I've never really heard of thyroid conditions before until I decided get a copy of my medical records and found out in 2014 I had found out i have raised antibodies, no thyroid SX and normal thyroid function I also had a ultrasound which came back normal. Back then I was 17 so i wasn't so health conscious so i didn't care too much but now i am 22 years old I have hypochondria even, I decided to book an appointment but my health anxiety made me look on google to see what did the raised antibodies mean, all i could see was an illness called hashimotos and it did scare me, but i ignored it and went to see my GP to tell her my worries.
She told me theres nothing to worry about, I had a blood test in February 2017 which showed my thyroid was normal but it was specifically just thyroid tests it was a full blood count so I don't know if it makes a different. The GP insisted we should keep track of it every year and there is nothing to worry about I am at a young age of 22 and she says it normally shows at 40-50 and it might not even show but honestly I am worried. Especially because she stated I could be on medication forever and also other things came up on the internet for example goitre grave disease ect.
I decided to take matters in my own hands to see clearly where my health is at and to get a clear picture so i ordered a private test online. The test is a finger prick test and it includes 6 tests which is T4, FT4 and FT3 as well as thyroid antibodies for a comprehensive picture of thyroid health.
What do you guys think?
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Also may i add i did develop severe anxiety symptoms 2 years ago but this is probably due to the fact there was a lot of changes in my life for example moving houses, and working in a busy restaurant but this is also why the fact i am worried, my anxiety tends to make me overthink and expect the worse and be over dramatic.
Hello, please don't worry because you are in good company here with many, many people suffering the same symptoms. We are all on medication for life and that's a good thing because it helps us. It sounds like you have Hashimotos which many people on here also have so you could read all the posts about it.. Many doctors don't take much notice of it becausee the treatment from their point of view is the same as anyone who is hypothyroid. Howevver, people with Hashimotos find it helpful to know because their thyroid levels can fluctuate and there are things they can do to manage thyroid antibodies better. Fluctuating thyroid levels can cause anxiety but you should also know that vitamin D deficiency is more common in people with Hashimoto and you should ask your GP to check it because it can contribute to anxiety. You should check out all your vitamin levels becasue you will be less prone to anxiety if they are all optimal. You will not find your life challenges so stressful if you have your health on track and understand your thyroid condition better.
Thank you for your helpful and encouraging words and yes you're right the doctor didn't say one word about Hashimotos, but could you answer some of my questions, why does the doctor have to keep track of this why can't they just treat me straight away and give me medication? and why is she not worried about this and is so sure this will mostly happen at the age range of 40 and 50s. I already take vitamin D and vitamin B12 not for this problem but i thought I've lacked it anyway. thanks again
i really don't know how to manage this, my doctor says she is not concerned about it and told me not to worry and will give me a blood test every year for this and refused to give me one right now, so i've ordered one myself online.
Raised antibodies CAN damage your thyroid in which case the blood test will show abnormal hormone levels and treatment is needed. If the antibodies have not affected your thyroid hormone levels then it is better not to treat, you might end up with too much hormone.
Hi! I would recommend Izabella Wentz books! She has healed herself. Her personal testimony and the testimony of many others reveal that it is possible for people with health problems to get well! She has spent years in research and she is a Dr. in pharmacy! Check her out! Read! Read! Read! You will learn alot and gain so much! God Bless you! Kind regards, nurse Monique.
Hashimoto's is quite common, especially in women. It tends to develop into hypothroidism (low thyroid activity) in the long term. The medication which you take for life is levothyroxine (usually) and this is a replacement for the thyroxine that your thyroid naturally produces. Graves' disease is a different type of thyroid disease named after a doctor Graves. You shouldn't worry about your raised antibodies, it might not ever be a problem.
The only thing I would point out is that if at any time you are planning for a baby you should see your GP as they have to keep your thyroid under tighter control once you have conceived.
Hi, jimh111 thank you for your comment it was really helpful and for once today I finally relaxed my shoulders and felt reassured. I really should trust my doctor more and i should of, i've ordered a blood test online once again so i would post the results on here for everyone to see, but once again thank you for your help i really appreciate it.
Your doctor sounds as if she is reasonable. But don't fall into the trap of placing all your trust in her. Even if she wanted to, she would be unable to do everything you might wish or need.
Your decision to get private tests seems appropriate. Yes - this is an example of what your doctor couldn't do. Even if she asked for a Free T3 test, the lab would be unlikely to do it.
There are people who have raised antibodies who never develop any noticeable thyroid problems.
Make sure that if you take vitamin D you get your Vitamin D levels checked twice a year because it is not water soluble so it's one of the vitamins that can build up. Get your GP to check twice a year or get a private blood test done just to keep track of it while you are supplementing. Also, you can read more about the type of vitamin D to take on Thyroid UK's website. Most people take D3 and many people take K2 or eat Natto which is a natural form of K2. This is because it ensures the vitamin D3 goes to your bones and teeth rather than elsewhere. You can find out more in the section of posts on this site called vitamins.
Please don't worry we will look at your test results and advise. Hashimotos is very common and manageable especially as you will have caught it early!! Lots of us go undiagnosed for years which is when the trouble arises.
There will be life style changes you will need to make but we will touch on them if your tests show you have it.
You could read Izabella Wentz Hashimotos Protocol.
Dr Datis Khazzarian has some amazing books too.
They both have websites if you google them.
Chris Kresser also good.
Anxiety is incredibly destructive and you need to address this as it's this that will cause you health issues. I suffered terrible panic attacks in my early twenties which led to agoraphobia and a whole host of other things.
Ask your GP to refer you for some counselling now. I went to a group where I realised I wasn't alone and the pains, aches etc I was feeling was caused by the excess adrenalin not symptoms of illness, heart attack etc...😀
You could ask for your adrenals to be tested. I wish I'd done that then.
Also Folate, Ferritin, B12 and Vitamin D are very important to have tested. Deficiencies could also be causing your anxiety.
Find and study yoga to help with relaxation, really helped me lots. Highly recommend you do this.
Please come back with test results and really don't worry!x
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