hey, I haven't heard of this book, I didn't realize there was someone else with Hashimotos. Are you struggling as bad as I am? If you are willing, could you tell me what you go through? I am hating this, and they aren't treating it at all, just the hormones. I hope this book helps.

Hi Vannilla,
A lot of us on here have Hashimoto's.

I've had my ups and downs. I no longer go to Endocrinologist for it. When I went to them I was much worse. Now I go to my Naturopath and she is trying to get my antibodies down to the normal range.

I really had to work on my digestion first and now it is pretty good.

She has me taking vitamin d3 every day, Iron, IgG (which is to help my immunity which is really low) She also wants me to add taking Selenium and Chromium but I have to do everything very slowly because of my UC.

Besides this I take Ginkgo, Dry E, magnesium, calcium and zinc everyday. Oh, and Flaxseed oil.

It's not easy to live with hypothroidism, that's I'm determined to find out what I can do to get better myself.

I hope that you get better soon.

So you have ulcer colitis? I am just wondering because I have (what they call) IBS-D. Complete oposite of constipation by far. I went to a GI specialist this past August because they thought I might have crohns, but that came back negative, I have been through the ringer of tests. To me it just doesn't make sense that I have Hashimotos and am not constipated at ALL. It's a nightmare. The only thing that I find that has helped is elavil, it took the pain away and then when I uped my thyroid med, I only have 2-3 episodes a week. Sorry if this is too much info, I am desperately trying to find a permanent lifestyle fix. I tried selenium, but it didn't work, it made me worse, but I've heard it helps others. It has just been frusterating trying to find something that works.

I, too, was baffled as to why I do not have constipation and it's one of the symptoms of Hypo. I have the opposite problem.

I also tried Selenium a few years ago and had a bad reaction to it that is why I have been relutant to try it again. This time I will try just a small piece from the pill and see if it makes me bleed.

I did a hair analysis and found out I was low in the things that I now take.

Something that I found to help with my UC is eating lots and lots of carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. I have to eat them for breakfast and for dinner. I should say, that they have helped with my bleeding and pain at least.

I'm so glad you found something for the pain. That is the worse thing I think, I hate the days that I am in pain. I might try some of the other ones you mentioned. But yeah, I won't go back to selenium because it made it so much worse, My Gi agreed that it might be good for me to stay away from. I don't know, it's all frusterating. I know how you are feeling though, I am right there with you. They can't explain to me why I have this problem. Do you notice an improvement while on thyroid hormones? I was hoping it was tied into Hashi's and that there could be help, but they don't see the link and so far on thyroid stuff, it hasn't changed. All they know is that I have inflamation in my small bowel. I'm still fighting my insurance to cover a camera test for it, just to make sure I don't have UC or crohns in my small bowel. I've only been told to take fish oil everyday for it and then peppermint oil after a really heavy meal if it causes bloating. I hope you can find some help that will soothe your pain.

Hashimoto's is hard enough to deal with as is UC. But add in all of my other issues it can all get so hard. It's always like a dance with my body. If I get one of my problems better another one comes up.

Summer is coming and I don't do well in the summer. My sister and I have a Native American condition that causes us to get sick and a rash from the sun. When I go out I wear long sleeves and cover up as much as possible but I still get it just from my hands. I am thinking of wearing gloves this year although even the gardening gloves I have the sun gets through.

So sorry for the complaining. At least I am still able to function.

Do you bleed? I sure hope you don't have crohn's or UC it is really hard. Just last year I was bleeding for 4 months and got so weak and wasn't able to digest my food. My ND really helps me to get back on track naturally. My body doesn't handle many chemical drugs. (Actually, none that I can think of except for my levoxyl.)

Oh, I know it gets hard, please don't ever apologize for complaining, that is what we are here for. You need to vent somewhere, I have found this is the only place, I feel like everyone around me just sometimes doesn't understand, but here, everyone is willing to listen and help as much as they can. I have had bleeding before but it only lasted a couple of days, they still didn't find anything wrong. My pharmacist says it was from the tamaflu I was taking at the time (I had a bad case of the flu, but I will never take that stuff again), the doctors told me it was impossible though. I do have the pain, usually the mid section to the right of my abdomen and then the mid back pain, oh my gosh it hurts for hours while I have an "episode" that's what the IBS world calls them. To me it just feels like someone is in there squeazing all my intestines and then once there is nothing left, I'm left with a dull lingering pain and it slowly eases over 2 hours and then I'm fine for the rest of the day, lately it happens in the morning about 2-3 hours after I wake up, but it has been known to start after lunch, right before lunch and after dinner sometimes. It's so frusterating because it's like it has a mind of it's own and I never know or can tell when it's going to hit me. I too react to all medical meds and alot of suppliments too, they are finding that my body has a very hard time absorbing a whole lot too. The only meds I've been ok on is the Armour, birth control (but it's a brand name and very low dose, I can't take or use any other kind, I've tried them all) and the small dose elavil (but I'm finding that I even have small short periods of reacting to that one too). It's been very hard indeed. I am so sorry you can't go out in the sun, that would be so hard to go through, if you ever need to talk (even about whatever) send me a message, I understand the lonely feeling and the not wanting to go anywhere feeling and I know how depressing it can get. I try to force myself to get out on my good days so I feel like I am capable of functioning outside my house, but the bad days, I stay home for the comfort knowing that I won't humiliate myself in public and my bathroom is right there, and when the pain hits, I just want to lay there until it subsides. I have started excersiceing, mainly pilates or zumba and I have been in a more balanced mood, maybe try something like that. Please hang in there, and know that you have friends here. I know it is very hard and I struggle with this myself, but try and tell yourself "it could be worse" I tried this, it helps for alittle bit, but I know it could be worse, I have a friend right now dealing with leasions growing on her brain and they diagnosed her with some rare form of MS, so she is going through lots of MRI's and blood cleaning procedures. It's a rough world out there, I'm glad I found this site, I haven't met anyone struggling with this stuff except on here.

http://hopeforhashimotos.com/hashimotos-video-series/ Link from author on information in book.

I recommend watching this one! http://hopeforhashimotos.com/videos-primary-cause-hashimotos/

Enlightening on Armour http://hopeforhashimotos.com/videos-hashimotos-pharmacy/

Vannilla, Thanks!! Even though I don't post too much I get so much encouragement just reading other posts and realizing I am not alone.

Butterfly,

Thanks for the links I will have to take a look!