Midwifery Today Community

Hi all,

I know two people who have been diagnosed with hashimoto's thyroiditis recently and I'm writing on their behalf.  The one, in particular, had her antibody level double in the last month.  At the moment she is a bit hypothyroid.  She doesn't want to go on synthroid just yet.  She's trying some alternative stuff, including spirulina, kelp and a thyroid supporting tincture of Black Walnut Hulls, Bladderwrack, Kelp and Irish Moss.  She said she didn't feel any better on these so she stopped taking them for now.  She's wondering if these are symptoms related to the thyroid condition:

1.  easy bruising

2.  susceptibility to infections of various kinds

3.  eczema

4.  ovarian cysts

Also, is there anything natural you all know of to calm down her body's immune response.  The diagnosis is pretty confusing to her, I think.  The other friend came back positive for the antibodies but her thyroid numbers are actually fine at the moment. 

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

1, 2 and 4 definitely are, i'm not sure about 3, skin tends to be dry, thickened and itchy, but not necessarily red or weepy like eczema can be - was the eczema dx by a dermatologist, or a GP?

1 - capillaries repair more slowly, so bruising which is unexplained (from a bump a few days previously you don't remember) and grows over a few days is most common.  I think the way blood clots is also affected, as are mineral balances.

2 - in particular sinus and lung, areas which "sweep" clean with mucus, because supressed thyroxine levels slow down those processes, meaning infections can set in more easily.  Also fungal things, especially thrush which seems to be because lack of energy makes one more likely to eat sugary food, which makes thrush grow more easily.

4 - PCOS and hypothyroidism often go hand in hand, though i think it might be a chicken and egg thing.  When i was most ill and unmedicated i was still ovulating but i had a lot of cysts on my ovaries when i was scanned when PG with DD1.

Hope that helps.

Didn't see the immune thing - her immune system is healthy and appropriate APART from the thyroid attacks, she doesn't want to slow it down or she will get ill with other things.  As yet they don't know WHY the body suddenly fails to recognise the thyroid-critical cells (sometimes receptors, sometimes creators, depending on what you have) as its own.  I never came across anything which can re-educate it.  Many non-infectious diseases are down to immune system malfunction - autoimmune diseases, diabetes type 1, cancers, you name it.

Thanks, Bec.   I hope you're feeling well.  I passed your response on.

Hi Robsgirl! Selenium (100mg total from all supplements) is reported to help reduce antibody levels...particularly the TPO. I didn't notice a difference when I was taking it and I didn't have my antibody levels rechecked to see if it helped. From what I've read (and experienced) there is no correlation between severity of symptoms and antibody levels. A person can have very low levels and feel horrible and another person will have levels through the roof but not have any symptoms at all.

I can't take kelp of any kind without feeling like my body is on fire...same with progesterone supplements. I have heard coconut oil is supposed to help but haven't tried it as a supplement. I use it to cook with and as a body lotion (don't notice any difference). I personally do not recommend trying to correct autoimmune hypothyroidism "naturally"...autoimmunity is so unpredictable that it makes it almost impossible to relate cause and effect. If her dr will give her a trial run of Armour thyroid I recommend it. I felt best on Armour but my endo won't prescribe it so I'm on Levoxyl...I still feel literally *eons* better than I did before treatment but I do have mild ups and downs. I'm considering talking with my regular dr about switching me back to the Armour.

Hypothyroidism is also linked to anemia which can cause the bruising.

How does the friend with antibodies but normal TSH feel? I was diagnosed and treated based on my antibody levels, familial hx, and symptoms even though my TSH levels were "normal". My TSH levels were climbing though and as of 2005 the AACE (American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists) gave new guidelines for diagnosing hypothyroidism...they recommend a lab range of 0.3-3.0 as opposed to the current 0.5-5.0...mine were almost 4.0 so my dr. started treatment (I brought him a copy of the new guidelines).

I'm sorry to hear they're struggling with this!