Variations on a Theme

I love classical music for its evocative and visually inspiring qualities. And the bodies of work that have been compiled over the centuries is staggering!  Many works are entitled, "Variations on a Theme by Haydn"or "... by Mozart", or by some other mad genius. Composers would take a melody written by a fellow composer and add their own flavor, if you will, transforming a piece of music that they most likely admired, to a piece of music even more to their liking. I am taking this approach in holistically treating my Hashimoto's.

We all are at different stages of the disease, and its presentation is always unique, so a variety of treatments is necessary.  It would seem from the literature I have read that going gluten free is a major theme.  Just as classical music composers take a good theme created by another composer and make it their own, so too can we make a gluten free diet a foundation on which to build our very own healthy lifestyle, one that suits our own personal needs and tastes.

As I said, I am not ready to go hardcore AIP and give up all grains and legumes at this juncture, so I have found gluten free replacements for some of my favorite staples. Udi's makes an entire line of pretty okay breads to use. They are not like normal bread, so don't get all excited. They are hard and sticky and not moist like bread with gluten, and you have to keep them in the refrigerator, but I FEEL better eating them and I make them work. I spread on Coconut oil to make yummy grilled chicken, turkey or goat cheese sandwiches or toast for tuna. And for breakfast,  I use Food for Life's  gluten free English muffins with a bowl of fruit or a smoothy.

Again, this is just my variation. A lot of Hashimoto's folks have found it necessary to eliminate ALL grains, and I may very well have to at some point, but for now, these products are helping me preventively treat my Hashimito's (hopefully), so that I do not have to be on thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the rest of my life, (not that there is anything wrong with that). But if you can avoid it, why not try, right?

Gluten, why you gotta hate?

One of the first things I discovered in my research of lifestyle changes that could help heal the thyroid, was that gluten and autoimmune diseases were not friends. According to pharmacist and Hashimoto's expert Izabella Wentz in her book,  Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, gluten sensitivity is a major factor in the progression of not only Hashimoto's, but a host of other autoimmune diseases, particularly Celiac. Integrative medicine practitioner Chris Kresser describes gluten's specific threat to the thyroid gland thusly: 

"It’s a case of mistaken identity. The molecular structure of gliadin, the protein portion of gluten, closely resembles that of the thyroid gland. When gliadin breaches the protective barrier of the gut, and enters the bloodstream, the immune system tags it for destruction. These antibodies to gliadin also cause the body to attack thyroid tissue. This means if you have AITD and you eat foods containing gluten, your immune system will attack your thyroid."

So, goodbye gluten. Now there are many schools of thought as to the degree to which one ought to change their diets, but since my symptoms were fairly mild, I chose to eliminate gluten, cow dairy, soy and sugar, (mostly, as it is a terrible weakness), to start. Many of my fellow Hashimoto's sufferers  swear by Paleo or AIP diets, but it is just too much restriction for me at this point. And if I feel I need to make further changes, I am free to do that! 

After just one week of eliminating gluten from my diet, I lost three pounds. I don't necessarily need to lose weight, so this was sort of frustrating.  I went on a search for some healthy fat options at my local Sprouts Farmer's Market, my oldest son's former employer, and found some fun stuff that I had never tried before. I got a jar of Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil, some goat cheese, including a mini round of Montchevre Brie, which is delicious!  I am using these in place of butter and cow cheese, respectively. I don't know how many other food sensitivities I have, but since I have never used these products before, it's more likely that I am not sensitive to them. Let's hope that remains the case!

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto's was named after Hakaru Hashimoto, the physician who first published his findings regarding lymphomatous thyroid tumors in Japan in 1912. 

It is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, effecting 1 to 1.5 out of 1000 people, and women are 7 times as likely to get it as men. The average age of diagnosis is between 40-60.  

I learned very quickly, by availing myself to sources like, Stop the Thyroid Madness and Hashimoto's 411, that mainstream medicine does not treat Hashimoto's. Mainstream medicine treats hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism with synthetic hormones and sometimes, with natural hormones made from the thyroids of dissected pigs.  

Because most symptoms of Hashimoto's do not show up in labs, like fatigue, heart palpitations, anxiety, tremor, low blood pressure, low body temperature, joint and muscle pain, they are largely ignored, or attributed to mental illness.  Yes, even Dr. X suggested that I was suffering from anxiety and that I just needed to relax.  While this is partially true, I am also in chronic discomfort, I am not firing on all cylinders, and most importantly, my thyroid is under attack! 

Dr. X and the Thyroid Killer

At the continued insistence of dear Dr. Pamela Hite, I phoned the Rheumatologist she recommended, only to find out that his office did not accept my insurance nor was he even in town.  I instead scheduled an appointment with a different Rheumatologist recommended by the doctor that Dr. Hite recommended.  He shall remain nameless, since I have nothing nice to say about him.   The appointment went something like this: 

 Dr. X: Have you ever heard of Hashimoto's?   

Me: Yes. 

Dr. X: Then you may know that Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease that causes your thyroid antibodies to attack your thyroid.  

Me: Yes, I have heard of it. 

Dr. X.: Your thyroid antibodies are quite high, but your thyroid function is still good, so there is nothing I can do for you. Once your thyroid isn't functioning anymore you can take a pill every day to replace the hormones your thyroid is no longer producing.  

Me: Isn't there anything I can do to prevent my thyroid from being destroyed? Maybe take some supplements or something? 

Dr. X: No. What you need is to relax.  You need, what they call, "Cognitive Behavior Therapy," to control your anxiety. You are too anxious. 

Unbeknownst to Dr. X, I am a strong believer and regular practicer of behavior therapy and regularly monitor my stress to eliminate triggers.  My symptoms, contrary to popular mainstream medical opinion, are not all in my head. 

I left my appointment with a stronger resolve than ever to seek out alternative treatments that could dispute Dr. X's claim. Is there really no treatment to stop my antibodies from attacking my thyroid?  Let's just see...

Thyroid Peroxidase Autoantibodies 1452?

Five vials of blood and a few days later and Dr. Hite called me to recommend I see a Rheumatologist to go over my labs and get some sort of treatment.  I asked her to send me a copy of the labs so I could look them over and see what I was dealing with, which she kindly did.  

The main thing that seemed to jump out, (on account of Dr. Hite circling it), was something called Thyroid Peroxidase Autoantibodies, also known as TPO.  The lab results indicated that my TPO was at an astonishing 1452, where as normal range is less than 61. This was alarming, needless to say, so I began to research what this number represented.

According to the Mayo Clinic , 

Thyroid peroxidase (TPO), an enzyme normally found in the thyroid gland, plays an important role in the production of thyroid hormones. A TPO test detects antibodies against TPO in the blood. If you've been diagnosed with thyroid disease, your doctor may recommend a TPO antibody test — in addition to other thyroid tests — to help determine the cause.

The presence of TPO antibodies in your blood suggests that the cause of thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder, such as Hashimoto's disease or Graves' disease. In autoimmune disorders, your immune system makes antibodies that mistakenly attack normal tissue. Antibodies that attack the thyroid gland cause inflammation and impaired function of the thyroid.

Your doctor may also order a TPO antibody test if you are pregnant and have an autoimmune disease, especially one that involves the thyroid, such as Hashimoto's disease or Graves' disease. In such cases, the TPO antibody test early in pregnancy and possibly again near the end of the pregnancy can help determine whether your baby is at risk of thyroid dysfunction.

Some people with TPO antibodies may not have thyroid disease. However, the presence of TPO antibodies may increase the risk of future thyroid disorders. If you have normal thyroid function with TPO antibodies, your doctor may recommend periodic checkups to watch for future thyroid problems.

So, I might have Hashimoto's, an autoimmune disease, which would explain the rashes. Next step, find a Rheumatologist.

Strange Rash...

For a few years now I have noticed a strange rash on my upper arms. It's disc shaped, very lightly raised and pink in color. It doesn't itch, but kind of stings sometimes, like a sunburn. It's more embarrassing than anything, especially when I wear sleeveless blouses.  I had asked my dermatologist about it in passing during my annual skin check up and she didn't think much about it at the time.

However, it suddenly started to appear in different places; my forearms, my shins, and I even started getting dry patches in the center of each hand.  I suspected eczema on my hands and decided to see the dermatologist once again.

Dr. Pamela Hite at The Dermatology and Laser Clinic in Newport Beach looked at my new lesions and decided to order some blood work.  She thought it looked like something autoimmune related, as opposed to contact dermatitis, so off I went to the lab to draw blood, something I was going to have to get used to in the months to come.