Auto Immune Causes – The Cat and Mouse Game – A Personal Tale

Some of you may know over the years I have been through many diagnoses ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, but have suspected Thyroid problems for a while now. Hashimotos is an auto immune experience, and I have been through gut related auto immune in the form of colitis, so I carry a tendency and possibly a lingering causal issue.

I now have some definitive test results that reveal I am producing antibodies which means there is a problem with the thyroid and what might be called ‘an auto immune’ condition.

I now have something to work on. But honestly this area is a minefield of information and red herrings, false flags and holistic mystery.

Getting tested is important, but tests are so damn expensive, particularly when there are a myriad of tests.

Finding a professional, either a decent doctor or a functional doctor or a knowledgeable naturopath is very expensive and out of my range, so i’m in the thick of it with trying to unravel it for myself as much as possible.

Luckily I am healthy, or at least healthy enough to mitigate some of the symptoms and effects.

But thats not enough when there is attrition of the gland and body going on. I have to dig even deeper and find some causal factor.

Could be Epstein Barr virus.
Could be heavy metal.
Could be electro smog.
Could be the years of toxic drug overload.
Could be a genetic component.
Could be years of stress I carried.
Could be low testosterone.

You see the problem?

It is something of an anomaly to have this..I am actually super healthy on so many levels, and all indications are it just shouldn’t be so. So the question that must always be asked and pursued is WHY?

What is causing this reactivity in the cellular body? Over the years as I have healed my gut the inflammation markers have come down and down until now there is no sign of inflammation.

That doesn’t necessarily mean there is one. But something is in the system, or some imbalance in the system, that is creating this disturbance. It might be low grade infection (ala ‘Medical Medium’ suggestion that Epstein Barr virus is more at play in Hashimotos and auto immunity than we imagine. It could simply be years of toxic assault, mercury (now gone) and stress (which I carried for many years) and of course electro smog and all its joys..

And of course Im now 59 so the body is hanging and getting older, systems getting weaker, testosterone going down, and so on and so forth.

So the investigation continues, meanwhile I truly believe that one can at least offset damage and harm by living as though one were vibrantly well, consciously choosing healthy foods and exercise and attending to the mind and emotion. xx

Thats where I’m at. I am almost excited to have found out something definite. It gives me a direction to move in.

Thanks for reading!

My recent results.

Thyroid Inquiry

 I have been forced, invited, demanded, to look at this confusing and mysterious area of thyroid over recent years, and increasingly so in the last year as I began to see links and connections between certain symptoms that have been appearing.

For example, a full blown skin rash that appeared last year which was shocking and intense, covered my entire body in red spots and then developed into welts that were very scary and painful. I still have the residue of these issues and am finding it hard to ‘kick them into touch.’

Both my wife and I suspected, intuited and rationalized that all my symptoms, from the rash to swollen calves, to foggy brain and increasingly causeless anxiety were somehow linked to a thyroid imbalance, which may or may not have been exacerbated by a very poor mercury amalgam removal in Costa Rica about 2 years ago.

(More on that fiasco some other time, but needless to say, if you are going to get your mercury removed, GO PROFESSIONAL!)

MY TERRIFYING RASH LAST YEAR!

I saw doctor after doctor in the UK, both at the outset of the symptoms and when they were at their peak.

NONE of them were interested in connecting the symptoms with the thyroid gland, or inflammation, or gut problems, or even my auto immune problems. No, they wanted to send me to dermatology, or rheumatology, or some other more specialist department that sounded like it was helpful but was not. 

WHY NOT?

Because at the end of the day, after all diagnoses and investigation, and this is my most important point ever, and after all tests were in, THEY COULDN’T OFFER ME ANYTHING USEFUL, or any useful connection between symptoms, and they couldn’t offer me any treatment that was natural or dealt with root cause.

They had no idea what the root cause was, and they had no methods to find out. Neither was that their remit.

That was it basically. I was alone with the internet. I couldn’t afford to see a Functional Doctor which is what I would always recommend for someone with auto immune related issues.

I saw a fantastic acupuncture therapist and herbalist who helped me restore some balance, and there really are imbalances in the whole body system.

I bought this book. http://a.co/azf2chL

And I  really started to focus on what I could do to calm things down and restore some order. I have a long way to go, but I am delighted that I haven’t had to take any medication at all.

My main areas of focus are: GUT. LIVER. ADRENALS.

My current skills are: PATIENCE. CONSISTENCY. RELAXATION.

My current awareness is: MIND is as important as BODY in healing.

If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing mild, or harsh, symptoms that might be diagnosed as thyroid related, be warned about going down the medical route on its own.

Seek second opinion and further testing by alternative practitioners, functionals doctors, chinese medicine doctors etc. It might save your thyroid gland and prevent you having to depend on pharmaceutical medication for the rest of your life.

Here are some resources to pursue:

http://hypothyroidmom.com/when-thyroid-disease-masquerades-as-psychiatric-disorder/

http://hypothyroidmom.com/anxiety-panic-attacks-depression-mood-swings-the-thyroid-roller-coaster-ride/

 

And here are some ideas from Dr Axe. They are pretty basic but they introduce the principles. An anti inflammatory diet is ESSENTIAL, no question.

Natural Hypothyroidism Treatment – FROM DR AXE.

Here are the 8 Secrets to fixing your thyroid issues:

1. Go Gluten and A1 Casein FREE – the most common allergies and food intolerances today are from wheat and dairy products because of the hybridized proteins of gluten and a1 casein.  These proteins can cause “Leaky Gut” which in turn will cause inflammation of the thyroid and effect it’s function.  Follow a grain-free diet or at least go gluten free.  Then only consume dairy products that come from A2 cows, goat milk, or sheep milk.

2. NO BPA – Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in plastic bottles and can disrupt your endocrine system and effect your thyroid.  I recommend only drinking out of glass, stainless steel, or BPA free plastic bottles.

3. Check Your Iodine Levels – If they are low use a kelp or organic liquid iodine supplement.

4. Heavy Metal Detox – I recommend using a combination of Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Chlorella, and Cilantro to detox these harmful metals from your cells and organs.

5. More Selenium – Make sure you’re getting enough selenium in your diet but also don’t go overboard.  Some of the best selenium containing foods are brazil nuts, salmon, sunflower seeds, beef, mushrooms and onions.

6. Adaptogen Supplements – Can lower cortisol levels and improve thyroid function like Ashwagandha and Tulsi.

7. Silver Fillings Removal – if you have amalgam fillings talk with a DAMS mercury safe dentist about proper removal.

8. Lower Carbohydrate Intake – Lower your intake of sugars and grains and replace them with healthy fats.  Most women especially consume far too many carbs which increase estrogen and negatively effect the thyroid.  Instead consume healthy fats that will balance hormones, like: coconut oil, coconut milk, avocado, grass-fed beef, wild salmon, chia, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds.

https://draxe.com/8-secrets-to-cure-hypothyroidism-and-other-hormone-problems/

Good luck and thanks for reading!