Our clinic has been working with thyroid conditions for over 20 years now.
Our practitioners first hand experience with Hashimoto’s, thyroxine, and begging doctors for answers really changed our perspective on thyroid conditions.
Last November, we released a new book, Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism.
We decided to write about this because nearly 75% of our patients that were coming the clinic with a thyroid problem, actually had Hashimoto’s.
We’ve had a flurry of calls and questions come through as a result of the book, so I thought it would be useful to share answers the top 5 thyroid questions we’ve been asked and provide more context to solutions.
- Question 1:
- Question 2: NORMAL BLOOD WORK, NO DIAGNOSIS, BUT SYMPTOMATIC
- The most common problems we treat at this point are:
- Question 3: HYPOTHYROID or HASHIMOTO'S, taking T4, BUT SYMPTOMS PERSIST
- Many patients with a diagnosis have a number of other co-factors, like:
- Question 4: HYPERTHYROIDISM & GRAVES
- [EXAMPLES]
- Question 5: Diagnosed with HASHIMOTO'S, TSH is OK, but SYMPTOMS Persist
Question 1:
Goitres, Nodules, Thyroidectomy, Surgery – yet still have lots of thyroid-related symptoms (with or without thyroid medication), shouldn’t there be something I need to take or do to get rid of the goitre or nodule?
When there are nodules or enlarged goitres, it’s common for our patients to complain about:
- low energy or fatigue,
- difficulty swollowing,
- lumps or bumps on other areas in the body,
- dry skin,
- weight gain,
- sensitivity to cold,
- brain fog, or,
- thinning hair
When we look at blood tests for our patients suffering from a goitre or nodules, or a history of surgery of the thyroid and/or goitre and/or nodules, we see large variations in their HALIDE profile.
Now many people think of iodine when they think of the Halide Mineral profile; however there are other Halide levels that need to be right.
I just recorded a brand new training, you can watch it [click here] if you’d like, where we discuss how many of our patients have a connection to High Bromide levels that have offset the production of the other Halide profile in their body.
Back in World War II, the military used to give the service members bromide to decrease their libido. Many of our patients have back- tracked their grandparent(s) service history and found that they, too, were given bromide.
In Queensland, we find the highest levels of bromide in our patient’s Halide blood profiles, surprisingly.
This increase in bromide can offset fluoride, chlorine, and iodine levels and can often be one of the causes of nodules and goitres.
Typically at the point that a nodule or a goitre appears, there are other nutritional co-factors and hormones (like oestrogen), that play a big role in the body not having enough of the right minerals or nutrients to be able to support healthy thyroid hormone conversion to energise the cells in the body.
We find by looking deeper at the nutrient markers, metal and mineral levels, metabolic hormone panel, and reproductive hormone panel (much of which we can get through Medicare), we’re able to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
By supporting thyroid hormone conversion, addressing the nutritional deficiencies, and supporting reproductive hormones, we are able to support our patients to get their energy levels back, weight loss happening, and hair growth within about three months.
In many cases, doctors have reported shrinking in nodules and/or goitres. We’ve gratefully had doctors push back and even cancel surgeries as a result of our treatment.
Interestingly, an imbalanced Halide profile also can significantly impact women with menstrual problems. Research shows that one of the three key drivers behind endometriosis, for instance, is a large imbalance in the Halide profile.
Question 2: NORMAL BLOOD WORK, NO DIAGNOSIS, BUT SYMPTOMATIC
I’m being told my blood is normal, but I don’t feel normal. My cholesterol is slightly higher, but the doctor said just to eat less saturated fats. Could it by my thyroid?
This is one of the most common situations we see in the clinic. Loads of our patients suffer from SUBTLE declines in thyroid function and it’s not quite dangerous enough to merit a diagnosis.
When we look at blood reference ranges, we look at your reproductive hormone markers, your nutritional markers, cholesterol, and HBA1C or fasting glucose. We’re looking at the whole picture.
We find that most women suffering from thyroid-related symptoms, have multiple hormone imbalances in one go. It’s great that it is not dangerous enough to merit medication. This is actually the best time for us to get to work.
Treatment normally only takes 3-4 months to remedy, unless there are other co-factors in the digestive system or menstrual cycles.
Metabolic dysruptions are the first key that the body is struggling to do it’s job properly.
The most common problems we treat at this point are:
- oestrogen dominance, causing a subtle decline in thyroid function & poor detoxification pathways
- insulin resistance AND sluggish thyroid function, at a time of reproductive hormone changes (like peri/post menopause)
- a diagnosed problem like PCOS, endometriosis, adenomoyosis triggers bacteria inflammation which decreases metabolic function and/or metabolic bacteria in the microbiome, slowing thyroid hormones and slowing metabolism, creating fatigue, low energy and weight gain.
Question 3: HYPOTHYROID or HASHIMOTO’S, taking T4, BUT SYMPTOMS PERSIST
I’m taking thyroid medication, my amount isn’t changing, but my energy is low, and I cannot lose weight or find the motivation to exercise. The doctor says my blood work is good now, but I don’t feel good. What do I do?
The most common problem we find with patients at this point is THYROID CONVERSION.
Thyroxine medications are designed to keep our T4 up, to keep the thyroid functioning within ranges that are safe for living.
But, if the thyroid hormones are not fully converting to the cells, it’s very common to still feel symptoms of:
- Low Motivation
- Low Energy or Fatigue
- Constipation
- Weight Gain, or struggle to lose weight
There are a number of reasons for this. We’re going to share another article, just on the reasons why thyroid hormones are not getting to the cells, because there are many co-factors that cause this.
Just last week, we had three patients that were diagnosed with slow peristalsis, causing an inability to fully empty the bowels. One would think this is totally unrelated to the thyroid hormones, but if you cannot get enough “energy” to the cells in the body, it can trigger a sluggish release of bile. One of the reasons so many patients that struggle with hypothyroidism or a decline in thyroid production, have challenges with constipation.
If you are taking medication currently, and not feeling right still, and you just want to jump the que and talk to us, we do offer a free consultation, you can organise that here:
Many patients with a diagnosis have a number of other co-factors, like:
- a goitre, or, nodules as pointed out in question one.
- a new issue now with diabetes, or, insulin resistance.
- recent diagnosis, and, want to get to the bottom of the problem, so that you don’t have to continually take medication.
What I’m saying is that each person’s challenge for the diagnosis can and is so different, one from the other. Just because you have hypothyroidism, does not mean that someone else’s treatment for their hypothyroidism is going to be identical as yours. It’s not a “one-sized fits all” treatment protocol.
From our treatment angle, we’re looking for what it is going to take to ensure the body is working in harmony and the full thyroid hormones are reaching the cells, and the metabolism is functioning at full speed. So you can have 100% energy and healthy metabolic function that supports weight loss and motivation to do things like exercise.
Question 4: HYPERTHYROIDISM & GRAVES
I’ve suffered with hyperthyroidism, I’ve been told we just need to keep an eye on it. I don’t feel like myself, is there something else I can do?
Hyperthyroidism is rare. Graves is also rare (though nearly every Graves patient also has Hashimoto’s).
Yet, over the last four weeks, nearly 30% of our new patients are suffering either after going through treatment or finishing treatment for their hyperthyroidism.
If you’ve had hyperthyroidism, we understand that radioactive iodine and carbimazole are both intense prescriptions for patients.
Hyperthyroid patients move faster than most people. Whilst many may think it must be amazing to be so thin and so easily lose weight, this is not the case for you.
You’d give anything to sleep through the night and get your heart to slow done, let alone settle the day to day anxiety that you have.
Even though the medical treatment may be finished, many of our patients that are on the other side, or, in treatment for Graves or hyperthyroidism, have a number of challenges with their nervous system, adrenal hormones, and often have underlying gut or nutrient deficiencies that have caused the condition.
We always take an integrative approach when working with you. It’s important that we regularly look at your thyroid levels. Often during treatment, we’ll ask to see your blood tests every 8 weeks to two months during treatment.
I think the biggest surprise answer is the systemic issues in the gut microbiome, especially intestinal permeability and/or leaky gut.
Nine times out of ten, we find there is a nutrient malabsorption issue that started the microbiome issues – sometimes it’s viral.
[EXAMPLES]
1. Graves activated by viral load.
For instance, one of our patients that we have been working with, had Lyme’s Diseases that put a heavy viral load on the gut microbiome.The Graves response came after a spike in cortisol after stressful life event. Her viral load was too high and the spike in cortisol, triggered the thyroid.
2. SIBO driving symptoms, two months after our treatment felt normal for first time in years
Another one of our patients, Karen, had been to functional doctors, another natural thyroid clinic, and been working at getting her levels on track for nearly five years before she came to us. And NO ONE had done any investigation into her microbiome. Come to find out, within the first month, we identified that she has SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth). We treated the SIBO, and she was feeling normal with two months.
Many hyperthyroid patients suffer from weight gain, during or after treatment and start to worry. There’s a variety of factors that contribute to the weight that doesn’t shift.
And again, largely are activated by underlying microbiome issues.
Most people don’t think that the digestive system and the thyroid have much to do with one another, but when it comes to hyperthyroidism or Graves, unlike many other protocols, we start hunting here first. It’s often the “linchpin”.
Question 5: Diagnosed with HASHIMOTO’S, TSH is OK, but SYMPTOMS Persist
I’ve been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, but I haven’t been prescribed any medication. I really don’t feel myself. I’m tired, gaining weight, and not sleeping properly. What are my options?
We see quite a few Hashimoto’s patients. We also discover more Hashimoto’s then we see patients that have been diagnosed.
According to the Natural Library of Medicine, 90% of patients seen across naturopathic clinics that are diagnosed with hypothyroidism are tested and found positive for Hashimoto’s.
The majority of our patients that come to us with Hashimoto’s still have intense symptoms of weight gain, fatigue, constipation, or trouble with sleeping through the night, insomnia.
With Hashimoto’s the problem is in the anti-bodies, not necessarily the TSH, therefore patients are not required to take T4 medication. Hashimoto’s [elevated thyroid antibodies] is not treated with medication in standard medical practice.
Patients are left feeling wired and tired, and really struggle with shifting the weight.
Hashimoto’s responds extremely well to naturopathic remedies. In fact, it is the reason that I became a naturopath. I have kept my Hashimoto’s into Remission and have been symptom free, because of our approach.
Elevated thyroid antibodies come up because the body is trying to counteract a bigger problem. Normally in this case, not only are the antibodies up, but the other thyroid hormones are unable to do their job and convert energy to the cells in the rest of the body.
This is a big reason why there is INTENSE FATIGUE. Not only is your body fighting with the elevated antibodies, but your other thyroid hormones are unable to function fully.
Reverse T3 hormones often start going up in this case, which further restricts thyroid hormone conversion to cells. This is the stress signal in the body.
Now, the good news is that Hashimoto’s is a very sensitive condition. We actually find our Hashimoto’s patients get some of the best results in the clinic!
They lose weight quickly.
They get their energy back fast. (Husbands often like to let us know it’s a bit too much – haha)
You see, Hashimoto’s is so sensitive to the chemical levels in the body. This is why some women with Hashimoto’s have such severe anxiety or a thyroid storm (can feel like a heart attack).
It’s also why natural remedies are so effective.
A typical treatment approach we use for Hashimoto’s is:
- Support the immune system.
Hashimoto’s is an auto-immune thyroid disease; therefore, supporting the immune system and bringing in key nutrients for immune function. Immune supporting herbs as well as looking at essential immune nutrients and making sure the body is supported is essential to settle the immune system from attacking itself. This can take two to three months, as many patients suffer not only from a sensitive immune system, but there can also be trouble with things like bacterial inflammation. - Settle the Nervous System & Support Reverse T3.
Cortisol levels play a bit part in Hashimoto’s. This is the stress hormone, and further puts stress on thyroid function. From the very first consultation, we are looking to gently support the nervous system and decrease the stress that is effecting adrenal dysfunction, or, elevated Reverse T3 stress levels. - Supporting the thyroid hormones to convert to the cells.
Energy, motivation, metabolism speed, bowel movements, hair growth, nail growth, skin elasticity, skin moisture and brain function are rooted in thyroid hormones. In our practice, it’s really important for us to make sure that the thyroid hormones are converting to the cells. Nutrients are what builds the “motor pathway” to get the thyroid hormones to the cells. And we look at the blood work to work out what is going on with your nutrient markers AND your thyroid hormone conversion.
Hashimoto’s patients that are not yet on medication, can often see great results quite quickly.
Sadly, on average it takes 7 to 15 years to get a Hashimoto’s patients to get a diagnosis.
Hashimoto’s can look like early menopause.
We have a 35 year old patient that thought she was in menopause, but really had Hashimoto’s.
Hashimoto’s can be quite common after childbirth.
We have several patients that suffer from post natal depression and/or extreme fatigue and poor sleep after having children, ended up taking anti-depressants and sleeping pills, and really struggled to lose weight. Then came to us. We identified the Hashimoto’s got their thyroid hormones working and they got their life back.
I hope this article was easy to scroll and you were able to get answers to questions and clarity on treatment options you can take to support your thyroid!
Sometimes it’s easier to LISTEN then read, which is why we did the special training on this topic. You can simply listen that here: https://naturalhormonebalance.co/free-training-hashimotos-hypothyroism/
If you have any questions or would like more support from us, we do offer a Free Introductory Phone Consultation. You can organise that here:
I look forward to connecting with you again soon!
Warmly,
Tiaan
