So who the heck is Hashimoto?
Just shy of my 39th birthday I was feeling awful (refer to my first blog post), and I am so thankful I found a doctor who ran a few extra tests to make sure I was okay. He did of course prescribe some Xanax for my apparent anxiety (I can’t tell you how hard that was for me to accept as I am adamantly opposed to unnecessary medication, especially drugs that can be habit forming), but luckily for me he didn’t stop there. Through my visits while battling this disease, I have become quite the doctor skeptic now, unfortunately, and believe so many would have sent me on my way with a diagnosis of anxiety and left it at that. Did I emphasize how grateful I am to have found him?! I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid and subsequently, again after more tests, also as having Hashimoto’s disease.
Hypothyroid is when one has a low functioning thyroid gland (while hyperthyroid is the opposite, overactive). The thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland we all have in the base of our neck. This gland releases thyroid hormones and has an essential role in our body functions. The primary functions of the thyroid hormones are to regulate our metabolism, growth, body temperature, heart rate, even blood pressure. If the thyroid is underactive, it has a huge effect on our bodies and how we feel.
There are multiple reasons a thyroid can be low functioning. One of the most prominent is Hashimoto’s disease.
Hashimoto’s Disease, also known as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease in which our own immune system attacks our thyroid. Diagnosis is determined by the detection of thyroid antibodies in the bloodstream. It was discovered by a man named Hakaru Hashimoto in 1912. Why in the world the body malfunctions and attacks itself is still a mystery. It is understood at this point the body has to have a perfect storm in order for Hashimoto’s disease to kick in. According to the woman I refer to as the most knowledgeable in this field to date, Izabella Wentz (https://thyroidpharmacist.com/), we need to have three things in order for Hashimoto’s to kick in.
First, we need to have a genetic predisposition. This is a toughie for some of us with the disease to see in an obvious way. I don’t have any known family members with Hashimoto’s. However, I don’t really have a large family and at this point can only base that off of my mom, sister, and one grandmother. Maybe someone had it and didn’t even know. Or maybe someone carries the “gene” but didn’t have the perfect storm in order for the disease to fully kick it in gear. Either way, no proven genetic predisposition is known for me. I did recently find out from a 23andme testing I did for other reasons that I carry a genetic predisposition to Celiac disease, which is another autoimmune disease in which the small intestine is damaged stemming from Gluten intolerance. This is the closest I have to any validation in the genetic territory.
Second, we need to have intestinal permeability. Intestinal what?! Another even less appealing phrase for this is “leaky gut”. Ew. This just makes me cringe thinking about it. As awful as it sounds it is actually pretty common and easy to have with the Western diet and lifestyle we Americans are so used to maintaining. Our gut is our biggest immune system organ and what we put in it and how we treat it has an astronomical effect on our health. When one has leaky gut, the tight junctions in the gut have flawed us and are allowing particles to seep into our bloodstream. Our immune system is thought to kick into high gear when these foreign particles are in our blood stream.
I don’t think I have ever treated my gut very well. From a young age I had quite the sweet tooth. I would eat sugar, confectioners, brown, regular, any really, straight out of the box with a spoon. We really didn’t have a lot of treats at my house as a kid, but my lunch every day was packed by my dad. He made a deli meat sandwich on a nice keiser type roll, a piece of fruit, and a Little Debbie type snack. I only ate the treat. Oh the guilt, and regret, I feel to this day. Kids can be kinda dumb sometimes. My brother admitted as an adult he did the same. Rock candy was one of my favorites, and I used to ride my bike to the bulk candy store and stock up. Even as an adult, I was always fairly thin so didn’t really think too much about the calorie count, forget about the nutrition content, and my sweet tooth reigned daily. In addition, I was a coffee addict. I understand coffee can be healthy in moderation. My 2-3 cups in the morning were probably okay, even with the occasional flavored creamer, but the afternoon “fufu” drinks…..probably not the best to an already damaged tummy. Veggies…..hahahahahahaha….I would eat them but I recall saying to a coworker as recently as 3 years ago that I thought she was crazy for craving colored peppers for a snack. Coffee or treats….now that was my craving.
In addition to not always eating the best, I must say I had a decent time in my early 20s (if we’re being honest, even some times in my 30s). Some of these times definitely included a little too many alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is known to damage the stomach lining and decrease digestive enzymes. Now, I was no alcoholic by any means, but if my stomach was already not in tip top shape, these fun times most likely damaged it even more. Again, if we’re being honest, I wouldn’t change those times at all. Maybe just eat better overall. And stress less, which leads me to the last item in my perfect storm.
The third thing needed for Hashimoto’s is a little more brood based or less specifically called “triggers”. A trigger could be a serious illness, food poisoning, serious stress inducing event in our lives, or a constant exposure to something such as radiation, even the toxins in our food and daily environmental surroundings,something that sets us off and wears us down. This is also another one of those tough to pinpoint items. For me I have analyzed this for months, and can only guess at what it could be. For some it is more clear after the trigger event occurs. I believe the sudden death of my husband in 2005 was most likely the primary trigger for me. I do believe in a combination of triggers, and for me having 2 children within 2 ½ years of this highly stressful event probably contributed as well. Pregnancy can be hard on a body and this alone can trigger a negative reaction. In addition I had a serious case of food poisoning early in the first of those two pregnancies (nothing quite like raw slimy lobster in your lobster bisque).
I don’t have to get into the details of what I went through emotionally, but I will tell you I had a constant nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach for years. Even when I didn’t think I had anything to be nervous about, it was there. Still to this day, it can appear, although less frequent. Just typing this actually is bringing it back. The subconscious and the effects of stressful events can be picking at us even when our conscious state isn’t aware. In can continue for so long even when we tell ourselves we are fine. Occasional stress isn’t bad, can even be good, but constant stress is bound to take a toll.
Genetics, leaky gut, and stress are probably what led me to this battle today. Some things I could have done differently, some I had no control over. I can only learn and change what I do going forward.
Hashimoto’s Disease does not have a known cure, and once diagnosed, typically the treatment is a daily pill to help increase our thyroid hormones. I am taking this one step further by trying to fix what is wrong in my body with hopes of remission one day. The battle is a tough one as the damage done and continuing to occur is hard to offset.
Luckily for me, I am known as a fighter.