Hi,
Could anybody tell me the difference between Hypothyroid and Hashimotos? Been treated for hypothyroid for a few years now, but have also been diagnosed with coeliac disease in the last few months, treated with B12 each week and since then my thyroid meds have doubled, any ideas folks?
Hi, This page from the main Thyroid UK website explains things far better than I can:
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
If you go to the main site thyroiuk.org and click on "about the thyroid" on the left hand side you will find information about all thyroid conditions.
Jane x
Hypothyroidism is simply the state of not having enough thyroid hormone.
Hashimoto's is a disease in which lymphocytes "attack" the cells of the thyroid. Eventually Hashimoto's can destroy the thyroid. This is classified as an autoimmune disease.
At various stages of Hashimoto's, people can have periods of being hyperthyroid, hypothyroid or have "normal" levels of thyroid hormone. However, in the later stages, when the thyroid has undergone substantial destruction, hypothyroidism is the rule. And that is why the dose of thyroid hormone usually has to rise to full replacement level.
There is a complex relationship between coeliac disease and Hashimoto's.
If someone is hypothyroid they might be tested for Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies, and sometimes for Thyroglobulin antibodies. If these tests are positive, then that is taken as a strong indicator of Hashimoto's, though it is not absolute proof.
Rod
Thank you I will read a bit more on this, it just keeps coming up as two conditions that are often linked and made me wonder, if ,as I had one the other might be present. Any info appreciated .
Karen
It is often claimed that in the UK and the USA around 80% of cases of hypothyroidism are caused by Hashimoto's.
(In other countries the causes of hypothyroidism vary with inadequate iodine being prevalent across many parts of the world.)
Rod
...from reading the posts on this forum it seems to be so difficult to obtain testing for anti-bodies. Also an experience within my family. The statement from the labs is that they will not test anti-bodies if the TSH is in range. So it is my humble opinion that Hashimotos or Auto-immune Thyroiditis would be higher than 80% if everyone with suspected Thyroid issues was tested. However do they come with the figures you quoted - ? How can they be accurate ?
Ooops I missed out the H in my spelling earlier..................
Really glad you posted this Karen942, it's a question I have been struggling with too. Am interested in what Helvella says about Hashimoto's perhaps causing see-sawing between hyperthyroidism etc....
Hypothyroid and palpitations?
Thyroid UK Hypothyroid Survey
