About one of my previous post on copper and zinc and how they are extremely important in helping your body convert T4 and T3 to the unbound forms FreeT4 and Free T3, these are the forms of the hormone your body actually uses and your body reports back to your pituitary gland that you are receiving enough. If you are not converting T4 and T3 properly then your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) will continue to be high even if your thyroid is working! The liver converts the thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) into its more active form tri-iodothyronine (T3). Thyroid hormones act as the body's thermostat, regulating the rate at which virtually all biochemical reactions occur in the body. Inadequate conversion of T4 to T3 by the liver may lead energy-depleting hypothyroidism, leading to chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory and a host of other problems.
Zinc and Copper helps your liver convert these vital hormones. Here is a link to a great article that explains why it is important to take the correct amounts of zinc to copper. http://www.livestrong.com/article/511087-how-to-take-copper-with-zinc/
Side Note:
The process of saving my thyroid took me 5 years! I'm not saying that what I've done will work for everyone! I do know that you have to take control of your own health. It was a huge process of elimination for me. I put the hard work in and though sometimes I felt like giving up because I was getting nowhere, I stuck it out and was able to get to the bottom of what was causing my Hashimoto's disease. It could be different things for different people. Please! Don't give up hope! I know that most people will be able to feel better by taking the correct supplements and eliminating things from your diet that may be upsetting your system. It is hard work but believe me when I say it is more than worth it to not be on synthroid for the rest of your life and to be able to feel as well as I do! :)
Zinc and Copper helps your liver convert these vital hormones. Here is a link to a great article that explains why it is important to take the correct amounts of zinc to copper. http://www.livestrong.com/article/511087-how-to-take-copper-with-zinc/
Side Note:
The process of saving my thyroid took me 5 years! I'm not saying that what I've done will work for everyone! I do know that you have to take control of your own health. It was a huge process of elimination for me. I put the hard work in and though sometimes I felt like giving up because I was getting nowhere, I stuck it out and was able to get to the bottom of what was causing my Hashimoto's disease. It could be different things for different people. Please! Don't give up hope! I know that most people will be able to feel better by taking the correct supplements and eliminating things from your diet that may be upsetting your system. It is hard work but believe me when I say it is more than worth it to not be on synthroid for the rest of your life and to be able to feel as well as I do! :)
Thank you for this blog, you're a source of inspiration for people like me who are just starting this journey. Infinite blessings from the bottom of my heart.
ReplyDeleteHi Crystal, I am new to your blog but am encouraged by your journey. Ihave had hashimoto for 10 years. I am on levothyroxine, but would like to come off. My tpo are at 190. I have made many of the same changes as you. No dairyno sugar , no gluten, avoid soy, and am moving toward grassed meats. I keep my vit d level above 60, which requires 4000 to 6000iu daily as I live in the northeast. I am going to add in the selenium, vit e, zinc and copper.
ReplyDeleteOne important guideline for me has been 8 hours of sleep no matter what and limits on tvh and computer on the hours before sleep. Also keeping my body warm. This seems to have helped my body by conserving my resources .
Thank you for you posts. There is so little on reducing TPOs on the Internet. Do you know of any one else who has been successful?
Manda
Thanks for doing a good job at keeping your blog up to date! I totally understand being busy with little ones (I have two myself).
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed with Hashimotos after my oldest was about 10 months old. The 'trigger' for me was pregnancy. I went first to a naturopathic doctor, because I did not want to be on synthroid the rest of my life.
After my blood work came back in, the Dr. gave me a natural thyroid supplement to start on, and it brought my levels all back into normal ranges. At that same time he said, "Go off wheat."
Two years later I now have had another child, been wheat/gluten free, and recently had my blood work re-tested. My T3 and T4 are registering in the normal ranges, but my TPO is greater than 1,000.
I never felt poorly before doing anything proactive about my Hashimotos, and after the short term thyroid replacement and being wheat free, I still feel just like I did before: very normal. I've not struggled at all with becoming pregnant, nor have I had excessive weight gain, so I can't say that being wheat free has helped much at all.
After reading your blog I've decided that I will change my approach. Obviously I still have Hashimotos, and I've never taken any of the supplements you mentioned. I'm no longer under the Dr.'s care, (because of moving out of the area), and do not yet have health insurance. I figure that with my most recent blood work results, its not going to hurt me much to go off wheat and try the different supplements you mentioned.
Originally the Dr. said 'no wheat' because in his opinion an allergy to wheat is the number one 'trigger' for Hashimotos. But he also had said that if after 'X' amount of time my TPO didn't come down, that it was probably dairy that I was allergic to.
I'm being a bit redundant here, but after a little research I am beginning to think that what may have actually taken place is that the thyroid replacement that he had me on for a month, back in 2010, boosted my thyroid's efficiency. And I think that it is possible that remaining off wheat has neither helped nor hurt.
My plan is to start up the supplements and then get my blood work done in about 6 months. I feel that if I begin that regime, while remaining GF, that I will have a difficult time with distinguishing what has actually helped me.
I'd like to have an allergy test done in about a year as well, and am kicking myself for not already doing that. I most certainly loved my Dr., and know he had my best interest in mind, but to still have a high TPO count after two years of being Gf...makes a person wonder if the Dr. was right.
Have you ever heard that wheat/gluten is a major 'trigger'? Any advice on how to find places that will do a legit food allergy test? I know there are online sources for blood tests, did you use one of them by chance?
Thank you for creating this blog! Your story gives me hope :D
Hi Crystal,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your blog!
I am 55, and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in November 2012. I found an alternative healthcare provider, and asked her to do the thyroid antibody test. Test results: TSH at 5.02, T4 at 1.1, T3 at 3.0, Thyroglobulin AB at <20, and TPO at 682.
My healthcare provider started me on 30mg of Armour Thyroid, which I've been on now for almost a month. Symptoms are less difficult, however I want to get truly better.
I have begun a specific diet whose protocol runs according to the "Gut and Psychology Syndrome," promulgated by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. She talks about restoring the GI tract, and consequently the brain and the rest of the body, to health. I read her book on the subject, and it's fascinating, full of hope, and makes great sense to me; learn about it here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/. I have also begun taking a probiotic that she recommends, which has many strains of beneficial bacteria. I hope that this information is of help to you and anyone reading your blog.
I have some questions, and would very much appreciate any feedback you may have: I was wondering what would happen if I started your suggested supplementation while I am on the Armour Thyroid. Have you heard from others on thyroid medication, and taking your suggested supplements, that they have gotten better? If so, how did the good news show up? Could they distinguish from the blood test results whether it was either the supplementation or the medication that caused the antibody count to go back down?
Thank you very much. God bless you and your family for your blogging efforts!
Best wishes,
Francesca
Hey its been awhile, congrats to all that you have accomplished!
ReplyDeleteso my levels as of october are
tsh 0.823
thyroxine t4 7.3
t3 uptake 35
free thyroxine index 2.6
triiodothyronine (t3) 93
tpo 324
antithyroglobulin ab 3313
it looks lke following your blog has almost got everything in normal range except for the last 2
do u think these levels are good?
and what do you suggest?
i have tried to absorb all your info, thank you so much
hoping to be okay enough for baby number 3
if its easier my private email is alysonorr@aol.com
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great blog! Your finding about milk allergy is really interesting! I wonder what would be the best lab test to show this. How did you have the milk allergy tested, I mean, did you take the regular IgE antibodies test or did you test the non-IgE mediated food sensitivities (e.g. IgG or IgA antibodies)?
Regards,
Sanna
I actually had a similar question about your diet besides your supplements and non-dairy. Is there anything you've added or cut out of your diet to help with the disease?
ReplyDeleteI was recently diagnosed with hashimoto's after years of struggling to find out what was wrong with me and really would prefer to not take drugs the rest of my life as well. I'm looking at what diet changes to make and will see what my doctor says later this month.
Kepp up the good work! You are already an inspiration!
Hi Crystal,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for such a great blog and for sharing all the useful information, God bless you and your family.
I am a Hashi's patient as well. Started taking Euthyrox( 50 micrograms, which is like synthroid) two months ago. I came across your blog, and bought the minerals and vitamins you are using except for the copper, I have not found it yet. What is the make you are using for copper?
I read the articles that describe the use of selenium and vitamin E. Your doese are way higher than what has been descibed in the article? They say 50-100 micrograms of selenium, while you are using 200 micrograms. Was it your doctor who advised that? also do you think I should take selenium and vitamin e with breakfast as you do or better wait 4 hours, since I am taking the Euthyrox pill in the morning? I am not really sure .
I will stay on my medication for the moment, but will add these supplements that you used. I cant stop the medication, as I am afraid I get pregnant and not supply enough thyroxine to the baby. I also found out that I have several food allergies. I have quitted these foods, its one week now, although I am finding it really hard not to eat wheat and dairy.
I hope to hear your kind feed back soon. And congratulations on your new baby.
thanks a lot :)
Thank you so much for a great blog! u are saving my life as we speak!
ReplyDeleteMaisa,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad my blog could help you! :)
Crystal, after reading your blog, I've finally done what I know I needed to try. I've gone gluten free, and I've added in dairy free too. It's been 2 weeks of gluten and diary free. How long did it take you before you noticed a difference in how you felt, and if you struggled at all with not being able to lose weight, did this improve?
ReplyDelete