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In my West Los Angeles Thyroid Institute I get hundreds of patients that are frustrated with the way they feel. They feel they have been held hostage by poor healthcare and bad diagnosis. When I explain to them about functional medicine they get very excited. One of the most common patient types I get to work with are the hypothyroid cases. Many of these patients have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism and given medication for a problem without knowing why they have it in the first place. I find it frustrating that patients have such limited options and so little information provided to them.
By using specific blood tests such as a thyroid panel (which may include any or all depending on individual need) TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Thyroid antibodies-TGB & TPO, reverse T3, Total T4, Free Thyroxine Index and a resin T3 uptake), a complete metabolic panel, a lipid panel, a CBC (with auto differential), and a UA.
Another important test is to see if you have an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is when your immune system attacks a particular area of the body. I recommend testing for specific thyroid antibodies to determine if you suffer from an autoimmune thyroid.
An antibody is a protein marker. The body's immune system produces antibodies in response to unwanted material like molds, virus, bacteria, and parasites. These substances are labeled antigens. Antibodies can be produced when the body has a reaction to a food it is sensitive to or comes in contact with a harmful chemical. Antibodies can mistakenly be produced against a bodies own healthy tissue when the immune system becomes confused. The antibody marks the tissue for removal and signals the immune response. This is the cause of autoimmune reactions. I like to check for gluten antibodies, myelin (fatty sheath around the nerves) antibodies, cerebellar (back part of the brain controlling balance, coordinated movement, and spinal muscles) antibodies. Testing your adrenal glands via an Adrenal Stress Index or ASI is critical as many thyroid sufferers also suffer from adrenal problems. Have you ever been checked for any of the above antibodies or had an ASI? The common answer patients give me is "no I have not". Finally, I insist on testing the patient for inflammation in their system by testing homocysteine levels and C-Reaction protein.
Think of these tests as pieces of a puzzle. If I was to give you 10 pieces to a 100 piece puzzle you would not be able to put it together. This is what happens when people only get a TSH and T4 test from the lab for their thyroid symptoms. You can't piece it all together without all the tests.
I often get the question "Dr. Beckingham why do I still have symptoms when my tests are normal?" the quick answer is lab ranges are so general that they miss the true functional range. I use the example of a test that says if you are in between the numbers 1 and 10 you are "normal". What if you are a 9.5 on that test? The lab range would say you are fine but in reality you would be within a hairs width away from being sick. You would have symptoms at this level even though your test was fine. This is why I use functional ranges that are more targeted to a patient's health. I enter your blood work into our Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis computer database to determine where the patient sits functionally. Remember, no two thyroid patients are alike so not all thyroid patients should ever be treated alike. Based on your personal blood chemistry, your doctor can determine which products will help you the most.
If someone recommends nutritional supplements and the recommendations are not based on the patient's current blood work, they are doing the patient a huge disservice. You need to do an analysis of the patient's specific condition via their blood chemistry in order to make nutritional recommendations.
In healthy people, the thyroid makes just the right amounts of two hormones, T4 and T3, which have important actions throughout the body. These hormones regulate many aspects of our metabolism, eventually affecting how many calories we burn, how warm we feel, and how much we weigh. In short, the thyroid "runs" our metabolism. These hormones also have direct effects on most organs, including the heart which beats faster and harder under the influence of thyroid hormones. Essentially all cells in the body will respond to increases in thyroid hormone with an increase in the rate at which they conduct their business. More technically most cells in the body have thyroid receptor sites that act like a key hole with the thyroid hormone acting as the key. It is possible to have this key hole blocked by other hormones that are in overabundance in the body.
Before we go any further, let's cover the 3 primary types of thyroid conditions: #1: Hypothyroidism,#2: Hyperthyroidism or Grave's, and #3: Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism #1: Fatigue, tired, or sluggish #2: Cold feet and/or hands #3: Require excessive amounts of sleep to function #4: Gain weight easily #5: Have difficult or infrequent bowel movements #6: Are you depressed #7: Lack of motivation #8: Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses #9: Thinning hair or excessive hair falling out #10: Dryness of the skin and/or scalp #11: Mental sluggishness Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone.Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to "run the body's metabolism", it is understandable that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. Over five million Americans have this common medical condition.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism (aka. Graves Disease) #1: Heart palpitations #2: Inward trembling #3: Increased pulse even at rest #4: Nervous and emotional #5: Insomnia #6: Night sweats #7: Difficulty gaining weight Hyperthyroidism is the medical term to describe the signs and symptoms associated with an over production of thyroid hormone.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland, Hashimoto's is classified as an auto-immune disorder. It is diagnosed by checking the patient for thyroid antibodies (TPO & TGB) and gluten antibodies. Patients suffering from Hashimoto's Thyroiditis will experience symptoms of Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism, meaning that they will experience some or all of the above symptoms. Generally speaking this condition is not a thyroid problem but an auto-immune expression problem. The thyroid gland is a victim of the body and its overactive immune system.
Some forms of treatment for Hashimoto's have been to remove the thyroid gland all together, radiation to kill the thyroid, or to give the patient steroids. This would be great if the thyroid was the problem. You have to focus on why the immune system has gone off kilter in the first place. If the immune issues are not uncovered the system will just move on to attack and destroy other systems of the body. Examples of this are Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Diabetes, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. So it is very important to uncover what is driving the auto immune cascade to prevent further damage.
Since the thyroid gland controls the body's metabolism, it can affect all of the systems of the body such as the gut, liver, gall bladder, hormones, cholesterol, brain via neurotransmitters, adrenal glands, and heart. This explains why thyroid patients have such a wide range of symptoms.
I hope this information helps to clear up the thyroid mystery for some people and why they still have thyroid symptoms even when they are on medication and have normal lab tests. I am always eager to talk to people about whatever condition they think they have or have been told they have.
Dr. Ian Beckingham DC specializes in helping patients suffering from chronic conditions such as hypothyroid, Hashimoto's, fibromyalgia, diabetes, vertigo, insomnia, autism, Asperger's syndrome, ADD/ADHD, chronic pain, and other autoimmune conditions. Dr. Ian Beckingham has two chronic condition centers in Glendale and West Los Angeles. He enjoys talking about all health issues and speaks often. To schedule a free consultation, sign up for a workshop, get more information on Dr. Beckingham, his clinics, or to receive free information go to http://WestLAThyroidDoctor.com/ or http://DrBeckingham.com/ His email is DrBeckingham@gmail.com
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