I was diagnosed hypothyroid almost twenty years ago. My sister was diagnosed first, which prompted my other sister and me to be tested. We were all diagnosed within about six months of each other. My dad has it, too, and 80% of his side of the family ...aunts, uncles, cousins. I was pretty much a lump of clay when I was diagnosed, and my brain fog had gotten very bad, but I responded very well to Synthroid. Still, I don't feel I have normal energy levels, but that is something I have come to accept.

About ten years later, I started having all sorts of problems...neurological and more. I was thinking perhaps it was some sort of thyroid problem flare. Several years and eight specialists later, one finally uncovered my B12 deficiency. It is presumed I have another autoimmune disease, pernicious anemia (causes B12 deficiency due to lack of intrinsic factor needed to process B12), although the antibody tests associated with PA were negative for me as they can be up to 25% of the time.

There is only one autoimmune disease with known cause and that is Celiac Disease, caused by an abnormal immune system response to gluten (found in wheat, barley, rye), and the only treatment is a strict gluten free diet. There is growing evidence that gluten (and casein/cow's milk) sensitivity may play a role in other autoimmune disease as well. In fact, there are some cases where a gluten free diet begun very early in the course of autoimmune thyroid disease... has actually reduced thyroid antibodies back to normal. This is not the norm, but the idea is that early identification and treatment of gluten sensitivity might prevent other autoimmune disease. There are sporadic reports of other autoimmune disease resolving or improving on a gluten free diet (like RA, Lupus, MS). The research is early, but quite interesting. There is an enzyme called zonulin which regulates the "tight junctions" in the intestinal wall, and they have found people with celiac disease, diabetes, MS...all have too much zonulin. They think perhaps the 'leaky gut' results in food sensitivity because the food proteins leak out to where they don't belong, causing an abnormal immune response to mount.

You might find The Gluten File an interesting read. Just browse the right bar for information that may pertain to you or interest you. People with autoimmune thyroid disease are at higher risk of gluten sensitivity/celiac disease (and they think the gluten sensitivity probably comes first, but gets diagnosed last)~ and you will find a page devoted to studies about thyroid disease/ celiac disease. I have a page about zonulin in The Gluten File, too.

Cara