Doc's comment on becoming hyper

[Dot-69]

Has anyone heard this before please? doc said she would do a test that can tell if you are likely to become hyper in the future, I've never heard that before.

[shaws Administrator]

It's strange - they didn't even give me a test when I was very hypothyroid and I was flat on the floor. I had to do a 'discover' what I had myself with the help of a first aider a week after being discharged from the A&E Cardiac Unit.

However, this is a set of tests which can be done but sometimes our bloods don't correspond with how we feel.

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

[greygoose]

Did she mean anitbodies : TPOab? Could be she thinks you have Hashi's, which swings between hypo and 'hyper' - although it's not strictly hyper in that your gland will start producing too much hormone on a regular basis, as in Graves.

[Dot-69 in reply to greygoose]

No idea greygoose as it was said to one of my daughters who has just presented herself at the docs after taking levothyroxine in desperation, from another source, and getting much better as a result. I suggested she go to her GP for monitoring and so the GP can see the results for herself. My daughter couldn't get levothyroxine because her TSH was not in the right range. Now where have we heard that before!

[greygoose in reply to Dot-69]

Well, make sure she gets a copy of the results when they're ready! I'm curious to find out. lol

[Dot-69 in reply to greygoose]

You and me both!

[Dot-69 in reply to greygoose]

My daughter has some results back. Serum TSH level 0.92 mu/L reference range (0.35 - 4.94) Serum thyroid peroxidase antibody concentration, "Above Range" is typed under the heading of Normality, results are 360 iu/mL reference range (0.00 - 6.0) Then is typed "Above high reference limit". Well, they are not kidding!!! So, I guess this condition doesn't happen overnight, or doesn't happen as a result of taking levothyroxine? If that is so, I'm now thinking that her doc should certainly have done that test before! And she doesn't seem to have the test results for FT3 and FT4 if they were both done. I'm asking her about them as they surely would have done at least T4 and T3 as her husband told them they wanted the COMPLETE thyroid test done this time. But why should we have to get stroppy to get attention?????? Or medicate ourselves in total desperation????? makes me so mad!!!!

[greygoose in reply to Dot-69]

So, which antibodies were they? TPO? If so, she has Hashi's, and no, it's not caused by taking levo! And, yes, it more than likely has been brewing for a long, long time.

They don't always test the FT4 because they don't even look at it, and just about never do the FT3 because they think it's irrelevant! No, we shouldn't have to get stroppy, but as long as doctors remain so ignorant, I'm afraid we have to.

[Dot-69 in reply to greygoose]

Yes, that is short for TPOAb so at least they are now on her case, at last!!

[greygoose in reply to Dot-69]

Oh yes! Sorry, silly me! I didn't see that written in full. We usually use the abreviation. lol

So, the big question is : what are they going to do about it? Because there is not treatment for antibodies, but, you do need a TSH of zero.

Has she gone gluten-free? If that doesn't do anything, she could try dairy-free and/or sugar-free; and taking selenium might help dampen down the antibodies, too.

But I still don't understand that weird comment about a test to see if she's going to go hyper! Another doc that didn't quite understand the lecture on the endocrine system!!! With Hashi's, you can swing from high levels of hormone to low levels of hormone, but you never go truly hyper. And you end up hypo, as more and more of the gland is destroyed.

[Dot-69 in reply to greygoose]

An update to all this. My daughter tells me her doc has now given her a prescription for 100mcg Levothyroxine therefore keeping her on the same dose as the one she's been taking unofficially. SUCCESS!!!! The doc also said to my daughter "Well, you have surprised me because you are within range." It's about time they did some serious homework I think!! It seems the doc is also referring her to what is probably an Endo, but my daughter couldn't quite remember the name. Hope they are not as clueless as her doc was!!

[greygoose in reply to Dot-69]

I hope so too! It always amazes me that they can't see that they are wrong. It would appear that the majority of doctors aren't very bright!

Fingers crossed for the endo!

[Fruitandnutcase]

Hmmm interesting. I'm in remission from Graves which is hyper with antibodies and I (a lots of others like me) have no idea how long we will be in remission for - but as I've still got Graves then I imagine I could become hyper again at any time.

I also imagine my antibodies could show that it is possible that I might become hyper again. I haven't heard or read about a test that will tell if you are likely to become hyper again and none of the doctors I've seen have mentioned it.

Is your daughter going to have the test? If she does you can post again and tell us all about it.

[Dot-69 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

No mention again of that bizarre test, if it even exists! However, I posted an update to it all above, under a comment from greygoose