Diagnosed With Hypothyroidism But Still Looking For Answers?

When people report fatigue to their doctor usually they will test for low thyroid hormone. If it comes back positive hypothyroidism is diagnosed. Medication is prescribed and just like that the patient is typically expected to stay on it for life.

Typically Synthroid (levothyroxine) is prescribed. Once on in some patients feel normal again. Others do not. It’s hard to find the right dose. Sometimes no dose seems right. When changing doses doesn’t work people ask for different forms. Usually this means asking for a natural T3/T4 combination. The major brands of this are Armour and Natur-throid. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it does not.

This process leaves patients with unanswered questions

• What caused my hypothyroidism?
• Do I really need to take thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of my life?
• Is there anything else I can do?

How Can A Naturopathic Doctor Help?

“Hypothyroidism” is not a complete diagnosis. There are several different hypothyroidism patterns. Since Naturopathic Medicine is about treating the person and cause of illness, the process starts with a comprehensive intake to figure out what is going on. The goal is not to treat hypothyroidism, so much as it is to treat the patient.

Autoimmune (Hashimoto’s)

In autoimmune hypothyroidism the immune system makes thyroid antibodies. Antibodies tell the immune system to attack the thyroid.

There are several ways to work on this in natural health:

Treat the causes of autoimmune disease. Common triggers include allergies, gluten sensitivity, gut inflammation, toxicity, and infections.

Give support for proper thyroid hormone conversion.  Medication is usually given in the form of T4 (thyroxine) which the body must then convert to active T3. Nutritional and hormonal issues can interfere in this conversion, stopping people from feeling well.

Low TSH

Sometimes TSH is suboptimal (under 1.0) along with low thyroid hormone. This is a low TSH pattern of hypothyroidim. It means that the thyroid could make more hormone, but the brain is not signaling the thyroid to do so.

People may end up in the office of an integrative MD who tells them thyroid labs mean little and treats them with thyroid hormone.

I do not recommend going this route. Low TSH hypothyroidism does not respond well to thyroid medication. Taking extra thyroid hormone when you don’t need it can make you sick. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include fatigue, heat intolerance, weight loss, rapid heartbeat and anxiety.

Hypothyroidism is under diagnosed in conventional medicine. In response there are numerous books and websites educating the public about hypothyroidism. Because of this many people correctly self diagnosed them self with hypothyroidism. The down side to are people who have incorrectly diagnosed themselves with hypothyroidism as well.

Causes of low TSH hypothyroidism include:

•Poor adrenal function

•Estrogen dominance

•Allergies

•Toxicity and poor liver function

•Poor nutrition for the thyroid

In low TSH hypothyroidism the real problem is somewhere else than the thyroid. It may be nutritional or related to other hormones. Fix the real cause and the body will correct thyroid hormone on its own.

I have seen clients come in being on thyroid hormone for years despite no indication of autoimmune disease. The medication did nothing for them. Once we worked on the real causes of fatigue thyroid hormone could be withdrawn.

Low iodine

Iodine is used primarily by the ovaries, breast tissue, thyroid gland and parotid. This is why women need it more than men and a reason why hypothyroidism is much more common in women as well. If iodine is low TSH may be in the upper or lower ends of reference range.

Holistic Health and Hypothyriodism

FAQ

I don’t have hypothyroidism but my doctor said it’s developing and wants to recheck my labs in a few months. What should I do?

Make an appointment. Now is the time for preventive action. This is the type of client I want to see.

If you are not in New York, go to a Naturopathic doctor near you and work on prevention with them. At the least look at potential allergenic foods in your diet. More work on detoxification and immune system regulation may be needed.

Hypothyroidism symptoms may begin before the labs gets bad enough for some doctors to prescribe medicine. So just because  your doctor is not prescribing medications now, that doesn’t mean you don’t need treatment.

I’m currently taking thyroid hormone medication. Do I need to be on it for life?

This depends on what type of hypothyroidism you have, and for how long you have been taking medication.

If you have Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune thyroiditis) and have been dependent on thyroid medication for a long time, it would be difficult to get off.

You need to follow a natural health plan to first reduce thyroid antibodies and inflammation on the thyroid. Generally, once the antibodies are elevated, they stay elevated for life. It is possible for them to come down. But you have to be on the right plan to restore health and still, the antibodies come down slowly.

I have seen more success with autoimmune hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease). In Graves disease patients face the possibility of thyroid gland destruction if the natural route does not work for them. I believe this leads to increased compliance and long term commitment.

Some people do not have autoimmune thyroid disease but are still given thyroid hormone for fatigue. I disagree with such prescriptions. In such cases thyroid hormone is being used to mask the cause of fatigue (even though the thyroid is totally functional). After using natural health to restore energy and treat the actual cause of fatigue, there is no reason why thyroid hormone replace needs to be continued.

I want to try a natural thyroid medication instead of synthetic synthroid. Can I get that from a Naturopathic doctor in New York?

Naturopathic doctors are not licensed to prescribe medications in New York State. According to FDA rules and product containing T4 requires a medical prescription. I therefore can not prescribe thyroid hormone in NYS. You can not get Synthroid, Levothyroxine, Armour, Natur-throid or Cytomel from a Naturopathic doctor in New York State.

The product I do use is GTA from Biotics.  FDA regulations are specific that T4 must be removed from thyroid glandular supplements. There are no regulations about the T3 fraction. GTA is a form a natural T3. It is sold as a nutritional supplement.

GTA from Biotics is the only product sold as a supplement which can be used to directly help replace thyroid hormone. No other thyroid supplement, or glandular product will do this.

Standard Process sells a popular thyroid glandular called Thyrotropin PMG from Standard Process. This is used to control thyroid inflammation. It does not supply any thyroid hormone. It can not be used to in lieu of thyroid hormone prescription. GTA is the only  product sold as a supplement that can do that.