secondary hypothyroidism - pituitary tumor?

[queridalady]

I have just had the last of my 3 antibody tests results back and they have all been negative which on one hand is a good thing....but then I started reading and the Thyroid UK website mentions pituitary failure and tumors should I be worrying?

[jellynpain]

Hi,

I'll be very interested to read replies to your post.

I have had huge symptoms of being hyperthyroid, unwell for over three years, during which time first found to have half a thyroid gland (no surgery) and two years later a micro pituitary adenoma (which was not on MRI's when first unwell.

My thyroid bloods are generally ok, tsh little high but in nhs range. I have an Endocrinologist who won't look beyond his nose or at least his pc.

Have & continue to be tested for other autoimmune diseases via gp.

Any light shed on this would be great.

X

[Jazzw]

It might be helpful to recap how you got here, Q?

A quick flick back through your posts shows that you developed classic hypothyroidism, i.e., your TSH went high and T4 went low but I may have misread.

Secondary hypothyroidism presents with a low TSH and low in range FT3s and FT4s I think.

First thing to say - antibodies don't always show up. Annoying but true. Second thing - sometimes thyroids just fail, without there being an underlying autoimmune disease.

[queridalady in reply to Jazzw]

Thanks Jazz. Yes you are right, my Tsh went high etc. it has been low since being on Levo and T4 good (top quartile) but T3 was below range so conversion problems hence Endo put my on T4/T3 combo. Funny you should say about Just failing. When I think back, I have always found it tough to maintain a good weight, achievable but tough. And I have always constipated (nice topic) but since my daughter was born 15 years ago I have never added salt to anything or eaten any preprepared food and the summer before I was diagnosed I was living on "healthy" smoothies of raw green leafy veg, kale etc and almonds for treats all of which are goitrgens when raw. I sometimes wonder if I tipped my thyroid over the edge maybe :). Paniced about the pituitary thing but I guess I would have other symptoms if something nasty was going on. X

[Jazzw in reply to queridalady]

Yes, I think you would, though it's always worth considering whether something else is going on, so I don't blame you for wondering.

In Dr P's book (think it was him, anyway) he says that it's likely poor thyroid function will increasingly have a genetic basis. Years ago, before antibiotics and good nutrition etc, those with thyroid problems may not have lived long. Now of course we do, and long enough to pass our dodgy genes to the next generation!

[queridalady in reply to Jazzw]

Funny :). Well mum and I just recently had this discussion. As I have learnt more about hypothyroidism I see more and more indicators in my mum who has never been tested. She has no outer eyebrows, constipation, depression etc so I think maybe it might be my mums fault

[Jazzw in reply to queridalady]

LOL - I blame my Mum too. I think she was diagnosed borderline at one point. And we all know what borderline is.

Her mother definitely had full blown hypothyroidism, and her mother died from a sudden heart attack in her early 60s - wouldn't be surprised if there was a thyroid link there too.

[greygoose]

Not sure what you're getting at, here. Do you mean that because you now know your hypo isn't autoimmune it has to be a tumour? Not logical.

Firstly, one antibody test is not conclusive because antibodies vary. On a second or third test, one of the numbers could be higher (3 antibody tests? I thought there were only two...).

Secondly, hypo can be caused by all sorts of things. Toxins, accidents, certain médications, genes...

Do you have the actual numbers of your tests that you can post and ask for opinions? That way you might get more responses.

Hugs, Grey

[queridalady in reply to greygoose]

HI Grey, sorry to be a bit ambiguous Since I was diagnosed in Oct 2013 I have had TPO's tested 4 times and they have always been <5 ku/l (0 - 5.6) I have had TgAB results "Negative" and I have just had the Thyroid Plus testing from Blue Horizon as recommend on here and that included TSH receptor antibodies (overactive) with a result <0.4 ul (0 - 0.4). So I sort of assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that its not AI

Thanks

Sue

[greygoose in reply to queridalady]

Ah, OK, well in that case, it probably isn't AI!