Antibody test results: I'm very new to all this... - Thyroid UK

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Antibody test results

Sarah-Rose profile image
21 Replies

I'm very new to all this and just got results for thyroid antibodies. I wanted to discover whether my hypothyroidism was caused by Hashimoto's. Does anyone know whether these indicate I have Hashimoto's? Or is not that simple?

Thyroid peroxidase antibody 13.8 (lab range 0-34 IU/ml)

Thyroglobulin antibody 64.3 (lab range 0-115 IU/mL)

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Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose
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21 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Those results don't indicate Hashimoto's, the antibodies would have to be greater than the top of the range to confirm Hashi's. However, your Thyroglobulin antibodies aren't really very low (mine have always been something like 15 or 20 and my TPOs about 6). I wouldn't rule out Hashi's altogether at this stage, I would repeat the test at some stage and see what your levels are like then.

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle

Your antibodies are still quite low but you should definitely check them again in a few months and if they have risen then you will know it something is triggering them and be able to turn things around quite quickly.

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose

Thanks SeasideSusie and K1k1_belle that's very helpful. I will check again in a few months. If there is an upward trend how would I be able to turn things around?

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle

If the antibodies are on the up then that means you have a 'trigger' - for me it's gluten as the protein in gluten is made up of the same protein as our thyroid tissue so when these proteins leak into my system (where they're not supposed to be) it sets of an immune response and the immune system launches antibodies mistakingly to my thyroid!!!!

Get tested for food intolerances (I'm also intolerant to milk and sugar) and cut them out - they cause the inflammation in your gut which leads to leaky gut. I'm in the process of healing my leaky gut, rebalancing my gut flora (I have Candida) and reducing the inflammation in my body.

I'm fascinated by all this and spend a lot of time researching how important our gut health is so you have any questions I'd be happy to help!

marigold22 profile image
marigold22

May I ask you - did your doctor offer you these antibody tests or did you have to push for them? I only ask as I don't think I've ever had them & have 'hypothyroid'. I'm seriously thinking now I have hashimoto's (antibodies)

jostafford0 profile image
jostafford0

Hi K1, I'm going through the same thing as you - can you please recommend any herbs / supplements you are using to get rid of candida? Thank you - Jo x

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle

Hi jostafford0 , my Doctor diagnosed the Candida by using Bioresonance and so my stool test has been sent for for exacting diagnoses (test don't guess) and so once I know for sure I will probably be prescribed a probiotic?!?!

For now I have elliminated sugar and have reduced carbs.

Chris Kresser has a great podcast on treating Candida if you look that up. I started listening but stopped as I decided to wait another two weeks did my results. I'll let you know though as soon as my Doc gives me exacting instructions and diet 👍🏼

jostafford0 profile image
jostafford0 in reply to K1k1_belle

Thank you for your reply x

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose

Thanks very much K1k1_belle , I am thinking I need to investigate gut health as my symptoms all started after a series of tummy bugs. I will get back to you with some quedtions.

marigold22 I requested the antibody tests from my nhs GP and I had to pay for them. He didn't see the point in having them done as my thyroid function results were all within 'normal' ranges. I had them done after finding ThyroidUK and reading about them here. I thought it would be essential in getting to the root cause of my hypothyroidism.

marigold22 profile image
marigold22 in reply to Sarah-Rose

Thanks for your reply x

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle

If your symptoms started after tummy bugs you may have some parasites that need clearing!

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose

What would be a good way to test for parasites? Would that also include something like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth?

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83

I don't go along with this idea that you don't have Hashi's if your antibodies are below a certain "threshold". I had silent celiac for my entire life, and when my antibodies were finally tested, my TPOAb was slightly below the threshold. But I had experienced thyroid destruction. The issue is this: a high antibody count will destroy your thyroid quickly. Low antibody count (anything that is non-zero, but below the threshold) will destroy your thyroid slowly - over a period of many decades. I know that getting off gluten and being on a very strict diet, caused my antibodies to drop back to zero, which ought to be the goal. As far as I'm concerned, this threshold business is just another manifestation of capitation: postpone the problem until you are old, then have some snarky doctor tell you "well, you're old, it's just aging, there's nothing that can be done".

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose in reply to Eddie83

Thank you Eddie83 , that's very interesting. How did you discover what was triggering your antibody count to go up? Do you now have to stay away from these things permanently?

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83 in reply to Sarah-Rose

Gluten wrecked my intestine. This is what they call the classic "leaky gut" syndrome that allows stuff which should not be getting into your bloodstream, e.g. peptides and gliadin fragments, to get into the bloodstream because you no longer have "tight junctions". This was discovered by a naturopath who gave me a gliadin antibody test. Nowadays, testing for discovering gluten (and other food sensitivities) is much better.

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle in reply to Eddie83

I found out yesterday that Celiac is only diagnosed when it's become the disease - nothing at all to do with the gluten intolerance that lead to the disease in the first place - it's crazy that it has to get that far!

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83 in reply to K1k1_belle

I can remember having symptoms when I was a teenager. But no MD recognized those symptoms. With the advent of dwarf transgenic wheat, the stuff has become so dangerous that every child should be tested.

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose

K1k1_belle and Eddie83 I would be really interested to hear what the best tests are for gluten and other intolerances.

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83 in reply to Sarah-Rose

It used to be that the Gliadin Antibody and Tissue Transglutaminase tests were the best way to diagnose gluten intolerance. But things have changed in the past 10 years. You should probably google "food intolerance testing", get some initial ideas, then go see a naturopath who advertises they do that.

K1k1_belle profile image
K1k1_belle

It's funny you say that Eddie83 , now that myself and my husband are off gluten we are looking at what we are feeding our children - cereal for breakast, sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner- and realise we need to make a change. High Carb and low fat has resulted in this epidemic of chronic autoimmune disease in my opinion.

Sarah-Rose If I was you I would just cut it out of your diet completely for a week - be careful and read all your ingrediants as gluten is in almost everything processed so try eat whole clean foods, then reintroduce and see how you feel. My brain fog lifted, my energy came back and my migraines & sinus infections went away immediately. I reintroduced gluten one day and had to go lie down, the exhaustion that came over me was unbearable!! I was off gluten 4/5 months when I found a Functional Doctor who diagnosed it for certain using Bioresonance - I'm also intolerant to dairy and sugar - you could also try an allergy test, sorry I have no link but maybe someone else could suggest one!

Sarah-Rose profile image
Sarah-Rose

Thanks K1k1_belle and thanks Eddie83 . I now have more pointers of what I need to investigate and how best to approach it. There is just so much to get go grips with.

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