Comments on: Is there a genetic reason many of us do lousy on T4?

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:01:32 +0000

Now it makes sense Helga. Thanks for that :0)

Kathy, good for you for researching this. I suggest telling your naturopathic MD that you’re researching the subject on your own. Ask her for the text or research source re. her belief that that “Hashimoto’s can attack natural thyroid replacement as it did my own thyroid”.

It’s an interesting idea to me because it makes a lot of sense. I’ve been on the synthetic t4 for 20 years because of Hashimoto’s and am new to the natural medication, Armour, for the past month. I still feel like s—.

Any information you can pass along would be greatly appreciated. I’m also interested in how it was determined that you have almost no adrenal function.

Janie has my permission if she wants to relay my email address to you re. this subject. (I don’t know if I should leave it here) b

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:48:00 +0000

I was diagnosed Hashi/hypothyroid almost four years ago and have seen four different doctors who’ve kept me on natural thyroid replacement. The last Endo berated me for using Armour,“an unstable and inferior drug”, but grudgingly prescribed it. I was recently seen by an M.D. that is in a Naturopathic Practice. Despite treating many of her patients with Armour she suggested I might respond better to a Synthroid/Cytomel combo. She took time to explain that her training was that Hashimoto’s can attack natural thyroid replacement as it did my own thyroid. Because my TSH was up to 9 and both T3 and T4 were low she kept me on natural thyroid (increased dose and wrote script for compounded, due to Armour unavailability) and is trying to treat other issues she found through additional tests she ordered. I’m severely iodine and vitamin D deficient and have almost no adrenal function. We decided to discuss a change to synthetics at a future visit. I’ve been unsuccessful with my search for an answer to this belief that Hashi’s can attack natural replacement. I’d appreciate if anyone can help!

By: Helga Hansen

Helga Hansen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:43:01 +0000

Bill, I think it’s because autoimmune thyroiditis is about the body attacking the thyroid via the anti-bodies, and it would be ideal to stop *that* from happening, rather than just taking T4, which might actually make matters worse.

Basically, Hashimoto’s is an immune disorder, which creates a thyroid disorder, and patients who are taking synthetic T4 are having to continually increase their dosage, because the thyroid is still being destroyed by the body.

So what Dawn is saying is that hypothyroidism secondary to (caused by) autoimmune thyroiditis will not respond to T4 alone, and any decent (haha) endocrinologist worth his/her salt would know this!!

By: Nan

Nan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:50:26 +0000

Am printing this and taking it to my endo appt next week.
Thank you!

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:45:35 +0000

Dawn, I have Hashimoto’s (diagnosed 20 years ago). I’m a newbie to natural thyroid treatment and I’m curious about what you said. Could you explain what you mean by, “hypothyroidism secondary to autuimmune thyroiditis cannot be simply pumped up with T4”.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post a question like this. b

By: DAwn

DAwn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:12:17 +0000

Yes its a good thing it is out, however it has been documented about that enzyme for some time. The endos in my opinion if they look know all these things and just choose to ignore it because lets face it, it is easier for them to treat as they do than balance people with weak adrenals andx get them up to speed with T3 containing meds, only ‘simple hypos’ tend to be easy to balance from what I have seen. I don’t mean simple in a derogatory way, I just mean that the people who suffer simply from sluggish output are easiest to treat with no peripheral conversion or receptor problems and no yoyoing from thyroiditis.
I also wish they would notice that hypothyroidism secondary to autuimmune thyroiditis cannot be simply pumped up with T4 also. They have a lot of research to do.

Dawnx

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:42:15 +0000

Ya think??? LOL!

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:32:23 +0000

SO true. It’s a small step. Let’s hope some endos get a clue and start opening their eyes and ears and LISTENING to us. …A small light at the end of a LOOOOONG tunnel.

Thanks, Janie!