Have just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's, which my LLMD feels is common in people with chronic infections.
Am now taking thyroid meds, but am also wondering if this is something that will resolve, once the Lyme and co's are in remission, or if this is a permanent fixture in my life?
Anyone else with this problem?
Thanks, Cactus
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
Hi cactus - from what I've been told, thyroid disease is a permanent condition.
I was diagnosed in my early 20's. It is the main reason my LLMD thinks I got Lyme during childhood rather than 4 years ago when I got a tick bite.
I take Armour thyroid, 120 mg, each day. I've been on thyroid meds for nearly 20 years.
I have a son with Down syndrome. His pediatrician asked me if I have thyroid disease and I told her yes. She said she sees the connection between the two all the time.
It hurts to know that I probably caused my son to have Down's out of ignorance. He is also autistic. It sounds awful, but I don't dare get him tested for Lyme because emotionally I don't know if I can handle it. He seems very healthy, but mentally is severely handicapped.
That's my thyroiditis story.
Lymelady
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
Like the other poster said, I've also heard that Hashimoto's is permanent. It's also a disease, while hypothyroidism itself is only a condition. I have hypothyroidism, but not Hashimoto's.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Thanks Lymelady and disturbed, for sharing your experiences with this.
It would be so nice to think this will resolve with lyme treatment, but it sounds like the damage has already been done.
Lymelady, I can understand your feelings about getting your son tested for Lyme - it would frighten me, too. You have a lot on your plate.
I'm not familiar with Armour thyroid - is that an Rx? I'm taking the generic of Synthroid right now.
My LLMD also believes I contracted Lyme in my childhood, and was not diagnosed for 20+ years - although this has just developed, 2 years into treatment.
Healthy wishes to you both, Cactus
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
quote:Originally posted by cactus: I'm not familiar with Armour thyroid - is that an Rx? I'm taking the generic of Synthroid right now.
Armour is an Rx, yes, but is not well known to a lot of people because many doctors don't like it and don't believe in it. The reason they don't like it is because it's actually desiccated natural thyroid from pig. There's a bunch of other reasons they promote the synthetic stuff (Synthroid, Levothyroxine, etc.) over the real stuff, but it gets kind of complicated.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
thyroid problems are just like diabetes; once we're diagnosed w/them, WE HAVE THEM FOR A LIFETIME! Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
A doctor told me that hypothyroid does not necessarily equal Hashimoto's. Not sure if he was considering the angle of thyroid autoantibodies, which is also common in lymies. I wish that someone was testing before and after successful treatment to see if the autoantibodies disappear.
Posted by Beverly (Member # 1271) on :
I have Hashimoto's, I take the generic to synthriod for it.
It's funny too, cuz when I first went on doxy back in 2001 I had the most horrible pain in my thyriod gland, it was herx. I guess I was finally getting all those bugs killed in my gland.
Yeah, my body was attacking my own thyriod gland what a bunch of baloney...
Posted by lorima (Member # 11925) on :
My dr's office nurse just called today and said I am hypothyroid, they're calling in a prescription for lev...and I should take one a day. Would like to discuss this a little more with my dr., but I bet that's all she knows. Thank goodness for the internet. I was diagnosed with lyme about 2 months ago, have been on 400 mg doxy since. I have had stiff neck and swollen lymph node for years - maybe related to thyroid, maybe not? Well, maybe this will give me some more energy, that would be nice.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
also, my 2nd llmd said i have hashimoto.
i was underactive thyroid; apparently went to OVERactive thyroid creating hashimoto!
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
At least it looks like we're all in good company!
I think my own Hashimoto's dx came from the presence of thyroid auto-antibodies, I'll have to double check to be sure. I would guess that my thyroid is low since doc has me on synthroid.
Have noticed an increase in energy thus far, so there's a positive to all this thyroid stuff.
Is there anything we should be watching out for, or are there any other problems that can arise as a result of Hashimoto's or thyroid problems?
Posted by neardeath (Member # 7099) on :
my thyroid was removed in 7 2005 2 years ago.
lymes symptoms started in 7 2004
i have had nothing but problems since my thyroid was removed and put on synthroid
trying to get a doctor that will give me armour and or T3 not just syntetic synthroid.
Synthroid is useless unless you body converts it to T3.
armour isn't used because docs are taught not to use it.
it contains T2, T1, T3 and T4 all essential hormones that need to be replaced
Posted by Tracy S (Member # 11246) on :
I am still lacking a Lyme dx - but I can comment on the Hashimoto's. When I was 24 I was diagnosed with Grave's disease when my mother thought my neck looked swollen. It was overactive. After 3 - 4 years of up and down levels they found nodules and decided to remove 80 % of my thyroid. After removing it they said it was Hashimoto's - and this was visible to the surgeon because of the overabundance of blood vessels built up around my thyroid - he said that is a telltale sign of Hashimoto's. They never really said if the Grave's was a mistake, if it was both, or whatever. In the end, I take synthroid 125 mcg daily. As long as I take it faithfully, have no problems. You need to remember to take it the same time every day on an empty stomach. Also make sure you take a calcium supplement because synthetic hormones can wreak havoc on your bones.
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