Dear Doctor,

Why are you not doing your job? Why is is that you can clearly see that my T4 is not converting to T3 like it should? Why is it that you aren't checking my liver function, which is where this miracle conversion is supposed to take place? Why do I have to piece all of the little pieces of the puzzle together? Granted, google isn't the greatest place to try to find medical information, I know that, but when I realize that my body isn't converting hormones the way that it is supposed to, I need to know why. I find it strange that this tumor that I have on my clavicle is just growing for no known reason, but just leave it alone... it'll be fine. This kind of tumor is common with liver dysfunction...oh... liver dysfunction... you know, the large organ that is supposed to convert the T4 that you continue to give me even though it isn't converting to the t3 hormone that it is supposed to. My system is being overrun with the wrong hormone and is exacerbating the problem, not allowing me to get better.

Why are you not telling me that since I have Hashimoto's it is a wise decision to go on a gluten free diet, since gluten feeds the antibodies that are destroying my thyroid even more. It's been 4 days since I started going gluten free, and who knows if it is psycho-somatic but I feel slightly better. I wake up in the morning feeling a tiny bit rested which is an amazing feeling. Usually I wake up feeling like I was run over by an 18 wheeler. I feel like a veil is being lifted.

So in addition to going gluten free, I have been taking a lot of Vitamin C. I am trying to mega dose. I have seen a lot of research about mega-dosing vitamin c. It isn't going to hurt, there has been research that mega-dosing can be therapeutic in curing cancer! But there's no money to be made to cure cancer by an IV dose of vitamin C, is there? Vitamin C also helps with liver function! Who knew?

Welcome!

I have been dealing with a hypoactive thyroid for about five and a half years now. I was recently diagnosed as having Hashimoto's disease and I am kind of at my wits end in trying to feel better. For the past 5 years I have felt so terrible. I feel like I am walking around in a fog. I can't be the mother that I always thought that I could be and that I wanted to be because I just have zero energy. I have gained more weight than I could ever want to admit to, but just for the sake of honestly, I have gained about 60 pounds. I have a hard time recognizing the person that I have become. The list of symptoms is staggering.... I never knew that my ice cold butt cheeks were due to my thyroid! The thing is, I can joke about it or I can do something about it. I always thought going to the Dr. was the only answer. The Dr. would check my TSH and only my TSH and adjust my levothyroxine by that one number. I never felt any improvement in my symptoms, never! I started going to the gym and working out. I got up to working out 6 days a week for at least 70 minutes, and I mean I was really working out! I was exhausted and I never lost a pound! I actually gained weight! Talk about feeling like a loser! I went to Weight Watchers and didn't lose any weight either!

I finally thought... I should see an endocrinologist! He'll know what to do! He took a ton of blood and did a ton of tests.... only to keep me on the exact same medicine! Although he insists that I take the name brand T4 now, so I am taking Synthroid instead of the generic... guess what! I don't feel any different!

So I am going to take things into my own hands. I am researching everything about the thyroid and Hashis. I have learned so much already! The internet is a wonderful resource to have right at my fingertips.

One of the tidbits of information that I found was that going Gluten free would help with the Hashis. I am definitely not one to diet. I hate diets! I hate restricting my food. I like to eat what I like to eat. I love, love, love bread! But... I would love to feel like I am human again more than I love bread. I would love to have the energy to keep up with my kids more than a sandwich. While at first glance going gluten free seemed overwhelming, I think I am getting there. It is day two of being gluten free, and it wasn't that bad! It's definitely not as bad as a carb free diet. That turned me into a demon! The gluten free pasta really doesn't taste bad!

As I learn more, I am going to post more about how I am going to beat this under active thyroid problem!