Thyroid not inflamed

[JenniferMarie]

TPO Antibodies are negative and TG Antibodies is positive. The doctor said it was a little high, but not enough. He also said my thyroid is not inflamed because if it was I would have hollered out when he was pressing on my neck, so maybe mine was from a bacterial or viral infection. He said my thyroid is not causing my fatigue. I gotta have more test done to see why I'm tired. He wants me to check my vitamin D said a vitamin D deficiency can make you tired. Six months I gotta get my thyroid checked again and I have to go see the specialist again in a year. I also wanna see why I have a balance problem might need to have my ears checked. Hopefully soon I will still be able to get some answers. What do y'all think.

[Nanaedake]

I don't think your doctor can assess the status of your thyroid by pressing your neck. I think you need an ultrasound. Thyroglobulin antibodies can be present in Hashimotos thyroiditis and an ultrasound may confirm it.

It's a good idea to check vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate and ferritin.

[JenniferMarie in reply to Nanaedake]

The specialist I saw was the first time I've ever seen him

[JenniferMarie in reply to Nanaedake]

Actually he didn't press on my neck he pressed with both hands in front of my throat where the thyroid is

[greygoose]

Your thyroid doesn't have to be inflammed for you to have a thyroid problem. Did he do a thyroid blood test : TSH, FT4, FT3? If so, what were the results?

Your balance problem would be due to low T3 or low B12. You do need those tested as a matter of urgency if you have a balance problem.

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

He didn't do any of those test. He just went by what my lab results were from two months ago. He said I don't have Hashimotos cause my TPO Antibodies were negative.

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

Well, just goes to show how much he knows! It's perfectly possible to have Hashi's without high TPO antibodies.

So, what were your results from two months ago?

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

When I looked on his computer all he talked about was TPO Antibodies and my TG Antibodies. My TPO was negative and my TG was positive that was from two months ago. I had the clinic I go to fax the specialist my lab work.

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

So, you've never had your TSH, FT4 or FT3 tested? Then how do they know you don't have a thyroid problem? Did he get his crystal ball out? lol

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

When I give blood two months ago the lady who took said my thyroid goes up and down, so I guess my TSH levels rise and fall. What is FT4 and FT3

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

FT4 and FT3 are thyroid hormones. TSH is a pituitary hormone. The pituitary secretes TSH when it senses that the thyroid hormones are low in the blood. So, the higher your TSH, the more hypo you are. If the TSH is rising and falling, then you are almost certain to have Hashi's. Because that's what Hashi's does.

But, you need to know what levels they are when they rise and when they fall. You need a copy of your results. Ask for one.

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

Can my regular doctor test my FT4 and FT3 or does the endocrinologist have to do that.

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

It depends more on the lab than on the GP - in the UK, anyway. You don't say where you live. In the UK, it's very difficult to get the FT3 tested. But, they might have already don't it, you don't know. That's why you need to get a copy of your results.

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

I live in Texas

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

OK, well, I'm sorry, I don't know how things work in Texas. You'll have to ask your doctor.

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

Since my TG Antibodies were positive he said I did have have it, but I dont t anymore. Thyroiditis can also be caused by a viral or bacterial infection called Subacute Thyroiditis. Mine may have been that one. When I was first diagnosed with thyroiditis the lady who took my blood said i have hyroiditis, but i had the symptoms of hypothyroidism. The specialist said my thyroid wasn't causing my fatigue. If my thyroiditis is gone could I turn into being hypothyroid.

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

I don't think your endo understands antibodies. If your antibodies were positive, it means you have some form of autoimmune condition. Yes, there's such a thing as Subacute Thyroiditis, but if you'd had that and it had cleared up, you would no-longer have high antibodies. The antibodies go with the thyroiditis.

It's Autoimmune Thyroiditis - aka Hashi's - that causes the hypothyroidism. So, if you've had Hashi's long enough to do damage to your thyroid, you would have hypo symptoms.

You can have hypothyroidism without autoimmune thyroiditis, but if you have autoimmune thyroiditis, you will become hypo, because the immune system slowly destroys the thyroid.

[JenniferMarie in reply to greygoose]

Should I get a second opiion I want too, but my sister and mom thinks it would be a waste of money.

[greygoose in reply to JenniferMarie]

Depends what your results were two months ago. Post them here and we'll be better able to advise you.

[Nanaedake in reply to JenniferMarie]

I agree with greygoose that you can have Hashimotos without TPO antibodies. TgAb antibodies can be present in Hashimotos and other conditions. As greygoose says, post your thyroid test results here and we might be able to help you work out what's going on before you spend out a lot of money on a second opinion from another specialist who knows little about thyroid disease.

By the way, was the specialist you saw, a specialist in thyroid disease or something else? Did you Google his speciality?

[JenniferMarie in reply to Nanaedake]

I really don't know my test results. On his computer was my lab work from two months ago and all he explained to me about was the TPO Antibodies and TG Antibodies. I can have the lady at my clinic who draws my blood to draw blood and see if its still my thyroid. Can she check TSH and Free T4 and Free T3.

[JenniferMarie in reply to Nanaedake]

My appointment was at an endocrinology clinic an endocrinologist does deal with the thyroid

[Nanaedake in reply to JenniferMarie]

Yes but has he got a specialism in thyroid disease, most specialise in Diabetes. You should be able to do a Google search to find out.