Help with results for a newbie please!

[Priyapriya]

Hi! I was hoping some of you might be able to help me with the results from my latest lab test. I am a bit new to this.

Have been diagnosed since Jan, but knew I have had hypothyroidism for 2 years.

I am gluten free.

I was assuming since I had v high Thyroid Perox Antibodies, that I had hashimotos

Now in my last test my Dr tested Thyroid Receptor AB. And I am not sure what to make of them and what they mean

I have had no access to vit D, Folate, Ferritin or any other tests and doing them privately is too expensive atm.

Here are the results from the last test (Dr didn't test FT 3:

TSH 4.68 mU/L (0.35-5.00)

Free T4 12.6 pmol/L (9.0-21.0)

Thyroid Perox. AB 761 (<6)

Thyroid Receptor AB 1.7 U/L (0.0-1.9)

My TSH was 12 with same range 8 months ago and halfed from just going gluten free.

I started levo in Jan on 50 and my Dr wants me to increase to 75.

Can anybody tell me what the Receptor AB mean?

Thanks very much!

[greygoose]

It's the test for Grave's. Goodness knows why your doctor would test for Grave's when you had a TSH of 12! I cannot imagine. And, you do have Hashi's. Your Hashi's antibodies are very high. But your Grave's antibodies are negative.

Going gluten-free does not affect your TSH. It was taking levo that brought it down. Gluten-free is to lower antibodies. And, just generally make you feel better if you're gluten-sensitive.

No rush to test FT3 until your TSH reaches about 1. We know it must be low at the moment.

[Priyapriya in reply to greygoose]

Thanks so much for your response! I read on the forum quite a bit and find your responses always very useful!

It is interesting you say that it couldn't have been the gluten-free. I am not sure what else it might have been, as I hadn't started levo before it fell from 12(Aug) to 6(Jan). It took that long to get to see an endo, so I tried gluten-free and stress reduction in the meantime. Maybe it was the change from very hot to very cold weather? I know too little about it to be able to pinpoint it down. Anyways, thank you very much again!

[greygoose in reply to Priyapriya]

OK, I see. I thought you'd already started the levo when it decreased.

Well, in that case, it must be due to the Hashi's. Levels do tend to swing around with Hashi's. But, were both tests done at the same time of day? That can make a difference, because TSH is highest early in the morning, and drops throughout the day. So, tests always need to be done at the same time, if you want to be able to compare them. We usually advise people to have their tests early in the morning, after having fasted over-night, and leaving a 24 hour gap between the last dose of levo and the blood draw.

[Priyapriya in reply to greygoose]

The one in Aug was done in the morning (12), the one in Jan midday (6) and the latest one in the morning again (4.68). Thanks to the forum I knew not to take the meds before etc. So you are prob right, it must have been the time of the day!

Thanks

[greygoose in reply to Priyapriya]

You're welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Many of us do find strictly gluten free diet does reduce antibodies.

They can still go up and down a bit, but general trend over all is downwards

Suggest to put all test results on a spreadsheet - shows trends over time. Add in when diet changes and Levo dose changes too

On seeing this both my GP and endo clearly understood and could see the ongoing reduction in antibodies at each test after going GF

Sadly as NHS refuses to retest antibodies, it’s not something they see often

Watch out for brand change when dose increased

Try to always stick on same brand.

[Priyapriya in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, that is useful advice! My Endo told me I could ask my Dr to check Antibodies at every blood test, so I hope I can have an eye on them. Brand will be the same, for now thank you!