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The Concealed Causes of "Thyroid Resistance"

MAF14

Senior Member
Messages
195
Any updates on progress with resistance to thyroid hormones?

Personally after a long hiatus off all meds, I just got blood work done and RT3 was lower on the range as was Free T3, waiting to see how my diurnal cortisol kit came out from a few days ago but I believe I will be trying T3 only again (pending cortisol results).
 
Messages
14
To anybody who can help:

Ok, I have MAJOR issues going on with my thyroid. LONG story short-I have several autoimmune diseases and have seen tons of doctors, specialists, etc and nobody can seem to tell me what's going on. I have had heavy metal chelations, mold chelations, live organic lifestyle, no gluten, no dairy, no soy, low sugar, I do coffee enemas, take all the correct supplements, done countless hours of research, tried every. single. medication for hypothyroidism there is. Literally. Turns out-I am Thyroid Resistant. I don't have the genetic TR and my labs are always fairly normal. I don't have high reverse T3-covered that. I've had a thyroid US-normal of course. I do have Hashimoto's because I can tell you the exact date it hit me and I exhibited every basic symptom of hashi's there is. From my thyroid swelling until i couldn't hardly swallow, hoarsness, hair loss, extreme wght gain, severe coldness, etc etc. It runs on BOTH sides of my family. My mom, gmother, aunt, etc. But my problem with treating my hypothyroidism is getting severe. It has affected my adrenals, blood sugar, and my cholesteral is sky high. I also have a super strong ammonia smell to my urine. I have been checked and checked and checked for parasites, mold, bacteria, heavy metals, etc. I'm starting to think I have something wrong with my mitochondria because when i try t4 or t3 meds it's like drinking water. NOTHING. And i mean nothing happens. I even tried the Thyroid resistant treatment of high dose compounded T3 (cytomel made me sicker-maybe the talc?) and it did nothing but made me lose muscle. I even went up to 230mcg T3 and it didn't help. I don't know how that;s even possible. But I'm here because I'm truly starting to worry that I might not make it through this if I don't find help. I have a 4 year old daughter and I'm trying my best to find help. I feel like i'm in the latter stages of hypothyroidism. I have started to have chest pains/heart flutters/racing and my eyes stay swollen, esp the hood of my eyes. My mouth has started to turn down and basically my appearance is changing. I have read a lot of books including Dr. Mark Starr's Hypothyroidism type II. The specialists that I have been too do not know what else to try since the high dose t3 didnt' work. I am speaking to my PCP about the low dose naltrexone but since i think it is my last chance i'm almost afraid to start due to the fact that it might not work. If ANYONE can offer just a little help, I would greatly appreciate it. If you could recommend any type of treatment, doctors, even research clinics or websites that would really help. I stay on the internet researching things and I really am grateful to sites like STTM and hypothyroid mom, chris kresser, and this site, etc because I probably wouldn't be where I am right now. I hope someone sees this. Thanks in advance.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
If you could recommend any type of treatment,
By accident, P5P made me drop my T4/T3 capsules. It also gave me serotonin syndrome (take B2, or better yet FMN with it!) and Hypertyroidism for a few days. Now, after I eat animal protein, I feel my body making heat out of it. I also realized there is a sweet spot for balancing thyroid/estrogen (B6/P5P will lower estrogen).
 

brenda

Senior Member
Messages
2,266
Location
UK
@mustardseed1

There is a large Facebook group of folk with Hashimotos who are reversing it with the autoimmune paleo diet and having much success. There is a lot if support there and plenty of recipes.
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
(B6/P5P will lower estrogen)
I see a few people quoting Ray Peat that B6 is an estrogen receptor antagonist. Is that the mechanism you're referring to?
You see, I've noticed hot flushes occurring right after I take B2. But I haven't paid attention to B6, and I take more of that (P-5-P).

Turns out-I am Thyroid Resistant.
I was wondering how you get diagnosed for that. Looking at this doesn't really compute at the moment:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/testguide.action?dc=TG_Thy_Horm_Resis
Did you have some of these tests? How were you diagnosed?
 
Messages
14
I see a few people quoting Ray Peat that B6 is an estrogen receptor antagonist. Is that the mechanism you're referring to?
You see, I've noticed hot flushes occurring right after I take B2. But I haven't paid attention to B6, and I take more of that (P-5-P).


I was wondering how you get diagnosed for that. Looking at this doesn't really compute at the moment:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/testguide.action?dc=TG_Thy_Horm_Resis
Did you have some of these tests? How were you diagnosed?

My tests were always normal. But my endocrinologists and PCP went by my symptoms. They ruled everything else out first tho. And in a normal person, if they were to take t3, they would have some reaction to it like rapid heartbeat, sweating, anxiousness, etc. I do not. That's Dr. Refetoff's labs as well. I've researched his and dr. John Lowe. Dr. Refetoff mainly focuses on the genetic form of Thyroid resistance which is your TRB and TRA genes. I was cleared for both of those through 23and me.
 
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Messages
14
By accident, P5P made me drop my T4/T3 capsules. It also gave me serotonin syndrome (take B2, or better yet FMN with it!) and Hypertyroidism for a few days. Now, after I eat animal protein, I feel my body making heat out of it. I also realized there is a sweet spot for balancing thyroid/estrogen (B6/P5P will lower estrogen).
By accident, P5P made me drop my T4/T3 capsules. It also gave me serotonin syndrome (take B2, or better yet FMN with it!) and Hypertyroidism for a few days. Now, after I eat animal protein, I feel my body making heat out of it. I also realized there is a sweet spot for balancing thyroid/estrogen (B6/P5P will lower estrogen).
Thanks for the reply! yes i've tried all the B vitamins and even some weird herbs. lol. I've actually tried the paleo diet for years also but it didnt' seem to help that much either.
 
Messages
14
@mustardseed1

There is a large Facebook group of folk with Hashimotos who are reversing it with the autoimmune paleo diet and having much success. There is a lot if support there and plenty of recipes.

Hey Brenda, Yeah I tried that years ago with not much change. I know i've spoke with a few ppl and for some even cutting gluten out reversed their hashi's. I wish i was one of those ppl:(
 

brenda

Senior Member
Messages
2,266
Location
UK
Hey Brenda, Yeah I tried that years ago with not much change. I know i've spoke with a few ppl and for some even cutting gluten out reversed their hashi's. I wish i was one of those ppl:(

Yeah me too. I am having success at last though on AIP . It might help you to read the posts there, yes.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I see a few people quoting Ray Peat that B6 is an estrogen receptor antagonist. Is that the mechanism you're referring to?
You see, I've noticed hot flushes occurring right after I take B2. But I haven't paid attention to B6, and I take more of that (P-5-P).
Yup. B2 and B6 apparently activate each other
I've actually tried the paleo diet for years also but it didnt' seem to help that much either.
Going gluten free reduced my antibodies by half, and provided a short relief. Then I started trying to eat healthier and got worse (oxalates).

Taking P5P until I got a serotonin syndrome :nervous: made me realize that B6 has a role in activating the thyroid hormones, and it probably works in tandem with vit D, because taking vit D always made me hypothyroid and raised my antibodies.

Now I know I will have to balance B6 with B2 and probably with vit D (not to mention the minerals involved like Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Se, I, Mg, all of them :ill:).

I also noticed that taking B2 increases my need for biotin, which got me in trouble in the 1st place because taking it alone gave me anaphylaxis - that is when I took P5P...
 
Messages
14
Yup. B2 and B6 apparently activate each other

Going gluten free reduced my antibodies by half, and provided a short relief. Then I started trying to eat healthier and got worse (oxalates).

Taking P5P until I got a serotonin syndrome :nervous: made me realize that B6 has a role in activating the thyroid hormones, and it probably works in tandem with vit D, because taking vit D always made me hypothyroid and raised my antibodies.

Now I know I will have to balance B6 with B2 and probably with vit D (not to mention the minerals involved like Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Se, I, Mg, all of them :ill:).

I also noticed that taking B2 increases my need for biotin, which got me in trouble in the 1st place because taking it alone gave me anaphylaxis - that is when I took P5P...

Whoa-that's interesting. Yeah i was taking all of the supplements, minerals, etc. When i first started taking vitamins years ago I was taking a multivitamin. I would vomit 30 min after taking it. Thought it might be the brand so i switched and same thing. I finally narrowed it down and realized it was the zinc. For some strange reason, I'm allergic to zinc?? Everytime i take it I vomit. And the weird thing is, my mom and aunt do the same thing when they take it! I'm starting to wonder if i should just go to to a research clinic so they can run test on all of my DNA/genes/everything :bang-head:
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I never found an OTC multi that suited my needs, so I work with a nutrologist and we order everything tailored to my needs from a compounding pharmacy.
I'm allergic to zinc?? Everytime i take it I vomit. And the weird thing is, my mom and aunt do the same thing when they take it!
Probable causes:
  • B6 deficiency (very likely - but watch out I find it really tricky to supplement read here for the approach that inspired me) coupled with B2
  • Zn lowers copper and iron (I can't take Zn without copper otherwise I get instant anemia)

I also suggest you to read about oxalates (how do you react to vitamin C?) we have a thread here and there is a Yahoo group you can join called Trying Low Oxalates. You can also read about balancing nutrients follow the link in my signature.
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I finally narrowed it down and realized it was the zinc. For some strange reason, I'm allergic to zinc?? Everytime i take it I vomit.
Do you know what type of zinc was in the multivitamins? I cannot take zinc oxide at all. I can take no more than 15 mg of zinc and only at lunch and supper. I have to eat a full meal with it.
 

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
Hi, I'm brand new. 2.5 years ago my doc abruptly cut me off my hydrocodone. This caused severe glutamate excitoxiticy and cortisol surges. I'm waiting for comments about my adrenal panel on the adrenal forum. My doc says they're "shot".

Could anyone recommend a good thyroid test? From what I read, lack of antibodies doesn't necessarily mean you don't have Hashimoto? @Gondwanaland, did you mean supplementing with B6 and b2 got you off your thyroid meds? I also have sky high cholesterol. Is this an indication of a poorly functioning thyroid?

Pretty scary about fish oil. I'm going to quit them straight away.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
did you mean supplementing with B6 and b2 got you off your thyroid meds?
Temporarily. I run into iodine deficiency. I don't supplement with iodine due to Hashimoto's. Some Hashi's patients do fine with it, some not. I suspect it will be trouble for me.