My GP has just told me that my thyroid is not attacking itself. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s around 3 years ago first by a locum GP and then confirmed by endo consultant. Most recent results show TPO 430.
My recent TSH of 20.6 and more recently 8.4 May be affecting my ability to think properly but surely those TPO figures are high? He said it’s only when TPO rises into the thousands that it’s confirmed to be attacking itself.
Do you think it’s time to see a different GP?
Lost all confidence!
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Mazzybee
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Most doctors dismiss antibodies as being of no importance and know little or nothing about Hashi's and how it affects the patient, test results and symptoms.
If antibodies are over range, that confirms Hashi's and the antibodies will attack and gradually destroy the thyroid. How long that takes is anyone's guess.
Such a shame that doctors are so very ignorant about thyroid disease.
You need to read, learn, understand and help yourself where Hashi's is concerned.
You can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.
Thank you SeasideSusie. I will have to become my own best advocate with this and am grateful for the help and advice of you lovely people. Just difficult when you feel so fatigued and Brian fogged. 😳
I agree with Seaside Susie. He or she doesnt seem to really understand. My TPO antibodies are at >900 and that is the labs limit. How am I to know by your doctors standards if I have Hashimotos or not?🤔😄. What they are suggesting would he hard to accomplish if some labs dont even count that high. I wouldn’t allow that to personally offend you. Also is 8.4 your most current tsh? How are you feeling and did you get other lab tests done?
Thank you for your reply. My most recent results are:
TSH 8.4
FT4. 14.3
FT3 4.1
B12 373
Folate 3.1
He seems to think that because my TSH has reduced from 20.6 to 8.4 that I should feel o.k. My kidney function has also dropped which I have read can be a side effect of poor thyroid function and recently I have suffered severe fatigue and had to take time off work - serious stuff when yours is the sole income!
I agree with Treepie. Thats great that your doctor is responding quickly, hopefully soon you find out where your thyroid stands. 8.4 is still very high, you want it to be closer to 1. Is your Ft4 out if range as well? It is kind of hard to tell with out the ranges, can i request that you post them together? Also your b12 is within range but lower end you want it to be above 500, I would recommend joining the b12 pernicious anemia group to learn more information. I have been having b12 issues as well and have been learning alot. I am sorry that all of this has been going on with you, i can only imagine how you must be feeling. I do not know very much about the kidneys so I cannot help you, but my hope is that someone on here can. I’ve found that joinng groups and learning from other people who have these isses has helped me to learn so much more than what my doctor keeps telling me. I hope you get the
Thanks Treepie. He has increased my Levothyroxine 3 times within the last month. Have increased it to 125 mcg today. Hope it helps but according to my research it may not necessarily combat my symptoms but I live in hope 🤗
Well at least he is responding rapidly maybe too rapidly! Generally it should be 6-8 weeks between tests and Changes in dose or below and FT4and FT3in the upper half of the range. B12,D3,ferritin and folate need to be good to get the best from the Levo.See Seaside Suisse posts on vitamins.
Dose of Levothyroxine should only be increased by 25mcgs after retesting 6-8 weeks after each dose increase
Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels. Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
Your doc is WRONG! Even a low level of TPO or TG antibodies, over a period of many years, will destroy the thyroid just as well as a high antibody level over a shorter period of time. My antibodies were fairly low for a very long time, and that did mess up my thyroid. Once I discovered what was triggering TPO antibodies, my antibody level went to zero within 18 months. The hard part is figuring out what is triggering antibodies, although the most frequent food suspects seem to be gluten and dairy, and environmental problems like heavy metals can figure into it.
Thank you for your reply. I have lost all faith in that particular GP and will avoid seeing him in future. I had explained how exercising knocked me off my feet for a few days - very disappointing as I do enjoy my exercise - his parting words to me were “I want you to restart your exercising”. Somehow I don’t think he had listened to a word I had said 😡. I have been dairy free for quite some time now and try to avoid gluten but haven’t been 100% gluten free.
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