What My First Eight Weeks With Hashimoto’s Have Taught Me
It’s been about eight weeks since my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, and if you read my initial post about it, you know that this immediately sent me into a deep dive on how I can get myself into remission as soon as humanly possible. What many of you do not know is what specifically sent me into this deep dive, or maybe I should call it what it actually was… panic.
Did you know that Hashimoto’s significantly increases the statistical risk for SLE, or system lupus erythematosus? Or that I lost a good friend of mine due to complications of lupus back in 2015? She was 22.
Knowing what she went through keeps me on my toes. I know with every fiber in my being that, if she had been given a warning… if she had been in any way able to save herself from the disease that plagued her for ten years of her life, she would’ve done everything in her power to stop it. That was all it took to push me into figuring this out.
In my frenzy to find answers, I stumbled upon a book by Izabella Wentz called Hashimoto’s Protocol. Not only did this book describe to me just how lucky I was to have found answers so quickly; to have not been gaslit by doctor after doctor as a woman who had recently had children, and thus, postpartum symptoms, but it also gave me a very specific regimen to follow that had me feeling like I was actually in control.
Within a couple of days, I started making significant changes with my diet, routine, supplements, and I am now on a medication called LDN.
1. No Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Caffeine, Sugar or Alcohol.
When you have an autoimmune disease, you gain food sensitivities you’ve never had before, and they can cause a variety of issues within your body. The book I read really gave me insight into the common foods that can cause “flair ups” with Hashimoto’s, and it recommended eliminating these for three weeks. Not only does this allow you to truly figure out what is actually causing issues in your body on your own terms, but it allows for a bit of a reset.
Since this three week detox, I have brought caffeine and sugar back into my diet, and I may be able to bring back a few of the other items as well, but I’ve been told that it is not recommended for me to bring gluten back into my diet… ever.
2. Magnesium, Vitamin D, Omega 3s
It’s amazing how fast a variety of supplements can make you feel so incredibly old. Currently, I’m taking Vitamin D, Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Glycinate, a woman’s multi-vitamin, and omega 3s every night before bed. The internet seems to think that there are a variety of other things I need to start supplementing as well, so this might increase. All of these were recommended by my doctor based on my specific deficiencies.
Additional things I’ve considered include aloe vera juice on an empty stomach every morning (not a fan, but I’ve heard great things!), improving my gut health by eating meals 5+hours apart, putting red light therapy on my thyroid, and doing mellow exercises like pilates instead of HIT or running.
3. Rest, Meditation & 7+ Hours Of Sleep
One of the biggest things that can throw you straight into an autoimmune disease is stress, and clearly I wasn’t managing it well. I’d be lying if I told you that I thought this part would be easy, especially with two kids 4 and under, but that motivation I mentioned above goes way further than I could possibly imagine.
4. Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
We need to talk about this medication, because based on what I’ve read about it, it’s quite the game changer. Instead of putting me straight into hormone therapy, my doctor decided to focus on preventing my thyroid from attacking itself first. This will allow my body time to course correct on it’s own, and hopefully produce the hormones I need on it’s own. In doing this, she may have just prevented me from being on hormone therapy for the rest of my life.
Eight weeks in, and I don’t have all the answers yet. I don’t know whether this will put me into remission, I don’t know whether my antibody levels have changed, and I don’t know what my thyroid will look like one year from now. It’s like looking at life through mesh. You can see everything, just not super clearly. You know there is a possibility that you’ll get to see crystal clear again, but there’s a very deep fear that this is just the way things are from here forward.
What I do know is that for the first time since being told I have Hashimoto’s, I don’t feel helpless. Instead of wondering what might happen, I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m learning to fuel my body differently, to prioritize rest instead of wearing exhaustion like a badge of honor (damn was I good at doing that!), and ultimately pay attention to what my body has been telling me for months… maybe even years.
Maybe some of these changes will stick for the rest of my life, maybe others won’t. Time will tell. For now, my goal isn’t perfection, but giving myself the best chance possible to live a long, healthy life with my husband and kids.
I’ll keep updating you guys on what’s working, what isn’t, and how the journey unfolds. If you’re navigating Hashimoto’s too, I hope these updates are a consistent reminder that you’re not figuring it out alone.
See you,
Amy