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Gallbladder and Thyroid?
So, I had my gallbladder taken out about a year and a half ago because it stopped functioning properly. I think the hida scan said it had an ejection rate of 6%? Not sure. But it took two full years of me going to the doctor at least once a week for gallbladder disease to be considered because I was "too young" to have such a condition (I was 18 at at the time, ate healthy, and exercised regularly).
They also didn't think that it was gallbladder because not only was I experiencing abdominal pain and digestion issues, but I also had severe memory problems, extreme fatigue, fainting spells, cold intolerance, and large weight fluctuations. Finally I got a diagnosis and surgery scheduled for the gallbladder...but now I am told I have hypothyroidism and should start medication within the next week along with diet changes and increasing my amount of exercise. Is this normal?
I am 21 now and I feel like if I am having gallbladder and thyroid issues, then something else HAS to be going on. Not sure how much more I can change my diet and if I go to the gym anymore, I might as well sleep there. They never told me why my gallbladder went bad, they just said because of my age it was "strange." Any ideas?
They also didn't think that it was gallbladder because not only was I experiencing abdominal pain and digestion issues, but I also had severe memory problems, extreme fatigue, fainting spells, cold intolerance, and large weight fluctuations. Finally I got a diagnosis and surgery scheduled for the gallbladder...but now I am told I have hypothyroidism and should start medication within the next week along with diet changes and increasing my amount of exercise. Is this normal?
I am 21 now and I feel like if I am having gallbladder and thyroid issues, then something else HAS to be going on. Not sure how much more I can change my diet and if I go to the gym anymore, I might as well sleep there. They never told me why my gallbladder went bad, they just said because of my age it was "strange." Any ideas?
I just recently got diagnosed with Hashimotos Disease which is an autoimmune disease
1 Comments
Yes, Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease; it's the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world. Have you also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism? Are you receiving any treatment, if needed?
Excerpt from "The most important thing you probably don’t know about cholesterol" by Chris Kresser...
"How to reduce small LDL
Eating fewer carbs is perhaps the best place to start. Reducing carbs has several cardio-protective effects. It reduces levels of small, dense LDL, reduces triglycerides, and increases HDL levels. A triple whammy.
Exercise and losing weight also reduce small, dense LDL. In fact, weight loss has been shown to reverse the evil Pattern B all by itself.
As we saw above, eating three eggs a day can reduce our small LDL by almost 20%. Interestingly, alcohol has also been shown to reduce small LDL by 20%.
In other words, if you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, do the opposite of the American Heart Association (and probably your doctor) tells you to do. Eat butter. Eat eggs. Eat traditional animal fats. Reduce your intake of carbs, vegetable oils and processed foods, and stay active and within a healthy weight range."
***
The Swedish government endorses the LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) diet. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare concluded that a low-carb diet is "in accordance with science and well-tried experience for reducing obesity and Type 2 diabetes."
"How to reduce small LDL
Eating fewer carbs is perhaps the best place to start. Reducing carbs has several cardio-protective effects. It reduces levels of small, dense LDL, reduces triglycerides, and increases HDL levels. A triple whammy.
Exercise and losing weight also reduce small, dense LDL. In fact, weight loss has been shown to reverse the evil Pattern B all by itself.
As we saw above, eating three eggs a day can reduce our small LDL by almost 20%. Interestingly, alcohol has also been shown to reduce small LDL by 20%.
In other words, if you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, do the opposite of the American Heart Association (and probably your doctor) tells you to do. Eat butter. Eat eggs. Eat traditional animal fats. Reduce your intake of carbs, vegetable oils and processed foods, and stay active and within a healthy weight range."
***
The Swedish government endorses the LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) diet. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare concluded that a low-carb diet is "in accordance with science and well-tried experience for reducing obesity and Type 2 diabetes."
COMMUNITY LEADER
I guess I didn't realize that the American Heart Association has a specific diet, but should have know; nearly every group does......lol Personally, I pretty much follow a diabetic diet, which is also heart healthy.
You should get in the habit of ALWAYS getting a copy of your lab reports, so you know exactly what tests are being run, and what the results are. My lab reports have become a running record of disease -- I have hypothyroidism, resulting from Hashimoto's, plus Pernicious Anemia. On every lab sheet I write the medications/dosages I'm on and what, if any symptoms I had at the time of the blood draw. By keeping this record, I now know which thyroid levels are best for me. All doctors in the U.S are required to provide copies of labs and other reports, upon request.
High cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism. Mine fluctuates with my thyroid hormones -- hormones go up, cholesterol comes down; hormones go down, cholesterol goes up. It's also related to exercise.
Many doctors will not "offer" to test for Hashimoto's, because most hypothyroidism, in the developed world, is caused by Hashimoto's, and the treatment doesn't change. The biggest advantage to knowing whether or not you have Hashi's is that you know your thyroid function will continue to decline and that you will need periodic adjustments to your thyroid med dosage. Most of the time, we have to ask for tests we think we need and hope the doctor will comply and order them.
I'm assuming that your doctor prescribed a thyroid med for you? What med/dosage?
You should get in the habit of ALWAYS getting a copy of your lab reports, so you know exactly what tests are being run, and what the results are. My lab reports have become a running record of disease -- I have hypothyroidism, resulting from Hashimoto's, plus Pernicious Anemia. On every lab sheet I write the medications/dosages I'm on and what, if any symptoms I had at the time of the blood draw. By keeping this record, I now know which thyroid levels are best for me. All doctors in the U.S are required to provide copies of labs and other reports, upon request.
High cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism. Mine fluctuates with my thyroid hormones -- hormones go up, cholesterol comes down; hormones go down, cholesterol goes up. It's also related to exercise.
Many doctors will not "offer" to test for Hashimoto's, because most hypothyroidism, in the developed world, is caused by Hashimoto's, and the treatment doesn't change. The biggest advantage to knowing whether or not you have Hashi's is that you know your thyroid function will continue to decline and that you will need periodic adjustments to your thyroid med dosage. Most of the time, we have to ask for tests we think we need and hope the doctor will comply and order them.
I'm assuming that your doctor prescribed a thyroid med for you? What med/dosage?
He didn't actually give me the numbers, he just e-mailed me and said that my bad cholesterol and lipid counts were elevated, my vitamin d was mildly low, and that my thyroid was abnormally low.
My doctor told me to follow the American Heart Association diet recommendations paired with 30 minutes of exercise with strength training and stretching. I haven't been tested for Hashimoto's and he hasn't mentioned anything to me about getting tested for it in the future, although I am supposed to go to his office sometime this week for another blood draw, he just hasn't specified which tests he will be running.
My doctor told me to follow the American Heart Association diet recommendations paired with 30 minutes of exercise with strength training and stretching. I haven't been tested for Hashimoto's and he hasn't mentioned anything to me about getting tested for it in the future, although I am supposed to go to his office sometime this week for another blood draw, he just hasn't specified which tests he will be running.
Research studies link hypothyroidism to gallstones, biliary dyskinesia (low functioning gallbladder), and reduced bile flow.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I've seen articles that link gall bladder and thyroid conditions, but nothing scientific, though there may studies I haven't seen. Unfortunately, neither condition is age specific; my daughter had her gall bladder removed at age 19.
Do you know if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as a cause of your hypothyroidism?
Most of your symptoms seem to be thyroid related. Many of us have had severe GERD and stomach discomfort with hypothyroidism; but then if your gall bladder was only working at 6%, there was obviously an issue, there, as well. Because you had it removed 1.5 yrs ago, it may or may not have been related to thyroid.
What diet changes were recommended? Not everyone has to change their diet just because they become hypo. If you're overweight and eating well and exercising, you should be able to get that under control once you get your thyroid medication optimized, since thyroid plays a major role in metabolism.
Do you have your actual thyroid blood test results? If so, it would be helpful if you could post them here and be sure to add reference ranges, as these vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. Also include results for any antibody tests that might have been done.
Do you know if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as a cause of your hypothyroidism?
Most of your symptoms seem to be thyroid related. Many of us have had severe GERD and stomach discomfort with hypothyroidism; but then if your gall bladder was only working at 6%, there was obviously an issue, there, as well. Because you had it removed 1.5 yrs ago, it may or may not have been related to thyroid.
What diet changes were recommended? Not everyone has to change their diet just because they become hypo. If you're overweight and eating well and exercising, you should be able to get that under control once you get your thyroid medication optimized, since thyroid plays a major role in metabolism.
Do you have your actual thyroid blood test results? If so, it would be helpful if you could post them here and be sure to add reference ranges, as these vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. Also include results for any antibody tests that might have been done.
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