I’ve had a number of people ask me whether it’s possible to have both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis at the same time. I’ve also had some people tell me they have been diagnosed as having both conditions. Although both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are autoimmune thyroid disorders, there of course are differences between the two conditions.
Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, while Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune hypothyroid disorder. Both could involve the presence of TPO antibodies, while TSI antibodies are involved with Graves’ Disease. Other types of antibodies can be involved as well. But of course Graves’ Disease involves an excess production of thyroid hormone, while Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis involves a decrease in thyroid hormone.
There are times when people seem to fluctuate between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. For example, some people will be diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, but then over time will develop a hypothyroid condition, and will be diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. There are some people who will fluctuate back and forth between the two conditions, although this is rare. And of course someone with Graves’ Disease who receives radioactive iodine or thyroid surgery and doesn’t address the underlying cause of the condition has a pretty good chance of developing another autoimmune disorder, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
But to answer the original question, one cannot have both conditions at the same exact time. If the definition of Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune hypothyroid condition, then hopefully you can understand why it’s not possible to have both conditions simultaneously. However, a person can have different thyroid antibodies, and so once again it is possible to fluctuate between the two conditions.
Can Following A Natural Treatment Protocol Help?
For someone who has thyroid antibodies for both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, a natural treatment protocol can frequently help with this. Just as is the case with someone who only has thyroid antibodies for a single condition, the goal is to get to the underlying cause of the condition. And while it’s rare for someone to fluctuate back and forth between Graves’ and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, following a natural treatment protocol consisting of eating well, taking certain supplements and herbs, and modifying other lifestyle factors can potentially restore this person’s health back to normal.
This doesn’t mean there can’t be some challenges when trying to help someone with such a condition. For example, while people with Graves’ Disease who have an iodine deficiency can supplement with iodine, the same thing isn’t always true for someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, although there is some controversy over this. So if someone is fluctuating between both conditions and has an iodine deficiency, one might want to hold off on giving that person iodine until the autoimmune response is addressed.
Similarly, the herb Bugleweed is commonly recommended for people with Graves’ Disease, but is contraindicated for people who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. So a person who fluctuates between the two conditions probably shouldn’t take Bugleweed, or any other herb which is contraindicated for either Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
But for the most part, such a condition is handled in a similar manner as someone who is diagnosed with just Graves’ Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. While there might be fluctuations between the thyroid blood tests and thyroid antibody tests, this is why other tests are usually recommended (adrenal testing, hormone testing, hair mineral analysis, etc.). So regardless of the autoimmune thyroid condition, the ultimate goal is to find the underlying cause of the condition and do what is necessary to correct the problem.
In summary, it isn’t impossible for someone to have both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis at the same exact time. However, it is possible for someone to have thyroid antibodies for both conditions, which can cause them to switch back and forth from one autoimmune thyroid disorder to another. Either way, for anyone looking to restore their health through natural treatment methods, the goal is to find out what the underlying cause of the condition is, and then put the person on the appropriate protocol in order to correct the cause.