Hi,
A few weeks ago (before we went to Lanzarote - we came back Thursday, to hazard a guess), it was revealed after a blood test that I have an underactive thyroid, if I’m right. I’m on new medication for this, I have to take it an hour before eating in the morning.
Anyhow, I went to the doctors today, and my doctor
![Medical symbol :medical_symbol: ⚕️](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/2695.png)
told me that her advice would be to go back to being vegetarian and not vegan, due to a vitamin/s. I can take a supplement instead, but her advice, and my dad’s advice and, probably, my mum’s advice would be to go back to being vegetarian rather than vegan.
I don’t want to give up being vegan easily. I’m a very, very passionate vegan. I watch vegan videos on YouTube and wouldn’t want to give them up.
Kind advice and tips welcome.
May you and all sentient beings be perfectly well, healthy, happy and safe forever ♾.
Have the best day and night ever!
Rory,
I'm guessing that you are a young man.
I am a middle aged man but like you was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism.
Unfortunately this occurred 6 months after adopting a vegan diet.
I also have to take Thyroxine every morning on an empty stomach and 30 mins before eating anything.
I showed no symptoms of an under active thyroid, I have always been slim and relatively active, with good energy levels.
It was diagnosed because I had a blood test relating to my concerns regarding diabetes at the time, which proved negative.
My thyroid issue is called Hashimotos thyroiditis, it is an auto-immune issue where I have raised anti-body levels which affect my thyroid's ability to produce the thyroid hormone, it is the most common form of Hypothyroidism.
Because of the coincidence of being diagnosed at the same time as adopting a vegan diet, I directly asked every consultant/practitioner/doctor I came into contact with, IF my diet could have caused it.
To this day every one of them has said no.
If you Google Hypothyroidism and a plantbased diet, virtually everything written says that a plantbased diet is probably beneficial and people who eat WFPB have a lower risk of developing Hypothyroidism.
BUT, I still have a nagging doubt.
I am guessing that the vitamin your doctor is saying that you lack is probably Iodine.
If you do a little research you will see that Iodine deficiency can have a negative affect on Thyroid function.
BUT, I have been told in no certain terms that I shouldn't supplement with Iodine.
FYI, Iodine is not a natural constituent of either eggs or milk/dairy, it exists in eggs and milk because it is supplemented in the food fed to cows and hens.
I completely understand where you're coming from regarding your ethical vegan stance.
There are other vegan friendly dietary sources of iodine, seaweed, haricot beans, baked potato, for instance although amounts of iodine found in seaweed vary hugely and can be dangerous in some cases, and I think I'm right in saying that you would have to eat quite large quantities of baked potatoes and haricot beans on a regular basis to meet your needs.
I would return to your doctor and have a frank discussion or even ask if you could be referred to a dietician/nutritionist.
You could also return to your previous vegetarian diet trying to source eggs and milk from maybe a local smallholding if possible, for maybe a 6 month period and see if your Thyroid function improves.
I for one would certainly not judge you negatively for it, I would hope no one else would either.