Do you have an autoimmune related disorder? in TMJ SUPPORT Forum

Do you have an autoimmune related disorder?

Author	Comment
Michelle Denise	Do you have an autoimmune related disorder?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 6585 (07/30/08 00:03:10) Senior Member * Moderator * Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : tmj, autoimmune, disorder, connection Remove this ad I have read a lot about a correlation between TMJ and Autoimmune Disorders such as diabetes, hypothryroidism, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and too many more to list. It makes me wonder more each year if TMJ is more a medical problem than dental issue. That is why I wanted to take a recent poll on this topic. Thanks, Michelle Besides having TMJ do you suffer from an Autoimmune Disorder? (Result) Yes No Maybe, I am awaiting more information or test results. Unsure, I have some symptoms, but haven't been to the doctor yet.
Caletera1		#1	[-]
Member Posts: 67 (08/02/08 23:01:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	While I don't have an autoimmune condition that I know about, like you, I am also convinced that TMJ is more than a dental disorder.I'm doing research on neurotransmitters and sleep disorders, as well as gastro-intestinal conditions. All the neurotransmitters found in the brain are also found in your gut. Makes sense that if you have gastrointestinal issues that might affect neurotransmitter production, which would lead to sleep issues, not getting into deep sleep, which produces bruxism, which can lead to TMJ problems and inadequate body healing. I think you're on the right track! I just wish researchers were working as hard as we are!
Michelle Denise	If there were money in it!!!!!!!!!!!	#2	[-]
Posts: 6585 (08/03/08 08:14:17) Senior Member * Moderator * Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hi Caletera, I think if there were money involved like possibly a drug to sell us they would be running to that research lab more daily and spending long hours. The interesting thing about me is I developed TMJ, then hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, and now Type 2 diabetes. If you really think about all of these diseases they fall into the autoimmune group. There has to be some type of connection for me. I think I would be a good research canidate for the TMJ Research/Organization. I have had back surgery for a ruptured disc, my appendix and gallbladder removed. I then had a TMJ arthroplasty with a mitek anchor and it didn't work. I also have two impending cervical disc C2 and C3 impenging on my spinal cord. I think whether it is a tmj disc, or a back disc or cervical disc it is tissue related. Then the groups of tissue form organs such as gallbladder and appendix that also deteriorate and wear out. Now my thyroid and pancreas are not producing sufficient amounts of the byproduct they produce such as insulin and is it TSH? I can't remember my endocrine system very well; it was the most difficult section in my Anatomy and Physiology class. We learned about the parathyroid, thymus, pancreas and etc. It has been several years ago. I have looked at the Medicine Shoppe, Walgreens and Walmart for the L-Theanine. Do you order it online from a certain person? Thanks, Michelle
Caletera1		#3	[-]
Member Posts: 67 (08/03/08 10:41:45) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I picked mine up at Whole Foods, although I'm sure you can get it at Vitamin Shoppe or other type stores. It may be called Theanine or Suntheanine too, but it's all the same stuff. You're right, there has to be a connection. There always is, the body all connected, and all to often doctors look at it separately, at one organ system at a time. Do you have any sleep issues? Sleep deeply, or lightly? Can't get back to sleep? wake up at certain points in the night? Speaking from a holistic/herbalist point of view, if you had your appendix removed you might want to consider taking probiotics, if you aren't already. I take them just because our western lifestyle kills off all the good bacteria in your intestines, making healing and digestion impaired. It's not directly related to any of your conditions, but everything works together, and if digestion is impaired than you can't get nutrients from your food to heal your body and puts stress on other organs. Yeah, if they had a drug I'm sure they'd be spending more time and money on it! I know that every doctor Ive been too immediatly tests my thyroid and it always comes up normal, but there is something about me that makes me 'sympomatic' of thyroid disorders, and it just never shows up. You could be right!
Michelle Denise	Lab Values	#4	[-]
Posts: 6585 (08/04/08 12:18:56) Senior Member * Moderator * Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Remove this ad Good day Caletera! Thank you for your additional information on the L-Theanine. We have a store here called Fox Fire Whole Foods. I wonder if it is the same thing as Whole Foods? I will check it out. It is possible that maybe this guy bought the franchise in this area thus changing the name a bit. He looks like has no money, but owns many business's' in town. I know for years I was symptomatic of hypothyroidism and my lab values were normal for several years. Finally I guess my thyroid levels were low enough so the lab figures were flagged as low. When you mention your lab coming back normal is it possible that maybe the doctors are not checking what they call a "Thyroid Profile"? A thyroid profile if I remember correctly checks many things such as a T 4, Free T4, TSH, Free T3, T7 and also checks for thyroid antibodies. That is just a thought.
little miss sunshine		#5	[-]
Member Posts: 25 (08/05/08 15:33:04) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Caletera Hi. I work in a biochemistry lab and we routinely do thyroid testing. In our lab we test to TSH as a first line test - the TSH comes from the pituitary and stimulates the thyroid to produce T3 and T4. If the thyroid hormones are low, the TSH concentration rises in an attempt to stimulate the thyroid - its like its really trying hard!! So in our lab we assume that if you have a normal TSH, then you have normal thyroid condition. There are however cases that we have seen where the thyroid hormone concentration and TSH are normal, but yet the patient still benefits from thyroxine therapy. They get relief from the lethargy, weight gain, high temp and all the other things associated with hypothyroidism. My lab is in the UK so we probably do things different to the USA, but the principles are the same Hope that helps, its worth some investigation! Love Claire XXXXX
Caletera1		#6	[-]
Member Posts: 67 (08/07/08 21:36:14) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'll have to dig out my paperwork for my old thyroid tests and see what they did. My doctor did a pretty comprehensive test-12 vials of blood! For thyroid, vitamin deficiencies, food allergies, c reactive protein, CoQ10, Carnitine, DHEA etc etc. I'm actually rather underweight, I've been that way most of my life. Being born 3 months premature didn't exactly predispose me to weight a lot. If I'm lucky I can reach 100 lbs on a good day! Ahah,here it is. He tested my free T4, TSH, Free T3, all of which were right in the middle of norm. What he did flag was the vitamin d defiency, low coqo10, gluten allergy and now low serotonin, high GABA and slightly screwey afternoon and night cortisol levels. I'm pretty sure my magnesium is low right now too. It was normal months ago when I had the test, but I had been taking supplements for it. I stopped, and after about 6 months, I couldn't sleep. I took 1 pill of magnesium and slept like a baby. What really gets people with my thyroid is that I'm underweight, have real low blood pressure low temperature, and a really really high pulse. But my entire fathers side has that same profile and no ones had thyroid or heart issues.My moms side has heart issues, but they have high blood pressure too. I hope your able to get L-theanine. If nothing else, try amazon! I wonder about why L theanine works. If I have high GABA and L-theanine can be converted into GABA shouldn't it make my clenching worse? I guess I shouldn't second guess something that works. I'll bring up the possibility of a thyroid profile next time I see the doc, see what he thinks! Thanks guys!
Michelle Denise		#7	[-]
Posts: 6585 (11/10/08 09:26:10) Senior Member * Moderator * Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Remove this ad I hope we get more people to answer the survey. I am really interested in it, and it just takes a minute. Thanks, Michelle

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