I wondered if I could get some advice. Two years ago I started with panic attacks and very quickly became agoraphobic I suppose, although I don't feel much better at home either. Only recently, I had my thyroid tested and it came back suggesting I was hyperthyroid so I was referred to a specialist. They did another load of blood tests and my T3 and T4 came back as 'normalising' as they had gone down from my previous blood test. I have significant number of antibodies and my TSH is lower than last time I was testing and I also have a very swollen thyroid gland but I've been told they won't treat me for it. I get tremors a lot and can barely walk more than a minute before my heart goes crazy and I struggle to breathe easily.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation and can offer any advice on what they did?
Many thanks,
Natasha
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Tishtosh02
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I just wanted to add that my antibodies were 463 when the normal range is 0-115. My TSH was 0.02 (normal 0.27-4.2). It was 0.07 a month ago so that has got worse but my T4 was 20.6 (range 12-22) and was 23.8 last time so it has improved. Not sure if this makes a difference to the advice you can give me. Thank you
But which antibodies were they? Depending which tested positive, will indicate whether there is a diagnosis of Graves' disease and you have high levels of thyroid hormones because you are hyperthyroid as a result; or of Hashimoto's and are hypothyroid but currently undergoing a release/surge of thyroid hormones after an AI attack. However, a below range TSH result is not per se, indicative of hyperthyroidism despite what Drs will tell you; and your T4 result of 23.8 (12-22) is only slightly over range but importantly, doesn't tell you what your T3 was doing. A swollen thyroid can also indicate either condition, since in the case of a failing thyroid it can initially overcompensate to protect hormone levels; and air hunger and AF can be both over- and under- symptoms.
It wasn’t Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibody but I’m not sure if it was
Antithyroglobulin Antibody or Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin that the specialist said, I’m waiting for a letter with the results on to come through.
Sounds like you may have Hashimoto's. This often starts with hyperthyroid phases......but eventually goes hypothyroid
Anxiety is common Hashimoto's symptom
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are EXTREMELY common. Ask GP to test
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money
All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results . (Patient to patient tip, not to be mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
If TPO or TG antibodies are high this is usually Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). But slightly raised TPO or TG antibodies can be due to Graves' disease
Private testing for suspected Graves - TSI or TRab antibodies
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