I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s about 3 years after I was diagnosed with T1 (32 years ago)…however, I developed T1 on the heels of a high-speed, head on automobile accident…so I could have developed Hashimoto’s at the same time, and it was missed.
At the time, my endo put me on Synthroid…and my body didn’t like it at all. I had several side effects–like rashes, headaches, and hair falling out. When I told my Endo she said to just stop taking it and wait until I was fully hypothyroid.
Fast forward 25 years, and I discover not only am I hypothyroid, but the antibodies have destroyed my thyroid…no longer making any hormone (TSH 86) I didn’t want to go back onto synthetic medication so I did research and discovered Natural Desiccated Thyroid. I had to find a functional doctor to prescribe it, and it took awhile to find the right dosage…but it has no side effects for me and works
I read one British study that identified the Epstein-Barr virus as being a trigger for autoimmune attacks on both the isles of Langerhans cells and the thyroid.
The best reason I know to get antibodies tested and get on effective medication if necessary is that–for however long I was without any thyroid hormone in my body–stressed the adrenals significantly and caused adrenal insufficiency for me.
Thanks for sharing this. I tested positive for an Epstein Barr reactivation not long after getting out of hospital from dka. I’ve had low wbc count since then too. I wonder if this is involved in my diabetes or a result of that or what role it plays. I never knew I had EB in the first place, but I’ve had periods of fatigue on and off.
Happy day, meee
From some of the literature I read while I was researching the role of “stealth infections” in autoimmune conditions, virtually, all of us have the EB virus in our systems now…the key is what opportunistic event (stress, illness, trauma, etc…mine, for example, was a high speed, head on car accident) triggers the stealth organism to prosper and proliferate… somehow, getting past the immune system that lines the gut wall and into the bloodstream where the secondary immune system tags it along with a similar cell in our body and then attacks both of them. See how that is?
Yersinia is another bacteria/parasite that is strongly connected to Hashimoto’s.
Thanks- you too I hope they figure this out eventually. I was also injured in a car accident about 1 year before I went to dka,(being a pedestrian that time) but I had symptoms long before that. That could’ve been a trigger for everything for me along with a lot of other stressful events.
In my case I was diagnosed with hypothyroid first (in 2000), after a few years of unexplained weight gain and steadily decreasing energy… I got my diabetes diagnoses in 2008.
Thanks for this discussion Richard and the video. I hadn’t seen these but I do have his book.
In my case, it looks like I used to have Hypothyroidism but now I do not(rolling eyes). I remember back in the 1980’s, I became aware of feeling chilled off and on during the day(still do today). Trying to go into the lake when everyone said the water was really warm was a nightmare for me, since it felt like it was freezing, to me. I knew this was something new but didn’t know what. In another experence while visiting my Aunt, my hands both turned a medium blue(secondary Raynaud’s). Before these symptoms, I had been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at age 3, of course, and then severe Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 24. We had no computer, so I couldn’t easily look up these symptoms.
In the early '90’s I bought a book called,“Complete Guide To Symptoms, Illness and Surgery” and another, “Complete Guide To Drugs, Prescription and Non-Prescription” by the same Author. These books were invaluable for me through those times plus it allowed me to suggest illnesses, by some of my Friends and Family’s symptoms, that their Doctor’s couldn’t figure out.
Anyways, I was diagnosed with mild Asthma and secondary Raynauds in the early '90’s. I also looked up the intolerance to cold which turned out to be Hypothyroidism. I had most of the other symptoms for it and mentioned it to my new Endo. Sure enough he tested me and he diagnosed me with Hypothyroidism. I was on medication for it for 2 years plus Dur K. He unfortunately moved to Toronto, so I didn’t bother hooking up with another Endo until about 8 years later.
Meanwhile, my GP, Rheumatologist and Endo all say that I do not have Hypothyroidism because I am in the normal range. I think that Lab’s normal range is too wide. I was referred to the Women’s Centre for another reason and they did a lot of tests. The Doctor read the results and checked my meds and asked if I had ever been tested for Hypothyroidism??? YES!!! I’ll have to go somewhere else to get my labs done next time. As Dr. Bernstein mentions, the cold intolerance he is speaking of is not the cold hands and feet type which is Raynauds. The End!
I was tested for thyroid antibodies at diabetes diagnosis: negative. TSH was tested a couple times in the first few years, both times at around 0.6.
Then I lost 22 pounds, was diagnosed with gallstones, and in the pre-op exam, doctor decided to test TSH. It was 0.20, with the T3 and T4 being normal. Surgeon decided to go ahead and remove my gallbladder.
Three weeks later, TSH was 0.12. I remained thyroid antibody negative. Iodine uptake was low. C-reactive protein was low. Sed rate was thoroughly normal. Doctor diagnosed idiopathic subacute thyroiditis. I developed a full body tremor and dizzy spells and panic attacks. It took years to resolve. I continue to have my TSH tested regularly, however, it is now stable around 1.4.
I hope they figure this out eventually. I was also injured in a car accident about 1 year before I went to dka,(being a pedestrian that time) but I had symptoms long before that. That could’ve been a trigger for everything for me along with a lot of other stressful events.