Pernicious anemia thyroid connected?

[Psf1]

Hi , just wanted some advice info please , I have PA , had it for about 10 years and just developed enlarged thyroid with normal blood results could the two be connected .

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Psf1 People with autoimmune disorders (especially thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease) are at an elevated risk of developing B12 deficiency.

I'm not a medically trained person but there are others on here more knowledgeable who will be able to give you good advice.

How are you "coping" with your P.A. after 10 years?

[Psf1 in reply to clivealive]

Ok thanks , and ok . Just got on with things feel tired all the time and sometimes gets me down , but other than that ok , I try to think positive and get on with life just worried about this enlarged thyroid now .

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Psf1 - have you tried posting about the thyroid on TUK

healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

what is your GP telling about the enlarged thyroid?

[Psf1]

No iv haven’t I’ll try that thanks , docs saying nothing really just said wait till iv had a scan and see what that comes up with , went to walk in centre last week cause wasn’t feeling well and the doc there said it could be linked to my pernicious anemia. But that’s has much has I know ,

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Psf1]

think they were probably referring to the way you were feeling rather than to the enlarged thyroid.

Also do you need help with putting the post on TUK - its very easy to post on the wrong community by mistake - especially if you have brain fog or are unwell. - just need to double check that the banner at the top of the page is showing the right community.

[Psf1]

Yes please

[MariLiz]

They often occur together, I have both and my thyroid problem occurred first in my case. They are both autoimmune conditions.

[Psf1 in reply to MariLiz]

I thanks for replying mariliz , did your thyroid bloods come back normal , just want to be armed with as much info as I can when I go back to docs , got My scan on 1 November so should be going back to docs after that

[Marz in reply to Psf1]

They often say normal when they mean in range. You need to know where in the range 😊 You also need to know what was tested and obtain copies of the results with ranges that are legally yours.

These are the tests you need - TSH - FT4 - FT3 & thyroid antibodies TPO & Tg. These tests are rarely all done - often just the TSH. You really need all of them for the complete story. Are you able to have tests done privately ?

I have replied on this forum as I see you have not quite made it over to Thyroid UK.

Click onto the link in blue given to you by Gambit above.

Also tests for Folate - Ferritin - VitD are needed.

GP's rarely understand thyroid readings but the 66,000 members over on Thyroid UK do 😊

Happy to help ....

[Psf1 in reply to Marz]

Thank you marz

[Marz in reply to Psf1]

Will look out for your results

[MariLiz in reply to Psf1]

My thyroid issues started some thirteen years before my Pernicious Anaemia. I was constantly being told my results were OK, but they really weren’t! It wasn’t until I paid to see an endocrinologist privately that I got a diagnosis. My TSH was very high, showing that my thyroid gland was struggling. You really need to have a printout of your results to see exactly what’s going on with your thyroid.

[Psf1 in reply to MariLiz]

Ok thank you

[Kate1914 in reply to Psf1]

Hi, I have PA and I also take Levothyroxin (50 micrograms).

My results always came back as being in the "normal" range but I kept on battling stating that all my symptoms alluded to thyroid issues and that I have a family history of the same problem.

Finally one doctor actually listen to me and agreed that I knew my body best and I knew when I felt "poorly". He put me on a course with a proviso that I went back to him with a record of my health after taking them. I'm delighted to say that I did improve and have been on them for about 5 years now.

Sadly I believe that now everyone has to take ownership of their bodies and when going to the GP give a reasoned and well thought out list of their symptoms with any family history. Research seems to be the key - I believe that GP are as their title states General Practitioners so can't have an in-depth knowledge on everything so we have to provide them with key pointers to assist with our diagnosis.

Sorry for such a long reply but hope that this is of some little assistance to someone out there

[Psf1 in reply to Kate1914]

Thank you Kate 1914 , as soon as my scan results are back I will be going back to doc , providing nothing sinister doesn’t shows up I will be asking to be referred, my family no all to well about docs and misdiagnosis .

[Kate1914 in reply to Psf1]

I had a male doctor draw around my feet and told me my shoes caused me my symptoms - at that stage my PA was undiagnosed, after that I decided that the only way I was going to be taken serious was to do research before going to the GP.

[Psf1 in reply to Kate1914]

Shocking , but nothing surprises me ,, yes I intend to go back and be polite but firm .

[Psf1]

Sorry , iv had blood tests done for thyroid and they come back normal .

[Polaris in reply to Psf1]

Just seen that thyroid test is normal - best, as suggested, post results with ranges on TUK site for advice. Good luck.

[Polaris]

I agree MariLiz. Apparently, 12 per cent of people with hypothyroidism (most being autoimmune) also have PA, but I think it may be more usual the other way round, e.g. that gastric atrophy from thyroid disease may eventually lead to low stomach acid and lack of absorption of B12, which I believe is what happened to me.

This is what the BCSH guidelines have to say about autoimmune disease in general:

"Pernicious anaemia is one of a number of autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's disease, type 1 diabetes, vitiligo and hypoadrenalism, which may coexist together."

It's also important that both conditions are treated optimally to avoid neurological impairment.

I hope all goes well with your scan psf1

[Psf1]

Hi just been for my scan and she says I have got nodules and to go back to my docs they will prob want to do biopsy’s, I feel like she wasn’t telling me everything this has got me worried . Any ideas ?