Thyroid function Question
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A Dr. David Brownstein has a video & info out about I think, natural ways to help thyroid. I may borrow it from a friend to at least watch it, as she was impressed. Anyone know anything about treating it naturally? I'm verrry averse to prescribed meds from experience with family members IF I can help it, that is. Have long suspected I may have thyroid problems. I have lack of concentration, memory problems, am extremely cold in the winter and dread going into stores/restaurants in the summer where they have the A/C cracked down to arctic temperatures, plus friend's homes who keep their a/c the same. If there's ANY chance that a thyroid med would make my MC blow up again (literally), after taking 11 mos. on a GF diet to resolve, there's no way I'd try it. I've had thyroid tests in the past that showed no problem, but don't believe the tests were accurate.
You can't change the wind, but you can adjust the sails.
One of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can be constipation, so it's possible that if someone was just barely in remission, because of that constipating side effect, then any treatment using thyroxine could theoretically trigger a relax, simply by stopping the constipation. That's not a common problem, though, because if we are in remission just because of of a constipating side effect of a drug, or hyppthyroidism, for example, then we are not exactly in stable remission to begin with.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Oops! 
Looks like I had a typo. I meant that it might trigger a relapse, (not a relax).
You're very welcome,
Tex
Looks like I had a typo. I meant that it might trigger a relapse, (not a relax).
You're very welcome,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
From my own personal experience, I have been on a new thyroid medication for the past 4 weeks. It is considered to be hypoallergenic - containing only glycerin, gelatin, T4 and water. I have noticed a definite improvement in the quality of my BM's. prior to this med switch I was taking generic levothyroxine and I believe there were some fillers in that med I was sensitive to. I have also read that this can be problematic for those on gneneric thyroid medication. I must also add that I take dicyclomine in addition to my thyroid meds and if I didn't take that, I'm back to secretory diarrhea.
Love,
Linda
Love,
Linda
Thanks Linda. What test did they give you for your thyroid diagnosis? I've read somewhere that not all of them are conclusive? I had a gynocologist once that did one every year and since he moved, don't remember having one. I look back on that, wondering why he did that, but he never explained and I was too young I guess, to ask many questions. I've always had many of the symptoms except for the weight gain that many have. That would be hard though, with the MC, as at my worst, I got down to 99 lbs. on a 5'3 frame, but have gained about 8 or 9 lbs., so thankful for that.
Tex, I meant to elaborate on your typo. I know we all do that, but it's so minor compared to what I've been doing since mom died last month, that I now just figure people's typos out & I'll apologize in advance for mine when I next do it. Have noticed that my friends and I mean one word & type another, now, oro misspell words we didn't used to. Someone said I didn't look like I'm in my late sixties, but told them they can't see my feeble brain. I'm the only one that lived here near mom, so most of the stuff related to her death is up to me. I have tried to call friends back not once, but twice, on my TV remote. I just laugh & go on, it's better than crying. If we can't see the humor in what we do and also in the messes we have gotten into with our big Ds with the MC, then we're in trouble, huh?
Tex, I meant to elaborate on your typo. I know we all do that, but it's so minor compared to what I've been doing since mom died last month, that I now just figure people's typos out & I'll apologize in advance for mine when I next do it. Have noticed that my friends and I mean one word & type another, now, oro misspell words we didn't used to. Someone said I didn't look like I'm in my late sixties, but told them they can't see my feeble brain. I'm the only one that lived here near mom, so most of the stuff related to her death is up to me. I have tried to call friends back not once, but twice, on my TV remote. I just laugh & go on, it's better than crying. If we can't see the humor in what we do and also in the messes we have gotten into with our big Ds with the MC, then we're in trouble, huh?
You can't change the wind, but you can adjust the sails.
Hi Lulu,
The "standard" test most get is TSH and T4. The problem is these tests don't tell the whole story. I've been officially diagnosed as hypothyroid for the past 8 years. I believe it really dates back to before then. Way back to my teens. The latest round of testing I had are listed below.
T4 Free, T3 Free, TSH, Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (AntiTPO), Anti Thyroglobulin.
The T3 Free is the actual measure of active hormone in your body and for some reasons doctors don't usually look at that number.
Here is a good explanation of these hormones:
The thyroid hormone process begins when the pituitary gland in the brain produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then acts upon the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. The two main thyroid hormones produced are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Although the thyroid gland produces more T4 (80 percent) compared with T3 (20 percent), T3 is 300 percent more active than T4 and is the thyroid hormone responsible for increasing metabolism. In fact, much of the T4 is converted into the more active T3 inside the cells of the body. Once the brain senses the thyroid gland has produced enough thyroid hormone, it will decrease TSH production. Through this negative feedback loop, the production of the thyroid hormones is slowed [Source: Brownstein].
Here is a link to an interesting thyroid function article.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-b ... bolism.htm
Anti-TPO antibodies are found in 75 percent of people with Graves disease. Graves disease leads to an over activity of the thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism. It is most common in women over the age of 20. Anti- TPO antibodies are also found in 90 percent of people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland which usually results in hypothyroidism or low function. It is most commonly found in middle-aged to elderly women. Theoretically, you should not have any of this in your body. My numbers came back greater than 4200. Hence another AI disease
Antithyroglobulin antibody is a test to measure antibodies to a protein called thyroglobulin, which is found in thyroid cells. This test helps detect possible thyroid problems. Antithyroglobulin antibodies can lead to the destruction of the thyroid gland. Such antibodies are more likely to appear after thyroid gland swelling (inflammation) or injury.
Some of the above was copied and pasted. I wanted to hi light it but am doing this on my iPad and can't quite figure that out.
I hope this gives you a little more information to go by.
Love,
Linda
The "standard" test most get is TSH and T4. The problem is these tests don't tell the whole story. I've been officially diagnosed as hypothyroid for the past 8 years. I believe it really dates back to before then. Way back to my teens. The latest round of testing I had are listed below.
T4 Free, T3 Free, TSH, Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (AntiTPO), Anti Thyroglobulin.
The T3 Free is the actual measure of active hormone in your body and for some reasons doctors don't usually look at that number.
Here is a good explanation of these hormones:
The thyroid hormone process begins when the pituitary gland in the brain produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then acts upon the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. The two main thyroid hormones produced are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Although the thyroid gland produces more T4 (80 percent) compared with T3 (20 percent), T3 is 300 percent more active than T4 and is the thyroid hormone responsible for increasing metabolism. In fact, much of the T4 is converted into the more active T3 inside the cells of the body. Once the brain senses the thyroid gland has produced enough thyroid hormone, it will decrease TSH production. Through this negative feedback loop, the production of the thyroid hormones is slowed [Source: Brownstein].
Here is a link to an interesting thyroid function article.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-b ... bolism.htm
Anti-TPO antibodies are found in 75 percent of people with Graves disease. Graves disease leads to an over activity of the thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism. It is most common in women over the age of 20. Anti- TPO antibodies are also found in 90 percent of people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland which usually results in hypothyroidism or low function. It is most commonly found in middle-aged to elderly women. Theoretically, you should not have any of this in your body. My numbers came back greater than 4200. Hence another AI disease
Antithyroglobulin antibody is a test to measure antibodies to a protein called thyroglobulin, which is found in thyroid cells. This test helps detect possible thyroid problems. Antithyroglobulin antibodies can lead to the destruction of the thyroid gland. Such antibodies are more likely to appear after thyroid gland swelling (inflammation) or injury.
Some of the above was copied and pasted. I wanted to hi light it but am doing this on my iPad and can't quite figure that out.
I hope this gives you a little more information to go by.
Love,
Linda
Lulu wrote:If we can't see the humor in what we do and also in the messes we have gotten into with our big Ds with the MC, then we're in trouble, huh?
Sometimes laughing is the best way to keep from crying. Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
seems like you know a lot about thyroid function. My doctor won't test my free T-3 ( or T4) because" he would use the same treatment either way". They assume that if you take a T-4 only drug, then your body will definitely convert what you need to T-3. Unfortunately, it doesn't always happen the way it should.
Leah
Leah
No leah, it doesn't always work out that way. T4 gets converted to T3 but sometime that conversion doesn't happen like it should. one thing I'm trying to correlate is when I'm flipping from hypo to hyper, or vice-versa is where my Free T3 is. As I said before Leah, I consider myself a bit of a freak when it comes to MC as Enterolab told me absolutely nothing yet I do not have an IGA deficiency. And I certainly have collagenous colitis. That has been confirmed through two colonoscopies. I did find great relief from going gluten free, the bloating is way, way down and bm's are mostly in the morning only. What I think is happening is my colitis is thyroid/autoimmune induced. When I have what I call a thyroid dump (when the antibodies are attacking my thyroid the hormone from that area gets released into the body) I will have one to two days of almost normal bm's. right now, I'm in a state of hashitoxicosis so I am getting wide fluctuations and can now identify when it happens. They seem to be coming in a two week cycle. Anyway my theory is when I start these swings I believe that is when my free T's are at their highest. My insurance will only pay for a limited number of the free's per year so I will have to pay for these out of pocket but if I can find my normal "stasis thyroid numbers by measuring where my numbers are when I see Norman in the morning. It might be worth a shot. I'm hoping my GP will be willing to write a script for it but through the thyroid message boards I have found a listing of a lab that will write the script for me. I'd rather have my regular doctor do it as he is my consultant/manager for my health.
Love
Linda
Love
Linda
Don't forget to add a reverse T3 every so often. It's possible all that T4 is being stored as reverse T3 but never making the final conversion to free T3 which your body can actually use. It's especially useful to know that number if you switch to dessicated thyroid meds and/or improve your adrenal function as those factors have the ability to dump all that stored up reverse T3 into free T3 making a person quite hyper.