I have a question for anyone who has been/was hypothyroid for many years. Basically - can hypothyroidism self correct?
Here's the story… I developed hypo as a kid. Started on Armour when I was probably about 8-10 years old. Dosage gradually increased over my life. I've always been overweight and thyroid didn't seem to impact that a lot. Weight issues were mostly poor eating choices. I've lost weight a couple times on WW but always regained.
A few years ago, my then-Doctor got a bug up his nose and decided he didn't like Armour. Switched me to synthetic (either Levothyroxin or Synthroid. I can't recall which.) I felt AWFUL. Multiple blood tests, changing of dosage etc and I never felt good. I finally stopped taking ANY med and stopped seeing the doc. Not the smartest move I know.
Move forward 5 or 6 years later. I haven't seen a regular doc in a very long time. I do know that I need to find one and do this just on general principals. I had an ER issue late last winter (accident type thing) and was determined to be quite healthy.
I've been working on changing my eating for almost 2 years now. I've lost about 80 lbs in those 2 years. I cut quite a bit of leeway in what I eat so I really hadn't expected to lose 100 lbs a year.
I do feel better and more energetic since the loss. I do wonder though whether I'm still hypo. Would I be losing faster if I was back on med (if I need it!) and would I feel even better? It would be great if I could find a doc I didn't have to battle over this.
So my long winded question is….has anyone been hypo for a long period (say more than 10 or 15 years) and had it self resolve?
From my personal experience it just gets worse. The only organ in the human body that regenerates is the liver.
Find a doc who works with bio-identicals, transition your endo care to that doctor. GPs are idiots when it comes to endocrinology.
FWIW, even though I now have well controlled hypo, fixing it had little impact on weight loss, which is not uncommon. Radically cutting carbs has helped me more than anything.
Thanks ReNew. I think in my rational mind I knew that it wouldn't just automatically fix itself.
Thanks also for the suggestion about Bio-Indenticals.
And totally agreed about GPs being idiots about Endocrinology. I had been happy as a clam for many years on my 3grains of Armour. I'm still a bit miffed that he decided it was suddenly a "bad" thing.
Congrats on having your hypo being well controlled. I know it can make a huge difference in our daily lives.
I've been taking Synthroid for about five years for hypothyroid, but not continuously because, when I've been eating right and my weight is down (I yo-yo about 40 lbs) then my tests say I no longer need it. So I go off until I re-gain.
So my answer would be that, yes, in some cases we can be "cured," if weight is kept under control.
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At one time years ago, I was losing weight rapidly. Tested, and was hyper. The doctor chose to let it go for a while and retest a month later at which time the weight loss resolved and I tested normal. It had fixed itself. A couple years ago I went to the ER because I was having such bad palpitations that I thought I was having a heart attack. Heart was good, but they said TSH was high. Doc started me on synthroid. Felt great immediately, but after a couple weeks felt terrible and quit taking it. A month later I tested normal without meds. Since then DR tests regularly and I bounce around in the normal range, sometimes low normal, sometimes high normal. DR doesn't know why. I explained this to someone else once and they feel that this is a sign that eventually I will become hypo and stay that way.
Fluffy, I feel that my weight is the root of all my medical problem and my health would improve if I lost the weight, but I am having a very hard time losing and maintaining even a few pounds.
From my personal experience it just gets worse. The only organ in the human body that regenerates is the liver.
Find a doc who works with bio-identicals, transition your endo care to that doctor. GPs are idiots when it comes to endocrinology.
FWIW, even though I now have well controlled hypo, fixing it had little impact on weight loss, which is not uncommon. Radically cutting carbs has helped me more than anything.
Could not have said it better myself. I second this 100%.
I have had Hashimoto's for several years now and for what its worth I'm an RN too.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterInVA
No, the thyroid can't regenerate and begin producing again. You are opening yourself to other problems when you don't take your medication.
That makes sense, as it is the same with diabetes. Once a diabetic, always a diabetic. But a woman at work told me that her thyroid numbers improved and the doctor took her off her meds. I don't know anything about thyroid, really, so I had no reason not to believe her.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2003. To my knowledge, I will always have to take pills for it until I die. With all the research I have done and been told by my Dr's and specialists, it never improves unfortunately.
Have you ever had the pituitary gland checked? I have Grave's Disease and was treated with RAI(Radioactive Iodine) to kill the thyroid placing me into hypo. I am 41 now and started on Synthroid when I was 20. I have never had an issue with Synthroid in 21 years of taking it. Listed below are some hormones that can be checked for the pituitary gland and any issues.
The pituitary gland is a tiny organ, the size of a pea, found at the base of the brain. As the “master gland” of the body, it produces many hormones that travel throughout the body, directing certain processes or stimulating (causing) other glands to produce other hormones.
The pituitary gland makes or stores many different hormones. The following hormones are made in the anterior (front part) of the pituitary gland:
Prolactin - Prolactin stimulates breast milk production after childbirth. It also affects sex hormone levels from ovaries in women and from testes (testicles) in men, as well as fertility.
Growth hormone (GH) - GH stimulates growth in childhood and is important for maintaining a healthy body composition and well-being in adults. In adults, GH is important for maintaining muscle mass and bone mass. It also affects fat distribution in the body. Read about growth hormone excess.
Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) - ACTH stimulates the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands—small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. Cortisol, a "stress hormone," is vital to our survival. It helps maintain blood pressure and blood glucose (sugar) levels, and is produced in larger amounts when we’re under stress—especially after illness or injury. Read about having too much ACTH.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) - TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's metabolism, energy balance, growth, and nervous system activity. Read about TSH-secreting tumors.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) - LH stimulates testosterone production in men and egg release (ovulation) in women.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - FSH promotes sperm production in men and stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen and develop eggs in women. LH and FSH work together to enable normal function of the ovaries and testes.
The following hormones are stored in the posterior (back part) of the pituitary gland:
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) - ADH, also called vasopressin, regulates water balance in the body. It conserves body water by reducing the amount of water lost in urine.
Oxytocin – Oxytocin causes milk to flow from the breasts in breastfeeding women, and may also help labor to progress.
Can Hypothyroidism Self-correct?
