hashimotos- candida diet??

[lollydoll1]

Looking for any info on diet with relation to hashimotos hypothyroid and candida. I was diagnosed hypo ten years ago and take levothyroxine but have noticed little to no improvement in my original symptoms despite my levels all being normal or optimal (inc T3). I am very thin and suffer with hives, insomnia, hairloss. I have often wondered about diet and have trialled gluten free with minor improvements and recently trialled non dairy (saw no difference). Unfortunately after returning to eating dairy I developed severe IBS symptoms (daily loose stools and wind sorry tmi!!) and oral thrush which has been treated twice with medication with no improvement. Two weeks of no dairy/ gluten did not impact on the IBS or thrush so I have tried to return to eating some dairy and gluten low fibre (not very healthy I know) as I am underweight. I have read lots about the candida diet but am frightened to restrict myself again after what happened with non dairy and because of my low BMI. I have cut my sugar intake drastically but noticed no difference in the thrush. Am quite scared too because apparently oral thrush usually is only found in those with compromised immune systems (?!). Should mention I had my baby five months ago so this could be linked. Any help/ advice welcome?

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

My husband has struggled to keep on weight most of his life. Since we went gluten and dairy free and onto a paleo-ish diet he has found it a lot easier to keep on weight- not a huge amount but his new base line is maybe 5 or 6 pounds above his old one.

I have IBS too, and follow a low fodmap diet for that. Like you, no gluten or dairy helped with IBS but didn't solve it totally, but low fodmaps has helped a lot (in essence I eat meat, fish, rice, potatoes, green leafy vegetables, a little bit of citrus/berries). The following things have helped in managing IBS symptoms.

Two probiotics- Prescript Assist and Jarrow Ideal Bowel formula. Low fodmaps and probiotics aren't a total cure, but they keep things very much at a manageable level.

I also find keeping to a moderate fat intake is good- so not low fat and not high fat (as many anti-candida diets will tell you). Around 55-65g a day is ideal. The other thing that makes a difference is getting the right amount and type of fibre. I try to keep insoluble fibre as low as possible, and need to keep my soluble fibre intake between about 7g and 15g a day.

No sugar is really important and not too many carbs at one sitting is too, so I find eating small meals 5 or 6 times a day is much easier than 3 big meals.

Try looking up "Perfect Diet" by Paul Jaminet and also the low fodmaps diet.

Good luck.

[lollydoll1]

Thank you I will look into these. I've heard paleo is good for hashimotos sufferers too. Not too sure about fodmaps will have to research it. Hoping to find an alternative to the anti candida diet as it is just so restrictive.

[Clarella]

Are you sure you're on the right dose of thyroxine?

A low sugar diet is always going to help but at the end of the day this is key.
Do you know last tests and ranges?

Also, getting ferritin, vit d and b12 right/ optimal helps a lot too. I speak from very recent and awful experience! No diet helps thyroid symptoms if they aren't right.

Thrush is definitely helped with low sugar and lots of live yoghurt / probiotics plus correct food for them. Worth a try for the thrush element definitely.

[Clarella]

Have you been checked for coeliacs?

[paxtecum]

I had candidiasis albicans very badly - my stomach was getting more and more bloated, I was very slim and looked 7 months pregnant and I had no energy. I slepy 16 hours every day.
I ended up seeing a natarupath / herbalist and did the candida diet.
Within a few months I was better, but am still on a restricted diet.

[Clarella]

I just noticed you said t3 is ok.

The other associated condition with autoimmune thyroid disease can be pernicious anaemia (b12) but it is an actual gut issue where antibodies attack a part of the gut.

I do wonder if you should ask gp to investigate any other issues and possibly refer to a gastro.

I've been diagnosed hypermobility syndrome also - very skinny, weak muscles etc. But can have a LOT of gut issues too as muscles struggle to cope with food. I'm not too bad if eating healthily and thyroxine ok but some with hms really suffer.

My mil had lots of recent gut issues and started loosing weight, hair etc. In the end it has been a gluten and wheat intolerance.

I think I'm trying to say - it might be worth exploring lots of other options with gp, ruling out things.

Hair loss can be several deficiencies.

[lollydoll1]

Hi clarella, thanks so much for taking the time to post here. I'm sorry to hear your Health troubles. My thyroid tsh is 0.01 and t3 6.3 so if anything am slightly over replaced. Although I don't feel at all hyper and have been at this level throughout my pregnancy and afterwards. I've had two neg coeliac tests and my b12 is great at 666. My ferritin is low at 20 and have started taking spatone to deal with this but am sure I'm suffering malabsorption so until this is remedied everything seems futile. Unfortunately I didn't bank on the impact dairy would have on my health and without a structured reintroduction I seem to have made myself very ill. I obv must've had an intolerance without any GI issues previously and eliminating then reintroducing has caused me terrible tummy trouble and this is when the thrush started. I am considering sourcing a private dietician as my weight, gives and GI issues are now frightening me ?? was there any impact on your weight on the candida diet?

[lollydoll1]

Sorry I meant that last question for pax- reading this on my phone. Thanks for sharing your experience- how is your health now?

[lollydoll1]

And what are your current restrictions?

[Clarella]

I eat anything. Yes you could be a little over replaced - but your ferritin is low. I was really struggling at 57, tried 3 lots of spatone a day for a month and it went down.

The endo I saw commented it was aclittle low at 57 but felt it would go up - however I was (I now know) over replaced. And this can drain iron too. This at the very least can make food shoot through you so you don't absorb food.

I've been taking 2x 200 mg iron tablets since January; it took 3 months to get to 80 ish, I'm not sure latest. But as my strength and muscles have improved I seem to be needing a little less thyroxine. Periods can be very heavy post baby draining iron as well as simply pregnancy too. You need iron to grow muscle etc, slight over replacement shouldn't be a big issue but could weaken you. Spatone has roughly 14-18 mg in comparison. (The daily amount)

Hair loss can happen post baby but also with low ferritin. In not a Dr, but I've gone through this recently, inc baby! My periods didn't return till 2 as I was bf but they really caused a lot of issues.

I really would look into trying to see which iron tablets you might be able to manage.

Regarding thyroxine, you could adjust by a 25 every other day. Eg 125/150.

But really best to discuss all with gp. I think it's reasonable to ask to try raising your ferritin. I've picked up from mn and elsewhere that 70-90 is best level for ferritin if you are on thyroxine.

And what your stools are like - eg my mil had very pale gassy stools. Have you been tested for other guy issues?

Also, vitamin d?

[Clarella]

I started taking iron as I started getting extreme restless leg syndrome symptoms and gp had to rule out the iron level being responsible. But I clearly started to improve when this got better and I reduced thyroxine

[Clarella]

Pregnancy and bf drains a lot of vitamin d.

[Clarella]

It's very hard, I can see to know what to do for the best. You've clearly an imbalance of something with the IBS and thrush. Have you tried lactose free milk and taking a really good probiotics? Biokult at boots is good. My friend is in denial about being lactose intolerant but get terrible ibs if she has normal milk!

[Clarella]

This really might not be much help but - I've learnt that following a tummy bug babies/ children can develop transient lactose intolerance for a while (ibs effectively) until their gut heals and recovers. We can too but generally have more resilience. There's two ways forward - eat everything till it balances or eat easily digested things (low fibre, no dairy etc) till it settles. People disagree about best ways forward! It could be you need to keep a bit of a diary linking what you eat to symptoms or just eat very easily digestible things for a while (how are you with porridge with water and dash of honey?) with probiotics, till things settle?

I suppose iron tablets could initiallyake things worse, at the same time you may need them.

[Clarella]

This really might not be much help but - I've learnt that following a tummy bug babies/ children can develop transient lactose intolerance for a while (ibs effectively) until their gut heals and recovers. We can too but generally have more resilience. There's two ways forward - eat everything till it balances or eat easily digested things (low fibre, no dairy etc) till it settles. People disagree about best ways forward! It could be you need to keep a bit of a diary linking what you eat to symptoms or just eat very easily digestible things for a while (how are you with porridge with water and dash of honey?) with probiotics, till things settle?

I suppose iron tablets could initiallyake things worse, at the same time you may need them.

[lollydoll1]

Thank you so much clarella. It's good to hear from someone in a similar boat re the thyroid. I suffered a PPH after birth and lost a lot of blood but wasn't given a transfusion. I was prescribed iron tabs but they gave me tummy issues and I can't go back to them with my gut in the state its in right now- hence the spatone :-) I think a combination of the iron and the dairy thing just totally upset my stomach and that's when my immune system failed and the thrush appeared. A combination of anaemia and low immunity must have floored my system. I have only just had my first period (5mths pp). I tried bfing but it was agonising. My son fought me all the way and after adding formula was diagnosed with cows milk protein allergy/intolerance. He's now on neocate formula and doing great :-) his diagnosis triggered my non dairy trial and it all went downhill from there...

[lollydoll1]

The gp wouldn't test vit d as my calcium was fine but I'm thinking of supplementing anyway. I think I have issues with food sensitivities as I suffer daily with hives and have done for about 3/4 yrs now. Allergy testing was a brick wall so I feel the only way to approach it now is diet but am just scared to try anything else unsupervised after the dairy disaster and because my weight is so low. I've been trying to include some dairy again but it gives me mucous in my throat :-/ and of course my stomach gurgles and I get wind. My stool colour is yellow and I can see particles of undigested food which is what makes me think of malabsorption.

[Clarella]

No harm in supplementing. Odd he wouldn't test?

I just worry you've been fully checked out? My mil was try to try gluten elimination after lots of other tests were clear, and it did the trick.

She also had tests on her pancreas and for bacterial pylori (?) infection.

There's a section on mn regarding intolerances and allergies, might be worth checking there. I think I'd want gp to think about why you struggle to put weight on, hair etc. Could change gps?

I'm sorry you're struggling so much

[Clarella]

I don't know much about the candida diet but after looking at it, I shouldn't have thought it would hugely affect anything unless you do have an actual intolerance. I actually naturally eat a lot of what's there, but as I like it! I've considered trying kefir myself for a long time too - supposed to be very good for your gut.

I've read a lot of things about apple cider vinegar too, have you tried it?

[Clarella]

After reading your post again re two lots of attempts to treat thrush - what does gp think? Has it been swabbed?

[Clarella]

I don't do diets but it looks very nutritious and you're getting some dairy through the yogurt etc. I do know traditionally around the world many foods are fermented and it's thought really help our guts. As long as you were hitting all the main food groups listed (which all seem to be super foods) and getting a good balance of fish, eggs, meat, carbs plus the yoghurt. It does sound like you reacted to the reintroduction of milk? I've also heard coconut oil is anti bacterial and anti fungal as many breast feeding mums use it on their nipples and baby's bottom.

My only concern would be - actual intolerance to something specific or that you have an actual issue with your digestion or system. For example diabetes or pancreas or gut.

I have a vague memory of thrush being linked to diabetes? Has this been checked?

I don't want to alarm you but it's always worth going back to gp or trying a new one. They don't always know everything; sometimes it's a jigsaw puzzle and another one has the missing piece.

[lollydoll1]

I've just had a ton of tests inc diabetes so no dice there- thank god! I will take a look at the intolerances thread, thank you. I must buy some apple cider vinegar. I've been meaning to for ages and keep forgetting. I've heard that the reason people claim to feel better on the candida diet is that it's basically the same as an elimination diet so food intolerances are revealed. Not sure if this is right though. I did two weeks dairy and gf and my head felt clearer with more energy but the gut problems and weight loss remained so I gave up. Family members think I'm making myself thin with these dietary changes so it's difficult. I really appreciate your replies- thank you again

[lollydoll1]

I have some coconut oil too and have been taking a spoonful now and again but it's like swallowing lard haha!

[Clarella]

Use it in cooking or on things?

Glad it's not diabetes :)

I must say, it can take the body a few months to adjust to anything inc a baby.

Did you do gluten and dairy together? I'd try just one first, and find out how long is reasonable? Maybe it needs to be a month?

If you're getting enough actual calories including fats, it should be no different, protein etc, infact more nutritious? Just tricky to keep up with I guess. For example it looks like you could have almond butter?

I can attest to having a small child as making it harder to keep weight on as well as the possibility you are marginally over replaced with thyroxine.

Perhaps trying to eat more red rare meat, both boosting iron and extra protein?

And go and quiz everyone in the intolerances sections; my mil had literally been tested for everything and was surprised it was that simple, but my mum said she'd recently read it's more common than people realise.

I hope you feel better soon

[Clarella]

Is gp ok with 0.01? My endo said it was ok if you feel ok but I didn't!

I wonder if you don't feel hyper due to low ferritin? Clutching at straws a bit!