Jade's Journey with Hashimoto's and Low Dose Naltrexone
Jade from South Africa talks about dealing with Hashimoto's
and her journey with Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). Jade was diagnosed with
Hashimoto's in 2010, but she only discovered LDN in 2019 after stumbling upon
it in a Hashimoto's Facebook group. She consulted with a functional doctor in
South Africa who prescribed LDN for her.
Before receiving her Hashimoto's diagnosis, Jade experienced
severe hair loss, which prompted her to seek medical attention. Although she
didn't exhibit typical symptoms such as weight gain, she suffered from fatigue,
which she later learned was related to Hashimoto's. Initially diagnosed with an
underactive thyroid, it took years before she was informed of her Hashimoto's
condition.
After moving to Germany in 2016, Jade's symptoms worsened,
leading her to research and seek out support groups to manage her condition
better. Despite making dietary changes, she found that her antibodies remained
high, which motivated her to explore LDN as a potential solution. Since then,
she has seen significant improvement, with her antibodies dropping to remission
levels.
Obtaining LDN in Germany proved to be challenging, as many
doctors were unfamiliar with the medication. Ultimately, Jade continues to
source her LDN from her doctor in South Africa and relies on family members to
bring it to her when they visit.
Jade started LDN at a low dosage of 0.5mg, gradually
increasing the dose each week until she reached 4.5mg. Initially, she
experienced vivid dreams and fatigue for the first few weeks.
Overall, Jade's journey with LDN and Hashimoto's highlights
the challenges of accessing specialized treatments and the importance of
advocating for oneself in managing chronic conditions.
In addition to managing her Hashimoto's with LDN, Jade
continued taking LDN throughout her pregnancy. Despite some doctors advising against
it during pregnancy, she did her own research and found a supportive community.
She believed LDN potentially helped her from having a miscarriage and had a
positive impact during her pregnancy. She had a healthy pregnancy and a smooth
birth, and her baby is now three months old and healthy. She values the
importance of doing her own research and seeking second opinions from doctors
and is grateful for the positive experience she had during her pregnancy.