Dr. David Clark, DC – Center for Low Thyroid Solutions Durham,NC – shares important new information about how Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis can make you feel bad, even if your TSH, T4, T3 are normal.
I’m going to tell you why Hashimoto’s negatively affects your quality of life even if your TSH and your hormone levels are normal.
First, is Hashimoto’s really a big deal? A lot of doctors say,
“Eh, Hashimoto’s is no big deal. You take the medication. You live with it. There’s nothing you can do.”
That’s not true. They’re saying that it’s no big deal because they only have one thing to offer you…and too bad if it doesn’t help.
If you’re suffering with Hashimoto’s, you know how bad it is….
- Constipation
- dry skin
- vaginal dryness
- muscle weakness
- feeling cold all over all the time
- frequent sweating
- hair loss
- depression
These are classic low thyroid symptoms.
And Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of low thyroid. (NOT iodine deficiency or tyrosine)
New research out this year proves that when women have TPO antibodies–which, along with anti-thyroglobulin antibodies are what you test for when you’re lookng for Hashimoto’s-—have a decreased quality of life even if their TSH and their hormone levels are normal.
Case in point…. just yesterday I was talking to a new patient and she told me she just found out from her endocrinologist that she has a “raging” case of Hashimoto’s….
But the doctor “can’t do anything” for her because her TSH is normal.
What?!
I was floored. It’s like her doctor thinks she’s handcuffed….
I know you’ve got these antibodies, but I can’t do anything for you because of some bogus artificial “rule” that the pateint’s TSH must be higher than X number etc.
The doctor could do something for her, IF the doctor had training in non-drug management.
But I guess in fairness the only thing that her doctor has is to give her hormone replacement. And the doctor’s guideline is that if your hormone levels are normal, even if you’ve got antibodie, then the doctor can’t do anything for the patient.
There’s thousands of women who are suffering with Hashimoto’s…who feel helpless….because no one will help them.
If you’re reading this and you’ve got positive TPO antibodies or positive TGB antibodies, here’s some piece of mind…
….Understand that the research shows that you can have
- constipation
- dry skin
- hair loss
- vaginal dryness
- weakness
- feeling cold all the time
- requiring excessive amounts of sleep to function….
..AND your thyroid hormone levels be “normal” (aka “euthyroid.”
This study I mentioned gave approximately 600 women questionnaires, and the researchers found out that…
Women with positive TPO antibodies are having a horrible time with symptoms even though they’re not classically “hypothyroid.”
They also analyzed the kinds symptoms in two groups of these women–those with TPO antibodies less than 121 or TPO antibodies greater than 121. What they found out is these women are suffering in all domains: social roles, their zest for life, their physical ability, their pain.
If you’ve ever been made to feel that you’re crazy, or “just depressed” because you’ve got these TPO/TGB antibodies–but you’re not low thyroid… so the symptoms you’re having can’t be due to Hashimoto’s….
Well, now you can go back to that doctor and say…
“Why don’t you read this study? Why don’t you read something that’s up to date? There is a reason I feel bad.”
What will happen next?
Well, the doctor’s probably not going to be able to give you thyroid hormones because based on your lab work–and using their goofy rule—you don’t need them. So that MD is probably not going to be able to help you.
What you’re going to have to do next is find someone who can look at your thyroid problem and this Hashimoto’s autoimmune tissue reaction, from a functional perspective. A doctor who understands that there are steps to take so you can feel better, and there are things that you should and should not do.
I’m talking about specific diet changes. Specific lifestyle changes. Specialized testing that could be done to get to the bottom of why you’re attacking your thyroid gland.
It becomes complicated.
You should walk away today knowing you’re NOT crazy. There is a reason why you feel bad even though your thyroid hormone tests are “normal.”
Thousands of women have TPO antibodies and/or Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies PLUS low thyroid symptoms…but their TSH isn’t elevated or their T4 isn’t low.
Those women are in a medical wasteland. Feeling frustrated and abandoned.
Now you know you still need to find help…fast.
You’ve got to find someone who understands that Hashimoto’s negatively affects your quality of life in all areas, whether your thyroid hormones are normal or not.
© 2011 David Clark. All Rights Reserved.