# IBS is a symptom of low thyroid function



## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

I have now after several years of IBS and ill health come to the conclusion that IBS is very often a symptom of low thyroid function and not a ilness in it self. The link between IBS, depression, insomnia, fatigue, CFS, FM can all be explained by hypothyroidism. There are MANY MANY stories of people's symptoms of IBS going away completely and forever once they found the right those of thyroid medication. I really really urge you to explore this link. It makes so incredibly much sense. If you want further readingThe diagnosis and management of hypothyroidsm - Dr. Gordon SkinnerYour Thyroid - by Durrant Peatfield. And there is much much about this by people like Dr. John Lowe, Dr. Hertoghewww.stopthethyroidmadness.comhttp://www.thyroid-disease.org.uk/Hypothyroidism is a common ilness, but it is often undiagnosed or undertreated due to the fact that doctors do not know how to diagnose it. They usually diagnose you by a blood test called the TSH test. But it is a flawed test and the ranges are too wide. You've likely been told by your doctor that you blood test is normal. The problem is that they don't know how to read a thyroid test. Doctors who are more likely to properly test your thyroid would be naturopaths, anti-aging doctors, I urge you all to please please take my advice for this. This isn't snake oil. This is a real diagnosis with a real solution. If you treat the thyroid, you treat the IBS and other problems like depression as well. I hope you look into it, it would make me so happy to know people are going to get well.


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

You know I was thinking something similar.As I have a cold sensitivity along with the IBS, and the only thing that comes up on a search for that is hyperthyroidism.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

While thyroid can effect the GI tract I am very clear it is not true that the one and only thing wrong with all IBSers is thyroid problems (hyper or hypo)Plenty of us have very normal thyroid function and have the IBS treated by things that would not fix the thyroid.IBS and thyroid issues are common so you will find a lot of people with both. If you have no other symptoms of thyroid problems don't assume that fixing some undetectable thyroid problem (i.e. one that can only be found by a non-scientific test that doesn't directly measure thyroid function) will fix your IBS.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Otherway around. Cold sensitivity is usually hypothyoid, althoguh heat intolerance can be hypothyroid as well since the body as problems sweating. Most people with thyroid problems have low thyoid. About 80% while 20% are hyper. Some also have hashimoto's and swing between hypo and hyper. If one has been hypothyroid for a long time, one may get adrenal fatigue too. Despite what you may read about adrenal fatigue, it is a real condition and you will know once you have it. Once you have adrenal fatigue, one will most likely be diagnosed with CFS or simply be fobbed of as depressed. This is why all this is such a damn battle. If one developed IBS due to food poisining, then I doubt it's the thyroid, but for people who simply just have it, then I bet it's the thyroid. When the thyroid is low, nothing works as well as it should, brain, gut, sleep etc. I spent years trying to figure out how to find a diet or exercise regime that could rid me of IBS. It would always come back on way or the other and it's bad for soul having to do so much just to have a darn bowel movement. I felt guilty for having this problem and always thought, I did something wrone, ate wrong, exercised too much or too little, stressed too much, psychosomatic what have you. Now I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism by one of the best doctors in the world and it all makes perfect sense. because I've been hypothyroid so long and tried antidepressants, I've also developed other conditions such as adrenal fatigue, testosterone defiency, low ferritin and B12.I hope others don't wait as long, I do get to the root of the problem. And it really is the thyroid. Study, and you'll know.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

kathleen you are talking non-sense. Like I said, I didn't say 'all' people with IBS have a thyroid problem. I said most due. Hypothyroidism IS diagnosed by some vague unspecific test these days which is why it's so uncommonly diagnosed. TSH is a pitituary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. monitering thyroid function through the TSH is like monitering sex hormones through LH & FSH. It's daft. Also if you if you've seen as many TSH tests as I have and T4, t3, ft3, t4 tests as I have, you'll notice there is absolutely no correlation between serum t4 & serum t3 and TSH. It's a lousy test and too broad at that. The TSH often goes from 0.5-5.0 The thing is that research and lot's of patients experience has been that a lot people experience problems when the TSH is >2, though a TSH<2 dosn't exclude a thyroid problem. When you look at studies that measure an average TSH among healthy people with no thyroid problems it's about 1. Here you can see that 2 is 100% higher. 3 is 200% higher etc. The problem is that doctors won't put on you thyroid meds until your TSH>10. And that might never happen. Doctors are only looking for 100% thyroid failure, not 40% or 50%, but 20% failure is enough to cause IBS & depression. 40-50% is enough to cause CFS or FM. Before the TSH test, there were over 40 different tests for hypothyroidism, because it simply is not a easy condition to diagnose. If you think I'm talking bull, please read the material, I suggested including books. If one takes blood work for thyroid it must includeTotal T4Total T3Free T3Free T4Thyroid antibodiesReverse T3TSHVitamin DFerritin SHBG24 hour urine test for T3. This test shows much t3 makes it to the tissues. Kathleen, you really don't know what you are talking about and writing what you do might discourage people for finding the key link between their IBS, depression, CFS. IBS is not normal. IBS is not attributed to any specific cause. Everything has a cause. IBS can often be the result of a insuffienct metabolism.Kathleen do you still have fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia and CFS is due to ATP defiency caused by mitochondria dysfunction due to low T3 in the tissues. Dr. John lowe has great succes treating Fibromyalgia with T3. The allergies you have are likely due to adrenal insufiency thogh this can be thyroid as well. When my adrenals were real shot some months ago, I had real bad allergies and could hardly get out of the house. now that I'm taking cortisol that has completely dissapered. Everything, including IBS, FM & CFS has a cause. I'm telling you the most likely cause.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I really don't think it is "most" whether you call most 99% or 51%.I went through the full scientific thyroid panel for other reasons after the IBS was long gone. Unfortunately it wasn't the answer for those issues that were much more thyroid looking than my IBS ever was.But saying a naturopathic doctor are the only ones that can find it (well maybe a few medical doctors but only some specific ones) to me usually means something other than the tests you would have run at a doctor's office. A lot of alternative doctors (like naturopaths) do some pretty hinky testing. Some are very good, but a lot are not. Some are deliberately skewed to get people to buy a lot of supplements they may or may not need, and a naturopath can't prescribe the treatments a medical doctor would.IBS is actually pretty well understood even if they can't find which exact nerves in the Enteric Nervous System are the ones malfunctioning. There is now a blood test that can use the biomarkers they have been discovered over the last couple of decades, so the "they can't test for it and they can't know what it is" thing really isn't the same as it was 10 or more years ago.Saying most IBSers must have something else and they can't really have IBS (and or IBS cannot exist or it is just a symptom of some other problem) really isn't to me all that helpful, but your mileage may vary. A lot of people do think IBS is completely made up and can't possibly be a real disease. Which does annoy me almost as much as those who say it exists but no one should require any treatment for it (like the FDA and some medical doctors)I think that is why the "ya'll really must have" posts are ones I tend to respond to. That being said *everyone with symptoms of thyroid problems should have their thyroid tested.* I think we can agree on that and I am certainly not going to tell anyone not to get tested if is obvious they need the testing. Just I don't think hypothyroidism is the clear answer for most of us, or that one must always be searching for the something else that must be wrong with them no doctor will look for, or that the tests they already had must always be wrong.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

I mentioned Naturopaths because they often simply have a better understanding of it. Your local doctor or endo will most likely just order a TSH test, proclaim you normal and send you on your way with a laxative or an antidepressant.I also mentioned anti-aging doctors. This isn't because the purpose is anti-aging, but simply because they are much better at diagnosing and treating hormonal deficienes than even endocrinologists. If they try to treat with supplements instead of thyroid hormone replacement, then they are not good doctors. What thyroid tests did you have specifically? Can you post your blood results here? My local doctor ordered a blood test, looked at the results and said everything was completely normal. I then went to an endo who ordered some blood tests said they were normal and wanted me to see a psychiatrist.I then decided enough was enough and booked an appointment with the best hormone doctor in the world, who's grandfather was the first person in the western world to diagnose and treat hypothyroidism. Do you know what he did? He had me fill in a 26 page questionaire, then extensive blood test and 24 hour urine test. When I met him in the consulation, he spent 30 minutes examining my body, pinching my skin and testing my reflexes and looking for clinical signs of hormonal defiecny. Now that's a lot more scientific than glancing at a blotch of ink on a piece of paper. People has misunderstood the word scientific as meaning only serum tests.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't have it handyI had all the tests one of the other moderators who helps out on our sister thyroid board says are needed and she looked them over and said they were all normal, just like the doctor.That is good enough for me, even if it is not for you.We also ran several other detailed diagnositc panels which were also all normal. However I do have severe allergies that could explain all the fatigue I was having, but we were just running all the other stuff to be sure. I do actually trust my allergist, and several of the tests he agreed to were things I suggested.I don't just assume the doctor knows best and go on my merry way without doing any research on my own. I know too many naturopaths or other alternative doctors (some MDs some not) that would put some thyroid in a vial in your hand and push on your arm or other such things. Depends on who you go to, but a lot of them do not believe any test a medical doctor would run can really find things out and will tell you even if those tests are abnormal the ones they run are so much better. Depend on how anti-science and anti-allopathic medicine they are. Some are very much in the we are right they are wrong camp. Some are interested in doing complimentary medicine (where you use both) but a lot will do everything they can to keep you away from scientific medicine.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Good thyroid doctor list BTWhttp://thyroid.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/...com/topdocs.htmKathleen if you could dig up those thyroid blood tests, please post them here and let me have a look at them. If you still have fibromyalgia and allergies, why miss the oppourtunity to be cured for good? I understand if you dislike me, but would encourage you to at least get the book "diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism" by doctor gordon skinner just so you eventually get can get completely cured.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Who said I have Fibromyalgia. I do not. Other than some fatigue I have ZERO symtoms of that or choronic fatigue or other such syndromes. I have the tired thing, but not the others. Low grade fatigue is pretty much a symptom of everything, including allergies that are from allergies, not anything else.I am undergoing allergy shots for my allergies and they work very well (even if they can make me tired at times and when we did the full testing it was right at the end of a fresh build and those do tend to wipe people out)


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

You write here you had fibromyalgia. http://www.ibsgroup.org/stories/Kathleen_M


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

*had* and then an extremely mild version of it.Which was a "side effect" of Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (like sleep apnea) that was fixed first with CPAP and then permanently when they fixed the inside of my nose.As long as I actually cycle through my sleep cycle my muscles feel fine. I have has *zero* symptoms of it since then. If I misled you in anyway to think it was current and ongoing I'm sorry.The very mild IBS symptoms I had at that time also disappeared when I started sleeping normally. Until I got a severe case of it later.Why do I have to have hypothyroidism? That is the one and only answer you will allow. It isn't like it is the only cause of all ill health. I'm glad they found it and fixed it for you, but that doesn't mean it must be the answer for almost every other human being.It would be great if there was only one answer and everyone fit all in the exact same box. Would make things a lot easier. Unfortunately it really isn't that simple.All I remember of the thyroid was all the T's and all were very normal. Iron in my blood is fine (that is anemia) and I dunno if we did D but I live in a sunny place and supplement with it anyway so unlikely to be the one thing that would be abnormal and prove all the thyroid tests are false negatives.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

I havn't written that hypothyroidism is the cause of all ill health. I just know that on these boards there hundreds of people trying on thing after another IBS with little to no relief, many who are chronically depressed and cycling antidepressants, many with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and frankly it's breaks my heart to see so many people suffer from a problem that can be treated with a medication that can bring full relief of all symptoms and no side effects. Not to mention the millions of people out there. I won't bother you anymore Kathleen if you want to live with allergies, Ibs and fatigue, but don't prevent me getting this crucial knowledge out to others.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Again if you read my story my IBS has been in remission for nearly a decade now.Just because I had it doesn't mean I still suffer from it, nor am I "one of those that just wants to be sick" because I don't immediately go to your doctor (or one just like him/her) or make mineredo all the tests we did before.You assume my allergies are only due to thyroid problems, as are the health problems I had do to a sleep disorder and allergies that I've had my whole life and didn't have the growth problems thyroid disease causes in small childern.But you assume I would rather suffer.AS I SAID.If you have symptoms of thyroid disease (not everything else) get tested, and get tested properly. But don't go to doctor after doctor insisting the thyroid must be bad if you've had a proper screening (like I have) and your symptoms don't add up to thyroid disease. Just because you have IBS doesn't mean you have the cluster of symptoms you see in thyroid disease, AND I suggest thyroid testing for people all the time when they complain of usual thyroid symptoms. Like I do for people that have symptoms of anything that is not IBS.You really think I am here just to make sure people stay sick? Why? You are the only one that cares?OK.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Alexander you throw around a whole bunch of statements without backing ANY of them up with links.Here's one of them:


> Everything, including IBS, FM & CFS has a cause. I'm telling you the most likely cause.


Let me get this straight .. you are saying that all of those things are caused by thyroid problems????Wow..... really???









> I won't bother you anymore Kathleen if you want to live with allergies, Ibs and fatigue


Well Thank G-d!


> but don't prevent me getting this crucial knowledge out to others.


SIMPLY posting that one should get their thyroid checked as a reminder would have been PLENTY.BQ


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

I'm thinking you must mean that constipation or diarrhea can be a symptom of a thyroid issue, rather than "IBS". IBS has a list of it's own symptoms, and is not the same as simply having constipation or diarrhea.While thyroid problems can have symptoms like fatigue, feeling too hot or too cold, dry skin, hair loss, some various aches and pains, depression, etc - those would be symptoms of a thyroid issue. Something like Fibromyalgia is its own separate entity. A thyroid problem may have some symptoms that do a really good job of MIMICKING Fibromyalgia. A lot of issues mimic Fibromyalgia really well, not sleeping well for an extended period of time WILL give you all the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. However, that doesn't mean you have Fibromyalgia. It means you have Fibromyalgia-like symptoms caused by sleep deprivation. With proper sleep treatment, the symptoms would go away, thus proving your issue was a sleep issue, and proving you did not have Fibro. The same would be true if you have Fibo-like symptoms due to a thyroid problem - it would not mean you have Fibro. It would mean you have a thyroid issue causing Fibro-like symptoms - therefore, you treat the thyroid issue, and the Fibro-like symptoms go away. (Proving it wasn't truly Fibromyalgia.)Bottom line, a thyroid issue CAN cause GI symptoms. But, having GI symptoms of constipation or diarrhea DOES NOT MEAN you have IBS. It just means you have constipation or diarrhea from a thyroid problem. Correct the thyroid problem, the constipation or diarrhea go away. Conversely it's still true. Just having constipation or diarrhea is not a signal that someone has a thyroid issue. If they have other symptoms of thyroid problems, then I would definitely encourage them to get tested. I've told LOTS of people over the years they need to get their thyroids checked. But simply having IBS is not a "sign" that someone has a thyroid issue. IBS is a miscommunication between the nerves in the gut and the central nervous system command post in the brain. Simple constipation or diarrhea is not, that's why they can be a symptom of a thyroid problem.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

BQ said:


> Alexander you throw around a whole bunch of statements without backing ANY of them up with links.Here's one of them:Let me get this straight .. you are saying that all of those things are caused by thyroid problems????Wow..... really???
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's because I'm not trying to write an essay. There are people who get well from Fibromyalgia and CFS everyday once they follow this connnection. Notably CFS & FM came about in the same decade doctors starting relying on the TSH test for diagnosing thyroid problems. CFS & FM are the the result of ATP defiency because of mitochondria dysfunction. The mitochondria dysfunction is because the cells aren't getting enough t3 which drives the mitochondria. the leading CFS expert in the UK is sarah myhill. You can get her book for free on her website if you want to read more. You can also read more about this on Dr. John Lowe's website. And I have provided lots of links in the first post. It is not enough to go to your local GP and get a thyroid test, because frankly they suck at diagnosing and treating it. I have provided a link with a overview of good thyroid doctors around the world. Here's another link to an article featuring Dr. Gordon Skinner who has cured thousands of people of ME by treating the root cause http://www.houghtongraphics.demon.co.uk/gordonskinner.html


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

AlexI suffered from Chronic constipation for most of my life along with a load of other GI issues untill i recovered. my thyroid had nothing to do with it. having a go at everyone who says that their illness isnt caused by thyroid disturbance wont get you very far. there are some people on here that have lived with IBS CFS and Fibro for decades whos thyroids are perfectly healthy. IBS has many causes, often lots all at teh same time. if it was as easy as solving just one, everyone would be cured by now.Ian


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Had their thyroid tested healthy by what tests?


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

Yes I meant hypothyroidism rather then hyper, for the cold sensitivity. It's easy to get them confused.When I asked my gastroenterologist that diagnosed me with IBS. Why he thought I had IBS. He started talking about people on a bus, and how a certain number of people would have IBS. Or crones disease like I had previously for been diagnosed with. But he didn't have an answer, other then I was constipated, and had crones disease. As to why I had IBS.I asked him about a thyroid test, and he said he didn't do those. That I should to go to a general practioner for that.It does make me wonder.....


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Sirjohn where in the world are you located?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

sir john.One other reason (other than stasticially it is the most likely explanation) is one of the known triggers to get IBS to start is inflammation.For a lot of people that inflammation is an acute GI illness, but the inflammation from crohn's or ulcerative colitis does the same kind of damage, and often has a lot longer time to do the damage. The body don't know why the inflammation is there when it responds to it, and it causes the same damage to the Enteric Nervous system no matter what causes it.Generally when people have an IBD and then develop symptoms even when the IBD is in remission it almost always is they also got some functional problem (IBS) from the chronic inflammation.


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

Mason City, Iowa is where I"m located.So Kathleen, your saying that in my case IBS, popped up from the crones inflamation after almost 30 years?And changed me from constant diarriah, to constant constipation?


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

Any chance it might go back the otherway to diarriah again?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It can happen. It is probably worth getting a thyroid panel done just in case, but IBS developing in people with inflammatory bowel problems is known to happen, so that is the most likely thing. Most every doctor's office I've been to in the USA has the option for the full thyroid panel rather than just TSH on the lab form, so they should be able to easily do that if you ask. It really isn't that hard to get at least from what I've found. (and I think the US is much better about testing than the UK) It is just ticking off additional boxes on the form, not anything they have to special order or something only a few specialists have access to. All decent sized labs from what I've seen will do the test and your main doctor should be able to order it.If the crohn's flares back up you could easily go back to having diarrhea (although IBS can cause diarrhea as well depending on how it tweaks at any given time).


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

How about diet?I'm on a high fiber diet, lots of fruits and veggies, raisin bran cereal, all grain dark bread, oatmeal fiber bars etc. And I take on teaspoon full of metamucil a day.That was what the GI doc that gave me the colonoscopy suggested to eat. He said don't take more then one dose a day of the metamuscil, as it might actually plug me up because of the crones disease in my small intestines.I was doing some reading, on soluble and nonsoluble fiber. And tried adding some potatos and sour dough bread. But that didn't seem to help any. I also read that you should try to increase the metamucil.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Sir JohnHere's a list of good thyroid doctors in iowahttp://thyroid.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/...com/topdocs.htmI think Dr. John Crisler also lives close to Iowa. He specialises in testostesterone replacement therapy, but I think he's also skilled at diagnosing other hormonal defiencies.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Do you tolerate fruits like apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots or cherries. You want to eat either raw, dried or frozen (or the juices of these fruits). The sorbitol can be too gassy for some people, but the sorbitol is a mild osmotic laxative so will help hold water in the stool. Fiber helps too, but sometimes it isn't enough by itself. Cooking any of those fruits will get rid of the sorbitol. This is why prunes (dried plums) are a pretty traditional treatment for constipation.Some people end up needing a mild osmotic laxative like 200-750 mgs of magnseium (usually the oxide seems to be the most used here) or you could try adding some miralax, just start low and work up to just enough to keep things moving rather than give yourself diarrhea. Keep track of the fiber levels in your diet and see if there is a range that seems to work best for you. More isn't always better (you can get to more than will work for you), but often there is a range that can help.


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## sirjohn (Sep 29, 2009)

Thanks for answering my questions Kathleen.Here's the site where I got the information about soluable and insoluable fiber.../diet/What do you think about this site?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

There is definitely something to the soluble vs insoluble fiber thing.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1971323...Pubmed_RVDocSumand for adding soluble fiber to the diet I think Heather has good information on how to do that.Sometimes some constipated people may need a bit more insoluble fiber, but it does tend to be rougher on the GI tract.Some people do need to experiment a bit to find the right amount of fiber for them and some people may need to add some osmotics to that to keep stuff moving (either from food or with supplements).


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## AliceD (Sep 19, 2009)

I had been diagnosed many years ago with low thyroid function and have been on thyroid supplementation since. It is checked every year and my dosages tweaked. This started many years before my IBS-D. Recently I ran out of my thyroid for several days with no change one way or the other with my IBS. So, as with just about everything else, this may be good news for some and hope they will explore it, but it is not going to be the answer for everyone. It's always good to know when something works for someone and there is at least one less of us to suffer.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Are you on synthroid and what dosage?


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

FYI, your information on "CFS/ME" is very outdated and not scientifically accurate. If you would like more updated, accurate information on ME, and the differences between ME and "CFS" you can read any of several books written by Dr. Byron Hyde. You can also find reliable information here: http://www.hfme.org/


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

Sorry I wasnt aware of that, i will use its updated names from now on.Ian


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Againhttp://www.houghtongraphics.demon.co.uk/gordonskinner.html


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Oh no Ian, I was posting that information to Alexander, not you. No worries! Again, Alexander, the information you're posting about ME and "CFS" is outdated and inaccurate.


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## deetee (Sep 9, 2009)

Hmmmmmm, very interesting. I am having a 5 month bout with IBS-C right now that I can't get a grip on and i DO take thyroid medicine. My recent T3-T4 tests showed that levels were below range. I understand that Armour Thyroid changed their formula about 7-8 months ago and I am thinking that may have been what triggered my symptoms. I am patiently waiting for the dessicated thyroid medicines to become available again so that I may try to get something that agrees with me I would like to think that thyroid is the cause of my symptoms then I would know that there is an end in sight!!!!Dee


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## Lookin'foraLife (Jan 2, 2009)

Well, the only thing that has reduced my pain so far is L-ornithine (an amino acid) and it is known to stimulate the growth hormone. Could that by any chance be affecting my thyroid as well?Anyone know?


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

I'll use ME from now on then. A lot of sufferes I speak to still use CFS though.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

deetee said:


> Hmmmmmm, very interesting. I am having a 5 month bout with IBS-C right now that I can't get a grip on and i DO take thyroid medicine. My recent T3-T4 tests showed that levels were below range. I understand that Armour Thyroid changed their formula about 7-8 months ago and I am thinking that may have been what triggered my symptoms. I am patiently waiting for the dessicated thyroid medicines to become available again so that I may try to get something that agrees with me I would like to think that thyroid is the cause of my symptoms then I would know that there is an end in sight!!!!Dee


Armour has been reformulated and probably won't again ever. Best to change to naturethyroid, thyroid-s or novothyral. If you live in UK or the US you can order thyroid-s to your house. If you have IBS-C, I feel confident in saying that getting your thyroid FULLY treated should cure your IBS-C. Check www.stopthethyroidmadness.com for information about what it means to be properly treated.


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

Lookin said:


> Well, the only thing that has reduced my pain so far is L-ornithine (an amino acid) and it is known to stimulate the growth hormone. Could that by any chance be affecting my thyroid as well?Anyone know?


Honestly I have no idea. Growth hormone can increase or decrease thyroid depending on how much. Thyroid hormone also increases Growth hormone.


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## deetee (Sep 9, 2009)

I am trying to get naturethroid right now but their production seems to be back-ordered due to the shortage of Armour. It has been crazy just trying to secure meds. I am in the US and these meds are very hard to come by. I truly hope that what you say is true about IBS-C going away when thyroid is fully treated. Aside from intestional problems I have been suffering major hair loss too and it is NOT PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!! It is depressing!Dee


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

deetee said:


> I am trying to get naturethroid right now but their production seems to be back-ordered due to the shortage of Armour. It has been crazy just trying to secure meds. I am in the US and these meds are very hard to come by. I truly hope that what you say is true about IBS-C going away when thyroid is fully treated. Aside from intestional problems I have been suffering major hair loss too and it is NOT PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!! It is depressing!Dee


I can't promise anything, but since IBS and hairloss are both hypothyroid symptoms these should go away when your thyroid hormones are properly replaced.Like I said, you can order Thyoid-S over the net. I wouldn't be afraid to self-medicate, I know I am not.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

> I wouldn't be afraid to self-medicate


 I would be.I'm sorry I think this is dangerous.And I do not know about Denmark... but here in the US one is WELL advised to get a _proper_ diagnosis and _proper_ prescription from one's Doctor and NOT order ANYthing with abandon over the internet!BQ


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

HiSelf medicating for ANY REASON is an extremely bad idea. And playing around with teh function of something as central as the thyroid gland without knowing exactly what is or is not wrong, is, frankly, insanity. im sorry of this comes accross as a bit strong but a thyroid specialist has to adjust medication dosage for thyroid disorder with minute expertise for one very good reason.If you use too much or too little you could tip the balance even more in one direction and cause a whole raft of other problems or make your existing problems unimaginably worse, and of course, that is assuming that here actually is something wrong with teh thyroid in teh first place. taking thyroid medications when the thyroid is functioning properly can cause a different set of problems that wernet there in teh first place. For teh love of god, please if you think your thyroid is teh root of your problems, go and see a thyroid specialist to get teh right advice, the right help and the RIGHT DOSAGE of the correct drug to correct the problem. And ordering any drugs off of teh internet is generally a bad idea because you never know if what you are getting is real, and if it is, teh concentration of pharmaceuticals contained within it could be dangerous as they can be made by unexperianced or untrained pharmacists who just want to make a quick buck (or quid if you are in the UK!)Ian


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Alexanderfromdenmark said:


> I'll use ME from now on then. A lot of sufferes I speak to still use CFS though.


Alexander, using a different term isn't going to fix the incorrect information you posted and you believe about the illness. The website you keep posting about has information from 1997, it says so right at the top of the page. ME research has come a REALLY long way. I'm not complaining about what you call it, because compared to the outdated info you posted, the name is a moot point. It's not the term I'm calling you out on - it's the pitifully inaccurate information you believe and posted about the illness.This is a statement made on the website you posted:


> So that fired me in an another direction asking essentially how many patients with ME had got something which was curable.


This, in and of itself, proves that the author of the site knows absolutely nothing about proper M.E. Now, this statement could be made about "CFS", but there are many measurable tests that can be done to test for M.E. and diagnose it. It is not a diagnosis of exclusion, it isn't mysterious and it is measurable in a laboratory and clinical setting. There are clinical differences in SPECT scans of the brain, for example, in M.E. patients. Small lesions can also be seen on the M.E. brain during MRI scans. More than 90% of M.E. patients have abnormal results during a Romberg test too, which tests brain stem function. These are but a few of the MANY inaccuracies on the site you posted.The main problem I see with the website you referenced about "ME/CFS" is that the M.E. diagnoses were not properly confirmed. The patients involved in the "study" were MERELY "CFS" patients. People who have fatigue for varying reasons. Some causes of fatigue are thyroid disorders, cancer, allergies, anemia, sleep disorders, etc. The fact that your website mentions fatigue as the main symptom of their so-called ME patients PROVES that they are not genuine M.E. patients. Had they been put through the correct clinical tests, they could have been properly diagnosed, rather than being incorrectly labeled as "ME/CFS" patients. M.E. is an organic, neurological disease with completely measurable symptoms - and fatigue is BY FAR not the main symptom.That's the incorrect information you're propagating. You're saying that "CFS" and M.E. are the same thing, and they are not. As I said before, if you want to be properly educated on what M.E. is - you can read any of the following books:The Clinical and Scientific Basis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Edited by Byron Hyde M.D Missed Diagnoses Myalgic Encephalomyelitis & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Byron Hyde MD (this book is helpful in educating those who have been misinformed about "CFS", its existence, and it's alleged relation to M.E.)Engaging with M.E. and What is ME? What is CFS? by Professor Malcolm Hooper, Eileen Mrashall and Margaret Williams Dr. Hyde also has a new paper that is a must read for anyone who wants to learn more about what M.E. really is called "The Nightingale Definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis". You may also visit this website, which is the premiere website for learning about M.E. - http://www.hfme.org/Please, Alexander, it isn't even about the name at this point. It's about the medical facts, none of which you have right, nor do you seem to understand.ETA:Here is an excerpt from the paper I mentioned written by Dr. Hyde:


> The Nightingale definition is based upon the following two criteria A ) The excellent scientific and clinical work of respected physicians and scientists who investigated the various M.E. epidemics.( B ) The results of modern scientific testing techniques and the knowledge accruing from examining thousands of M.E. patients using these and more historical techniques.The proposed M.E. definition is designed to improve early diagnosis and treatment for the tens of thousands of patients stricken with M.E.It is not a new definition of CFS nor should it be conceived as a rewording of any previous CFS definition. What follows is the primary M.E. definition for adults.


Here is a link to the entire article http://www.nightingale.ca/documents/Nighti...finition_en.pdf


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## caitylin16 (Oct 5, 2009)

I have had hypothyroidism and IBS-D for almost a year now. I would like to say that there is some relevance to the two being linked together. Since the thyroid controls your metabolism and all your bodies cells and how the metabolize the energy (or not in hypothyroidism). I haven't seen much of a difference with my Synthroid pills and my ibs. I have many problems with my health. I am 21 and have hypothyroid, which is not very common. When your thyroid levels are low, then your whole body is going slow, including your bowels. The muscles of the walls slow down and tend to not be able to push your bm's through, so constipation. Also, I have found that if you have weight GAIN and IBS, you are more likely to have hypothyroidism. Then, during a womans "time of the month", diarrhea is more common since the menstrual hormones are flaring and are reacting with PMS and the low thyroid levels.I have not been lucky enough for this to be my problem unfortunately. But maybe it can help someone out there. I am new but I have had my symptoms for over 3 years and it took me 2 years to even get my doctor to listen to me. I am young but I'm not stupid. I know my body more than anyone else. The chances of having thyroid issues be the cause of your ibs may not be signifigant, but they are out there. It's a simple test and it could rule out a simple diagnosis. This is really important in younger ladies that have recently put on weight and have no reason as to why. This is was prompted my doctor to finally listen to my pain.As I've said, I am new but I know that bickering is NOT going to help anyone get the help they came on here to look for.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Well it certainly is true other illnesses have GI symptoms and having other illnesses can impact IBS. IBS is very common so you expect to find a lot of people who also have something else. Just it is every other something else. That doesn't mean IBS doesn't exist on its own or that all information about IBS or ME or anything else is all equally good or up-to-date. I've seen people get hurt following bad or outdated information or self medicating for a disease they don't have even if some other IBSer got better when they got appropriate treatment for another illness a medical doctor diagnosed.


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## AliceD (Sep 19, 2009)

Can you please relax and be respectful? IBS is a mercurial disease, and what works for some does not work for all. And what is worse, what works one day may not work the next. Hypothyroidism may be the answer for some, but not all. I have had hypothyroidism for many years, much longer than I have suffered with IBS-D. My levels of all the above are checked every six months and my supplement tweaked, but this has had no effect one way or the other on my IBS. This is not the answer for me.Several people on the forums believe they have the one, true answer and berate everyone else for whatever their regimen is. But many of us have tried and tried and tried the various "answers" and it hasn't worked for us. I have tried many of them, whether dietary, supplements or prescriptions. I am having moderate success at the moment with severely limiting my diet, adding tons of fiber, probiotics and calcium, but these are not the total answer for me. I press on, absorbing the knowledge and experience of others on the forum and trying yet again.I am so glad this is working for you, and you are right that others need to know about it so that perhaps this will be the answer for them, as well. But please understand that there is no one sure thing for everyone with IBS. If there was, we would all be using it and there would be no need for forums such as these.


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## AliceD (Sep 19, 2009)

Alexanderfromdenmark said:


> Are you on synthroid and what dosage?


It's Levoyl now, 50mcg. (This changes year to year. As I get older I actually need less.) It was for many years Armour Thryroid, which is really the best because unlike the synthetics it covers the thyroid spectrum. But as of last year I can't get it anymore.


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## AliceD (Sep 19, 2009)

M&M said:


> What is CFS?


If you can stand a little levity, there is only one thing that CFS means here in Texas--Chicken Fried Steak!!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

> If you can stand a little levity, there is only one thing that CFS means here in Texas--Chicken Fried Steak!!


Good one Alice! LOL (BTW.. light or dark gravy???lol)Seriously though....It is a concern always for our BB that information be as accurate as possible & links provided whenever possible. And also of course the BB wants to make sure folks are not misled by erroneous or out of date information.


> But please understand that there is no one sure thing for everyone with IBS.


I agree!All the bestBQ


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## Alexanderfromdenmark (Dec 17, 2008)

AliceD said:


> It's Levoyl now, 50mcg. (This changes year to year. As I get older I actually need less.) It was for many years Armour Thryroid, which is really the best because unlike the synthetics it covers the thyroid spectrum. But as of last year I can't get it anymore.


That's a pretty small dosis. But yeah what you're saying is true, young people actually need more. Are you sure that's high enough for you?


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

AlexanderAre you a doctor?Ian


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## AliceD (Sep 19, 2009)

Yes, it is. My numbers are all normal. Alexander, I feel like you are really pressuring everyone on this thread. Pushing everyone to tell them what they have been tested for and what their numbers are, and even telling them they don't know what they are talking about, is pretty aggressive and downright rude. Will you please accept that hypothyrroidism, while it may be the answer for some (and believe me, I am totally thrilled every time someone finds something that works for them), it is not the answer for everyone. If you look through the threads (and I haven't by any means read all of them yet) there is any number of things that people have tried and had fabulous success (calcium, Vitamin D, IngestaidIB, antidepressants, even particular diet regimens), and they all believe that is THE answer. But others try them and have limited or no success. There just isn't one answer for everyone, as much as we would will that to be so.


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## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

Alexander, as has been said, these are 2 separate illnesses. While low thyroid function can cause constipation, it does not mean all cases of constipation are because of low thyroid. Apart from GI symptoms, thyroid diseases (hypo, hyper) have their own unique symptoms that IBSers don't have.


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