DR. IZABELLA WENTZ, PHARM D

Thyroid Pharmacist

Lyme Disease & Hashimoto's

Lyme and Hashimoto’s

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A Thyroid Root Cause

Finding and eliminating chronic infections can eliminate the symptoms of many conditions like Hashimoto’s, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and other conditions…

Eliminating the infection can even put the conditions into remission!

A message from a reader inspired me to go deeper into one of these infections, which can trigger Hashimoto’s….

Here’s the message:

“Dear Dr. Wentz,

I have a suggestion that I feel is important to include if you ever come out with a second edition of your book.

After any interventions for my Hashimotos’ over a three-year period, which included gluten free, low dairy, low sugar, H. pylori and parasite treatment, Natural Desiccated Thyroid, and many supplements, I’ve recently been diagnosed with Lyme disease and a tick-borne co-infection, Babesia.

Likely I’ve had it for years, and it is what caused my Hashimoto’s. After hanging put on Lyme groups, I’m discovering many Hashimoto’s patients who have Lyme.

It’s too much of a coincidence …and I feel the word needs to get out, so Hashimoto’s patients and their doctors can get them the proper testing just in case.

They would need a Lyme literate medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

Dr. Horowitz has a great new book on the subject that is the equivalent to your book but in the Lyme/multiple systemic infectious disease syndrome world. Thought you might be interested. Love the work you do!”

Not suggesting every Hashi patient’s root cause is Lyme by any means, just that it can be one root cause, through molecular mimicry, and since many of the symptoms overlap with those of Hashi’s that many on Hashi groups are suffering from.

I feel the word needs to get out.  I was through reading a woman’s story on the Hashimoto’s 411 group, who was recently diagnosed with Lyme that it got more on my radar.

And then I went to a new nurse practitioner, and ended up getting tested for Lyme after she thought my symptoms matched, and my tests came back CDC positive.”

Overcoming Lyme

While I do discuss Lyme, a tick-borne infectious disease, as a potential root cause of Hashimoto’s in my book Hashimoto’s: The Root Cause and my post about infections and Hashimoto’s, I want to give you additional resources to help you overcome this debilitating infection!

As those of you who have been reading my book and posts know, I am a big proponent of lifestyle change, like adopting a nutrient dense diet, but unfortunately, sometimes diet is not enough. Although getting on an appropriate diet will help everyone, it will not always result in a remission of your autoimmunity. (Interested in trying out the Autoimmune Paleo diet? Download free recipe plans!)

I thought this was an important message to bring up, especially for those of you who have tried the diet and have had limited success. Autoimmunity starts in the gut, and Lyme disease destroys the gut completely!

So if you’ve tried a lot of things, have a lot of symptoms, you’re tired, in pain, have numbness, headaches, memory problems, pain that changes or moves around the body, symptoms that come and go- no matter what you do, symptoms that worsen around your period, symptoms that get better, or are intensified on antibiotics (either due to the antibiotics suppressing the Lyme or killing too much causing die-off) … please look into testing for Lyme- it can be a root cause of your Hashimoto’s!

Dr. Richard Horowitz is a pioneer in Lyme treatment and has developed a Lyme quiz you can take to see if you are a high risk for Lyme.

You will need a blood test to confirm the infection; I recommend this lab for testing for Lyme.

I also want to warn you that Lyme is a really difficult infection to eradicate. As the reader who wrote in mentioned, not many doctors are very familiar with treating a chronic Lyme infection— you will need a Lyme Literate Doctor as well as a lot of support to overcome this infection.

Go to Ilads.org for more info on Lyme Literate Practitioners.

Hope this information helps you on your journey!

PS. You can 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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  1. I listened to a interview with, I think, Jordan Reasoner on Lyme and Hashimoto’s. It was very interesting to me considering I had so many tick bites I cannot even count. One time my husband got 17 tick out off my labia, a week after I’d lain on a kiddy mat out in the sun (I was quite weak and thought some sun would help). I didn’t know anything about bulls eye rash until 10 + years later–maybe 2008. Soon after I learned about the bulls eye rash, I noticed a bulls eye on my leg where I’d picked a tick off maybe a week or two previous. A PA told me it was nothing but gave me some antibiotics that a Dr. said was appropriate if I did have Lyme tick bite. A year later, I had another tick bite with bulls eye rash.
    I don’t know how much tick bites have had to do with my health struggles, yet, they probably haven’t helped any.
    I am seeing a functional medicine doctor, but I’m not satisfied with his approach to me. I haven’t been told I have Hashimoto’s, but much of what you described on your webinar with ZRT Labs today, as well as the one I heard before, sound like me. I am on Levothyroxin, Liothyronin, Testosterone, Progesterone, Estriol vag. cream, pregnenolone, DHEA as well as a number of other supplements. I would like to win the raffle because there are tests I have not yet had that you say would be good for me to have.
    Reply

  2. This article is spot on!!! My daughter and I both have Lyme and had R.M.S.F.with babs and or Bartenella as a co infection. My daughter was first told she had H.thyroid disease, then she was told Mono and Fibromyalgia. Recently found she has a mutated gene and is on Deplin for it ….which helps her a good bit although her adrenals are awful, vitamin d level is still too low even though she takes it everyday. Her thyroid is so up and down and she rarely has periods and is at the age of 22 now and has been battling with most of this hard since she was 7, and 16. Although now I believe but not 100% sure yet she was born with Asbergers Sydrome with Sensory Intergration it may all be from just being born with Lyme. I would love to see a book on this because so many have no clue that Lyme is everywhere in every state and that so much of it all is connected to these health issues. Lyme isn’t cured with antibiotics.
    Reply

    • Michele- Without going into too much detail, the first of the crucial defining moments in my disease development may have started during my undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois. Due to the communal living setting of dormitories (and less than stellar hygiene habits of most college students) I had recurrent strep throat infections and even contracted mononucleosis, a viral infection caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which is implicated in triggering many autoimmune conditions. I received multiple courses of antibiotics as well as flu shots (which may be associated with EBV infections), and started birth control for menstrual cramps.

      It is my belief that this combination had a profound impact on my gut flora, and thus my immune system.

      Epstein-Barr is a virus that causes mononucleosis (commonly called “Mono”) , a debilitating viral infection that is common among college students, and is also known as the “kissing disease,” because individuals are exposed to the virus through saliva of those who are infected.

      Specific immune cells known as CD8+ T cells are needed to fight off the Epstein-Barr virus, however, some individuals may have a low baseline level of these types of immune cells. (CD8+ T cells decrease with age, are lower in women, and in the presence of low vitamin D intake). When these fighter cells are low, the Epstein-Barr virus may take up residence in our organs (such as the thyroid) and essentially hijack the organ to help the virus hide and multiply.

      The timing of infection may also matter as well, for example, children in developing countries usually contract the Epstein-Barr Virus when they are under the age of 10. This usually results in an asymptomatic infection—one that does not cause them symptoms. In contrast, in developed countries, where individuals are not usually exposed to the virus until they are in high school or college, the infection is symptomatic in 50% of the older kids affected. This is because by the time we reach college age, CD8+ T cells, the ones that fight EBV, have declined by threefold compared with the number of cells we had in childhood.

      Additionally, animal fat and broths, soups and stews support the body’s ability to suppress the viruses. Monolaurin/lauric acid, one of the components of coconut oil, has been found to be active against the Epstein-Barr virus. Replication of many viruses including Epstein-Barr is inhibited by glycyrrhizic acid, an active component of licorice root. Quercetin, Co-Enzyme Q10, N-Acetylcysteine, and glutathione were also reported to be helpful in chronic fatigue syndrome because of their anti-viral properties.

      EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS AND HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/epstein-barr-virus-and-hashimotos

      Reply

  3. I am hoping to win a consult through the raffle, but not sure where to post a blog comment! Thank you for the opportunity, and for all that you do.
    Reply

  4. I have been diagnosed with Hashimotos and tested negative for Lyme, but my husband actually got bit and had a bullseye. He also tested positive for the infection. He is doing well, but I have heard from several people that Lyme can be sexually transmitted and so one partner can pass it to another. I was wondering what information you had, if any, on that. If you have not heard of that being a possible form of transmission than my hope was if you could ask around and really investigate on our behalf, any validity that debate may have. Also, what protections are available for people like myself, to keep from getting infecting, beside the obvious, condom contraceptive choice.
    Reply

  5. Nobody has ever told me about any connection between Lymes and Hashimoto’s Diseases. Thanks for letting us know about it.
    Reply

  6. I too was diagnosed with Lyme in 2011 and now hashi and hypo. It was after mega doses if antibiotics to treat Lyme for18 mos that my adrenal glands were found to have nodules do to severe pain in my side. Now they are enlarging but I am not being treated for all my issues. Only taking synthroid 50 for hypo and no changes in the way I feel. Help
    Reply

  7. I am confused. I clicked on Fibromyalgia and I found an article about Lyme Disease. So I thought it was an error, so I clicked on Fibromyalgia again, and again was taken to the Lyme Disease article. Do you not have any information on Fibromyalgia or do you believe that it is the same thing? I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1996. Then came the Chronic Fatigue. It was years later before I got my diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. It is not the same thing. I have never been bitten by a tick. The doctors ruled out Lyme disease on me.
    Reply

  8. Patricia,
    I have Lyme disease and hashimotos and as far as I know I have never been bitten by a tick either. I believe it’s around 50% of people with Lyme disease recall ever being bitten. I highly suggest you look onto getting the igenex test for Lyme and find a doctor (preferable an LLMD) that’ll sign off on it. Do your research. Many people with “negative” blood tests still have Lyme. I believe hundreds of thousands of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia or CFS in fact have Lyme.
    Reply

  9. Your diagnosis of Fibro, then CF, and then Hashi’s SCREAM probable Lyme disease. Standard lab testing is flawed and highly inaccurate. Please go to ILADS.com to be referred to a LLMD (lyme literate MD) and get proper testing through a reputable lab like Igenex that specializes in lyme and tick borne diseases. They can even diagnose clinically based on symptoms. Wishing you good health
    Reply

  10. Patricia if you have not seen a real LLMD ( Lyme Literate Doctor) then you have not seen a doctor about Lyme yet because regular doctors and specialists have no clue what so ever about Lyme testing or true symptoms and if you have it or not. Sad to say it but it does sound like you have Lyme. This is why there is a world wide protest against the cdc etc…. fighting for better testin,awareness, information doctors cures etc. It doesn’t always come from just tics either. Locate a real LLMD soon. Lyme is the great imitator.
    Reply

  11. This article is what I was looking for! I recently got diagnosed with Lyme disease, most likely infected myself last year only. Attending my first appointment with a FM practitioner he immediately told me that I have Lyme and that my Thyroid is not functioning according to plan. A ultrasound I have done before was also far from great.

    I am currently watching your series Thyroid Secret and the information provided are so essential for good health, fighting thyroid problems and viral infection. For the first time I feel like I can trust a practitioner and his advice to the long way to good health. Also, your book and the doctors mentioned in your series are so valuable and their approach is so different from conventional medicine. I am getting so excited about the process that I just started two weeks ago. Long way to go but I am certain the outcome will be fantastic. Keep on doing the amazing work Izabella, you are way ahead of what a real doctor can offer to patients.

    Reply

    • Caroline – thank you for your kind words and the support. <3 It is comforting to hear that you've found a Functional Medicine Clinician you can work with, and I’m looking forward to hearing your progress on this page.

      Reply

  12. I was just curious also about something as i have lymes and feel like im coming out of the black hole after not being diagnosed correctly for 20 years. My t3 is low and Ive tried cytomel and absolutely hate it and Ive tried NDT and hate also both seriously make me crazy looking and angry n hot headed. Also my RT3 is high like at 24 and so im nervous im not correctly converting t4 to t3 but to RT3. Do u have a suggestion of how to get T3 into the cells without thyroid hormone? Much love ..I was following Dr Westin Childs but stopped bc I cannot take t3 or ndt.

    Reply

  13. Hi, I was exposed to 28 ticks in 2009. My dog walked through a nest of tics. I removed them myself. Anna was started on an antibiotic, but still had lyme disease. I also had a tick bite. 2012 I started to feel ill, like I had the flu. A lyme test from my PCP was a false negative. Since then I have been diagnosed with hashimoto’s, gluten allergies and neurological conditions/parkinsonism. My two MRI’s showed no heavy metals in the brain. Is there a possible connection that the lyme could be mimicking the neurological symptoms?
    Thank you

    Reply

  14. I just thought I should share. I’ve had Hashimotos for 13 years now and just got diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I think this is my “cause” of Hashimotos. I had a bullseye rash when I was a kid around age 16 but being so young I didn’t think to get it checked and I forgot about it until the past year when I saw a picture of the rash and the memory of it returned. I asked doctors for a Lyme test but no one thought I had Lyme Disease and therefore wouldn’t test. One doctor did and it came back negative, later I found it was an incomplete test. I retested with another doctor months later and two tests came back highly positive. Does anyone know of the best treatment?

    Reply

  15. I’m Having a hard time finding a clear answer if Lyme disease is ALWAYS a chronic problem. I had Lyme disease when I was 15- classic bullseye rash and all. Took the antibiotics. The first day I started the antibiotics I spiked a super high fever, my parents ended up taking me to the ER where I had an irregular EKG. (I’m fuzzy on why they ran one bc I was super sick so my memory is hazy). Anyways after the antibiotics course I went back to a healthy happy life, cardiologist cleared me as fine…fast forward to 31 years old, after two years of unexplained symptoms I was diagnosed with hashimotos. Any chance Lyme is related with that long of a break in symptoms? Any reason I should be concerned of a lingering infections if I was symptom free for 16 years?

    Reply

  16. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos almost 3 yrs ago after being in/out of Drs offices, poked, prodded, imaged, hysterectomy and other surgeries. I can’t take any of the synthetic thyroid meds as they make me ill, migraines and hives. So I’m currently on Armour, plus I take Progesterone andyave a monthly estrogen shot for the hysterectomy.
    I also just found out I am carrying EBV, Lyme and Mycoplasmas. Not sure what else as I need to now go see a Lyme literate Dr for further co-infection diseases. My homocysteine levels are elevated.
    I have low blood pressure and heart rate. Heat and cold sensitive. Neuropathy in my arms and painful spasms that shoots down my back and legs. Shudders up my spine, rib pressure and general pain all the time. My migraines and fatigue are horrible, memory issues, massive brain fog, insomnia, speech difficulties…. I’m starting to feel overwhelmed, massive anxiety and hopelessness.

    Reply

    • Jenn – thank you for following this page. Hang in there! Having Hashimoto’s can feel very stressful. Having out of range thyroid hormones, adrenal fatigue, negative food sensitivities and low nutrient levels can lead to feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and stress. Treating these issues one at a time is the best plan of action. You can recover and regain your health! My new book Hashimoto’s Protocol is a step by step guide to the interventions that helped 80% of the people 80% of the time. I hope you check it out.

      Hashimoto’s Protocol
      http://amzn.to/2B5J1mq

      I also suggest that you join several of the Hashimoto’s groups that are out there. A couple of years after my diagnosis, I found Hashimoto’s 411, which is a closed Facebook group comprised of an army of highly motivated, smart, supportive women and men (now 70,000+ strong), and each of them sharing ideas of what worked for them, things they were planning to try, and offering support to one another. I hope this helps!

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/hashimotos411/

      Reply

  17. Thank you for your informative website. I was diagnosed with Graves disease when I was 12. That was back in 1986 and I think I was somewhat of an anomaly at the time, being so young. I had the radioactive iodine treatment twice – once at 18 and once when I was 19. If only I had access to better information back then, I wouldn’t have had the procedure. I have been hypothyroid now for about 25 years. I am on a pretty high dose of Levoxyl and yet I feel terrible and cannot lose weight. After 2 of my children were diagnosed with lyme, I was also tested. It did not come back conclusive but the naturopath that I am seeing felt that with my symptoms and my exposure, it was worth treating me. So I am currently undergoing lyme treatment with herbal antibiotics, probiotics, supplement and diet. I have a bit more energy but still cannot budge the scale. I am pretty convinced that I have Hashimotos. My whole family has been eating Paleo but had not given up dairy. I think I need to give it up and maybe even follow the AIP protocol. Anyway, I plan to talk to both my endocrinologist and my naturopath about the Hashimotos in hopes that I can start to feel better again. Best wishes!

    Reply

    • Christie – you are very welcome! I appreciate you sharing your journey here. <3 When it comes to weight gain these are a few things to think about.

      1) What was your recent TSH, Free T3 and Free T4? Sometimes when those numbers are on the outskirts of normal, your metabolic rate may still be impaired making it more difficult for you to burn calories. Most people report feeling well with a TSH between 0.5-2

      2) What type of medication are you on? Some report more weight loss with T4/T3 combinations (Armour, Nature-Throid, compounded medications) versus T4 medications (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Tirosint) alone. T4 is a precursor to T3, but some individuals do not convert T4 to T3 properly, and the T3 component is the metabolically active one.

      3) What type of diet are you eating? Some report more weight loss with T4/T3 combination vs T4 alone. Some do not convert T4 properly.The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) full of sugar and simple carbohydrates is perfectly designed to cause us to gain weight year after year. Even yogurts that are marketed as "healthy" contain the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar. Divorcing the S.A.D. is often a step that many of us must take to not just lose weight, but to also feel better. Some diets that have been helpful include the Body Ecology Diet, the Paleo Diet, the Virgin Diet, Autoimmune Paleo Diet, GAPS diet, SCD diet, Weston A. Price Diet, or the Mediterranean Diet. You may need to modify these diets to your own individuality.

      BEST DIET FOR HASHIMOTO’S AND HYPOTHYROIDISM
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/best-diet-for-hashimotos-hypothyroidism

      HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH HASHIMOTO’S AND HYPOTHYROIDISM
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/how-to-lose-weight-with-hashimotos

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

      HOW THE DOSE OF YOUR THYROID MEDICATION CAN UNCOVER YOUR ROOT CAUSE
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-dose-of-your-thyroid-medication-can-uncover-your-root-cause/

      HOW TO GET ACCURATE LAB TESTING WHEN TAKING MEDICATIONS
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/how-to-get-accurate-lab-tests-when-taking-thyroid-medications/

      Reply

      • Thank you again!

        1. I cannot seem to find my results but will need to call and check. I am due for blood work so I should have an updated result in the next week or two.

        2. I have been on Levoxyl for years. I take 175 mcg a day and I double that dose on Sundays. I have been hypo thyroid for 25 years and started with Synthroid. I can’t remember why I was switched – I think it may have had something to do with insurance. I was taking a T-3 (liothyronine) before I had my last baby but stopped it during pregnancy. (She will be 2 in July). My endocrinologist will not prescribe Armour (I have asked) but she will add in the T-3. That said, I am also seeing a naturopath doctor for my lyme treatment and I asked her if we could talk about my thyroid at my next follow up and she said ofcourse. So Armour (or something of the like) is not out of the realm of possibility.

        3. I am eating a diet of whole foods with no sugar, gluten, or soy. I have been eating dairy and I think I need to give it up. I have been looking at the AIP diet but am also considering seeing a nutritionist or someone that can help me understand which foods are actually a problem for me. The fact that I haven’t had gluten, sugar, soy, and have been limiting dairy and still cannot budge the scale is troubling. I limit sweet things like honey and maple syrup as well and we have been experimenting with water kefir, kombucha, and some fermented foods. Last night I felt really bloated and heavy and was wracking my brain to figure out what I could have eaten that was problematic. I had duck eggs in the morning and then I had raw cabbage with my dinner. Those are the most suspect foods. With 3 kids that have lyme disease (and one of the PANDAS as well) I have moved my entire family to the Paleo diet.

        I have been considering doing with the microbiome diet and taking the additional gut healing supplements as a starting place. I did it a few years back (without the supplements because I was pregnant/nursing) and felt pretty good on it. Would you suggest something like that? I was looking at it to maybe give my body a chance to detox and catch up and then try adding things in slowly – starting with AIP protocol and experimenting from there.

        Thank you again! Your page is very informative and most appreciated!!

        Reply

  18. I was just diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I have had symptoms since I was 16 – I am now 46. My first diagnosis was CFS and Fibromyalgia about 5 years ago. I was then diagnosed with Hashimoto’s 4 years ago. Since then I have drastically changed my diet to a Paleo/AIP diet. While it has helped a lot I still have a hard time and my thyroid antibodies continue to be over 1200. In the last three years I have begun to see a functional doctor and have tested positive for H Pylori and EBV. We have eradicated the H Pylori but still the thyroid antibodies will not go down. I also tested positive for Intestinal Candida, which I am currently treating with anti fungals, supplements and a very strict diet excluding all sugars among everything else. Since my gut is a wreck – my Dr. felt this was a sure sign of Lyme disease and probably my root cause of everything else and bingo – I was positive. I just wanted to share my journey because it has taken so long to get to this point. I never recalled being bit by a tick nor having a bulls eye rash and would have never suspected. Many of the symptoms for each of these diseases overlap making it difficult to get to that root cause. I will soon begin treatment but I know its a long haul.

    Reply

  19. Thank you so much for the information on IGeneX lab was tested three times before for Lyme’s and all came back negative.Did IGeneX and it came back positive.Been battling Hashimoto’s for three years now. I tried everything the AIP diet low fodmap diet and elimination diet nothing helped. NDT Levoxly , slow release T3 and cytomle nothing made a difference. Did other test every time the results came back the dr’s would tell me I’m the healthiest person they ever saw,it’s just all in my head take some antidepressants and I should be OK in time. Was giving hope getting ready to live a life of misery, until I got the results back from IgeneX. Don’t know whats in store for me but at least now I know why i’m not getting better. Thank you

    Reply

      • Thank you for all of this great information. I can’t seem to locate the Lyme Protocol in Hashimoto’s Protocol – I was scouring the gut infections chapter. Do you know which page I should be reading?

        Reply

        • ck – you are very welcome! Lyme is a really difficult infection to eradicate. Not many doctors are very familiar with treating a chronic Lyme infections you will need a Lyme Literate Doctor as well as a lot of support to overcome this infection. You will also need a blood test to confirm the infection. I recommend this lab for testing for Lyme. https://igenex.com/

          You can also go here for more info on Lyme literate practitioners. http://ilads.org/

          Reply

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