low thyroid?? What natural things have helped?

[farmmom4him]

My thyroid seems to be having a hard time. I have all the symptoms, but my numbers are on the low side of normal, so we are at a wait and see approach as far as the "medical" community is concerned. I know there are natural things out on the market, and I would love to get one that has been shown to be effective.

 

Any ideas? THANKS!!!

[eight_gregorys]

Hi, Betty!

 

I can relate to the low thyroid issues. Do you know what your TSH, T3, & T4 levels are? I know that over the past few years there have been changes made in the normal TSH ranges. Just because your thyroid is on the low side of normal doesn't mean that it's optimal for you. Everyone is different and if you have been having these issues for more than a few weeks, I would find a doc that will treat you based on your symptoms. Many docs will, sometimes you just have to insist. It's very miserable when your thyroid is off because it affects everything in your body.

 

I know I didn't answer your question on natural helps for the thyroid, but I just wanted to let you know the above.

 

HTH,

[plain jane]

My thyroid seems to be having a hard time. I have all the symptoms, but my numbers are on the low side of normal, so we are at a wait and see approach as far as the "medical" community is concerned. I know there are natural things out on the market, and I would love to get one that has been shown to be effective.

 

Any ideas? THANKS!!!

 

For low thyroid, kelp and seaweed are helpful. To help my thyroid function at optimal level I often add kelp powder to our soups and (some) stews. I add dried seaweed leaves to my chicken soups and it adds some good flavor and nutritional benefit. You can also buy kelp and seaweed capsules but I do not know of any brands. Be sure to take a good vitamin B supplement and take EFA's regularly.

Edited July 13, 2009 by plain jane

[plain jane]

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Edited July 13, 2009 by plain jane

[MariannNOVA]

Hi, Betty: I agree with everything that Andrea said. I had low normal numbers for years, but finally I found an MD who has a very holistic approach -- he had my T3, T4, & TSH levels tested, but he also had tests for my 'anti-thyroid antibodies' -- turns out I do have Hashimoto's Disease (my body attacks my thyroid). It explained ALL of my symptoms! My doctor prescribed 'Armour Thyroid' - which is only by prescription but is not a synthetic - it is made from dessicated pig thyroid. I read and re-read Mary Shomon's book THE THYROID DIET, and it is an excellent reference. Hope this helps.

[elw_miller]

Have you had a baby in the last year? I had low thyroid (borderline hypothyroid) from about 4 months after my second child was born (I'm sure I was hyper-thyroid up until about then) until he was about a year old. Apparently post-partum hypothyroidism can take 12-18 months to resolve on its own.

[farmmom4him]

ACtually I have had a baby Jan. 09 Nov. 07, May 06, and April 05--plus two one in 02 and one in 99. So, over all my body is a bit "tired" for the first time in over 5 yrs we are using b*rth contr*l (barrier) due to the fact that my last baby spent time in nicu as a direct result of my body being so worn down. :O( Knowing your body came within seconds of killing your baby makes you change many things. ;) Just a note on this--emotionally I am still trying to deal through all of that. Her O2 saturation was 26% at one point. :eek: She is mostly healthy now, but I have a hard time worrying over her. ;)

 

So, I guess that may help explain a bit more. THANKS

[TracyR]

I have hypothyrodism. Right now I feel like I am treating myself. I am on synthroid but its not working well for me anymore. I've gone in for testing and my levels all come out normal yet I've gained weight and at times feel like garbage.

I've been taking vitamins right now. I'm also reading about adrenal fatigue as well and that licorice root extract is helpful for both adrenal and thyroid function.

I've heard of kelp being helpful.I've tried this and it wasn't too helpful for me though. Sigh.

It can be very difficult to find a doctor that doesn't just read the numbers and go by symptoms. I've tried very hard to find a doctor ( that will take my insurance) that will do this. So far I've gone through three doctors to no avail. They just read the numbers and use synthetic hormone.

 

Also lately I've been hearing that Armour Thyroid was reformulated and many people who were sucessfully taking it are all of a sudden regaining their hypothyroid symptoms again. I guess they are now suggesting Westhroid(sp?) instead of Armour.

There still is a long way to go as to how doctors treat hypothyroidism. Its not as easy as getting a blood test and taking a pill.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I recommend going on a gluten-free, preferably whole foods diet. It isn't easy, but it's worth it. There is a great deal of evidence linking gluten to many autoimmune diseases including Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease) and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, there are links between gluten and many mental health disorders. I wish I had not let my health hit such a low point before trying a gluten-free diet.

 

Also, I recommend ridding your life of as many chemicals as you can. Again, there is mounting evidence that chemicals are linked to numerous health problems including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. In my case, I know that the chemicals are negatively affecting me, but many people don't realize that chemicals are contributing to their ill health. We can't control much of what is in our environments, but we can control what's in our homes and what's on our bodies. Try limiting or eliminating cleaning products, laundry detergents, perfumes, air fresheners, etc., which contain unnecessary chemicals; there are alternatives.

[MariannNOVA]

Betty: Everyone here has made excellent points! Thyroid problems are more than a doctor looking at numbers and throwing pills at the patient. With this issue, as with most others, you must become your own advocate. I would recommend reading Mary Shomon's book (it is an easy read) and will 'arm' you for a doctor's visit. Make an attempt to locate an MD or DO who practices holistically (you might look for an Internal Medicine MD, or an Endocrinologist - but the holistic philosophy is essential). The WTM-boarder who mentioned gluten-free, and cleaning up one's diet from chemicals, etc, is right on target! KUDOS to her!

We are under assault every minute of every day from the products that we purchase and use.

Start with baby steps (I say that all the time) - read the book, select something, and find a healthier alternative -- we have gradually rid our diet of gluten; we now eat only antibiotic-free, hormone-free, meats (grain-fed), milk from grass fed cows NOT sold in plastic bottles (goat's milk is even better), cage-free eggs, we got rid of the microwave oven, no more plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

It is a process that we began two years ago, and we are still constantly making changes, but we do all feel better -- three years ago, I could not stay awake for two consecutive hours!

PM me if you have any questions -- HTH -- Mariann

[Jean in Newcastle]

Selenium is a mineral that your thyroid needs. In many places the soil is deficient in selenium and so we don't get what we need from our food. You can get pills at a vitamin/health store. But one caveat- you can take too much because it is not water soluble (so you don't pee out the extra). My naturopath has said that it is fine to take the usual dose (100 mcg) daily.

[Lovedtodeath]

Will reply later!