The first stage is activation.

At this stage, something triggers the body to start an autoimmune response. This could be due to various factors like stress, genetic predisposition, or infections. At this stage, you might not notice any symptoms, but antibodies start to interfere with your thyroid’s function.

As the disease progresses to subclinical hypothyroidism, you may begin to feel unwell with symptoms like weight gain, brain fog, or feeling cold. It’s crucial to test for Hashimoto’s antibodies early to manage the condition before it gets worse.

Ignoring these signs can lead to more severe stages, including the total destruction of the thyroid gland and further complications.

Key Takeaways

• Hashimoto’s starts with a trigger that activates an autoimmune response.
• Early stages are often symptomless but can still cause thyroid damage.
• Testing and early intervention are key to managing the disease.

Stage One: Activation

Triggering of Autoimmune Response

In Stage One, something sets off your body’s autoimmune response. This could be pregnancy, a virus, an infection, or stress. It might also be genetic. When this happens, your immune cells go on high alert.

Creation of Antibodies

During this stage, your body starts creating antibodies. This happens at a very early point and you might not even notice anything. These antibodies can silently begin to affect your thyroid’s function over time.

Early Indicator Symptoms

At this point, symptoms are very minor and easy to miss. You might not feel any different, but the process has already begun. It’s important to be aware of this stage, even though it might not be obvious that anything is wrong.

Stage Two: Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Identifying Symptoms

You might start to notice some changes in your body. You could be gaining weight, feeling cold all the time, or experiencing brain fog. Hair loss at the temples is another sign. These symptoms might lead you to seek medical help.

Normal Lab Results Confusion

When you visit the doctor, your thyroid test results might show a slight increase in TSH. This is often still considered normal. As a result, your doctor might tell you everything is fine, leaving you confused about how to feel better.

Preventative Steps

It’s important to take action at this stage. There are steps you can take to stop Hashimoto’s from causing more damage to your thyroid. Simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can make a big difference.

Importance of Antibody Testing

Getting tested for Hashimoto’s antibodies is crucial now. If your doctor won’t test you, you can get a private test online. See the image on this page for the test I use. Use code THYROIDCOACHHELEN for a 25% discount

Knowing if you have Hashimoto’s early allows you to take steps to manage it before it progresses.

Stage Three: Thyroid Gland Destruction

Progressive Organ Damage

At this stage, Hashimoto’s starts causing serious harm to your thyroid and other organs.

This damage can affect your brain, leading to brain fog, memory loss, and even Alzheimer’s or Dementia down the road. Your eyes might suffer macular degeneration.

Joint pain and damage can lead to arthritis. If not addressed, these issues can become permanent.

Inflammation and Complications

Hashimoto’s creates significant inflammation throughout your body. This inflammation can impact many areas, causing joint pain, muscular problems, and back and spinal issues. It’s very important to manage this inflammation early to prevent these complications.

The Necessity of Early Intervention

Intervening early is crucial. Even though the disease can be scary, the body is resilient. You can reverse symptoms and damage, but action is needed now.

Waiting only allows the disease to cause more harm. Taking steps to manage Hashimoto’s will help protect your thyroid and other organs.

Stage Four: Further Autoimmune Disease

Development of Additional Autoimmunities

Once you have one autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s, it’s common for other autoimmune conditions to develop. These additional autoimmunities can complicate your health even more.

For instance, you might notice symptoms of other conditions creeping in, making it crucial to manage Hashimoto’s effectively to prevent this.

Potential Autoimmune Conditions

Hashimoto’s often brings along other autoimmune diseases. Some of the conditions that may arise include:

• Pernicious Anemia: This affects the stomach and prevents the body from absorbing vitamin B12 properly.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: This causes inflammation and damage to your joints.
• Psoriasis: A skin condition that causes red, itchy, and scaly patches.
• Dermatomyositis: This is a serious condition that affects the skin and muscles, causing inflammation and rashes.

The Body’s Resilience and Symptom Reversal

Despite the challenges, the body has an amazing ability to bounce back. Even if you reach the stage where additional autoimmune diseases have developed, there’s still hope.

By taking swift action, you can start to reverse the symptoms and damage. It’s key to act quickly and not let the disease progress any further. By managing your health proactively, you can work on putting these autoimmune diseases into remission.

Stage Five: Total Thyroid Destruction

Complete Thyroid Malfunction

At this stage, the thyroid has stopped functioning completely. It’s reached a state where it no longer produces the essential hormones your body needs. This is a serious condition, as the thyroid plays a crucial role in regulating your metabolism, heart rate, and many other bodily functions.

Dependence on Medication

When the thyroid is totally destroyed, you need to rely on thyroid hormone medications to survive.

While these medications can help, they are not as effective as your natural hormones. It’s important to take your medication consistently and follow your doctor’s advice closely.

Misconceptions and Disease Progression

Doctors sometimes claim there’s nothing to do until the thyroid is completely destroyed. This advice is dangerous.

Even if your thyroid is gone, the autoimmune disease can still attack other organs if not put into remission. It’s crucial to manage your Hashimoto’s disease actively, even after thyroid destruction.

Continued Importance of Remission

Even if your thyroid has been surgically removed, you still need to work on putting your Hashimoto’s into remission. The autoimmune disease can target other organs, leading to further complications. I personally have reached this stage and know firsthand how important it is to continue managing the disease.

Access to Guides and Support

It’s crucial to have access to the right guides and support.

You can find online resources that offer invaluable information and community support:

• Online Tests: You can use these to check your Hashimoto’s antibodies if your doctor won’t. Get your test here and use code THYROIDCOACHHELEN for a 25% DISCOUNT.
• You can then take the results to your doctor to ask for further support
• Free Guides: Grab my free guide which provides practical steps to lose weight, regain energy & calm your Hashimoto’s
• Community Groups: Join my FREE FACEBOOK group here where people share their experiences and solutions.

Staying informed and connected will give you the support you need on this journey.

With love

Helen x

However, the only person who truly understands your experience is you.

YOUR Unique Experience

Living with a thyroid condition is a unique experience, and one that is different for everyone. While others who also have a thyroid condition may be able to relate to some of your struggles, your experience is still unique to you.

It is important to remember that your pain and struggles are valid, even if others do not fully understand or validate them.

The Challenge of Invisible Illness

One of the challenges of living with a thyroid condition is that it is often an invisible illness. This means that others may not be able to see or feel the effects of your condition, which can make it difficult for them to understand or relate.

It is important to recognize that unless someone has a chronic or invisible illness themselves, it may be impossible for them to truly understand your experience.

Acceptance and Validation

While it can be frustrating to feel as though others do not understand your experience, it is important to remember that you do not need their validation. Your experience is valid regardless of whether others understand it or not. It is important to focus on acceptance rather than validation, and to surround yourself with people who are willing to learn and understand.

You can join My FREE Facebook Support Group Here

Setting Boundaries

It is important to recognize that not everyone will be able to fully understand or relate to your experience. It is okay to set boundaries. You can conserve your energy by not wasting it on people who are not willing or able to understand. It is also important to seek out support from those who do understand, such as fellow thyroid patients in online support groups.

Share Your Experiences

If you struggle with feeling misunderstood or invalidated, it can be helpful to share your experiences with others who can relate. If you have people in your life who are willing to learn and understand, you can direct them to resources such as articles and books that provide information about thyroid conditions.

We Stand together…

Living with invisible illness in the form of a thyroid condition can be challenging, but it is important to remember that your experience is valid and unique.

It can be frustrating when others do not fully understand your experience, but focus on self acceptance rather than validation. 

Seek out support from those who do understand, and set boundaries with those who do not.

You can join My FREE Facebook Support Group Here

My FREE guide to feeling better with HYPoTHYROIDISM {with Thyroid-Friendly Recipes}

The influence of diet on Hypothyroidism & Hashimotos cannot be understated. It’s not about a quick fix; it’s a sustainable lifestyle change to support your body and reduce the autoimmune response causing harm to your thyroid.

To help you get a jumpstart on this lifestyle I have made a free guide containing more detailed information and a collection of recipes specially designed for Thyroid health

This resource aims to empower you with knowledge and practical steps to balance your diet, assisting in the management of Hashimoto’s symptoms. 

Download your copy by clicking the button below

Remember, working alongside any medication, these diet and lifestyle adjustments can make a significant difference in your well-being.

And the sad thing is, you won’t get any help from your Doctor with this.

They just don’t treat it. The attitude is “come back when your thyroid is totally destroyed and we’ll put you on Thyroid medication” which is insane!

You are on your own. 

As a thyroid coach and advocate, I’ve navigated the journey of thyroid cancer and these challenges myself. I understand the concerns and the need for proactive steps beyond medication. 

Adopting certain dietary and lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in managing the condition.

Take control and be informed

Being informed is crucial. 

If you know you have Hashimotos then there’s a real opportunity to complement medical treatment with your own personal efforts to regulate your immune response and calm down the Hashimotos attack on the thyroid.

This includes strategic modifications in diet, lifestyle, managing stress levels, and ensuring quality sleep.

Though the journey is complex, taking control is possible. 

I’ve compiled a guide detailing actionable advice to initiate this path to improved health and well-being.

Key Takeaways

• Proper diagnosis and monitoring of antibody levels are essential for managing Hashimoto’s.
• Diet and lifestyle adjustments play a significant role in calming the autoimmune response and putting Hashimotos into remission. {Even if your Doctor tells you nothing can be done until your Thyroid is destroyed.}
• Collaborating with your healthcare providers ensures a comprehensive approach to treatment.

Do You Have Hashimoto’s Disease?

The Importance of Hashimotos Antibody Analysis

To manage Hashimoto’s effectively, checking if you have specific antibodies raised is crucial. 

This is what tells you if you have Hashimotos as the root cause of your Thyroid issues.

Regular monitoring of these antibodies can provide insights into the autoimmune activity occurring in the body.

So it’s super important to get to the root cause of your Thyroid disease and find out if it is Hashimotos.

• Why Test for Thyroid Antibodies?
  
  • Monitoring can help you plan to prevent further thyroid damage.
    
  • Untreated Hashimotos and Hypothyroidism can progress to serious conditions: thyroid cancer, heart problems, fibromyalgia, progression to other autoimmune diseases. So it’s important to take control now.
    
  • Understanding your antibody levels could guide you on how to support your thyroid alongside prescribed medication.

Get your own Hashimotos and Thyroid Test Online

In cases where your Doctor wont help you, you can get an independent antibody test. This self-initiated step can often be done at home and isn’t typically cost-prohibitive.

Begin with getting your antibody levels checked to confirm the presence of Hashimoto’s. There are links to the test I use on this page or click here.

Use my discount code THYROIDCOACHHELEN25  for 25% off.

This is a comprehensive test which covers TSH, free T4 and free T3 levels, but also CRUCIALLY,  two Hashimotos Antibody markers. Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGAB), Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO)

If your antibody levels come back raised you will be contacted by a qualified medical professional who can talk through the test results and the implications for you.

You can then take this independent medical diagnosis information to your own Doctor

• Getting The Most Out Of Hashimotos & Thyroid Testing:
• Access tests online that include a doctor’s assessment.
• Utilise the results to facilitate discussions with your own Doctor for a comprehensive approach to managing your health.

Getting the test results enables you to take a proactive stance in monitoring and slowing the autoimmune attack from by Hashimoto’s disease.

It’s a collaborative effort between informed self-care and professional medical advice, with a keen focus on diet and lifestyle modifications to mitigate symptoms.

Calming The  Hashimotos Immune Response

Once you know for sure if you have Hashimotos, You can take steps to stop it by looking at…

Diet & Lifestyle

It’s paramount to evaluate what enters our body and how we conduct our daily routines.

Integrating whole foods, those close to their natural state, and minimising processed items can substantially influence how the immune system behaves. 

There are several foods  that can be a trigger for the Hashimotos response so its important to work on removing these trigger foods from your diet.

These can include gluten, grains, dairy & eggs.

It’s important to figure out which of these impacts your system by experimenting with taking them out of your diet and looking for improvements.

Gluten

However, the most important item to remove is gluten which should definitely be avoided if you have Hashimotos.

Gluten is very close in structure to the Thyroid Gland as far as the immune system is concerned and fools the body into attacking the thyroid {a process called Molecular mimicry}. 

So complete gluten elimination is crucial to calm down the continuing attack on the Thyroid.

Committing to a Hashimotos friendly diet can really help in reducing inflammation, a key factor in autoimmune responses.

The Right Kind Of Exercise 

The right type of exercise is also important. The body can view over exercise as stress and so overexertion can have the opposite effect, potentially aggravating the immune response. 

Spending every day going crazy in the gym doing chronic cardio without recovery time in between is definitely best avoided.

Walking out in nature is a perfect exercise, which doesn’t raise Cortisol levels {stress hormones} and helps with mental health too. Walking has also been shown to reduce inflammation which is what we are aiming for with Hashimotos.

Calming Stress

It’s so important for your health to look at managing life’s pressures and obtaining enough sleep. 

I know this is often easier said than done in todays fast pace of life.

A mindfulness practice, like meditation or deep-breathing exercises, can really help in transitioning the body into a state of relaxation, ultimately contributing to immune system balance. 

Enhancing Sleep Quality

Aim for consistent, quality sleep, as inadequate rest can have a knock on effect on autoimmune activity.

Implementing a relaxing bedtime routine and ensuring a sleep-conducive environment are requisites for quality sleep.

• Mindfulness: Dedicate time to meditation or yoga.
• Regular Schedule: Strive to sleep and wake at consistent times.
• Sleep Environment: Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
• Limit Stimulants: Avoid caffeine, TV and electronics close to bedtime.

Be Your Own Health Advocate

Even though it may feel like an uphill battle I promise that you’re not powerless in this fight. 

Partnering with medical professionals while also proactively managing your wellbeing is crucial. 

Be strong. You will need to be your own health advocate to put your Hashimotos into remission

Do your research into Hashimotos. Knowledge is power when talking to your Doctor.

My FREE guide to feeling better with Hashimotos {with Thyroid-Friendly Recipes}

The influence of diet on Hashimoto’s cannot be understated. It’s not about a quick fix; it’s a sustainable lifestyle change to support your body and reduce the autoimmune response causing harm to your thyroid.

To help you get a jumpstart on this lifestyle I have made a free guide containing more detailed information and a collection of recipes specially designed for Thyroid health

This resource aims to empower you with knowledge and practical steps to balance your diet, assisting in the management of Hashimoto’s symptoms. 

Download your copy by clicking the button below

Remember, working alongside any medication, these diet and lifestyle adjustments can make a significant difference in your well-being.

Recovering from thyroid surgery involves navigating unexpected challenges. Some of these aren’t thoroughly discussed pre-operation.

One of the less talked about aspects is the delicate balance of medication afterwards. Finding the right dosage can be a trial and error process, and it has a profound impact on emotional well-being.

I’ve experienced firsthand how fluctuations in medication can bring on intense feelings of depression. It can catch you off guard, leaving you feeling incredibly low.

I want to share this because it’s important to recognise that these tough emotional experiences may be tied to your medication levels rather than your personal circumstances.

But with time and patience in fine-tuning your medication, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Mental Crash After My Thyroidectomy

When I had my total Thyroidectomy in 2017 my surgeon breezed happily through the “it’s just a little pill you take every day” speech.

He started me on 75mcg of Levothyroxine which I now know was way too low for me.

In the weeks after my Thyroid was removed my own thyroid hormones slowly left my body, leaving me reliant on this low dose. 

Slowly my mood dropped lower and lower. As someone who wasn’t a depression sufferer before, this was extremely worrying and frightening. 

Thankfully I somehow knew the terrible feelings weren’t “really me” but instead were related to the low dose.

That helped me to hold on…

I fully admit that on the worst days I truly didn’t want to be around any more. 

My fear

It frightens me that some people may be going though this without knowing that the depression can be fixed by a simple med adjustment.  

I worry that there may be deaths connected to this.

I have also heard from a nurse that they watch out for sulcldal feelings when people have to withdraw from their medication before going through Radioactive Iodine treatment.

So the medical establishment know this can happen but don’t warn Thyroidectomy patients about it.

The same serious mental health issues can happen with hypothyroidism too but Doctors rarely mention it.

Know you will feel better

So, I want to offer a word of encouragement. If you find yourself in a similar state, where each day feels heavier than the last, remember that adjustments can, and will, make a difference.

Finding that therapeutic ‘sweet spot’ for your medication is not just hopeful thinking; it’s a realistic goal.

With the right levels, not only does physical health improve, but so does emotional health.

Remember – You CAN get back to great mental health

You can buy your own full and accurate thyroid test to do at home. Its quick and easy to do and you get Doctors feedback which you can then follow up with your own Doctor.

I use Lets Get Checked for my at home Thyroid tests and you can find out more details about them here
Use code THYROIDCOACHHELEN25 to get 25% off your test kit

If you are worried about your mental health a full Thyroid test could be the first step to feeling well again.

Let’s start a conversation and spread awareness about  the connection between Thyroid health and mental health

Hi.  My name is Hashimoto’s.  I’m an invisible autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland causing you to become hypothyroid.

I am now velcroed to you and If you have hypothyroidism, you probably have me. I am the number one cause of it in the U.S. and many other places around the world.

I’m so sneaky– I don’t always show up in your blood work.

Others around you can’t see me or hear me, but YOUR body feels me.

I can attack you anywhere and any way I please.

I can cause severe pain or, if I’m in a good mood, I can just cause you to ache all over.

Remember when you and energy ran around together and had fun?

I took energy from you, and gave you exhaustion. Try to have fun now.

I can take good sleep from you and in its place, give you brain fog and lack of concentration.

I can make you want to sleep 24/7, and I can also cause insomnia.

I can make you tremble internally or make you feel cold or hot when everyone else feels normal.

I can also give you swollen hands and feet, swollen face and eyelids, swollen everything.

I can make you feel very anxious with panic attacks or very depressed.

I can also cause other mental health problems. You know crazy mood swings? That’s me. Crying for no reason?

 Angry for no reason? That’s probably me too.

I can make your hair fall out, become dry and brittle, cause acne, cause dry skin, the sky is the limit with me.

I can make you gain weight and no matter what you eat or how much you exercise, I can keep that weight on you. I can also make you lose weight. I don’t discriminate.

Some of my other autoimmune disease friends often join me, giving you even more to deal with.

If you have something planned, or are looking forward to a great day, I can take that away from you. You didn’t ask for me. I chose you for various reasons:

That virus or viruses you had that you never really recovered from, or that car accident, or maybe it was the years of abuse and trauma (I thrive on stress.) You may have a family history of me.

Whatever the cause, I’m here to stay.

I hear you’re going to see a doctor to try and get rid of me.

That makes me laugh.  Just try. You will have to go to many, many doctors until you find one who can help you effectively.

You will be put on the wrong medication for you, pain pills, sleeping pills, energy pills, told you are suffering from anxiety or depression, given anti-anxiety pills and antidepressants.

There are so many other ways I can make you sick and miserable, the list is endless – that high cholesterol, gall bladder issue, blood pressure issue, blood sugar issue, heart issue among others? That’s probably me.

Can’t get pregnant, or have had a miscarriage? That’s probably me too.

Shortness of breath or “air hunger?” Yep, probably me.

Liver enzymes elevated? Yep, probably me.

Teeth and gum problems? TMJ? Hives?

Yep, probably me.

I told you the list was endless. 

You may be given a TENs unit, get massaged, told if you just sleep and exercise properly I will go away.

You’ll be told to think positively, you’ll be poked, prodded, and MOST OF ALL, not taken seriously when you try to explain to the endless number of doctors you’ve seen, just how debilitating I am and how ill and exhausted you really feel.

 In all probability you will get a referral from these ‘understanding’  (clueless) doctors, to see a psychiatrist.

Your family, friends and co-workers will all listen to you until they just get tired of hearing about how I make you feel, and just how debilitating I can be.

Some of them will say things like “Oh, you are just having a bad day”

or “Well, remember, you can’t do the things you used to do 20 YEARS ago”, not hearing that you said 20 DAYS ago.

They’ll  also say things like,  “if you just get up and move, get outside and do things, you’ll feel better.” They won’t understand that I take away the ‘gas’ that powers your body and mind to ENABLE you to do those things.

Some will start talking behind your back, they’ll call you a hypochondriac, while you slowly feel that you are losing your dignity trying to make them understand, especially if you are in the middle of a conversation with a “normal” person, and can’t remember what you were going to say next.

You’ll be told things like, “Oh, my grandmother had that, and she’s fine on her medication” when you desperately want to explain that I don’t impose myself upon everyone in the exact same way, and just because that grandmother is fine on the medication SHE’S taking, doesn’t mean it will work for you.

They will not understand that having this disease impacts your body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, and that every cell and every body system and organ requires the proper amount and the right kind of of thyroid hormone medication for YOU

…..Not what works for someone else.

The only place you will get the kind of support and understanding in dealing with me is with other people that have me.

I AM HASHIMOTOS

By Anonymous