Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD

Thyroid Pharmacist

Functional Medicine Approach to the Thyroid

Functional Medicine Approach to the Thyroid

Medically reviewed and written by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

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Proper gut function is key to a healthy body.

I had the pleasure of attending an Advanced Gastrointestinal Conference by the Institute of Functional Medicine, a whole entire conference on addressing and balancing the gut!

There were 240 health care practitioners from around the world, including MD’s, ND’s, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurses, dietitians, physical therapists, and pharmacists!

I was so excited to meet amazing and innovative IFM members who are dedicated to getting people well including:

Dr. Liz Lipski, nutritionist and author of Digestive Wellness. Dr. Lipski’s book was tremendously helpful in my healing journey and has a great amount of information on restoring the gut.

Dr. Susan Blum, author of The Immune System Recovery Plan. Dr. Blum was able to put her Hashimoto’s into remission and now has a practice dedicated to autoimmune conditions!

Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of the Hormone Cure who is a Harvard trained MD, yoga instructor and woman’s hormone expert and happens to be a huge thyroid advocate as well!

Dr. Datis Kharazzian, author of “Why am I Still Having Thyroid Symptoms when My Lab Tests Are Normal” as well as a new book on functional neurology “Why Isn’t My Brain Working?” Dr. K is not only brilliant but incredibly kind and dedicated to getting more people better.  We are hoping to collaborate on a Thyroid Summit for patients sometime next year, so stay tuned!

WHY THYROID PATIENTS NEED TO WORK WITH A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONER

For those of you not familiar with Functional Medicine, according to www.functionalmedicine.org, “Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership.” That’s right, a whole medical specialty dedicated to finding and treating underlying causes and prevention of serious chronic disease rather than disease symptoms.

I was tickled pink when all of the presenters were talking about treating the root cause of diseases!

When I first set off to treat myself with a systems perspective and to find the root cause of my condition, I did not realize that I was using a functional medicine approach, I just believed in cause and effect.

The basic theory behind functional medicine is as follows

Food is information.  Beyond calories, the type of food you will eat will help determine if you are going to be healthy or sick. Functional medicine practitioners realize the value of a whole foods based diet as well as the role that inflammatory foods and food sensitivities can play in chronic disease.

Stress is a precursor to disease and weakens our body causing it to break down and makes us more susceptible to chronic infections.

Proper gut function is key to a healthy body.

Here is a glimpse of the information the attendees learned in the GI module

  • If you work with the gut, 60-70% of any disease will get better
  • The best way to give your patients the right treatment and diagnosis is through listening to them (I love that one!)
  • Treat the gut before attempting detoxification, as the gut is the main elimination organ; detoxification first may result in toxins circulating when gut function is impaired.
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a precursor to autoimmunity and chronic disease.

This last one resonated with me, as I was diagnosed with IBS in 2002, Hashimoto’s in 2009. Many of you may have never been diagnosed, but have had many of the symptoms. My IBS and GERD helped me connect the many dots to get to my root cause.

If we can catch IBS in the early stages, perhaps we can prevent thyroid and other autoimmune conditions. Additionally, since we understand that IBS is a precursor for the thyroid condition, treating the root cause of IBS will often result in remission of the autoimmune condition.

During the conference, three cases of IBS were presented, the root causes of these cases of IBS included

  • Case #1: parasite
  • Case #2: pancreatic enzyme deficiency, gluten sensitivity, overactive stress response
  • Case #3: low stomach acid, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Those of you that have read my book, Hashimoto’s The Root Cause, may have already been able to work out your root cause, and many of you have contacted me with great news of the success you have had from reading the book! But some of you may need additional guidance, and I hope that you will consider having a clinician trained in functional medicine as part of your healthcare team, and/or participate in my Hashimoto’s Self-Management Program, which is a 12 week self-guided course with weekly activities, videos, and worksheets designed to help you find and address your personal root causes.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CLINICIANS GET IT!

Now that I understand functional medicine, I am amazed that most traditionally trained physicians don’t recognize this links between nutrition, stress and gut imbalance that cause chronic illness.

While at the GI conference, I spoke with one amazing MD who said that she was so tired of being a doctor and seeing her patients deteriorate and get more and more medications at every visit that she almost gave up medicine!

Luckily, she found functional medicine, and now she is rewarded with patients that are actually getting better.  She said that she recalls the patients she used to see with thyroid issues and remembers telling them that all of their labs were normal and treating them with the standard therapies despite their constant concerns. After receiving functional medicine training, she became both angry at the current medical model and determined to change.

“I wish I could call all of my old patients and apologize for not treating them as a whole person and treat them with a functional approach.”

Many of you have asked me for recommendations of doctors in your area that use the approach that I have outlined in my book, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: The Root Cause. I’ve built a list of practitioners that treat the whole person and have been trained in integrative or functional medicine.

Over the last four years, I’ve been collecting the names and contact information for practitioners that are knowledgeable in the root cause approach to thyroid disease. Get the list of recommended clinicians and practitioners PLUS an excerpt from my book Hashimoto’s Protocol called “Finding Dr. Right” for free! Just enter your email below!

Also, if you have a great practitioner to recommend, please submit your recommendation here.

PS. You can also download a free Thyroid Diet Guide, 10 Thyroid friendly recipes, and the Nutrient Depletions and Digestion chapter for free by going to www.thyroidpharmacist.com/gift. You will also receive occasional updates about new research, resources, giveaways and helpful information.

For future updates, make sure to follow us on Facebook!

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Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician for any health problems and before making any medical or lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes can result in improved thyroid function and/or an increased absorption of thyroid hormone medications, leading to a lower required dose and possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism at a dose that was previously stable. Please discuss lifestyle changes with your physician and ensure that your thyroid function is monitored every 6-8 weeks while making lifestyle changes. Symptoms of overmedication include, but are not limited to: rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, irritability or mood swings, muscle weakness or tremors, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, weight loss, insomnia, chest pain, and excessive sweating. Do not start, change, increase, decrease or discontinue your medications without consulting with your physician.

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Comments

    • Dusty- thank you very much for your inquiry.

      I do provide a limited number of consultations, however, my consultative schedule is all full at the moment. I have a 12 week online program called Hacking Hashimoto’s that covers all of the strategies that I go through with my one-on-one clients, in a self-paced format, so that participants have access to all of the things I’ve learned about Hashimoto’s without having to schedule costly consults with me or another practitioner. There are a few requirements that you should pay attention to, such as my book is a required read.

      HACKING HASHIMOTOS
      http://hackinghashimotos.com/

      In addition, any person that goes through the program will have the opportunity for a follow up consultation with one of my thyroid pharmacist consulting members.

      Lastly, here’s the link to the book in case you have not read it already.

      AMAZON
      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615825796?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0615825796&linkCode=xm2&tag=thyroipharma-20

      Reply

      • I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto have not started medicine yet dr said I have to wait till my one level is higher , so I purchased the book to under stand more about this I just started reading its amazing how many symptoms I have the same but I am so stumped with one symptoms that doctors in my area are saying they don’t know what it is from my tongue turns orange I went to hematologist because I have a high iron, ferritin level thinking it was from that bit dr never saw it before had a scope done for reflux they never saw it my endocrinologist (nurse practitioner) said she never saw it . Has anyone ever heard of this before it does brush off when I brush my tongue. But keeps coming back

        Reply

        • Renee – thank you so much for reaching out and sharing. I am not able to advise you on this without a comprehensive health assessment. <3 I highly recommend that you work with a functional medicine clinician to be a part of your own health care team. It’s an entire medical specialty dedicated to finding and treating underlying root causes and prevent serious chronic disease rather than treating individual disease symptoms. I believe that everyone needs to find a practitioner that will let him/her be a part of the healthcare team. You want someone that can guide you, that will also listen to you and your concerns. You want someone that’s open to thinking outside of the box and who understands that you may not fit in with the standard of care. It's a good idea to ask some standard questions when contacting a new doctor for the first time. Something else to consider is you can work with a functional doctor remotely, via Skype. You could also contact your local pharmacist or compounding pharmacy, who may be able to point you to a local doctor who has a natural functional approach. But I encourage you to keep looking for the right one for you! Here are some resources you might find helpful.

          CLINICIAN DATABASE
          https://thyroidpharmacist.com/database-recommended-clinicians/

          FIND A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CLINICIAN
          https://ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

          http://www.thyroidpharmacistconsulting.com/recommended-compounding-pharmacies.html

          Reply

    • Dusty- Not everyone will need every single supplement! In fact, I believe that most nutrients should come from the diet, this is why I always list food sources for most of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals and probiotics that are depleted in Hashimoto’s in the book and on the blog. However, some may require/prefer supplements and the supplements on the website are a resource for those that do. I recommend getting tested for deficiencies to determine your need for a supplement as instructed in the book and blog. I also don’t recommend starting multiple supplements all at once. I recommend starting one at a time and then adding another a week or so later once it has been confirmed that the first supplement is not causing any harm.

      I do have a full supplements chapter in my book. Have you checked it out? Not everyone should be taking every supplement and the book will help uncover your root cause. This will help you figure out your supplementation.

      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615825796?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0615825796&linkCode=xm2&tag=thyroipharma-20

      Reply

  3. This is wonderful information! My daughter has Graves Disease and even with “normal” levels, they are not optimal for her. I would be very interested in having my daughter helped by someone in your group.
    Reply

  4. The PaleoAI Diet has make me malnourished, lost 15 ponds didn’t need to loose and caused my rT3 to go from 15 to 22 to 27.4 High! Now feel awful and need wait 3 months to the rT3 normalize hopefully, i am in bed 24/7 eith no energy. I did it gor too long and strict i guess. Will i frel well when my rT3 normalize?
    Reply

    • Lhali- Most people with Hashimoto’s will experience weight gain, and so of course that’s what gets the most focus, but some people actually experience weight loss, or they can’t keep their weight on.

      This is especially problematic when a person has multiple food sensitivities and needs to adhere to an autoimmune diet that restricts foods.

      Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

      1) Get a calorie counting app like My Fitness Pal on your phone, to help you keep track of your daily calories. Eating real food can be more filling than eating simple carbohydrates and you may not be getting enough calories. Use the app to figure out your target weight and the number of calories per day you need to get there.

      2) Supplement after dinner with The Root Cause Building Smoothie: 1 avocado (300 calories), 1 cup coconut milk (150 calories), 1 banana (100 calories), 2 egg yolks (100 calories, if tolerated), 1 scoop of protein of beef/pea protein(60 calories) – You can also add cooked sweet potatoes if you need more carbs.

      3) Get tested for gut infections. Gut infections can prevent the digestion and assimilation of foods, leaving you underweight and malnourished. The 401H test or GI Effects test are my go to tests.

      4) Get your adrenals tested with an adrenal saliva tests. In some, stressed adrenals may actually lead to poor absorption of foods.

      5) Be sure that you are not over medicated.

      6) Work on reducing your antibodies with a selenium supplement

      7) Stress reduction, when we’re stressed we don’t digest.

      8) Add coconut oil in your beverages, this can add extra calories in your day

      9) Avoid caffeine, it can make you less hungry and stress out your adrenals.

      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615825796?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0615825796&linkCode=xm2&tag=thyroipharma-20

      Reply

  5. Lhali
    Same thing happened to me, I didn’t eat enough on AIP and my RT3 skyrocketed. It didn’t take 3 months to come down, but I increased my calories and lowered my Armour dose. Then of course had to slowly increase the Armour dose again. The food sensitivities suggested by going AIP can be a “real” problem for some autoimmune sufferers, but not for all of us. I suggest having the food allergy testing to elimate actual triggers and then going on some version of the Perfect Health Diet so as not to be so low carb/low calorie. Paleo/AIP is just too low carb for some of us and it drags down already stressed adrenals in Hashimotos. Practical Paleo by Chris Kesser might be another solution.
    Reply

  6. The book says there’s recipe for home made elemental diet on your website, but I can’t find it.
    Thanks
    Reply

  7. I live in Australia and I am finding it really hard to find a functional medical prectioner. Can you help in any way. I have Hashimotos and struggling pretty bad.
    Reply

    • Maree- You may be interested in my 12 week online program called Hacking Hashimoto’s that covers all of the strategies that I go through with my one-on-one clients, in a self-paced format, so that participants have access to all of the things I’ve learned about Hashimoto’s without having to schedule costly consults with me or another practitioner. There are a few requirements that you should pay attention to, such as my book is a required read.

      HACKING HASHIMOTOS
      http://hackinghashimotos.com/

      In addition, any person that goes through the program will have the opportunity for a follow up consultation with one of my thyroid pharmacist consulting members.

      Reply

  8. I have hashimotos, can you please recommend a great person to work with in sacramento/auburn area? Even Bay Area would work
    Reply

  10. My PCP Dr. Sent me to an Endo Nov. 2015 after my Thyroid TSH came back 0.015. He put me on Methimazole Feb-May, I got so sick and my T3/T4 spiraled up to double digits; TSH remained the same. He suggested killing it with radiation; TSH still 0.015. After 3 months he put me on 90 mg. Armour,( I’m allergic to synthetics), still didn’t feel right, he did a blood test, said it was better and dropped it to 60mg. TSH hasn’t budged. He put me on 5mg cytomel..can’t tell yet. But just got my blood work again…TSH has not budged in almost 28 months, I’ve seen him a total of 4 times in more than 2 yrs, have had Hashimoto s before and was told I was someone who needed to be treated by their symptoms. I have never not been able to function the way I’ve been and he’s the only Endo in town.
    What does it mean when your TSH stays that bad for over 2 yrs? My T3/T4 has only been off a little if that. No Functional Drs that I can find in Ohio.
    HELP!

    Reply

  11. How does a person know if they have a thyroid problem. I live with anxiety, have all the symptoms you have talked about, negative thoughts take over, pain in my gut when it comes. fear of everything.On medication, My kids have lost there mom, they stay away, because they don’t know how to help, I want to get better, I miss my kids..How do I know whats wrong with me..Thank you so much for your time, hope hear back from you.

    Reply

  13. Hi there,
    Thank you for your work. I’m new here and after reading this post, I’m a little confused. I just started reading Hashimoto Potocol and it has you address the liver first, adrenals second, and gut last. However, this post seems to indicate you need to take care of the gut first. Am I misreading something?

    Reply

  14. Many good references. Finally some people are realizing they must take responsibility for their own health and well being.

    “I wish I could call all of my old patients and apologize for not treating them as a whole person and treat them with a functional approach.” the simple truth is she can do that if she really wants to.

    Keep up the good work !

    Reply

  15. Hi Dr Wentz,
    I have hypothyroid and autoimmune disease.
    Can you recomend someone
    In California, Los angles area.
    (818, 323, 805 ).
    I would like to see someone.
    Thank you,
    Pam

    Reply

  16. Hi dr Izabella
    Most of your recommendations seem to be for Hashinoto’s. I have a 21 year old son with Graves, treated for 18 months, stable and balanced now on Carbimazole and thyroid supplements. They have however, suggested total thyroidectomy now, since his gland is enlarged. Any recommendations?

    Reply

    • Naomi – thank you for following this page. My heart goes out to your son. <3 Graves and Hashimoto's are both autoimmune conditions that affect the thyroid. They are thought to be closely related. Sometimes one turns into the other. The difference is the site of the antibody attack. In Hashimoto's, the antibodies are found to thyroglobulin (in 80%) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) enzyme (in 95% of people) - Hashimoto's results in hypothyroidism and is usually treated with Synthroid and replacement hormone.

      The same antibodies may be present in a smaller percentage of people who have Graves, but the main antibody is to the TSH Receptor (TSHR-Ab). Usually people with Graves have hyperthyroidism and they are treated conventionally with thyroid suppressing drugs (methimazole) or radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid. At that point, the thyroid will no longer produce hormones on its own and these people end up on Synthroid as well.

      Most thyroid conditions result from the immune system attacking the thyroid because the immune system is out of balance. Even when the thyroid is taken out surgically or treated with radioactive iodine, the autoimmunity still persists in most cases. Many people will have their thyroids removed, and will develop new autoimmune disorders such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, etc. The immune system just finds a different target. We need to rebalance the immune system to prevent this (sometimes the autoimmunity can be reversed as well). The gut determines your immune system. With the exception of discussing proper thyroid medication dosing, the majority of my website and my book focuses on balancing the immune system. The information I present is based on my own research, in my journey for overcoming my autoimmune thyroid condition.

      Hashimoto’s Protocol
      thyroidpharmacist.com/protocol

      Hashimoto’s Root Cause
      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615825796?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0615825796&linkCode=xm2&tag=thyroipharma-20

      Reply

  17. I was diagnosed with “sluggish thyroid” after my first born. I was never told of Hashimoto’s. My son 2 yrs ago had an elevated TSH (routine blood work) and we were referred to the pediatric endocrinologist tested him for Hashimoto. His tsh was rechecked and was back to normal and his t3,t4 were never abnormal. She asked me if I had Hashimoto or hypothyroid–I thought they were same thing. So my endocrinologist tested me and my antibodies were present.
    My son is 17 and goes ever 6 months to check his labs but they are not treating him with medication at this point.
    I know there is mixed thoughts on it, some drs would treat and others dont treat until the numbers are off.
    He is asymptomatic. I just hope this is the right thing.

    Reply

    • Daisy – thank you for following this page. For children, teens, (and adults), I always recommend starting with the diet. Are they gluten, dairy, corn and soy free? Are they eating a nutrient dense diet with fermented foods?

      Implementing those changes can help many symptoms. For example, some cases of anemia can be helped by eating liver, others may resolve by going gluten free. Acid reflux is often caused by food sensitivities. Most of the interventions recommended in my book can be done with children, with the exception of the dosing of supplements. I do suggest that you work with a functional medicine doctor that is familiar in working with children (I only works with adults). I hope this helps!

      CLINICIAN DATABASE
      https://www.thyroidpharmacistconsulting.com/clinician-database.html

      FIND A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CLINICIAN
      https://www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx?id=117

      Reply

  18. Hi! I’m Celise. I’m 36 years old and I’m brazilian.
    I had my thyroid removed exactly 6 1/2 years ago, due to a papillary cancer. And since then I don’t feel well. I’m in a synthroid treatment (125mcg – 137mcg), but I continue dealing with trouble sleeping, anxiety, lack of energy, digesting problems and food intolerance. If I increase my dosage, I stop sleeping. If I decrease, I feel hypothyroid. And doctors, normally, don’t understad these symptoms.
    Recently, I’ve been reading you and Dr. Alan Christianson and finally I find new information about thyroid hormones and treatments. I’ve read Hashimoto’s Protocol, the one about thyroid treatments and The Adrenal Reset Diet. I’ve also read Paul Robinson about CT3M.
    I would like to know if you do consultations.
    Actually, I don’t know what to do anymore to try to feel okay.

    Thank you so much for your attention!
    Regards,
    Celise

    Reply

    • Celise – thank you for sharing your journey with me. Hashimoto’s often is a combination of food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, adrenal issues, gut issues as well as an impaired ability to get rid of toxins. Any of those things would prevent a person from getting better.

      Hashimoto’s is very much an individual condition. While there are root cause commonalities, each person will have their own or in some cases, more than one root cause. You will have to start with the simplest modifications, by removing triggers, followed by repairing the other broken systems to restore equilibrium, allowing the body to rebuild itself. You will need to dig down to why the immune system is imbalanced in the first place and this will tell you how you begin to finally feel better, reduce your thyroid antibodies and even take your condition into remission.

      You will have to create your own health timeline. Look back at your overall history as far back as you can remember. Look for infections, periods of severe stress, the use of medications (especially antibiotics, antacids, and oral contraceptives), accidents, and exposure to toxins. These are events that may have contributed to Hashimoto’s. Once you do, you will know what types of changes you need to implement to make yourself feel better.

      If you need further support, please check out the list of lab tests inside the “Testing” chapter of my book, Hashimoto’s Root Cause. I also offers a 12-week program, Hashimoto’s Self Management Program. I hope this helps! Here are some resources I hope you find helpful.

      BUILDING YOUR OWN HEALTH TIMELINE
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/sample-health-timeline/

      Hashimoto’s Self-Management Program
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/enroll-in-hashimotos-self-management/

      Reply

  19. I have diagnosed with Hashimoto 1 month ago, now I plan to dig into the root causes but it seems to me that I will not be able to find a functional medicine practitioner in my country( I live in Armenia). I hope I can do it with the information founded on the internet and your book.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Kristine – thank you for reaching out and sharing your journey. Hashimoto’s is often a combination of food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, adrenal issues, gut issues as well as an impaired ability to get rid of toxins. Any of those things would prevent a person from getting better.

      Hashimoto’s is very much an individual condition. While there are root cause commonalities, each person will have their own or in some cases, more than one root cause. You will have to start with the simplest modifications, by removing triggers, followed by repairing the other broken systems to restore equilibrium, allowing the body to rebuild itself. You will need to dig down to why the immune system is imbalanced in the first place and this will tell you how you begin to finally feel better, reduce your thyroid antibodies and even take your condition into remission.

      You will have to create your own health timeline. Look back at your overall history as far back as you can remember. Look for infections, periods of severe stress, the use of medications (especially antibiotics, antacids, and oral contraceptives), accidents, and exposure to toxins. These are events that may have contributed to Hashimoto’s. Once you do, you will know what types of changes you need to implement to make yourself feel better.

      If you need further support, please check out the list of lab tests inside the “Testing” chapter of my book, Hashimoto’s Root Cause. I also offer a 30 Root Cause Reset program and a 12-week program, Hashimoto’s Self Management Program. Here are some resources I hope you find helpful as well.

      BUILDING YOUR OWN HEALTH TIMELINE
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/sample-health-timeline/

      ROOT CAUSE RESET
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/enroll-in-root-cause-reset/

      Hashimoto’s Self-Management Program
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/enroll-in-hashimotos-self-management/

      Reply

  20. Hi, i have bought a book Immune system recovery plan, and since my mother is using hashimoto thyroid perscription i want to help her, but is she ever going to be able to go off the medication after 20 years of consuming it?

    Reply

  21. Hello Dr , Thank you for this god sent article. I forced My mother to get botox January 10th 2020(her one and only sitting). Soon after her Blood pressure started to fluctuate. Things got so bad we spent last three nights at emergency because her blood pressure was 210/100 . We Received her test Results today and Her T3 is very high. Shocking,because She has never had any thyroid issues. I Made the connection and googled Botox and thyroid. I was shocked to see numerous articles on the same. I was am so Heartbroken that I made my perfectly healthy mother so sick. My question is once the Botox wears off will the autoimmunity to thyroid stop? Since you have Not Mentioned anything regarding what to do if one has taken botox.. what follows. Is there any hope? I cant sleep or even eat thinking of what i have done to my mother. Can your please write a article in detail abt Botox and how tackel it from there? There is no information.. no help. Functional medicine doctors don’t exsis in all countries.

    Reply

    • Honey – thank you so much for sharing your mom’s journey. <3 My heart goes out to both of you. Botulinum toxins are among the most toxic poisons known to humans, with a lethal dose of approximately 1 ng per kilogram body weight. There are seven serologically distinct types of botulinum toxins. Botulinum toxin A (used in cosmetics treatments) is the most potent serotype, with a toxicity one million-fold higher than cobra toxin and far higher than cyanide. While there is benefit to using botulinum for specific medical purposes (for example, it can be used to address upper lid retraction issues associated with thyroid eye disease), I do not recommend its use for cosmetic purposes. I view botox as a foreign body a toxic one at that that you are putting into your body. That said, thyroid tissue can regenerate, but the rate at which it does is not always predictable. Thus, some are able to stop the autoimmune attack on their thyroid and regain normal thyroid function. Others can reduce the dose of medications, and others will need to stay on the medications indefinitely. Reversing Hashimoto's means different things to different people. For some, it means a reduction in symptoms, and for others, it means a reduction in your antibodies. I had both. Here are some articles you may find helpful as well:

      9 MEDICATIONS THAT ARE TOXIC TO YOUR THYROID
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/9-medications-toxic-thyroid/

      IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECOVER THYROID FUNCTION IN HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/is-it-possible-to-recover-thyroid-function-in-hashimotos

      REVERSING AUTOIMMUNITY? AND THE PERFECT STORM
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/reversing-autoimmunity-and-the-perfect-storm/

      Reply

  22. Hello! I’m 48 years old. I’m battling with hypothyroidism since I was 33 years old. I’m not taking medications over 2 year now. Taking different supplements . But I never could find a way to treat my thyroid naturally. My last blood work was 12/10/2020 and the TSH 14.76
    T4, Free 1.0 and T3 Free 2.7. Also was detected H-Pylori on the test I did at the same day . Can you help me please.

    Reply

    • Claudia – thank you for reaching out and sharing. I’m so sorry you are struggling. <3 If your thyroid hormone levels are not optimal, thyroid medications can help you optimize them. Taking thyroid medications can also help reduce symptoms and thyroid antibodies. I’m a big fan of using everything we can to get ourselves better. That said, many people find that thyroid medications do not eliminate all of their symptoms, and they need to address their personal root causes of Hashimoto’s in order to feel better. It’s important to note, however, that some people are able to wean off thyroid medications once they figure out their triggers and address them. There are quite a few options for thyroid medications. In my experience, what works for one person may not work for another.  If your doctor will not prescribe the medication which you are looking for, ask your local pharmacist for doctors in your area who prescribe the medication you are looking to try. Have you read these articles? ❤️ 
       
      MEDICATIONS FOR HASHIMOTO'S AND HYPOTHYROIDISM
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/medications-for-hashimotos-and-hypothyroidism/

      TOP 11 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THYROID MEDICATIONS
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/top-11-things-you-need-to-know-about-thyroid-medications/

      IS YOUR T4 MEDICATION WORKING FOR YOU? (Tirosint)
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/is-your-t4-medication-working/

      Reply

    • Helene – thank you for reaching out.❤️ The same labs used to diagnose thyroid disease in adults can be used for children, however, the lab values and reference ranges to look for may differ. My research is based on adults so I cannot provide information for children; please consult your doctor for pediatric thyroid testing.

      Reply

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