TPV Podcast Episode 230, Hopeless With Hashimoto’s

In this episode, Stacy and Sarah discuss a question by someone who feels like they’ve exhausted all their resources.

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The Paleo View (TPV), Episode 230: Hopeless With Hashimoto’s

• Intro (0:00)
• News and Views (0:40)
  • We’re recording ahead of time because Stacy and family are going on vacation to California!
  • Finn is so excited, but we’re tempering his expectations of air travel fun.
  • Sarah’s been traveling with her kids for years and they’re still excited.
  • Pokemon Go is apparently the real prize in California, because “they have the best pokemon!”
  • This is a sad show, but we encourage you to accept and embrace your feelings because they are all ok
  • Having an outlet, like our blogs, is a great way to heal. We hope that this show is an outlet for our question writer.
  • So much of Paleo is astounding success stories, but that is not going to be the case for everyone. If you aren’t seeing success, it can be demoralizing to see these miracle recoveries.
  • Not everyone will see overnight success, and not everyone has a simple case for recovery. They road is often hard.
  • We remember the people who had great weight loss success, and how it made us feel worse about ourselves.
  • We want to encourage you to not ever give up! Hope is still possible. We hope for you!
• Larissa asks (10:09): “This email is a shot in the dark, but I figured I have nothing to lose. I have hashimoto’s and have never had classic hypothyroid symptoms, however my labs indicate subclinical hypothyroidism. Every time I try to take thyroid hormone replacement I get extremely sick with what seem like possibly an autoimmune response: flu like symptoms including chills, feeling feverish (no fever), extreme fatigue, general malaise, nausea, mood/mental changes, inflammation, heart palpitations, swollen thyroid. When I stay on the medication long enough I eventually get hyperthyroid symptoms as well, although my labs always show subclinical hypothyroidism even on medication.
  Usually when I come off of medication I eventually feel better again, however this last time I have not gotten better and in fact gotten worse with all over body aches, digestive problems, thyroid enlargement like I’ve never experienced before, panic attacks, respiratory problems. It’s been almost 4 months. I’ve tried almost every type of thyroid medication. I’ve seen GPs, naturopaths, integrative doctors, ob-gyns, endocrinologists, reproductive endocrinologists, and internists. I’ve done countless research, AIP diet, and supplements. It’s been years.The reason I am pursuing this so aggressively is A) that I have very little quality of life, I can barely do anything and B) I would like to get pregnant in the near future, which may require me to be on thyroid medication. It’s come to the point where it seems I’ve come to the end of the knowledge of all of the doctors I’ve seen. Because of your background in medical research, I was wondering: is it possible to hire someone in medical research (I would guess in immunology) to look into an individual case? I live in Canada (Toronto). It’s the only thing I think of at this point, but I realize it may be totally ridiculous.
  I’d be very curious to know your thoughts on this.”
  • Larissa is doing everything she can think of and everything we would normally recommend.
  • This health condition, of course, causes her a lot of stress, which often exacerbates health issues, particularly autoimmune issues.
  • Suggestions for destressing include sensory deprivation, yoga, walking, etc.
  • Also make sure you’re adding in the nutrient dense foods like liver, etc.
  • Sometimes your genetic disposition or experience causes these things and it takes a long time to work out. Sarah found in researching The Paleo Approach that more than 50% of people diagnosed with life threatening autoimmune diseases were first labeled as hypochondriacs.
  • A medical researcher cannot legally look at your chart and attempt to diagnose you or give medical advice.
  • Sometimes a doctor will consult with someone who will research.
  • Sarah says to find a functional medicine specialist
  • A good practitioner looks at both numbers and symptoms. Sarah has a friend who gets hyperthyroid symptoms when her numbers are in the low end of “normal”
  • Maybe Larissa just does better with lower thyroid numbers
  • Sarah suggests checking iodine levels. And iodine supplements might be a problem
  • Maybe try a compounding pharmacist to get a different kind of medication.
  • Look into pituitary gland function.
  • See if you might have Grave’s Disease instead because it is typified by thyroid function going up and down.
  • And of course, stress, sleep, nutrient sufficiency, adrenal gland function and sex hormones all lead into thyroid function.
  • Wait times are hard in Canada, as you have to get a primary care doctor to refer you to a specialist like an HMO in America.
  • Larissa is being her own advocate and isn’t giving up. That’s the most important thing and makes her a hero! Even though it’s frustrating and discouraging, fight on for yourself!
  • Stacy remembers when Sarah sat her down to talk about how much stress was hurting her. Everyone needs to find the light and find the positivity and ridding yourself of stress. It will benefit everyone!
  • Depression and stress are a problem! See Stacy’s show about her depression for more.
  • Research stress relieving activities. They really help!
  • Inefficient digestion can cause you not to be able to get the nutrients you need. See a doctor about whether you need digestive support.
  • Sleep quality is usually an issue for people with autoimmune conditions, rather than quantity.
  • And Sarah does have a consulting company with health professionals that can look into your case.
  • Our hearts go out to you, Larissa! Good luck!
• Outro (32:39)