Hashimotos?

[CRG81]

Hi there,

I posted last month about my thyroid journey. Mum of 3, postpartum thyroiditis in 2014 after birth of twins (went hyper then hypo), never had treatment just monitored, apparently back to euthyroid back in aug 2015. Since last October though I have not been feeling right and felt my gland was enlarged again. Blood test during May, results as follows:

TSH 4.58 (upper limit in range 4.2)

FT4 16.4 (9 - 26)

FT3 4.4 (2.8 - 7.1)

Anyway I had a scan on my thyroid yesterday and the doctor performing it said he's pretty sure I have hashimotos, said the gland is roughened when it should be smooth and is enlarged. Unexpected perhaps something like this would happen as my dad is hypothyroid due to hashimotos. So I've not had antibody testing since jan 2014 when at the time that was negative. I'm assuming the next step would be further blood test. Just wondering if you think they'll treat me as hypothyroid now or wait until it gets worse? As you can see my blood results are not terrible currently, but as I said I have not felt very good for a while now.

Sorry for the long post!

Reply

[SlowDragon Administrator]

In an ideal world you would get following tested - TSH, Ft4, Ft3, BOTH thyroid antibodies - TPO and TG, (NHS rarely does both) TT4, vitamin D, B 12, folate and ferritin.

If you can't get GP to agree then thyroid uk lists private testing options

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

I personally use Blue Horizon thyroid plus eleven test as it checks all the above.

You need good levels of vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 to utilise you own thyroid hormones ( or especially if on Levo then to utilise this too.)

If your TPO and/or TG antibodies are high, indicating Hashimoto's, then you may find adopting a 100% gluten free diet reduces symptoms , helps calm immune response and lowers antibodies. (Get blood test to check for coeliacs first)

[K1k1_belle]

Hi CRG81 , please please get your antibodies tested (TPO AB and TG AB) as that is the only way to detect the autoimmune response and the attack on your thyroid can be happening for years until it throws your TSH off.