Unexplainable Weight Gain and GI Symptoms with Hashimoto's

Posted by fishe276 @fishe276, Oct 4, 2023

After 10 years of struggling to find answers for my GI symptoms and sudden consistent weight gain (100+ lbs), my Dr and I have run out of ideas to explore...

Personal Info:
22 year old female. Currently taking 125 Mcg levothyroxine (Hashimoto's) , 100 mg Zoloft (Anxiety)

Medical Background:
At age 1 I was diagnosed with several severe food allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, bees, dairy, barley) and eventually outgrew all but the peanut and tree nut allergies. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease at age 10. Started Synthroid . Have always had irregular menstrual cycles +/- severe cramping and heavy bleeding, in 6th grade was diagnosed with PCOS (at age 16 I was undiagnosed with PCOS by a different Dr.). Around 6th grade severe GI issues began to emerge leading to cramping and severe diarrhea after meals, sometimes not even allowing me to finish eating. I absolutely cannot "hold it". At age 17 I had a colonoscopy and biopsies taken which revealed no obvious causes for the GI symptoms. During college (sophomore-senior year) I gained over 100 lbs even while maintaining an active lifestyle walking/biking and working a manual labor type farm job and occasionally going to the gym. This weight gain was initially blamed on starting antidepressant medication (Prozac) but did not subside when medication was switched and/or no longer used. 2 nutritionists stated my diet was not to blame for the weight gain either. In addition, GI symptoms are now even more prominent and include frequent heartburn. I have gone through several elimination diets to narrow down possible food causes of these symptoms, none so far have brought much (if any) relief. So far I have avoided gluten, dairy, cane sugar, processed sugars with no success. I have been tested several times for Cushing's (negative results) and my thyroid panel is within my normal range.

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How do you get diagnosed for hashimoto? I have hypothyroidism and in 2018 developed unusual allergies. Hive to the point I was taking over 10 to up to 40 Benadryl. Finally cut out all soy and gluten with great results. Only after my thyroid dr gave up, sent me to allergists. No results with that. After ready to toss in the towel and quit eating, I tried a western medicine, who ran an allergy panel. But in the end,( and all my money) over dosed me with magnesium and blew my thyroid completely off. Only after getting my thyroid under control, I made the decision to stay off gluten and soy. Seems to work. Main thing I did get off the Benadryl and now wonder how I function everyday. It should have killed me. Trying to introduce back into diet but do far no luck.
Just wondering. Thanks for listening to me.

REPLY
@novakp52

How do you get diagnosed for hashimoto? I have hypothyroidism and in 2018 developed unusual allergies. Hive to the point I was taking over 10 to up to 40 Benadryl. Finally cut out all soy and gluten with great results. Only after my thyroid dr gave up, sent me to allergists. No results with that. After ready to toss in the towel and quit eating, I tried a western medicine, who ran an allergy panel. But in the end,( and all my money) over dosed me with magnesium and blew my thyroid completely off. Only after getting my thyroid under control, I made the decision to stay off gluten and soy. Seems to work. Main thing I did get off the Benadryl and now wonder how I function everyday. It should have killed me. Trying to introduce back into diet but do far no luck.
Just wondering. Thanks for listening to me.

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@novakp52 you certainly have something going on, but I don’t know if it’s Hashimoto’s. Your doctors don’t seem very helpful, either. Have you thought about going to a comprehensive medical center or a university hospital near you? That’s what I had to do when the local doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. The university hospital knew immediately what was wrong. I had lesions on my brain caused by an autoimmune disease!
Will you try contacting a university hospital or comprehensive medical center! And let me know what you learn!

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We’ll see after I am done with urologist. See what he has found out.
But even with the liquid intake decreased, I think the sodium levels will still be low.
So far, I try to cope but now have better sodium tablets to take. Kept with me every where I go.

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I would test for Cushings Disease. If you look it up, it will tell you that it’s caused by prolonged exposure to high circulating levels of cortisol. If left untreated, it can cause osteoporosis, high blood pressure or hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. Cushing’s Syndrome can also be fatal if not treated. To be tested for this disease, take a blood test. Good luck!

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No Cushing and no real answers from the urologist. Did cut down on fluids but no difference in sodium level. So no help.
Ask my endocrinologist about Hashimoto to confirm it. With that diagnosis it explain the hives because you have more chance of reacting to gluten and soy. These are two foods I cut out of my diet and the hives decreased.
But they still don’t know why my sodium levels are low and preventing it. Meanwhile at 72, I have to add salt and take salt tablets to keep it at 132-134 at any given time. I also carry the salt tablets when away from house. 🤷‍♀️

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Low sodium can be caused by excess water intake ( NA is diluted), or hormone imbalance in serum cortisol, aldosterone or ADH (vasopressin). A 24 hr fluid intake and urine output measurement is helpful and all those hormones can be measured. An endocrinologist would be helpful or your PCP mught order them. How low is your sodium level? Low BP?

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May I ask how long you did the food elimination for? I did one for 6 months avoiding all the trigger foods and am reintroducing them now. So far, I’ve only noticed that potato’s fill me up fast and so do avocado’s and those were two foods that I am sensitive to. I also was getting hives from eating spicy foods and have cut that out and hives have gotten better. Listen to your body, it usually tells you what to do. I’m still working on regaining my taste and smell from Covid in December of 2022…it’s been a struggle! Good luck!

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@slkanowitz

Low sodium can be caused by excess water intake ( NA is diluted), or hormone imbalance in serum cortisol, aldosterone or ADH (vasopressin). A 24 hr fluid intake and urine output measurement is helpful and all those hormones can be measured. An endocrinologist would be helpful or your PCP mught order them. How low is your sodium level? Low BP?

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Have Mayo check for Diabetes Insipidus~
If you must relieve yourself every half hour day & night, your body may not be producing a hormone that regulates water, sodium etc.
It’s not like the “sugar” diabetes, this problem is from another source

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@novakp52

How do you get diagnosed for hashimoto? I have hypothyroidism and in 2018 developed unusual allergies. Hive to the point I was taking over 10 to up to 40 Benadryl. Finally cut out all soy and gluten with great results. Only after my thyroid dr gave up, sent me to allergists. No results with that. After ready to toss in the towel and quit eating, I tried a western medicine, who ran an allergy panel. But in the end,( and all my money) over dosed me with magnesium and blew my thyroid completely off. Only after getting my thyroid under control, I made the decision to stay off gluten and soy. Seems to work. Main thing I did get off the Benadryl and now wonder how I function everyday. It should have killed me. Trying to introduce back into diet but do far no luck.
Just wondering. Thanks for listening to me.

Jump to this post

The doctor ordered a blood test for me & a biopsy of the thyroid gland to diagnose Hashimoto’s -
But even with synthroid, I still battle the weight going up! The only time I lost 30 pounds in 3 months, was not to eat ! Period.
I drank 3 meal replacements a day, 1 small glass of orange juice & an electrolyte suppliment, that comes in packets you add to a full glass of water.
The first week was hard.
After that, I saved a lot of money b/c I wasn’t buying food! Had lots of energy, slept well & a 30 pound drop in weight.
But as soon as I began adding in real food, I had GI issues, weight gain and tired all the time? Just had a blood test yesterday to check thyroid levels, cortisol & other lab values

REPLY
@slkanowitz

Low sodium can be caused by excess water intake ( NA is diluted), or hormone imbalance in serum cortisol, aldosterone or ADH (vasopressin). A 24 hr fluid intake and urine output measurement is helpful and all those hormones can be measured. An endocrinologist would be helpful or your PCP mught order them. How low is your sodium level? Low BP?

Jump to this post

The loss it has gotten is 121. The highest has been 135. Done the 24 hr urine tests x3. Nothing
B/P controlled with medicine but not extremely high.

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