Re: Autoimmune diseases

August 10, 2007

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/latestresearch/a/celiac.htm

Jayne, did you already read this? The Hashimotos Celiac autoimmune connection?

's tested positive for antibodies to thyroid and the celiac tests

(antigliadin, antiendomysial etc.). I'm thinking it's probably just a matter of

time (and hopefully a long long time) before further autoimmune processes are

uncovered once one appears. I suspect alot of our kids have undiagnosed

autoimmune disease going on (as might the general population).

Sherry

August 10, 2007

Jayne: Tori was dxd with Hashimoto in Feb. I just looked this up .... I

didn't know this either! Wonderful!

Liz

What is Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disease in which the

immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The thyroid helps set the

rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy. Hashimoto's

stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way

it should. It is the most common thyroid disease in the U.S.

What is an autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system becomes misdirected

and attacks the organs, cells or tissues that it was designed to protect. About

75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most often during their childbearing

years.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a condition resulting from a problem in the body's

immune system.

It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.

The immune system is a complex network that normally defends the body against

" invading " organisms and other foreign substances. When the immune system

detects a foreign substance in the body, it responds to this by producing

antibodies against the invaders. These antibodies will recognize and attack this

foreign substance when they next encounter

In Hashimoto's thyroiditis the immune system mistakenly directs an immune

" attack " against its own healthy cells. Antibodies are manufactured and

misdirected against the thyroid gland.

Any condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells is called

an auto-immune disease.

Inflammation associated with the abnormal immune response causes continuing loss

of thyroid cells. Eventually, this loss in function (which may take months or

even years) reaches the level where there is insufficient thyroid hormone to

minimally support body function, and the person develops the symptoms of

hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is more common in women than in men (roughly 7 to 1),

and it typically develops in women over age 40 years. It may be much more common

than previously thought in older adults. Studies have indicated that up to 15

percent of women over age 60 years have evidence of mild hypothyroidism due to

Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Because genetic factors can make someone vulnerable to developing autoimmune

disease, it is not uncommon for persons with Hashimoto's thyroiditis to have a

history of other autoimmune disorders, including Graves' disease (another

thyroid disorder that causes an overactive thyroid gland), juvenile diabetes

mellitus, pernicious anemia, or the skin disorder vitiligo.

In addition, the same genetic vulnerability toward disease means that more than

one member of a family may develop Hashimoto's thyroiditis or another autoimmune

disorder. If you are being evaluated for possible hypothyroidism, it is valuable

to give your doctor any information you have on family or personal history of

autoimmune disease, especially thyroid disease (namely, Hashimoto's thyroiditis

or Graves' disease).

In the early stages of Hashimoto's disease, inflammation causes the thyroid to

become enlarged and rubbery, and this may be enough to be noticeable. Indeed,

diagnostic blood testing may be done because a doctor notices an enlarged

thyroid during a physical examination.

Blood testing typically shows low levels of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 in

the blood, high levels of the hormone TSH that stimulates the thyroid to produce

thyroid hormone, and the presence of antibodies directed against portions of the

thyroid gland.

Autoimmune diseases

Interesting about the autoimmune diseases...

had a follow up with Endo yesterday for J ( nightmare for a minute as our

appt, booked 6mos ago wasn't put in computer - they didn't have us down for an

appt and the doc wasn't there! I about freaked - it's over an hour to this doc!

luckily another doc saw us... but anyway...) I was asking him about Hashimoto's

vs. just Hypothyroid and we talked briefly about that. He made a statement

" which means he's at risk for other autoimmune diseases... " I stopped him right

there and tried to gather more info. We have an appt with GI for the first time

here in Maine, next month. I mentioned the GI troubles we have and how I've been

researching their connection to autism. I knew right there, he wasn't on board

with that possibility AT ALL! He said to be careful with what I read. I of

course thanked him and made mental note not to have further discussion on this

topic with him! LOL!

But the part about J being at risk for autoimmune diseases was interesting -

since he has Hashimotos...

So - how many of you battling other unknown medical problems, does your child

have Hashimotos as well?????

Just curious...

Jayne

gldcst wrote:

I'm definitely going to ask about the drug...is it specific for autoimmune

disease?

Right now we've just been told by the pharmacy that medicaid won't pay for

's Entocort (only $400 per month) so we're fighting the red tape. You

cannot believe how happy I am for you and sweet Gareth.

Sherry

---------------------------------

Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

August 10, 2007

No I hadn't Sherry, thanks for sending that. Another thing to print and put in

my binder for my appt with GI on Sept 25th. Anything else you think I should

have on hand and tests that should be done? I know we will be just about ready

to do another blood test to check his levels for his thyroid so I'd like to

combine the tests that the GI doc orders with that draw.

Watching some of the videos you sent I listened to some of the tests that Dr.

Buie does automatically. Now he's not far from me - just in Mass. I wonder if

this GI doc here is familiar with his works...

Interesting about the measles strain being found in the bowels of alot of our

kids.

Dr. Buie said -

70% of kids w/autism have GI problems

36%-50% have food allergies

And then there's the acid reflux.

's sister, Emma, has an anaphalactic allergy to peanuts. We've never

done any allergy testing with - would be interesting.

Acid reflux - he was on propulcid (the one that the fda pulled) as a baby but

then we never pursued it after we stopped. So hard to tell if he still has it.

I have it and take Aciphex daily. My dad has Barrett's Disease. ???? How do

we check for that???

So some tests to check???

Blood count ~ anemia, WBC (he runs wicked low 2.9 on July 10th), sed rate

celiac screen - what's the best test???

core immune tests?

RAST

Stool testing

WBC in Stool

Malabsortion tests

Pure IgA deficiency

Just a few things I gathered from the videos

any other tips are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Jayne

gldcst wrote:

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/latestresearch/a/celiac.htm

Jayne, did you already read this? The Hashimotos Celiac autoimmune connection?

's tested positive for antibodies to thyroid and the celiac tests

(antigliadin, antiendomysial etc.). I'm thinking it's probably just a matter of

time (and hopefully a long long time) before further autoimmune processes are

uncovered once one appears. I suspect alot of our kids have undiagnosed

autoimmune disease going on (as might the general population).

Sherry

August 10, 2007

Apparently celiac is associated with autoimmune diabetes too.......all I did was

google

celiac+autoimmune and there was a whole slew of reports and articles. (what

does " slew " mean anyway?LOL) and that was just the first page.

Sherry

August 10, 2007

<< Watching some of the videos you sent I listened to some of the tests that

Dr. Buie does automatically. Now he's not far from me - just in Mass. I wonder

if this GI doc here is familiar with his works...>>

Wow....I'd hop over there right away if I were close. Alot of parents moved from

Florida or at least travel all the way up there or to Tx (Krigsman) just to find

a GI who " gets " it. You do need to be VERY careful however as Andy Wakefield and

the Measles connection is extremely controversial. There's a real history behind

him....he published his findings in The Lancet (a prestigious English medical

journal in the 90 " s and everyone thought he was a genius...the folks in England

decided to stop vaccinating their kids and he became associated with the whole

vaccination conspiracy stuff. He was drummed out of England and his article

retracted from th journal.

This is why I prefaced what I sent to the list and also what I discussed with

our doctor by asking him not to get sidetracked by the vaccination debate. I

asked him simply to contact Buie and/or krigsman for more answers. You might

want to throw in a disclaimer like that before you begin discussions about these

doctors simply because your GI might then think you are be a total nutcase and

decide not to help you. I mean it's ok if WE know you're a total nutcase but we

should keep it a secret from the gastro doc.

For me...right or wrong....I LOVE listening to Wakefield talk and I firmly

believe he is totally sincere in his beliefs and his desire to help our kids.

Unfortunately he has unwillingly garnered the rep as the anti-vaccination guru.

Sherry

August 10, 2007

Interesting Sherry - at the next blood draw in six weeks he's checking glucose

and a few other things too just to rule out diabetes. 's fluid intake

has increased but I can't really say his fluid OUTput has...

The Endo doc thought that he wouldn't be able to make it through the night

without peeing if he had diabetes. He thought we'd check some things just in

case while we have the blood. I agreed, what's it gonna hurt...

Thanks Sherry

Jayne

gldcst wrote:

Apparently celiac is associated with autoimmune diabetes too.......all

I did was google

celiac+autoimmune and there was a whole slew of reports and articles. (what does

" slew " mean anyway?LOL) and that was just the first page.

Sherry

August 10, 2007

very good advice, thank you.

I did tell the Endo Doc yesterday that I am very careful and that I take

everything I read with a grain of salt, etc...

He seemed more at peace with that and I think brought me back up to educated

parent status as opposed to lunatic fringe for the minute I was there!

Yes, I agree - it's okay for you all to know I'm certifiably nuts but let's

keep that on the down low with the medical groups!

J

gldcst wrote:

<< Watching some of the videos you sent I listened to some of the tests that Dr.

Buie does automatically. Now he's not far from me - just in Mass. I wonder if

this GI doc here is familiar with his works...>>