Questions about TPO

[theriverman]

Does having a higher TPO correlate with worse symptoms? Does TPO generally get worse over time or does it stay the same? Does going gluten free help reduce TPO? Is there a point where a really high TPO will lead to thyroid needing to be removed?

What is considered severely high TPO?

[greygoose]

Does having a higher TPO correlate with worse symptoms?

Not as far as anyone knows, no.

Does TPO generally get worse over time or does it stay the same?

I am assuming your mean TPO antibodies, here, not TPO itself. The antibodies actually decline with time, as the thyroid is reduced in size and activity. But antibodies fluctuate anyway. They are highest just after an immune system attack on the thyroid, to clean up the traces of TPO that have leaked into the blood stream during the attack.

Does going gluten free help reduce TPO?

I have never seen any convincing proof of that, given that antibodies fluctuate and reduce with time, anyway. However, Hashi's people are more likely to be gluten-sensitive, so giving up gluten makes them feel better.

Is there a point where a really high TPO will lead to thyroid needing to be removed?

No, absolutely not. There is no direct connection between TPO antibodies and the thyroid gland.

What is considered severely high TPO?

There is no level that is considered 'severe'. It's either negative or positive for Hashi's. Having a very high level of antibodies doesn't mean the Hashi's is any worse that when someone has a more moderate over-range level.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just like TSH the TPO result can be wildly different in different people with completely different effects

TSH can be right up near 100, and as a junior endocrinologist gleefully told me once, the patient appeared absolutely fine, walking, talking etc

Yet some have TSH of 2.5 or even lower and can barely function

TPO antibodies go up and down quite a lot. And different labs have very different numerical ranges

Endocrinologists expect/hope antibodies drop when Levothyroxine started and TSH goes much lower

But many on here find that doesn't happen.

The Thyroid Pharmacist, Isabella Wentz, has lots of info about finding possible antibodies triggers

Gluten, dairy, eggs, nightshades, gut infections, Epstein Barr Virus, H Pylori, candida, SIBO, quitting smoking etc etc

scdlifestyle.com/2017/04/gu...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...