Hi Llonghair
The ft4 and ft3 sure are low, and I agree with reducing PTU now at this point. You could always ask Elaine on the forum(s) and we hypos prefer to hava the ft4 and ft3 at least half-way up the range. (and not go by the TSH, it is often low in thyroid disease when under treatment)

Zinc is low too, maybe pyroluria?

nora

Notknown: Hi, haven't been around for awhile so this is a little late. My daughter goes to college so she doesn't get too much junk Gluten free food because it is expensive. She basically has a special chef who prepares every meal for her and it is mostly eggs and stir fry's and rarely a pizza. The college is pretty up with Celiac Disease and I don't think she is getting any cabbage, spinach and soy because she does not like that stuff. Since she isn't eating bread she is probably not getting much tapioca either.

Nora,
My daughter never got the pill cutter while in college so she continued on the higher dose and was tested the day she came home from college. It looks like everything is evening out.

TSH 1.8 (range .35-5.5)
Free T4 1.08 (range 0.89-1.80)
Free T3 3.6 (range 2.4-4.2)

Thyroid Recptor Antibody was positive 17% (range 16% or > positive)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody (TPO) was Extremely high 30 (range 0-3.9)

So this is definitely Autoimmune and goes along with the Celiac Disease.

She seems to be feeling great and the doctor said to keep her on the same dose....so I guess we will just keep a close eye on how she feels and her weight etc.

I did get some good DGST Vitamins and she felt 100% better pretty quickly so I think this will help with the zinc and copper.


She seems the happiest and healthiest she has been probably since birth. She just called from college and I asked how things were going and she said "Great I am having so much fun!" I said what are you doing that is fun??? She said, "I am writing a paper, it's fun to write!"

Tears....she would not have said that a few years ago...she was always so sick. When she was young 2-4 grade she was a good writer. When she got her period in 5th grade she started getting sick all the time and by the time she was in high school her writing papers were horrible and she struggled in school. Her grade average wasn't bad but it was not what she was capable of.

We get her blood work checked again in a couple of weeks so will keep you posted.

pyroluria?? Haven't looked into this yet.

Llonghair

llonghair-
I am having the same experience, but have not figured out the solution yet. I am a 35 year old woman who has had lifelong allergies and post-nasal drip, respiratory issues, though not asthma. After having pneumonia this fall, I stopped eating wheat. The lung problems cleared up immediately, along with all of my hypothyroid symptoms, most notably constipation, digestive issues, energy level and excess weight. I had been on Synthroid for 4 years. I lost about 8 pounds, felt great for several weeks, and have been ramping down the Synthroid to none. However, I am now quite hyperthyroid. I am hoping that this is a temporary issue that will resolve when the excess Synthroid clears my bloodstream (it takes 4-6 weeks to clear out). But please keep me updated on what you find and I will do the same as it sounds like a similar issue....

Carly,
I had terrible post nasal drip year around that is finally mostly gone. I do have gold star Celiac. I also had mild obstructive and restrictive lung disease which I am sure is gone or mostly gone. And energy level....what energy level, I had no energy but pushed myself hard all the time so I did get things done once in awhile but now I really have energy and wonder how I even made it out of bed all those years!

My daughter was just tested again but I don't have the results yet. I will have her call and get them faxed.

I really do think she had maybe Hashimoto first because she had gained around 15 pounds and had a very puffy face. When she went gluten free she felt great for a couple of months, lost all the weight and then started the terrible fatigue. The doctor was thinking anemia because her iron and ferritin levels dropped so low during the gluten challenge so he put her on prenatal vitamins which of course have iodine. Between the extra iodine and her going down to our local ice cream parlor and getting a little bowl of ice cream that they said was GF and only later found there was rye in it, are the 2 things that may have triggered the Graves to take hold.

I will keep you updated and let us know how you are doing too!

Llonghair

Hi,

I am new to this forum and am incredibly pleased that my findings match yours! I have just discovered I might have celiac disease - after being diagnosed with graves. I stopped eating gluten and am already feeling better.

The graves trigger might have been the prenatal vitamin with iodine or celiad disease or... many many factors together over the last years.

I will be eating gluten free from now onwards, but would also like to find more nutritional support. Do you know of any technique that can work to find out if I have any food allergies - muscle testing, total body modification, NAET, etc? I am taking a multivitamin that does not contain iodine, but as you said checking the content of iodine in food is not easy.

Finally, have you ever experienced muscle pain? I think I have started developing as a reaction to the medication (PTU) and I was told to switch to tapazole.

Thank you!

Hi,
I haven't checked in for a few months.
If I were you, I would read and ask questions over in about.com. Mary Shomon and Elaine Moore both talk about hypo and hyperthyroid. Elaine really helped get my daughter into remission. All her levels were good in December. She is due for another checkup in a month so hopefully she has stayed in remission.

My daughter always had bone pain but I think a lot of that is gone but not sure as she is in college so I don't get daily feedback.

You may need to eliminate dairy for awhile too to help with pain and inflamation.

There are lots of ways to get tests but not a lot of smart doctors to order them.

My husband just did enterolab testing to see what his DNA was and while at it, did the stool test to see if milk was a problem. It turns out that he has a lot of problems still even after being strict gluten free for 2.5 years.

I will try to make a list for you on vitamin and nutritonal testing.

Llonghair

I know this sounds crazy because it goes against everything you've been told, but autoimmune thyroid problems are actually caused by an iodine deficiency. That's right, deficiency, meaning your body needs more iodine. Now before you go jumping down my throat, hear me out...
Your body has iodine seeking enzymes, they require iodine but only are able to get it when the iodine is present in your blood, this only happens when you have acheived full body sufficiency (1500mg for adults). Without the iodine being present in your blood the enzymes go seeking iodine, which concentrates only in your thyroid when you are deficient (the thyroid comes first) these enzymes tear your thyroid apart to have access to the iodine, this cases you thyroid to atrophy putting your adrenal glands in charge.
That's just laymens terms,my husband suffered from goiter and later hyperthyroidism, the addition of coconut oil helped to relieve him of the frequent anxiety attacks, but it wasn't until Iodine supplementation (as well as a list of other vitamins and minerals) that the other symptoms of hyper and hypo thyroid resolved. He just started the "high" dose of iodine (32.5mg) a few days ago and now his goiter is barely noticeable! He has been feeling so much better over the past 6 months since beginning the supplements. I have also noticed a HUGE change for myself (was also anemic as well as suffering from hypothyroidism, pcos, hirsutism... the list goes on), my mother and my kids. A few of my friends have started the supplementation and WOW they have noticed BIG changes as well. To find the info about how iodine deficiency actually causes HYPERTHYROIDISM take a look at *edit*

You will also be able to find my story, my husbands, my mothers, and my friends, just take a look at *edit*

Let me know if you have any questions! Hope you can change your life the way my family and friends have changed ours!

Nichole

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I just wanted to add since you have all expressed that you've noticed a big difference when stopping wheat and/or gluten foods as well as dairy... Did you know that our bread was once iodized but now it is brominated? Bromide like Iodine is a halogen on the periodic table, your body unfortunately is unable to tell the difference and and will absorb whatever is present. Unfortunately, bromide is harmful to the body and actually causes most if not all the symptoms you listed. Fortunately, Iodine helps your body to excrete: bromide, fluroide (yes fluoride is bad for you) chlorine, mercury, lead, arsenic, aluminum... not to mention that your body needs it for whole body health.
Bromide also is in sodas as brominated vegitable oil, here is a link (scratch that it wont let me post it, *edit*
For more information you can check out *edit* that has the most information regarding iodine and the effects of iodine deficiency.

***

Hi ,
you know what I feel so lost with all this info. I have hyperthyroid and a bad case of graves eye disease. This just started on march 5th this year but it has gotten worse quickly. I'm from germany and when I told my mother what I had she then aked our neighbour a dietition whos brother on the other hand had the same thing and she said what you just said about needing more Iodine instead of less. After everything that I read i disagreed, but now I'm second guessing myself. Do you have more info on that?
Thanks so much

The assurances of iodine deficiency and iodine oversupply are overstated and could be dangerous. Thyroid gland production is not the only thing going on in Grave's and Hashimoto's.

The Hypothalamus and Pituitary provide the enzymes which the thyroid gland uses to regulate its hormone release. Shortage and oversupply of thyroid control hormones can leave the thyroid desperately searching for iodine which it does not need and cannot use. Iodine is toxic in excess concentration. If you supplement and achieve a toxic concentration, a thyroid with improper control hormones can harm itself from iodine shortage in spite of the excess iodine concentration.

You're playing with fire. Go see a doctor.

Supplementing with metals can also be problematic.