include encephalitis, seizures, polyneuropathy ( weakness, incoordination and muscle atrophy), hypertrophic osteodystrophy (shifting lameness and painful joints), autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism, liver, kidney and bone marrow failure variously associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune mediated thrombocytopenia.”

(1) http://www.critteradvocacy.org/Are%20We%20Over%20Vaccinating%20Our%20Pets.htm
(2) Schultz, Ronald D, Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines: What We Know and What We Don’t Know, Proceedings – Canine Infectious Diseases: From Clinics to Molecular Pathogenesis, Ithaca, NY, 1999, 22. “http://www.critteradvocacy.org/The%20Science%20Has%20Been%20Done.htm”
(3) http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petvacc2.htm#1

Other resources for this information come from:
www.IVIS.org
www.vetmed.wsu.edu
www.vmth.ucdavis.edu
www.vet.cornell.edu
www.avma.org/policies/vaccinations/htm
www.healthypet.com
www.Vin.com

Please inform yourselves! Question your veterinarian!
I am spamming because there are a lot of uneducated people on Y!A and I am trying to expose them to information!

A: I have always questioned the use of vaccinations. I have had sixteen dogs who were vaccinated by the breeder before they came to me. However I have always been concerned about the dreadful chemicals that are said to prevent parvo etc. My dogs have never had annual vaccinations I use homoeopathic nosodes instead.

I don’t use conventional treatments to prevent fleas, I make my own with essential oils and none of my dogs have ever had fleas All of my dogs have gone to training classes and have always mixed freely with other dogs.

In the past I have used worming tablets because of the dreadful things that I read about worms. Then I asked a very knowledgeable dog owner how often that I should do this. His reply was “why are you giving your dog worming tablets if she hasn’t got worms”. In view of this and the fact that my latest dog reacted badly to worming tablets I no longer give her worming tablets.
Worms have always concerned me, earlier this week I took my ten year old GSD for a check up and I took a faeces sample for analysis. In spite of the fact that she has not had worming tablets for two years there was no evidence of worms.

I have come to the conclusion that vets and drug companies are shouting and advertising their products to increase their incomes at the expense of our dog’s health.
I have never needed to economise on my dogs, however in this economic climate there are people who need to do this. If anyone needs to know about the homeopathic and VERY CHEAP nosodes to prevent parvo etc.email me. I can also provide a kind and simple recipe to prevent fleas.
As an addendom to this, some vets ask before they treat a dog if it is insured.BEWARE At present I have an honest vet, unfortunately some vets suggest unnecessary treatment to add to their profits. If for any reason I need to consult a specialist who I don’t know, I lie and tell them that my dog is NOT insured.

Hopefully the people who read this will not simply stop giving their dogs annual vaccinations. They need to use an alternative, the alternatives are CHEAP and safe