Chronic Fatigue Epstein Barr and what is Hashimoto's is my life over ?

I agree with Sassy as well. I had my daughter get a complete thyroid panel done privately in February. It showed she has primary hypothyroidism. She hates taking medication and lives a very clean lifestyle. She decided she wanted to go see a naturopath that claimed he was a thyroid specialist. She was 19 at the time of her naturopath appointment, so I went with her. That guy was full of crap! He told her that a high TSH would not impact her ability to get or stay pregnant ( no, she's not trying to get pregnant but it was just such a profound, uneducated statement) and he wanted her to try eating better and taking an herbal supplement ( which he made and sold in his practice) and that she would be good! Well, she can't eat any healthier as she is already a very healthy, clean eater. I was in a tough position because here is my kid that's legally an adult being sold what I believe was a load of hogwash! So my daughter bought the supplements and made another appointment. Once we got home and I looked up the supplement ingredients and we went over them, she was convinced he was more of a dr for simpler conditions and that she'd leave her thyroid in the hands of a conventional dr.  She then went to a GP with the thought she'd  get a referral to an endocrinologist, but her numbers were enough to get the GP to start her on Levothyroxine. I'm not in love with this GP and feel my daughter needs an endo as the GP is making adjustments to her doses based on TSH alone despite her symptoms. I would go straight to an endocrinologist if I were you. 

Hi Audra, I had a similar experience when I went to a naturopath a few months ago.  Tried to sell me a lyme disease regiment program...even though my blood test through them was clear!  Tried to get me on Long term doxycycline and come in for cleanses, etc. I was suspicious, but bought a couple of the “anti viral” supplements.  I was up all night with severe stomach problems...one of the supplements contained cow colostrum.  Then, when I declined the Lyme theory.  they tried saying I had Hypothyroidism and I needed to get on disseminated pig thyroid and supplements.  If anything, I would be Hyperthyroid as my TSH runs lower and I am skinny as a rail.  I am not slamming all naturopaths, just, I do not think they are well regulated in my area.  Also, my state just recently granted licenses to practice, so they are popping up. Also, if you have a reaction in the middle of the night...you would be heading of to the ER, not them.  Buyer beware for sure! 😉

My thyroid levels went crazy! Had to get back on synthroid pronto to get regulated. It might work to give women who aren’t hypo or slightly hypo to get energy but if you are truly hypo don’t mess around with it. Even a gp can give you proper thyroid tests Lori.

It's my understanding that you don't want to play around with T3! Only people that have no thyroid gland or those with T4 to T3 conversion issues need it! If you're not hypo or even slightly hypo taking T3 when it's not medically needed could be dangerous. I have heard of people that want to take T4 or T3 as dietary supplement to lose weight and that's just insanity and could be very dangerous! 

Hi all

Have to say I'm a big believer of taking a holistic approach to health care, I'll try pretty much anything. But, the stories posted today about thyroid issues and methods of treatment is scary to me! The thyroid is such an important gland, it can't be managed by supplement, exercise or anything other than a qualified specialist. My thyroid is my nemesis, it has attempted to take me out on many an occasion and my graves disease gave me acute ulcerative colitis which couldn't be stopped. I had a permanent illeostomy 5 years ago thanks to that. So as far as I am concerned, I use holistic medicine where its appropriate and get my medical advice from someone qualified to give it. I'm glad so many feel the same..... Look after your thyroid ladies ? xx

Couldn't agree more Sassy! My daughter was committed to play college volleyball at Cornell but had to give up playing because her hypothyroidism made it impossible to continue. We weren't aware of her hypothyroidism at the time, but she was just unable to keep up her high intensity workouts, playing the sport and studies. It was a real struggle for her to give up the sport she loved and had been so passionate about since she was 13. She put so much hard work and time and sacrifice to get recruited to play in college only to have it stolen away right at the end by the hypothyroidism. Right now, she's deep in the weeds trying to sort it out and go to college while feeling half human. I feel for her and for anyone that is suffering from thyroid issues. It is not something to be messed with. One of my daughters friends asked if she could have a couple of her Levo pills because she wanted to lose some weight! Agh!! How stupid!! I had no idea how important the thyroid is until I stared reading on it to support my daughter. I agree.... look after your thyroid! 

There are books available that will explain Hashimoto's much better than any of us can.  I went undiagnosed and wasn't treated for 2 years because my gp (in US) didn't think to run blood tests.  The thyroid is the master gland and controls lots of the body's function.  It is not tied to peri menopause, instead it would be the reverse.  Peri symptoms would come from an underachieve thyroid gland. I know, because by the time I got properly diagnosed, my periods had stopped and I went into early menopause at 40.

Because your body's essentially trying to kill your thyroid, sometimes your thyroid becomes overactive and you can be diagnosed with Graves disease before your thyroid begins to die.  When it does, you get diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  It's important to find a god endocrinologist That's because once a person develops one autoimmune disease, you can develop others, so it's best to be vigilant.  

Hi lynda, I think you meant to respond to Lori, but...I wanted to comment...Your experience is exactly what happened to the nurse at my obgyn.  Undiagnosed Hashi,Early meno, She is on the patch now.  Also, do you know anything about Reverse T3 (RT3).  my primary dr tested my thyroid and that came up  high...everything else normal.  Basically, a conversion issue.  He referred me to an endo.  I waited 6 months only to be told that test means nothing and was not sure why my dr did it.   I read naturopaths interpretation of that test...saying hypo thyroid.  However, conventional medical info says that test can show high if the body is stressed or inflammation...which I think is the case with me! So confusing! 😐

Hi there, sorry, I don't know about Reverse T3. I would suggest that the endo would know the most about this situation.  Frankly, I think that most gps don't have a clue. If you're still concerned, why not try another endo?

As for being on the patch--I know you didn't ask about this. But I had 2 friends on the patch who got DVT blood clots, and they could have died.  Both of them had no idea that the patch could cause this.  They didn't read the info that came with their prescriptions.  

It took one of them 3 days to head to ER, she tried to exercise what she thought was a muscle cramp away.  The other one was a work friend.  I had to switch off her computer and insist that she go to the ER.  She told me she needed to do payroll first.  They both could have died, not a fan of the patch any more as a result.  xx