I thought I was just having severe menopause symptoms however I now realize it’s Epstein Barr . I’ve been terribly fatigued and depressed for 6 months . I’m now panicking ... I’m on a regimen of virus supplements taking 20 pills a day .
I know I have Epstein Barr from a blood result years ago ... I need to have more blood work however wondered what Hashimotos is as I don’t have swollen lymph nodes or a rash . I’m so scared and sad😢 is my life over ?
I'm sorry you're feeling so poorly. How long has it been since you've been to an endocrinologist? You really need to have current blood work done, both for the Epstein Barr and for the Hashimoto's. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. It's caused by the body's immune system attacking the thyroid tissue. You won't get swollen lymph nodes or a rash, usually. I know because I've had it for years.
If the virus supplements you're taking are over the counter, you need to get yourself to a doctor. You need a proper current diagnosis and treatment Please take care of yourself. xx
Thank you Lynda ... I had a breakdown today so at my wits end ! Never been to a endocrinologist? Just my regular dr ?
I will be sure to find one now though ! I just thought Epstein barr as I had that come up years ago . Fatigued to no end and the depression .... I hope it is just menopause but know it’s probably not .
Hashimotos aka chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or Hashimostos thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own thyroid gland and usually over time destroys it. My daughter was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in June, so I have been trying to learn as much about it as possible. It's all pretty complicated, so I won't even begin to approach it like I have more than a primary understanding of it. My daughter doesn't have Hashimoto's, but it is closely linked to hypothyroidism as most people with primary hypothyroidism also have Hashimotos. I'm sure some of the ladies in this forum that actually have hashimotos will be along and give you more solid information. From what I do understand, it is an autoimmune condition where the body produces antibodies against your own thyroid. You wouldn't have swollen lymph nodes from it, rather a swollen thyroid gland ( goiter) but that's not always the case. You would get it tested with bloods. They would need to test your antibodies along with your other thyroid hormones. They need to test TSH, FT4, FT3,TPOab and TGab. Most conventional dr's will not test the FT3 or the antibodies. You will need to specifically ask for them and even then, may need to get these done privately. Also, when you get your results, make sure you get your actual results with the ranges. Most dr's will tell you your thyroid is "fine" when it is at the very bottom of the range. You want optimal ranges - not " ok" ranges. Your life will not be over if you have Hasimotos and/or hypothyroidism. You'll be given T4 to help resolve the issue and balance your thyroid if you're hypothyroid. There is no cure or meds to control Hasimotos and therefore most conventional dr's ignore it. From what I understand, a strictly gluten free diet can help with Hasimotos symptoms( flares) and possibly slow down its progression of destroying the thyroid. Try not to worry too much about it. Getting a messed up thyroid straightened out is not a fast or easy thing but once it is sorted out you should feel much better. Take care and chin up!
Hi Lori, yes it is perimeno, it’s the reason the EBV reactivated and EBV is the culprit in hashimotos. If you definitely have hashimotos then you will most likely need thyroid supplement like synthroid. I’ve been on it since teen years due to hashimotos. It’s not the end for sure, just a nuisance and once you treat the hypothyroidism you will probably start having more energy. As far as EBV the only thing you can do is anything to boost your immune system. And eventually it will go dormant again. It’s been over two years for me, still not gone but so much better than it was. Also, just knowing that you do have EBV reactivation will jumpstart your brain into getting in contact with your immune system and get it going in the right direction. When I finally got a diagnosis i then started recovering.
Hashimotos is really no big deal at all. I actually have Graves disease and Hashimoto’s. Yup you can have both. I struggled badly with Graves for years which makes you extremely hyperthyroid which causes tremor, racing heart rate, extreme weight loss etc. treatment is beta blockers for the heart and anti-thyroid meds. Hashimoto’s is the sort of opposite autoimmune problem where it slows you down makes you feel sluggish causes weight gain but probably the biggest symptom is fatigue. Synthroid is the med. when you truly have graves or hashi’s the rest of the thyroid tests are very meaningful but the results will be very obvious from the TSH alone. My TSH can be 10-15 and I feel fine but I’m still hypo. Hyper your TSH will be like .001. With either thyroid condition you can develop a goiter or nodules which will go away on their own once your thyroid gets better with medication. These are very common and easily treatable conditions. Don’t worry! And remember you can test positive for antibodies for Hashimotos BUT NOT HAVE AN ACTIVE THYROID PROBLEM. HAve Hashis now but it’s on its way into remission and Graves in remission since 2011.
Hi Lori
I had graves disease now in remission since last year, thyroid is now underactive. I think you really need to see an endocrinologist or specialist. I don't think this should be dealt with via a naturopath, you need current bloods and thyroid profile.... And please don't panic, your life is no more over this week than last week. Where did the hashimotos diagnosis gone from? Xc
Hi Lori, I second what Sassy says. Please leave your thyroid in good hands! You have some wonderful medical universities your way...UCLA, Stanford...If your insurance warrants...are you within a reasonable distance to get to an Endocrinologist there? Good luck, a bad thyroid is miserable, but treatable 😊
There are books available that will explain Hashimoto's much better than any of us can. I went undiagnosed and wasn't treated for 2 years because my gp (in US) didn't think to run blood tests. The thyroid is the master gland and controls lots of the body's function. It is not tied to peri menopause, instead it would be the reverse. Peri symptoms would come from an underachieve thyroid gland. I know, because by the time I got properly diagnosed, my periods had stopped and I went into early menopause at 40.
Because your body's essentially trying to kill your thyroid, sometimes your thyroid becomes overactive and you can be diagnosed with Graves disease before your thyroid begins to die. When it does, you get diagnosed with Hashimoto's. It's important to find a god endocrinologist That's because once a person develops one autoimmune disease, you can develop others, so it's best to be vigilant.
I'm so sorry you're feeling so low. But, that's part of the disease as well. I was exhausted all the time, I could sleep 12 hours at a stretch and get up feeling as if I'd had no rest at all. My skin was dry and I began to lose my hair. Had bad brain fog, too.
Long ago, women who had this condition sometimes went mad and were placed in asylums to die an early death.
GP's are just "dancing in the dark." You need to see a specialist, my dear! xx
Hi lynda, I think you meant to respond to Lori, but...I wanted to comment...Your experience is exactly what happened to the nurse at my obgyn. Undiagnosed Hashi,Early meno, She is on the patch now. Also, do you know anything about Reverse T3 (RT3). my primary dr tested my thyroid and that came up high...everything else normal. Basically, a conversion issue. He referred me to an endo. I waited 6 months only to be told that test means nothing and was not sure why my dr did it. I read naturopaths interpretation of that test...saying hypo thyroid. However, conventional medical info says that test can show high if the body is stressed or inflammation...which I think is the case with me! So confusing! 😐
I agree with Sassy as well. I had my daughter get a complete thyroid panel done privately in February. It showed she has primary hypothyroidism. She hates taking medication and lives a very clean lifestyle. She decided she wanted to go see a naturopath that claimed he was a thyroid specialist. She was 19 at the time of her naturopath appointment, so I went with her. That guy was full of crap! He told her that a high TSH would not impact her ability to get or stay pregnant ( no, she's not trying to get pregnant but it was just such a profound, uneducated statement) and he wanted her to try eating better and taking an herbal supplement ( which he made and sold in his practice) and that she would be good! Well, she can't eat any healthier as she is already a very healthy, clean eater. I was in a tough position because here is my kid that's legally an adult being sold what I believe was a load of hogwash! So my daughter bought the supplements and made another appointment. Once we got home and I looked up the supplement ingredients and we went over them, she was convinced he was more of a dr for simpler conditions and that she'd leave her thyroid in the hands of a conventional dr. She then went to a GP with the thought she'd get a referral to an endocrinologist, but her numbers were enough to get the GP to start her on Levothyroxine. I'm not in love with this GP and feel my daughter needs an endo as the GP is making adjustments to her doses based on TSH alone despite her symptoms. I would go straight to an endocrinologist if I were you.
Hi there, sorry, I don't know about Reverse T3. I would suggest that the endo would know the most about this situation. Frankly, I think that most gps don't have a clue. If you're still concerned, why not try another endo?
As for being on the patch--I know you didn't ask about this. But I had 2 friends on the patch who got DVT blood clots, and they could have died. Both of them had no idea that the patch could cause this. They didn't read the info that came with their prescriptions.
It took one of them 3 days to head to ER, she tried to exercise what she thought was a muscle cramp away. The other one was a work friend. I had to switch off her computer and insist that she go to the ER. She told me she needed to do payroll first. They both could have died, not a fan of the patch any more as a result. xx
Hi Audra, I had a similar experience when I went to a naturopath a few months ago. Tried to sell me a lyme disease regiment program...even though my blood test through them was clear! Tried to get me on Long term doxycycline and come in for cleanses, etc. I was suspicious, but bought a couple of the “anti viral” supplements. I was up all night with severe stomach problems...one of the supplements contained cow colostrum. Then, when I declined the Lyme theory. they tried saying I had Hypothyroidism and I needed to get on disseminated pig thyroid and supplements. If anything, I would be Hyperthyroid as my TSH runs lower and I am skinny as a rail. I am not slamming all naturopaths, just, I do not think they are well regulated in my area. Also, my state just recently granted licenses to practice, so they are popping up. Also, if you have a reaction in the middle of the night...you would be heading of to the ER, not them. Buyer beware for sure! 😉
The bioidentical doc I saw talked me in to switching to naturthroid. Had this whole theory which seemed logical about treating T3 as well.
My thyroid levels went crazy! Had to get back on synthroid pronto to get regulated. It might work to give women who aren’t hypo or slightly hypo to get energy but if you are truly hypo don’t mess around with it. Even a gp can give you proper thyroid tests Lori.
It's my understanding that you don't want to play around with T3! Only people that have no thyroid gland or those with T4 to T3 conversion issues need it! If you're not hypo or even slightly hypo taking T3 when it's not medically needed could be dangerous. I have heard of people that want to take T4 or T3 as dietary supplement to lose weight and that's just insanity and could be very dangerous!
Thank you everybody ! I just asked my doctor to call in the tests Audra. I broke down yesterday with crying hysteria . I guess I thought I was handling this in my own little world ... but it’s be a lonely road doing it all alone . I guess after 6 months of fatigue and trying to manage it I just crashed .
Hi all
Have to say I'm a big believer of taking a holistic approach to health care, I'll try pretty much anything. But, the stories posted today about thyroid issues and methods of treatment is scary to me! The thyroid is such an important gland, it can't be managed by supplement, exercise or anything other than a qualified specialist. My thyroid is my nemesis, it has attempted to take me out on many an occasion and my graves disease gave me acute ulcerative colitis which couldn't be stopped. I had a permanent illeostomy 5 years ago thanks to that. So as far as I am concerned, I use holistic medicine where its appropriate and get my medical advice from someone qualified to give it. I'm glad so many feel the same..... Look after your thyroid ladies 
♥ xx
I'm glad you ordered the test! That's the right first step to take. I'm so sorry you are going through such a rough time! Thyroid issues can make you feel dreadful! I know my daughter was in rough shape when she finally got her diagnosis and started treatment. Thyroid issues are usually like a slow bleed.. you start slowly feeling worse and worse until you realize you just aren't functioning like you should! My daughter was a high level athlete a couple years ago. She had energy just like most teenagers do, loved playing her sport and working out and just feeling great in general! Now she is hardly able to workout at all and it is usually just walking or trotting on a treadmill for 15-20 mins. she is tired all the time, is sleepy and constipated, irregular periods, among other issues and is just so sad to see my young girl in such a sad condition. It breaks my heart for her and I get frustrated that her hypothyroidism can't be fixed quickly and that she can return to her normal, happy, energetic self. I have faith that she will get settled and will be able to feel good again. I hope that for you too. Let us know when you get your test results back. Also, if any of your supplements that you're taking contain Biotin ( B7) you might want to stop taking them 24-48 hrs before your thyroid labs as it has been shown to cause distorted thyroid bloods and give false lab readings. I'd look at all the supplements ( you mentioned taking 20 ) and see if any of them interfere with thyroid blood labs. I know they seem innocent enough but some might throw off or mask your actual thyroid hormones and it's important to diagnosis and treatment to get as accurate measure as you can.
Couldn't agree more Sassy! My daughter was committed to play college volleyball at Cornell but had to give up playing because her hypothyroidism made it impossible to continue. We weren't aware of her hypothyroidism at the time, but she was just unable to keep up her high intensity workouts, playing the sport and studies. It was a real struggle for her to give up the sport she loved and had been so passionate about since she was 13. She put so much hard work and time and sacrifice to get recruited to play in college only to have it stolen away right at the end by the hypothyroidism. Right now, she's deep in the weeds trying to sort it out and go to college while feeling half human. I feel for her and for anyone that is suffering from thyroid issues. It is not something to be messed with. One of my daughters friends asked if she could have a couple of her Levo pills because she wanted to lose some weight! Agh!! How stupid!! I had no idea how important the thyroid is until I stared reading on it to support my daughter. I agree.... look after your thyroid!