Serum negative?

[Nurseladybird]

Hi all,

I was recently told by my Dr that he thinks I have Hashimoto’s, based on my symptoms - low body temp, sensitivity to cold (and sometimes hot), weight gain, hoarse voice, thyroid pain at times, very dry skin, muscle aches, slow pulse, etc. However, when he tested me, my bloods came back negative for antibodies and my thyroid function is fine!

I forgot to get a copy of my blood results for you, but wondered if anyone had come across this before?

Many thanks 😀

[Jazzw]

Well... “thyroid function is fine” might well be the doctor’s interpretation on the tests rather than the reality... Results that are in the reference range often aren’t “fine” at all. So yes, get your mitts on the results and let us have a look to see if we agree.

But if it isn’t your thyroid, it could be all sorts of other things. A contender might be B12 deficiency - the symptoms are very similar.

[Nurseladybird in reply to Jazzw]

Thanks Jazz, apparently B12 was ‘fine’ too - along with everything else. Clearly something has gone wrong somewhere though!

[Jazzw in reply to Nurseladybird]

It sounds like it, doesn’t it? But again, if your B12 results were low in the “normal” range, that’s not actually normal at all.

Are you in the UK? If so, you do have the right to see your results, so stand your ground against any bolshy receptionists.

[Venus77]

It is indeed possible to have Hashimoto's without having elevated thyroid antibodies. Dr. Alan Christianson and Izabella Wentz (and many other thyroid experts) regularly mention this possibility. Even my (conventionally trained) endocrinologist told me that I may have Hashimoto's, despite always having very low antibody levels. I hope this helps X

[Nurseladybird in reply to Venus77]

Thanks Venus, I thought this might be the case. Because my thyroid function is ‘fine’, I’ve not been referred to endocrinology, but I do see a rheumatologist because they know I have SOME sort of autoimmune disorder, just not what it is!

[Venus77 in reply to Nurseladybird]

Glad to see that Jazzw and reallyfedup123 have given you loads of hugely helpful info and advice Good luck with getting a proper diagnosis! X

[Skylane2]

you could have chronic fatigue syndrome which is difficult to diagnose from the symptoms. check on line to see if your symptoms line up with this condition

[Nurseladybird in reply to Skylane2]

Hi Skylane,

Good suggestion, but they don’t really fit with CFS. I’m under a rheumatologist because some of my tests have indicated autoimmune disorder of some sort - possibly Lupus or Sjogrens, but I don’t quite fit either of those either. I have a really strong family history of Hashimoto’s so I’d be surprised if that’s not my issue!

[Nurseladybird]

Thanks Reallyfedup, I’m pretty sure I’d just finished a course of steroids for costochondritis when I had the blood test, so that might have suppressed any antibodies. I really need to get my results, and might ask for another test now I feel rubbish again.