Under active thyroid due to autoimmune - a question please

[Jane1957]

Can anyone tell me if you have an underactive thyroid due to autoimmune does that automatically mean that you have Hashimotos? Or are there other types of thyroid autoimmune problems/diseases? Thanks

[Clutter]

Jane, yes you have Hashimoto's. For some peculiar reason UK doctors tend to use the term Thyroiditis or Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (AITD) yet they have no problem in referring to autoimmune hyperthyroid disease as Graves.

Both diseases are named after the doctors who discovered the antibodies and made the association with the respective diseases.

[Jane1957 in reply to Clutter]

Yes that was what I though but a colleague of mine who is also hypothyroid (autoimmune) mentioned Hashimotos it to a GP at her surgery and was told 'well that's not what you've go'!!!

[Clutter in reply to Jane1957]

Jane, suggest your friend asks her GP wheher she has Thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroid disease.

[Jane1957 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks she already knows that it is autoimmune thyroid disease. It is just when she refered to Hashimotos in front of the GP the GP snapped at her and told that was not what she had!!!! Hence my original question of whether there are different types of thyroid autoimmune. Could just be S*** GP though !!!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Jane1957]

It has been claimed that those without goitre do not have Hashimoto's. I believe (but would have to double-check) that in the original paper by Hashimoto, all had goitre.

At one time, the non-goitrous was sometimes called Ord's, but that name has rather withered on the vine. Non-goitrous is rather more common in northern European descendants.

More recently many medics see no particular distinction. Especially in the USA.

[chocoholic17]

I'm so glad someone else asked this question. I had a doctor recently tell me I had autoimmune hypothyroidism and when I asked her if it was what they called Hashimoto's Disease, she said 'no, that's something different.'. Mind you, a week later,she told me her diagnosis was wrong and that my problems are all down to anxiety.

Because I am choking on my food on a daily basis and my hair is falling out etc. I went back for a second opinion and the lead G.P. told me my antibodies blood tests aren't even back yet, so how that other doc could change her diagnosis, without that, I have no idea. My blood tests should be back any day and the better doctor has requested an ultrasound on my throat.

I was told a year ago I was borderline for hypothyroidism and do have three other autoimmune conditions but it does seem getting diagnosed is quite hard.

[Chloececilia in reply to chocoholic17]

Oh dear, chocoholic! That's really bad! Glad you went back for a second opinion. My antibody test took much longer to come back than any of my thyroid function tests so hang in there. I believe that test goes to an external lab whereas TFT does not.

Jane, I am in a similar boat although, for now at least, I am hyper with very elevated TPO antibodies. Good luck to you.

[chocoholic17 in reply to Chloececilia]

Thanks, Chloececilia, must admit this 'waiting' for blood tests is a long one but I don't mind that, as long as I get a CORRECT diagnosis.

[Jane1957 in reply to Chloececilia]

Thank you for your reply. My TSH does tend to swing up and down. Not surprisingly lower in the warmer weather.

[Jane1957 in reply to chocoholic17]

Thanks for your reply. If you already have other autoimmune conditions then it would not not be surprising if your thyroid was due to autoimmune too eh? Hope you get it sorted soon. Jane

[Chloececilia]

I phoned them every day after a week and the thing took about 14 working days. The phlebotomist told me it would be back within a week, ha! Fingers crossed your antibodies are okay.

[joyce59]

i found that too my gp did not metion the word hashimotos i only found out from thyroid websites. the gp just said i have high anibodies (tgab was 412) and that i was to take levo for life. i also metioned this to a friend of mine who has graves and she said if you have high antibodies it is hashimotos.

[Jane1957 in reply to joyce59]

Thanks for your reply. It's a bit of a minefield isn't it. Jane

[chocoholic17]

Well, finally got my antibodies result and it was 380,! Oh great. Doctor says it is an autoimmune thyroiditis but I think he seems unsure if it's Graves or Hashimoto's because my symptoms seem to overlap both.

He has started me on 50mg of Levo to see if that will help with the choking. That been so bad today that when my husband heard me choking down the phone, he called me an ambulance as he was worried I might not pull through. It was quite frightening.

At least I know now it is an antibody problem and NOT just anxiety as the doctor who tried to fob me off with antidepressants last week thought.

[Jane1957 in reply to chocoholic17]

Hope you start feeling better soon. Jane

[joyce59 in reply to chocoholic17]

i had that same problem a while ago chocoholic the gp refered me to mental health he hadnt checked antibodies only tsh and t4. when i asked him to do other tests he just gave me a dirty look. needless to say i registered at another practice where they offered to do the antibodies test tgab was 412.

[astroscopesuk]

Hello Jane1957

I am no expert, but my doctor told me that all people with an under active thyroid are autoimmune,,

however I WOULD read posts on this site as there are some very helpful knowledgeable folk on this site.

I have an under active thyroid since April this year and i was very ill when it decided to go on me,,and ive unfortunately put on two stone that I cant seem to lose, which was never the case before.

I am on 50 mg levothyroxine , and I was diagnosed auto-immune hypothyroid..I also dont eat a great deal so this seems to happen with being hypothyroid.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashi...

have included the wikipidia info for you on this.

kind regards

astro

[Jane1957 in reply to astroscopesuk]

Thanks for your reply I will have a look at the Wiki link. Jane

[astroscopesuk]

Good luck x

I am new to this horrid condition , but i do believe that you will find lots of help here as i have, and all through fantastic people who write posts and answer people,, really helpful place.

Kind regards

Astro