Is hypothyroid hashimotos?

Hi. Thanks for letting me join. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 2 weeks ago. Is Hashimoto disease different from Hypothyroidism please?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hidden Hashimoto's is the autoimmune type of Hypothyroidism, where antibodies attack and gradually destroy the thyroid. It's the most common cause of Hypothyroidism.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks. How do you know if you have it?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

You get thyroid antibodies tested. There are two types

Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) which the NHS rarely does, but might if pushed.

Thyroglobulin (TG) which almost never seems to be done on the NHS.

You can be negative for TPO but positive for TG, or be positive for TPO and negative for TG, or positive for both.

You can get them done privately with a fingerprick blood test to do at home.

[activelazy]

Hi Angelfuzzy,

You can be hypothyroid with or without hashimoto disease. You have hashimoto only if you have positive antibodies as described by SeasideSusie. If any one of the two is positive, you have hashimotos otherwise you may only be hypothyroid with negative antibodies depending upon your results and symptoms.

[Hidden in reply to activelazy]

Hi there. Thanks for this. Is there any benefit of me finding out?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

It is useful to know, as a) it means you are more likely to get other autoimmune diseases and b) you can adjust your diet - gluten-free etc to slow down the destruction of the gland and c) it primes to expect flare ups when destroyed tissue dumps a load of hormones into the blood and makes you feel overmedicated for a time (before making you more hypo later).

[activelazy in reply to Hidden]

Yes, very important. You will need both antibodies. Next time you have blood tests ask for TSH, FT3, FT4 and both antibodies. GP might do at least one, TPO Ab. Good luck.

[TSH110]

Some medics call it autoimmune thyroiditis rather than hashimotos. They never used the term hashimotos at Guys. I thought it was a completely separate type of hypothyrodism but they are names for the same thing. As mentioned it is the presence of thyroid antibodies that proves it is Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Thyroid uk have a good page on it

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...