Dr. David Clark, DC in Durham, NC answers the most important question you can ask if you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroiditis and suffer low thyroid symptoms.
Here’s the most important question you can ask if you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Hypothyroid…
Can Hashimoto’s be reversed?
No…
But…can the symptoms of Hashimoto’s be reversed? YES!
And here’s what I mean:
The fact that you can’t reverse Hashimoto’s the disease is not bad news, as you’ll see. Hashimoto’s really is a genetic condition. Genes get triggered. Once they’re “ON”, you can’t stop them. (hold on)
The 3 P’s of Hashimoto’s
Now, Hashimoto’s usually occurs in women at about three different times of their life–
- Puberty
- Pregnancy
- Perimenopause
During those particular times there are certain factor…triggers…I don’t want to go over all of them today…
…but these triggers turns genes on (that you were already carrying) that make your immune system target your thyroid gland and destroy it.
Important point: You can’t turn off those genes no matter what anybody tells you.
You can’t cure Hashimoto’s.
I don’t care what you look at–antibodies, TSH…whatever.
There’s a lot of doctors– some not so alternative doctors, I might add – that are practicing folklore. They look at TSH as some barometer for success.
“Hey, look, this person’s TSH level is normal. We’ve cured their Hashimoto’s! We’ve reversed the disease!.”
No you haven’t.
If you monitored the TSH levels of a Hashimoto’s patient over the course of six months– with no intervention at all—the TSH level will go up and down like the wind…
Month 1 TSH: hypothyroid.
Month 2 TSH: normal.
Month 3 TSH: hyperthyroid
Month 4 TSH: normal
Month 5 TSH: hyperthyroid
Month 6 TSH: hypothyroid
And that’s with NO diet change, iodine, selenium, immune booster etc.
If your doctor checked your TSH in Months 2 and 4, he/she would think they’re a wizard. You’re cured!
But if the doctor checked in months 2, 3, 5 or 6 –not so much a wizard.
So, the people that are telling you that they can reverse Hashimoto’s and their proof is TSH levels—they’re full of it.
Another group of Hashimoto’s experts use antibodies to prove they’ve reversed Hashimoto’s…
“Mrs. Smith, your antibodies are decreasing. You’re almost cured.”
or
“Mrs. Smith, your antibodies are within normal range now. We’ve cured your Hashimoto’s.”
No, you haven’t.
Just like TSH, TPO Antibodies and TBG antibodies can fluctuate wildly and are not a reliable indicator of progress.
You’re lucky if you were tested and you actually showed elevated antibodies. Scientific research shows that about 15 percent of Hashimoto’s victims are seronegative—they don’t make enough antibodies to be detected. Even though they really do have Hashimoto’s and have got all the symptoms:
- hair loss
- hair thinning
- constipation
- fatigue
- cold hands and feet
- sleep excessively to function
- brain fog, slow thinking
- dry skin, flaky skin
- occasional HYPERthyroid symptoms
The Verdict:
Using thyroid antibodies as proof of progress or cure is a waste of time.
What can you use to let you know you’re getting better? Two things:
- Your signs and symptoms (how you feel matters, darn it)
- T cells & B cells
Reversing the symptoms…the fatigue, the brittle hair, the hair falling out, constipation, and cognitive problem.
You can reverse Hashimoto’s symptoms– without question.
How do you do that?
The first thing that a doctor has to do is understand that Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition. You have to look at it from an immune system perspective.
That means you’ve got to look at T-cells and B-cells. You’ve got to look at regulatory T-cells. You have to understand how vitamin D and food sensitivities and how occult infections and how toxicity…
…How all of that matters when working with a person suffering with Hashimoto’s (or a person suffering with low thyroid symptoms but NOT diagnosed Hashimoto’s).
If your doctor isn’t schooled in these matters…..
If your doctor doesn’t understand how to analyze these factors/triggers…
Then your doctor isn’t able to offer you much help in reversing those low thyroid symptoms beyond the standard, run of the mill, inside the box thinking…replacement hormones and medication.
I’m trying to give you a message of hope.
If you’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, you can be better. You can feel better.
I don’t want you to get stuck on the idea that “I need to cure myself of the Hashimoto’s to feel better.” That’s not necessary..
What if you could feel 70 percent better or even 80 percent better..but your Hashimoto’s was not cured?…
Would you be ok with that? Of course you would.
You can’t reverse Hashimoto’s the disease, but you can absolutely reverse Hashimoto’s symptoms and feel really good again…If your doctor knows and does the right stuff.
© 2011 David Clark. All Rights Reserved.
I Have hashimotos. I now accept it cant be cured. But How can I feel better? I’m a Teacher experiencing cognitive problems(so embarrassing) Please get back to me on techvolume@yahoo.com. Be blessed.
My TSH levels were off the charts >150 and my internist said I was hypothyroid. This was June, 2011. I was put on different levels of levothyroxin and seen every 3 months until my levels turned to normal. Currently taking 75mcg six days a week. At one of those visits my doctor mentioned Hashimotos. I just took it to be one in the same. I’m definitely feeling better but still have occasional swallowing issues and my voice seems to get hoarse at times. What has not improved is my cognitive abilities. Still feel fogging a lot in the head. Will this get better over time?
I live in Mesa, AZ 85208. Do you know of a doctor that treats hashimotos thyroid is this area. My symptoms have played havoc on me mentally and physically for quite a few years.
I had a full blown thyriod storm and was diagnosed with hashis. I went off wheat/gluten (has to be 100% and permanently) and my thyroid went back to normal and stayed there. Sounds crazy but Google hashimotos and gluten for many sources and the explanation. It’s scientific and quite compelling. Note, that I caught it early (within a couple of months). If you have had it for a while you probably have had too much damage to be completely reversed but going off gluten can halt the damage and improve things — and also ensure you won’t get another autoimmune disease