All rights reserved Brad Shook, DC, DAAMLP, CSCS 2019
All information contained on this site are informational only, and not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any dietary, supplemental or changes to your medications. The word "treat," and "treatment" may be used on this site, and does not represent a medical approach to "treating" any condition. Dr. Shook's office does not "treat" any condition, but rather supports adaptive physiology with the goal of maximizing foundational health. This should be considered as part of our terms of use for all of our website(s), office policy, and should be considered a formal notice.
When someone has a thyroid mass, is it always autoimmune?
I was diagnosed with Graves disease and then 10 years later was diagnosed with Hashimotos.
I also had graves and hashimotos
Kim Wible same here
Kim, Danielle, and Zoe Renninger, it seems like more people are presenting with both Graves’ and Hashimoto’s. It could just be that more people are finding me becasue of what I talk about, but I wonder if there is an increase within the general population of both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s in the same person?
The Office of Dr. Brad Shook good question, I have hashimotos antibodies but got diagnosed with graves first because of one eye that was bulging. I’m not sure my thyroid eye disease meant I have graves though as all the other tests came back negative. Perhaps my TED was linked to Hashimoto and I got misdiagnosed. Luckily my eyes returned to normal (phew) but I’m now just left with bad joint pain. Seeing doctors tomorrow, wish me luck
I take Vitamin D and multi Vitamins
It’s very important! I take liothyronine and synthroid always take my meds prior to blood work! I will never again! Still feel horrible since starting the T3 this could be why?
For ME, it made me sicker. I asked my Dr to switch me to Armour and it made a huge difference.
When on Thyroid hormones and BHRT what binds to what and what labs should be measured to find out what is inhibiting what?
Deborah, I hope the explanation in the video answer this question for you. Hope you have a nice day.
Yes, and thank you very much!
Ty so very much for all your help
Thanks I knew I was right when I had symptoms and my new doc lowered my med because numbers she said she never heard of hashimoto’s numbers being low yet can go up the next few days when she lowered from 125 mcg synthesis to 112 months later I was back on 125 then 135 and now 150 all in a year
Teresa, good job! You know your body better than anyone so communicating what you’re experiencing is really important and self-education will help you to help your doctor better make sense what’s going on to help determine the most appropriate treatment.
My Thyroid Specialist want to do radiation tablet, Should I do that ? Women say they feel worse once there Thyroid is killed off
Sandra Freer, if it’s possible to save your thyroid please do. Our daughter had Grave’s and her thyroid wasn’t controlled properly resulting in numerous thyroid storms. I didn’t know what I know now and I trusted doctors back then and followed their guidance blindly. Our daughter deals with a lot of issues now because of her thyroid being killed off.
Shanon Brown Ty so much for your advice, I truly appreciate it 🙂 I don’t want to kill my Thyroid
Shanon Brown What would you recommend I do to help my Thyroid pls
See a Doctor like Dr. Shook that knows about the thyroid and appropriate testing and treatment.
What can help constipation with hoshis? I’ve literally tried everything and nothing is working. I’m on 800mg magnesium.
Laura, in similar cases I really try to focus on what is breaking down with your thyroid hormone physiology. If there’s an issue where there is dysfunction with in production, Transportation, sensitivity, or detoxification of thyroid hormone then there can be an impairment in your body’s response and that can we do any of the symptoms and that may lead to any of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
If I’m working with someone and we’re going through the process of optimizing their biochemistry and immune response and they’re still having problems with constipation, how often have them take magnesium as you’re doing and add vitamin C up to a few grams per day in combination with making sure they’re drinking plenty of water.
I do want to mention that I always what’s on the diets first and try to make sure that they’re getting adequate amounts of fiber, but if that’s not working then adding in ground flaxseed, chia seed, psyllium husk can all be very beneficial. Sometimes I’ll even use MCT oil. I hope this helps.
Just so you know I covered this in the transformation program which I should be finished with and I’m going to make it publicly available hopefully this coming Monday.
What can i get to help with my gasterist i did have h pylori .and i had treatment for that been dealing with this for 7 yrs now .and my thyroid levels are low im tired i get 7 hrs asleep
Esther, I’m really sorry that you’re going through this.
In similar cases I always always make sure to re-check to make sure that the H pylori is gone. Sometimes it’s very hard to get rid of it. And it may still be persistent.
In similar cases once the H pylori is gone I start using things to thicken the gastric lining like mastic gum and deglycerized licorice. If someone has problems with blood pressure I don’t care if we use licorice because it can cause decrease excretion of sodium and therefore increase blood volume and pressure.
If the gastric lining is still in Flames I will often suspect parietal cell antibodies which is basically autoimmunity of the stomach lining. If there’s any autoimmunity detected I always start with trying to address the driving factors of the immune response. I looked and take a detect, remove, repair approach. You can learn more about it here
https://wp.me/P1VaS0-30K
I hope this helps
Hello Dr. Shook.
Monica, hi!
I am
I had A cystic teritoma removed with my right ovary year after I was diagnosed with hashimoto’s could that caused me to develop hashimoto’s?
Hi Teresa! I did some research and found a case study that was very interesting…. it looks like there could be a connection.
Here is the paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21609196
The Office of Dr. Brad Shook thank you .
I dont want pharmaceutical drugs i want answers
Tracie, I understand and I’m with you. I hope you have a nice day.
Is there any test for autoimmunity against the ovaries?
Thank goodness for your Guidebook. My doctor ordered those 9 and more.
Guide book do tell I need one
Pearl, you can learn about it here… 9thyroidtests.com
Is it common for someone with hashimotos to develop rheumatoid arthritis?
It can happen. It’s expansion of autoimmunity to other tissues. This will explain the concept for you and give you some ideas. Hope this helps. https://www.facebook.com/drbradshook/videos/900804743643369/
As a recovering addict so true
I belive my mesh and rremoval messed me all up
Wish i lived near your area and tou waa my dr
Yay
Thanks so much. Very informative answer!
Deborah, you’re welcome!
Ty so very much for all your help 🙂 I truly appreciate your help
Sandra, you’re welcome. Thank you for the feedback.
Im sure it’s posted already… you can learn more about the guidebook at 9thyroidtests.com. Hope this helps!
Here is the study I mentioned… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=single+dose+t3+adminsitration+kinetics+and+effects+on+biochemical
I was admitted into hospital thinking I was having a heart attack.. (levothyroxine 200 mcg)
I felt better not taking med. I don’t know how long it was that I stopped… My TSH was 36.
I went to new Endo today. I did lose 3 lbs in 6 weeks being back on my medication for the last 6 weeks, but, my muscles hurt my joints hurt, brain fog, always tired, hair falling out and dry skin I’m sure I forgot something LOL she is redoing blood work I took my levothyroxine at 1 a.m. and have blood drawn at 3 pm. She is testing me for TSH, T4, vitamin D, and also celiac disease.. I don’t know if my thyroid is underactive or overactive right now I just know I don’t feel well week 6 weeks straight on 200 MCG Levothyroxine is this normal?
My TSH has come up from .007 to .02 while on NDT.
You just have to go to a different doctor until they listen. I went to five… until finally one who free t3 and t4. And understand a person with no thryroid should be suppressed!
Is TSH accurate if taking Cytomel?
Hello from Kentucky
Craziness after hysterectomy?
I feel like a flipping sloth rite now. It’s bad
Thank you so much for this information Dr.shook
Melly, you’re welcome. Thank you for the feedback. I hope you have a nice day.
I (very sorry I did) had my thyroid removed. Endo. said cancer and hashimoto it needs to come out. Worst decision I ever made.
Cheryl Noble Williams no cancer but had to have my thyroid removed , wish I hadn’t , more problems then it’s worth
Cheryl and Linda, sorry that you’ve both had to go thorugh this. I’m hoping you both are able to restore your health to the fullest. Thank you for sharing. Warm regards.
Is there a blood test hashimotos?
Patti, yes. You need TPO antibodies, and thyroglobulin antibodies. To diagnose Hashimoto’s you also need to be hypothyroid. Hope this helps.
To continue, thyroid gone, have MS. Totally emotionally and physically at the bottom. No sexual hormones so no happy husband. Menopause. Gained 40 lbs. Sleep about 16 hours a day. Try to Excercise. I am on Armour Should I look at Deha? HRT?
Cheryl Noble Williams, me too until I changed my diet, got rid of the stress, and started taking selenium. Dropped 30 lbs so far but am stuck on last 10 lbs.
Cheryl, there is hope! I would focus on trying to get systemically as healthy as possible. There are so many things to consider. Rather than type them out, let me share with you the approach I use clinically. This should help give you some ideas… this is the same way I approach all autoimmune conditions, and I have seen most of them. https://drbradshook.com/hashimotos-doctor-method/
Hope this helps!
Lisa, good job!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!!
The same thing happened to me. Go to a general doctor and they check tsh and said to lower dosage. After awhile I feel terrible. Go back to doctor’s that specializes in hormones and thyroid and they put me back up and now fine.
Melinda, good job! You have to be your own advocate.
10 in the uk !
Sarah Jane France
Normal tsh raised tga?hashimotos ?
Not technically… this is typically considered thyroid autoimmunity, or euthyroid Hashimoto’s, but not Hashimoto’s. Hashimoto’s is when high TSH plus the antibodies are high, and typically TPO antibodies. Bottom line, this scenario is considered thyroid autoimmunity, but it appears the thyroid is still functioning if TSH is normal and that autoimmunity is in an earlier stage. If you haven’t done so, you do need to see your primary care to further work it up and get an ultrasound if it hasn’t already been done. Hope this helps.
Hi Dr. Brad, I just got home from work… It!s 12:11AM @ West-Cost time… I miss your FB live.. Thanks for your information
Is there the way to resetting immune system? I’ve heard that fasting for 4 days will reset it , fasting under supervision used to treat diabetes . Will this work to reset immune system?
Hi Ted. I’ve seen the articles circulating around social media regarding resetting the immune system when you fast for 4 days, but I haven’t seen how that translates into improving autoimmunity. I think it is fascinating and full of exciting possibilities.
Clinically, I don’t use more than a 16-hour fasting window due to prioritizing stabilizing blood sugar at first, but it is possible to extend the fasting window under medical supervision to much longer periods of time. As you stated, it tends to work very well in diabetics, I’m not sure how it will work with autoimmunity. I have seen that the benefit of giving the gi tract time without food tends to help decrease inflammatory reactions and supports healing of the gut.
What if your taking both in one pill. T4 and T3
BEst practice would be to not take before the test, the meds will change the test results. I would ask your doctor about the timing and make sure they want you to take it before the test. Hope this helps.
Hey from NC
Hey Shanon!
I always have high rt3, tried to tell doc I may have a conversion issue based on own research, they don’t listen. My fatigue is out of control
Sorry about that, Shanon. They don’t have the training or a tool to help you. If they had the training and the freedom to treat you with conversion issues they would… it’s the system. It has its pluses and minuses like all forms of healthcare.
Can your thyroid being out of whack cause migraines?
Hey Shanon. Yes it can. Here is a case study too… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27390121
I would like to know more about your thoughts regarding autoimmunity expanding to the parathyroid gland. I recently become aware and very curious about this topic.
Jo-Ann, I’m not that familiar with it but autoimmunity can expand to any tissue and because there’s already an autoimmune process going on in the thyroid of people with Hashimoto’s and Graves disease that makes sense based on the leading series on autoimmunity that the process could expand to a nearby tissue. I have found a few parathyroid tumors in my clients by looking at their calcium levels but I’m not as familiar with autoimmunity against the parathyroids
I just want to feel better too! What Dr do you go to that will check for hashimotos and knows how?
Hi from South Africa
Ruth Cohenson
Theresa Lamond
LeighAnn Fay-Kerper thanks!
Please post the 9 things website again
Marie, you can learn more here 9thyroidtests.com. hope this helps!
Post info for Guide book
Hi Marie. Here is the link for the guidebook 9thyroidtests.com. Hope this helps!
I’m going to get a notebook just for Dr. Shook notes.
Do you know how I could increase my ACTH levels?
I was told to take my meds at night
Mine over years keeps increasing started off on 25mcg now on 225.
Check for “half moon in your nails” I don’t have any
Low thyroid, pcos and gastroparesis all go hand in hand
I had a level of 60 tpo in my full panel. I am a firm believer in fixing the underlying issue of the auto immune response that’s giving the Hashimoto level in my panels. I have recently started thyrotain. My doctor gets it and I purchase it from her at the office. Have you heard of this medication? I feel like my levels become crazy right before and after menstrual cycles to the point of debilitating anxiety and hopelessness. Does pmdd also come to mind with people that have hashimotos?
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I learn something every time I watch.
I need this doctor in my life desperately. I am a complete mess lol.
I felt same way on genetic crap. Nearly in a wheel chair hurt so bad.only take brand thyroid medicine
I take Armour and feel better if I split dose into two, early morning and mid afternoon. My doc doesn’t think that’s necessary. What are your thoughts?
Sandra freer, I took the pill and I feel dreadful! I have been battling with this for 14 years. I felt better with graves than hypothyroidism. Now have hypo and Hashimoto’s disease
Is it weird to take a low dose of levothyroxine with 2 grains NT?
In March I had a thyroidectomy because my TSH was 6.84. I was diagnosed with hashimotos disease many years ago.
This doctor has “patients,” not “clients.” Or maybe he’s not a doctor?
Diagnosed with a malignant nodule endo. Said just to watch as grows slowly . Get ultrasound every year.
Interesting.
Hi Dr Shook !