Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD

Thyroid Pharmacist

Thyroid & Cold Intolerance

Thyroid and Cold Intolerance!

Medically reviewed and written by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

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I remember refusing to wear jackets in the dead of the winter while an undergrad at the University of Illinois. This was before I had thyroid issues! Fast forward a few years, and I was sleeping under two blankets in southern California and wearing sweaters and scarves in my office while everyone else showed up in short sleeves! People have often said that “blood thins” when someone moves to a warmer climate, so I fully attributed my inability to tolerate the cold to my body acclimating to the California weather. Never suspected my thyroid!

The thyroid gland has been called a thermostat for our body, as it helps to regulate heat. People with hypothyroidism are prone to having low body temperatures and cold intolerance. It’s one of those symptoms that we often brush off, don’t notice and don’t take seriously but can be very distressful when we do not take the proper precautions. People with hypothyroidism are also at greater risk of suffering from hypothermia, a potentially life-threatening condition when exposed to cold temperatures.

Cold intolerance is also one of those things that you can never really pinpoint. I remember putting on a sweatshirt and complaining to my husband that our house was too cold only to find that the thermostat was set at 73 degrees Fahrenheit!

Check Your Thyroid Function

If you are colder than everyone else you live with, work with, or go to school with, check your thyroid function. Most people feel best with a TSH between 0.5-2. Even a TSH of 3 can make you feel too cold! You may need to talk to your doctor about increasing your medication dose.

Some individuals who are exposed to cold weather may require a slightly higher dose of thyroid medication in the winter compared to the summer.

You can read more about TSH in this post: What To Do If Your TSH Is Normal and You Are Anything But.

Know that you are more sensitive and prepare accordingly.

People with normal thyroid function can force their thyroids to produce more hormones to help generate more heat. Those who rely on a daily thyroid medication don’t have the same luxury. Once we use up the supplemental hormone, it becomes harder to generate heat on our own. Exposure to extreme temperatures is a stress on the body, especially when thyroid function is impaired. Needing to generate more heat will likely make you more tired and further weaken your thyroid.

Strategies for Warming Up and Giving Your Thyroid a Break

1. Get plenty of rest

Understand that you may need more rest during the colder months and be sure to listen to your body. As the days get shorter and nights get longer, our bodies naturally want to rest more.

2. Keep your home temperature warm

Invest in insulation when appropriate. If you have a landlord that likes to keep your home’s temperature cooler in the winter months, it may help to get a letter from your doctor stating that you need to have the temperature in your home regulated due to your medical condition

3. Avoid unnecessary exposures to cold weather

If you do need to go out into the cold, dressing in layers helps, as does wearing hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens. Wearing a warm vest under your jacket can also be very comforting.

4. External heat

Hot baths are a nice way to get yourself warm without making your thyroid do all the work!

Electric blankets, heaters, etc. can help you get through the winter.  My favorite is the BioMat!

Sock buddies – you can make your heating pads by taking an old sock (preferably clean), filling it with rice and tying the end. Great way to use up the leftover rice if you have gone grain free! You can then heat the sock in the microwave for 2 minutes- be careful applying to your body as heating temperatures may vary.

Foot soaks – often soaking your feet in hot water for 5-10 minutes will warm up the rest of your body.

Cuddling and holding hands, cuddling up with your significant other or your pets can help you get through the cold. The saying “Three Dog Night” is thought to originate from Eskimos who would keep dogs in their igloos to help them warm up on particularly cold nights! Spouses and pets are usually willing to share their heat with you in exchange for back and belly rubs 🙂

5. Optimizing your nutrition

Balancing your blood sugar will help you stay warm. Hypoglycemia weakens the thyroid and adrenals and can cause hypothermia. Be sure to eat high-quality fats and proteins every few hours and limit sugary and starchy foods.

Some foods can increase the metabolism and are known as thermogenic foods because they create heat when converting food to energy. Thermogenic foods may help increase thyroid activity and calorie burning by enhancing thermogenesis, a process in which the body burns calories to utilize the foods you have just eaten, converting those calories to heat.

Ingredients in fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, dairy, and spices have been found to be thermogenic. They can be categorized as methylxanthines, polyphenols, capsaicinoids/capsinoids, minerals, proteins/amino acids, carbohydrates/sugars, fats and fatty acids.

Thermogenic polyphenols include green tea extract, carob, resveratrol, quercetin, oleuropein (from extra virgin olive oil), curcumin (turmeric), chlorogenic acid (coffee beans), soy isoflavones, kaempferol (in broccoli, spinach, berries).

Some spices that have been found to have stimulated thermogenesis include chili, mustard, red pepper, black pepper, and red hot chili peppers.

Fats with thermogenic properties include avocado, saturated animal fats (lard, duck fat, butyrate from ghee (clarified butter), and coconut oil.

Caffeine is thermogenic by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, but can also be deleterious to adrenal function.

You can read more about the adrenals in this post: Are Your Adrenals Sabotaging Your Health?

I have never been able to tolerate spicy foods and try to avoid caffeine… my personal favorite way to heat up with foods is eating soups and stews with plenty of fat in the form of coconut oil, palm oil, or duck fat as well as making coconut milk and avocado protein smoothies.

You can download my favorite recipes for free below!

6. Get support

It helps to let your friends and family members know that you are more sensitive to the cold. My family was more than willing to give me extra blankets, sweaters, and hand warmers on a dog sledding trip because they knew I had the potential to get cold quicker.

7. Seasonal affective disorder

People with thyroid conditions are more likely to experience the “Winter Blues.” My favorite thyroid intervention for beating the winter blues is a beach vacation, and I would highly recommend all of you to take one! Unfortunately, a beach vacation wasn’t always possible, so I had to find alternate strategies for those of us without access to private jets and villas. Mitigating strategies include getting on an appropriate dose and form of thyroid medications.

You can read more about thyroid medications here: Which Thyroid Medication Is Best?

Make sure you are getting enough Omega-3s. This can be done by eating more seafood and by taking Omega-3 supplements or cod liver oil.

Getting a Blue-Light, I have the Phillips Go-LITE Blue Light Therapy Device. One theory behind seasonal depression is a lack of sunlight… Blue light therapy boxes have been found to alleviate winter blues.

Eating fermented foods and probiotics. My Polish ancestors ate fermented foods all winter- I think they were on to something! A balance of good bacteria, like the kind found in ferments and probiotics, has been correlated with positive emotions, and a lack of beneficial bacteria has been associated with feelings of depression and anxiety in recent studies. I love Body Ecology fermented products.

8. Vitamin D

Last, but not least, winter puts us at risk for vitamin D deficiency, which can worsen autoimmune disease. You can read more about vitamin D in this post: Sunshine for Your Thyroid.

Hope these tips help 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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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

  1. Your comments and suggestions are outstanding, you understand exactly what I have been telling my physicians for 2 years, only to hear them say, you are within normal limits, I can not raise your dosage. I freeze all the time and it keeps getting worse every year. This is such a miserable life to live. Thank you for your comments.
    Reply

    • I’ve been telling the doctors as well even if I’m in the range I still feel crap but they look at you and say they cant do anymore they dont treat the bit of paper they treat the patient

      Reply

      • Gary – thank you so much for sharing! <3 I understand how frustrating this can be. Most conventional physicians use the TSH test to determine if one has a thyroid disorder and to dose thyroid medications. However, this test can often times be misleading, as levels of circulating hormones may fluctuate at different times, such as in Hashimoto’s, where the person affected may fluctuate between highs and lows. Additionally, when scientists first set the “normal” ranges of TSH for healthy individuals, they inadvertently included elderly patients and others with compromised thyroid function in the calculations, leading to an overly lax reference range. This resulted in people with underactive thyroid hormones being told that their thyroid tests were “normal,” based on this skewed reference range.

        WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TSH IS NORMAL AND YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT
        https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/what-to-do-if-your-tsh-is-normal-and-you-are-anything-but/

        Here are the tests you need for diagnosis. Most endocrinologists don’t run them all so you will have to request them. Make sure to request a copy of your labs as well.

        TOP 10 THYROID TESTS AND HOW TO INTERPRET THEM
        https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/top-6-thyroid-tests/

        Reply

  2. Thanks for writing Beverly! Hope that you find someone who will listen to you- you deserve better!
    Reply

  3. I am having the same issues along with no sleep staying tried all the time. Then if I get 12 hrs of sleep still feel weak but push to get simple things done then body crashes not the mind it keeps going you have so much to do. Took me a year to switch meds i was down to 90 lbs could not eat barely got liquids down. I still had to get ugly to be switched to Synchroid .88 this year I have gained my weight back still weak. Just started Armour 60 5 days on get very little sleep. Roller coaster with no life.
    Reply

  4. I have been on thyroid medication since 1980. My mother was shocked that I had become obese and even when my thyroid was in normal limits I never took was able to loose the 85Lbs. I had moved from Florida to New Hampshire and gave up smoking, drinking caffeine, and alcohol just months before the move. So much of your information makes so much sense with how I felt. I would crave meats and cheese during the cold months. I once told my husband that I felt like our house plants. In the winter I just sat there drooping and as soon as Spring came I felt totally alive. I even went back to using soda with caffeine to give me the energy to get through the days. My mother always said I needed to find someone else to track my thyroid function. I was going to the head endocrinologist at Dartmouth and believed I had the best there was. After reading your article and seeing the symptoms as those I have dealt with all these years…I now know how wise my mother was. Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I will be sharing with my daughters.
    Reply

  5. I listened to a webinar last year where the speaker said women who wear socks to bed are almost always hypothyroid. I sometimes have to wear GLOVES to bed in addition to my sock and 4 blankets. Yet I am “in the normal range” too…I really love my PCP but he’s just too traditional on this one. Moving on. Good post.
    Reply

    • Andrea- Most conventional physicians use the TSH test to determine if one has a thyroid disorder and to dose thyroid medications.

      However, this test can often times be misleading, as levels of circulating hormones may fluctuate at different times, such as in Hashimoto’s, the person affected may fluctuate between highs and lows.

      Additionally, when scientists first set the “normal” ranges of TSH for healthy individuals, they inadvertently included elderly patients and others with compromised thyroid function in the calculations leading to an overly lax reference range.

      This resulted in people with underactive thyroid hormones being told that their thyroid tests were “normal,” based on this skewed reference range.

      WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TSH IS NORMAL AND YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/what-to-do-if-your-tsh-is-normal-and-you-are-anything-but

      Here are the tests you need for diagnosis. Most endocrinologists don’t run them all so you will have to request them. Make sure to request a copy of your labs as well.

      TOP 6 THYROID TESTS FOR DIAGNOSIS
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/top-6-thyroid-tests

      Reply

  6. I always thought that the reason I have to wear socks to bed in winter or I can’t sleep is that it was just cold even under blankets and doonas. No-one ever told me that could be something that happens due to my Hashimoto’s disease. Thank you for making it clear.
    Reply

  7. I am just now getting tested. Don’t have results yet but I wear layers to bed including socks every night!
    Reply

  8. Thank you for this article. Finally I am reading about being cold all the time. I live in California now and I feel better but I still always keep a big sweater with me because of the air conditioners. I am trying to joke with my friends about me not being able to tolerate a tiny bit of cold air, but it isn’t really funny.
    Omega-3 really helps. I started taking them right away and I think I am doing better. Thank you, thank you Izabella.
    Reply

  9. As I read this I have my portable heater on under my desk at work. It is summer in Chicago at the moment. My co-workers think i’m nuts.
    Reply

  10. Good afternoon Doctor , just have a quick question. Over the last 2 years my TSH has been dropping.. It went from 1.95 to 1.59 and now 1.19 , I have expressed my concerns to my family doctor with the response of ” your in normal range , your fine” . I decided I would attempt to speak with endocrinologist , just to find out that won’t accept patients with out a referral.
    Over the last 2 years I have put on 20 lbs and not been able to take it off no matter what I do.. My hair is thinning and my skin is dry and scaly all the time.. I could go on and on.. I am so tired all the time it is a chore just to get going in the morning.. My feet and hands are always like ice..
    Should I keep pursuing to get a referral ? Is this in my head? My doctor refers to my age 50 and tells me everyone is more tired this time of year..
    Reply

    • Kim- When it comes to weight gain these are a couple of 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

      Reply

  11. You need to make sure they are testing the Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TSH, and thyroid antibodies. These are concidered full thyroid labs. Not just TSH. I was diagnosed with Hasimoto’s and hypothyroidism at 34 and all of the same symptoms you describe. Good luck!
    Reply

  12. Please help any suggestions for me who has quite the opposite heat intolerance m burning up sweating all the time where my hair and face is wringing wet Its inhumane
    Reply

    • Julie- People with Hashimoto’s may experience BOTH hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms because as the thyroid cells are destroyed, stored hormones are released into the circulation causing a toxic level of thyroid hormone in the body, also known as thyrotoxicosis or Hashitoxicosis. Eventually, the stored thyroid may become depleted and due to thyroid cell damage, the person is no longer able to produce enough hormones. At this time, hypothyroidism develops.

      THE MANY FACES OF HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-many-faces-of-hashimotos/

      Reply

  13. any suggestions for me I have quite the opposite problem I am heat intolerant I sweat all the time where my face and hair are wringing wet its inhumane
    Reply

    • Julie- Did you know that reactive foods trigger an inflammatory response in the GI tract, leading to malabsorption of nutrients (gluten sensitivity in particular has been implicated in causing a Selenium deficiency, a well known risk factor for Hashimoto’s), and can also produce intestinal permeability whenever they are eaten?

      Most people will see a dramatic reduction in gut symptoms, brain symptoms, skin breakouts and pain by eliminating the foods they are sensitive to. Some will also see a significant reduction in thyroid antibodies! An additional subset of people, will actually be able to get their Hashimoto’s into complete remission just by getting off the foods they react to, normalizing their thyroid antibodies, and some even normalizing their thyroid function! Here are a couple of articles you may find helpful.

      FOOD SENSITIVITIES AND HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/food-sensitivities-and-hashimotos

      AUTOIMMUNE PALEO DIET
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/autoimmune-paleo-diet

      Reply

  14. Hello Dr., I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 12 years ago. In the beginning the Meds began to work and my mcg were upped with regular testing eventually settling in at 375 mcg. In the last year my body has stopped converting the medicine. “It sits in my body as an overdose and my thyroid barely registers (bloodwork) .01 if I recall correctly. I lost over 80 lbs when i was diagnosed through thyroid meds and an 800 calorie a day diet and exercise. In that year I learned a lot about my metabolism and foods. I do not eat white breads, white potato, white rice nor white pasta. I typically try & limit my whole grains to one per day and try to stay alway from sugars. I exercise pretty intensely for at least an hour or more daily. This regimen that I’ve had to live by just to maintain my weight loss has stopped working. I’m gaining weight and all of my symptoms have returned. I’m always freezing, majorly depressed, beyond tired, constipated, easily agitated, thinning hair & have recently (1yr ago) developed a severe “eczema” (never had an issue, just flared (bleeding) out of nowhere. I’m tired of trying new meds and new doctors/endocrinologists with the same non existent results! Can you suggest anything, please?
    Reply

    • Nikki- Did you know that reactive foods trigger an inflammatory response in the GI tract, leading to malabsorption of nutrients (gluten sensitivity in particular has been implicated in causing a Selenium deficiency, a well known risk factor for Hashimoto’s), and can also produce intestinal permeability whenever they are eaten?

      Most people will see a dramatic reduction in gut symptoms, brain symptoms, skin breakouts and pain by eliminating the foods they are sensitive to. Some will also see a significant reduction in thyroid antibodies! An additional subset of people, will actually be able to get their Hashimoto’s into complete remission just by getting off the foods they react to, normalizing their thyroid antibodies, and some even normalizing their thyroid function! Here are a couple of articles you may find helpful.

      FOOD SENSITIVITIES AND HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/food-sensitivities-and-hashimotos

      AUTOIMMUNE PALEO DIET
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/autoimmune-paleo-diet

      Reply

  15. I have had my thyroid tested twice this year due to cold sensitivity, fatigue and weight gain. My results are normal. I think my Dr ordered the standard thyroid function test. Are there others?
    Reply

  16. I am going on med. Change every 3 months for 9 months.this time my tsh levels low. Very very cold with many other symptoms so exhausted. .1st time high blood pressure. They have now changed to 100mg. I pray that we thyroid patience get more help and info on this issue. I have no thyroid. Thanks for helping others with this autoimmune disorder.
    Reply

  17. My husb thinks I’m crazy b/c I’m always cold! He’s always yelling at me to re- check my blood work.. BUT at the same time he is ever so kind and patient to always remind me to bundle up and I can always stuff my freezing feet and hands under him in bed
    Reply

  18. I was diagnosed in 1994 with hypothyroidism. Have always been sensitive to temperatures, have been on varying doses and brands of medication. However, once I found a doctor who began prescribing a compounded medication did I see a huge difference. When I notice myself becoming colder and more tired, I know it is time to have my medication adjusted. Thanks for the article.
    Reply

  20. dear Dr i am 60 years old and have had my thyroid condition Hashimoto’s for 33 years after the birth of my son in 1982 . I was 16 stone and a size 24 dress with a 42 DD bra , i was on 300mg of thyroxin per day at the start at one point early on in my diagnosis i went over active for about 3 months and my weight went down to 9 and a half stone i looked ill so my tablets were adjusted to 150mg and i have been at that strength now for about 25 years i am now 13 stone at 60 years old and cannot move the weight no matter how little i eat or how much exersize i do, i am quiet active as i am a carer for my husband and do not work, i go every April for my blood test and it always comes back ok and nothing gets changed . but now i am suffering with a very COLD FACE it is a triangle of cold from my eye lids , nose and cheeks to my top lip ,weather i am in a very hot room or out in the hot sun shine it has got very bad and pain full the past 2 or 3 months i sit with a folded paper tissue tucked under my glasses it go’s over my nose and both cheeks, when i sit in the hot sunshine in summer my toes,fingers and face as above all go cold it’s feels like chilblains and is quiet pain full , My body is always very hot most nights i cannot sleep under my 13.5 tog quilt and around the house this winter i only were shorts and t-shirt i also get a very harsh voice quiet often when i am talking i get a tickle in my throat that turns to a cough and now i get the feeling i have a lump on a piece of elastic in my throat that i feel like i keep on swallowing i am always trying to clear my throat sometimes it feels like i have swallowed a piece of sharp apple skin and it has scraped the front of my throat so this week i am seeing a different Dr at my surgery for a second opinion i have had an ultrasound on my throat i know there is nothing to worry about i have also been getting double vision for about 12 months now and have been under the hospital and this can also be connected to Hashimoto’s i have looked all these problems up on line and found they are all connected to Hashimoto’s . Have you any solutions to all my problems PLEASE should i push for a referral to see an endocrine specialists as i have not seen one since i was first diagnosed 33 years ago thank you Marie Harrison Sheffield England
    Reply

  21. Hi, you mention consuming soy isoflavones yet in all the literature I’ve seen, soy and other goitrogenic foods should be avoided. Am I not understanding something? Thank you.
    Reply

  22. So does this mean that chlorogenic acid is good for you? My daughters are pushing for me to take plexus slim which contains green coffee bean extract. I do not want to take it if it is not good for my thyroid or endocrine system.
    It also contains chromium 200 mcg , xylooligosaccharide. 1000 mg and alpha lipoic acid.

    Reply

    • Candy – thank you for following this page. I regret that I do not have the time to evaluate every supplement on the market. Not everyone will need every single supplement! As a pharmacist, my concern with multivitamins is that they throw everything together in one batch, so the absorption of the nutrients can’t be guaranteed. Some vitamins are best absorbed on an empty stomach; others require food, an acidic environment, etc. Additionally, different minerals can inhibit each other’s absorption. In fact, I believe that most nutrients should come from the diet. This is why I always list food sources in the book and on the blog, for most of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals and probiotics that are depleted in Hashimoto’s. 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.

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

      Hashimoto’s Protocol
      thyroidpharmacist.com/protocol

      Reply

  23. My TSH is at .04 so my end lower my armor to 30 everything else is normal. Except my TPO which is only 13 the issue is Im freezing and it is only 60 in my house. Im in polar fleece from head to toe and a jacket and ugh boots most of the day. At night 4 blankets one with heat. The other issue is i can’t list weight but if I eat more than in one low cal meal a day I gain weight at a drop of a hat. Those are my worse symptoms

    Reply

    • Donna – thank you for following this page. Most conventional physicians use the TSH test to determine if one has a thyroid disorder and to dose thyroid medications. However, this test can often times be misleading, as levels of circulating hormones may fluctuate at different times, such as in Hashimoto’s, where the person affected may fluctuate between highs and lows.

      Additionally, when scientists first set the “normal” ranges of TSH for healthy individuals, they inadvertently included elderly patients and others with compromised thyroid function in the calculations, leading to an overly lax reference range. This resulted in people with underactive thyroid hormones being told that their thyroid tests were “normal,” based on this skewed reference range.

      WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TSH IS NORMAL AND YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/what-to-do-if-your-tsh-is-normal-and-you-are-anything-but/

      Reply

  24. Hi Izabella,

    I have both your books and have devoured them, also everything else on the subject.
    I have Hashimotos and have had all the tests etc. I am in NZ and there isn’t anybody here who is as good as people I see in the states, so as I am a Naturopath herbalist I am doing as much as possible, I am on a very pure diet, organic and all house things as well and detoxing. My question? If you have parasites should they be removed before Gut protocol or Adrenal protocol as you don’t talk about this. Thanks
    lanell

    Reply

    • Ianell – thank you for following this page. The way that you want to address infections is by starting with the highest infection in your body first. H. pylori is typically found in the stomach (it can also be in the upper part of the small intestine), so that’s going to be the first infection you want to treat. A lot of times, when you treat H. pylori, the SIBO will go away as well. Next would be the parasite. If, after the H.pylori and parasite protocols you still have SIBO, you would treat it at this time. The yeast would be addressed last, if needed. Sometimes when you use the parasite protocol along with the SIBO protocols, the yeast issue is taken care of as well. With the exception of discussing proper thyroid medication dosing, the majority of my website and my book focuses on balancing the immune system. The info I present is based on my own research and journey for overcoming my autoimmune thyroid condition.

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

      Hashimoto’s Root Cause
      http://amzn.to/2DoeC80

      Reply

    • Beckie – thank you for reaching out. People with Hashimoto’s may experience BOTH hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms because as the thyroid cells are destroyed, stored hormones are released into the circulation causing a toxic level of thyroid hormone in the body, also known as thyrotoxicosis or Hashitoxicosis. Eventually, the stored thyroid may become depleted and due to thyroid cell damage, the person is no longer able to produce enough hormones. At this time, hypothyroidism develops.

      THE MANY FACES OF HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-many-faces-of-hashimotos/

      Reply

  26. I am 29 years old male. axe was fallen on my head and it scratched. After stitching wound, it heal slowly till 3 month. After 1 month of stitch of wound hypothyrodism is appear on my body. TSH level is more than 100 and currently i am taking 75mg of thyroxin tablet under the suggestion of doctor. Commonly i suffer from common cold and swelling of eyelid still. Is there any connection between wound in head and hypothyroid.please give me good suggestion.

    Reply

  27. I woke up in the middle of the night shivering really badly, had to pull my covers over my face and get in the fetal position to warm myself. I live in Florida, it’s August and the AC was set at 75, so it wasn’t cold in my room. This has happened a handful of times that I can remember. During the day, however, I always think it’s too hot.

    Reply

    • Iris – thank you for sharing. <3 I understand how frustrating this is. The thyroid gland has been called a thermostat for our body, as it helps to regulate heat. People with Hashimoto’s may experience BOTH hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms because as the thyroid cells are destroyed, stored hormones are released into the circulation causing a toxic level of thyroid hormone in the body, also known as thyrotoxicosis or Hashitoxicosis. Eventually, the stored thyroid may become depleted and due to thyroid cell damage, the person is no longer able to produce enough hormones. At this time, a more consistent state of hyperthyroidism develops.

      THE MANY FACES OF HASHIMOTO'S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-many-faces-of-hashimotos/

      Reply

  28. I’m just weird. I have to have my feet out from under the blanket. And when the furnace is runningn I sometimes awaken because I’m too warm. (70) but when it shuts off, I’m cold and really ferl the coolness on my arms and face. I quit taking thyroid meds 3 years ago( under a functional med doc ok) because in the 7 years I was on them I hardly slept ever. I take Actalin I get ftom Dr. Brownstein. So far my levels are ok. 6 monthe after being diagnosed as hypothyroid in ’07 I was diagnosed with stage 3 Non Hodgkins lymphoma. I have always wondered if that caused my thyroid problems.

    Reply

    • Sally – thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your journey. <3 I understand the hot and cold struggle! I‘ve found that an inability to manage stress is often at the core of the condition. Most people can trace back the development of Hashimoto’s and autoimmune conditions to a particularly stressful time period. Stress is inherent, and it’s how we handle our stress that matters. I recommend self-management stress-reducing habits like mindfulness, yoga, and meditation.

      Meditation has specifically been found to be helpful in building resilience to stress. If you have a history of childhood trauma like I do, your stress response could be severely impacted, leading you to overreact and get into a ‘fight or flight’ state at the easiest provocations. I recommend therapies like the self-guided tapping, self-help books, neurofeedback or therapist guided EMDR to reset your stress response.

      ARE YOUR ADRENALS SABOTAGING YOUR HEALTH?
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/are-your-adrenals-sabotaging-your-health

      Reply

  29. Hi! Curious if the opposite, feeling hot, is a symptom. I sometimes felt feverish if I ate a trigger food, like corn, in large amounts.

    Reply

    • Lauren – thank you for reaching out <3 The thyroid gland has been called a thermostat for our body, as it helps to regulate heat. People with Hashimoto’s may experience BOTH hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms because as the thyroid cells are destroyed, stored hormones are released into the circulation causing a toxic level of thyroid hormone in the body, also known as thyrotoxicosis or Hashitoxicosis. Eventually, the stored thyroid may become depleted and due to thyroid cell damage, the person is no longer able to produce enough hormones. At this time, a more consistent state of hyperthyroidism develops.

      THE MANY FACES OF HASHIMOTO'S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/the-many-faces-of-hashimotos/

      Reply

  30. Dr. Wentz, I really appreciate all your articles I’ve read. I’ve learned a huge amount. I know what you mean about doctors; they don’t always know all they should about thyroid diseases, esp. if they are an endocrinologist. I went to one once to evaluate me–I was taking Armour at the time, and I told him how I liked using it as it had ALL the thyroid hormones our bodies make, and he insisted, twice, that I was wrong–it was ONLY T4! He was a board-certified endocrinologist so I shouldn’t question him. (lol) I have a great doctor now, internist, as well as a great pharmacist, who helps by advising my doc by suggesting possible thyroid meds. I use 60 mg of Armour, and a time-release capsule of t3/t4 (5/138) and it’s great for me. The time-release helps get rid of afternoon slumps! I also take bioidentical progesterone in the evening (thyroid in the am) and this is very helpful.

    Reply

    • Joan – thank you so much for sharing your journey! ❤️ I’m so proud of you for taking charge of your health! So glad to hear you have found a practitioner and I hope you will keep me posted on your continued progress.

      Reply

  31. You mention conditions of hypothyroid and Hashimoto’s, but Grave’s disease post RAI ablation isn’t mentioned (a different kind of hypothyroidism due to the antibodies). Would love to hear more about Grave’s as it seems there’s never enough research with this condition.

    Reply

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