6 Stages of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis That ALL Patients Go Through

These are the 6 stages of Hashimoto's thyroiditis that every patient with Hashi's will go through.

There are no fewer than 6 stages of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and where you fit on these stages matters because it impacts what type of therapies and treatments will work best for you.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease characterized by self-destruction of the thyroid gland by the immune system. This destruction takes place over decades but there may be ways to slow or stop the destruction if it's caught early enough.

Each person with Hashimoto's thyroiditis will process through certain stages. These stages proceed in every patient with Hashimoto's as the disease gets worse and as more and more damage accumulates.

Learn more about these stages, what they mean for you, what happens to your lab tests at each stage, and how these stages impact treatment options available to you.

As you go through these stages try to find out where you fit and share your comments/questions below!

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Disclaimer:

This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this website or video.
#thyroid #hypothyroidism #hashimoto's

[mostlywholenicole]

I’ve spent the last 5 years in doctor’s offices, explaining my symptoms and begging for help. I went from being an active healthy woman to being mentally and physically exhausted. I sometimes need a mobility aid to walk. Multiple health professionals have suggested that this is just a normal part of aging. I’m only 46. They suggest SSRIs. I’m on 8 daily prescriptions. Eight.

A few weeks ago, my new doctor finally found a problem with my bloodwork. She told me my thyroid was “in the dirt.”

I’ve been learning about thyroid function and hashimoto’s for less than 2 weeks…& I don’t understand how so many doctors missed it. I’m mad that I’ve had to suffer and live with chronic pain and exhaustion, over something as common as this. Why does this keep happening? Why is it taking so long to properly diagnose?

It’s infuriating.

[booftiger]

Listen up people... this is probably the first doctor I've heard on youtube that actually knows what he is talking about . I know this from personal experience.
Well done doc 👏

[plumeria]

This should be part of every thyroid patient’s education.

[myrandaclark]

After a radical hysterectomy and tumor removal surgery I developed Hashimoto: TSH 54.4 😮 since then I take Thyroid medication and participate in long fasting of either 17-19 hour daily fasting with some 24 hour fasting, no gluten, no alcohol, no sugar, low carbs and only Organic non-GMO 😅❤🎉 I feel amazing 😀 sleep strong, gained 💪 muscle, and expanded my cognitive versatility 😊. I struggled for the first year undiagnosed, weighed in at 257 pounds with 55% body fat 28% muscle. 2 years later: weight ~210, 28% body fat, 69.8% muscle 😅❤🎉

[francesdalton]

My thyroid scores were normal. Always normal. I was gaining weight and repeatedly told to exercise more. I did have chronic Lyme, so I asked to see an infectious disease doctor because I was so tired. That doctor said I'm not worried about your Lyme, I'm worried about these lumps in your throat. Now mind you I had just seen my pcp. Turns out I had thyroid cancer. All the while my thyroid tests were normal. So I finally got a Hashimoto's test and it was positive. Doctor's will NOT order Hashimoto's tests, they will NOT order antibody tests. Doctor's would rather put you on antidepressants than run tests.

[xxpowwowbluexx]

FINALLY!!! Somebody actually explaining this condition in a clear manner!!! THANK

[ikatmax]

Doctor where have you been all my life. I want to cry you just explained my journey no one could explain. Thank

[elizabethfindlay]

We need to give more credit and understanding of the emotional effects to our bodies. We minimize so much as a whole about how people pleasing, not having boundaries and such causes dis-eases in our body.

[kpweqwi]

I am in Stage III. I started taking grass fed beef liver supplements several months ago. It has done wonders for my acne. I’ve also taken levothyroxine for about 10 years. My TSH came back very high recently. My endocrinologist was unable to connect the dots, but being a nurse I did my own research. I discovered that there’s an interaction between certain supplements and levothyroxine. I’m not sure why an endocrinologist would not pass this information on to a patient who is taking levothyroxine. From now on, I’ll make sure all supplements are taken at least four hours before or four hours after I take my levothyroxine. Thank you for this easy to understand educational video.

[lindastrohm]

It was 30 yrs ago that I couldn’t hardly walk. My general practitioner told me “oh, you just need some iron” I then asked why I was losing pigment on my hands. He didn’t know, wasn’t anything to worry about. Then I had appt with my gynecologist, she noticed the pigment on my hands. She sent me for bloodwork asap. A week later she called me at work. She said “You shouldn’t be here” and I thought, why shouldn’t I be at work? She said “ No, you shouldn’t be alive”. My bloodwork was real bad. Then I went to endocrinologist, my thyroid was/is completely gone. The endocrinologist took me around the office to show coworkers how I was functioning. A teaching moment. Thank you Dr Childs for teaching your followers the stages. Everyone - check your self out if something feels wrong.

[Debbiedoo.]

Wish I could have seen this years ago! So tired of doctors acting like I’m crazy when I kept telling them how I felt. Finally after years one finally checked for antibodies and then I was diagnosed with Hoshimotos. Now I believe that I am at stage 3-4. I finally went gluten free but after seeing this video I will get off the dairy and soy. I just want to start feeling better.

[CassDee]

Doctors need this education! It took me over ten years to get diagnosed. By that time I’d put on a great deal of weight and had developed other conditions. I was told I should exercise by pushing my chair away from the table so I wouldn’t keep eating. I was told to see a psychologist about depression. So very shooting that doctors dismiss patients who present with symptoms.

[sarahseedtostem]

I’ve been on thyroid medications since like my freshman or sophomore year of high school. I can’t believe I’ve been dealing with this autoimmune disease since I was a kid. Wow. 😳 it honesty explains SO much of the struggles I went through growing up medically. Thank you for this!!

[michellemybelle]

Stage 4-5…Dr.Child’s has forgotten more about this topic than 95% of regular doctors have ever known and we are in their care :(

[Laura-snmh]

I’m 50. I have spent the last 5-6 yrs feeling like a crazy person. Gained 140 lbs in 18 months. Looking back at my thyroid tests the answers were all there but dr kept saying oh your normal. Meanwhile I have symptoms getting worse
Tsh 2014 3.2
2021 4.7
2023 10.9

Now finally at 10.9 they are like oh wow you need meds. I have weight gain, such dry skin, I have horrible periods. No energy. Most days feeling like I want to crawl out of my own skin. They started me on lexo 100 mg a week ago. Thx for this video I have learned so much from watching your channel. I’m going gluten free today ❤

[kevinandlisapowers]

This is SO helpful. I don't understand why after ALL these years ( 30+ ) my doctors have not been this explanatory or helpful. Thank you for this!!

[deborahsevigny]

Most drs. don't explain anything. Also, they don't like the questions. I've changed docs for that reason.
Take your medicine and I'll see you in 6 months. I have Hashimotos thyroiditis. I'm better but not really up to par.
So my eating habits will change. Too bad no classes are recommended for thyroid patients. Just glad I found your feed. Thanks for the info

[goddessofcrazyness]

Might sound sad but this video made me cry. I have been stage 5 for a long time and I don’t have a support system. My family just loves to tell me it’s all in my head and it can be cured if I just did X Y Z. I literally don’t have a thyroid anymore because it was so damaged by the time I was 23 I had to have it removed for fear of developing thyroid cancer. I’m on so many meds that I can’t afford just to function. I’m 32 now and I don’t know what to do anymore.

[janeta]

I was blessed to be treated by a homeopath who said thyroid antibodies are not autoimmune dysfunction but rather something that has settled in the thyroid i.e. lyme or other diseases and toxins. The antibody attack is your immune system trying to get rid of the pathogen.
He treated me for lyme and other tick diseases. My.antibodies went from 1000 to 200 range and currently hover around 43 over 10 years.
others are now saying there is no such thing as autoimmune disease. The body never attacks itself. It is trying to get rid of something that settled in the thyroid or joints in the case of RA. Makes sense.

[CindyG-]

Wow. I've had hypothyroidism for over 25 years and never had any idea that gluten could be causing harm. I wish I knew back then what I know now from your videos. Thank you so much for all the education. You're incredible!