Hashimoto diagnosis

[Coachgeorge]

Since I’ve been in bed again today, I started thinking about all kinds of things. My doc says I have Hashimoto’s disease but I’m wondering how it was diagnosed. Can someone share what is involved? Is it the tpo and tg testing?

[greygoose]

Yes, if the TPO and/or Tg antibodies are high over-range, it means you have Hashi's.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

Got it. I can’t find those test results in my blood profile. I’ll have them run with my next draw. If you have Hashimoto’s, are they always out of range?

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

No. They fluctuate all the time. Sometimes they can look quite normal. Which is one of the reasons you cannot rule out Hashi's entirely with one negative test.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

So, I should’ve seen more than one set of results that were out of range. Interesting as I can’t find any. Is it possible to have just an under active thyroid and not have Hashimoto’s?

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

No, not at all. Once you've had an out-of-range results, they don't tend to test again, because they know you have it. It's only if the results are in-range, that it's inconclusive.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

So in range are inconclusive. Could that also mean it’s just under active and not Hashimoto’s?

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

Well, if it's in range, you don't know if it's Hashi's or something else that's causing your hypo. There are many things that can make you hypo: accidents of some kind, like whiplash; endocrine disruptors; certain drugs. And, probably a lot of things that we don't know about.

[Coachgeorge in reply to greygoose]

Got it! My T4 starting jumping in November for no apparent reason. It was exacerbated after a bout of flu at Christmas. No rhyme or reason.

[greygoose in reply to Coachgeorge]

No, there often isn't any reason that we know of.

[HashiFedUp in reply to greygoose]

Sorry to butt in here but how does whiplash triggers Hashimotos? I only ask because I had a minor RTA and got a whiplash injury and it was after this my symptoms started in terms of joint pain and tiredness anyway.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HashiFedUp]

Here's link about whiplash and thyroid

wellnessresources.com/news/...

[HashiFedUp in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh wow thank you. Just read this article. I think this is when my problems started exactly as they explained. Could this be my trigger!

[greygoose in reply to HashiFedUp]

Not exactly a 'trigger' in the normal sense of the word. But could be the causal injury.

[greygoose in reply to HashiFedUp]

I didn't say 'Hashi's', I said hypothyroidism. I see SlowDragon has given you a good article on the subject.

As an aside, if you have a dog that pulls at the leash, that can have the same effect, and cause the dog to become hypo. Always better to use a harness if you have a dog that pulls.

[silvisilvi in reply to greygoose]

Very true

[Hidden]

Hey Coach, elevated antibodies, but if these are not elevated, then normally thyroid scan, they can see changes on your gland. Although I think everyone should have a scan of their thyroid if they have thyroid problem

[Coachgeorge in reply to Hidden]

Thanks! Hope you are feeling better.

[Hidden in reply to Coachgeorge]

Been better Coach, but will get there ❤️ currently experiencing an overdose!

[Coachgeorge in reply to Hidden]

I’m sorry. Still don’t understand how all this changes so much

[Hidden in reply to Coachgeorge]

It does, for me every little change can trigger it. I need to move slower. I think for me when I reduced t4 my body becomes better and more efficient and it's easier to overdose for some weird reason. I keep reducing t4 and it is creeping back up and up to higher levels

[Blot in reply to Hidden]

You could be allergic like me to a preservative or filler in the Thyroxin tablet.

[Hidden in reply to Blot]

Thanks Blot, but I'm not, I'm taking the cleanest Levo available

[Coachgeorge in reply to Hidden]

Which one are you taking?

[Hidden in reply to Coachgeorge]

It's called Letrox, German Levo. Never had reaction to fillers, even when taking lactose and gluten in Eltroxin.

[Dinuss]

For me tested anti tpo and after my doctor said I have hashimoto, my anti tpo level was 1039 so really high

[Blot]

A blood test will show up with Thyroid antibodies but other tests for Adrenal problems like fatigue should be considered plus an extensive questionnaire which most GPS don’t have time for. A presumptive diagnosis, a prescription of Thyroxin is given and a call-me-If-you-want-me again, attitude is often the case. However ther is much you ca do yourself to pin point triggers. Do take time to listen to your body and what it’s telling you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You need to test both TPO And TG thyroid antibodies

Most Hashimoto's patients have high TPO or high TPO and high TG antibodies. But a significant minority only have high TG antibodies

One in five Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies. An ultrasound scan of thyroid can be helpful in getting diagnosis

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Coachgeorge in reply to SlowDragon]

Can you have an underactive thyroid and not have Hashi?

[Miffie in reply to Coachgeorge]

I have an hypothyroidism but do not has Hashi. My thyroid function was destroyed by radiation treatment for a birth mark when I was a baby in the 1950s. I was diagnosed in the early 1960s. I don’t think these cases happen now as so much more care is taken with radiation doses. Other people are hypo following removal of thyroid or RAI for Graves. Thyroid cancer can leave people hypo. I rather think you would know if it was one of these.

[Coachgeorge in reply to Miffie]

Thank you. I’m trying to figure out why my thyroid is under active. I’m beginning to wonder where my doctor got the Hashimoto’s diagnosis from. Guess it doesn’t really matter. Either way, I’m very ill. Thanks so much!

[Jackiez in reply to Coachgeorge]

Yes you can. Hashi's is autoimmune hypothyroidism, but there's also central hypothyroidism, which can be caused by the pituitary gland (secondary central hypothyroidism) and also if there's a malfunction of the hypothalamus (tertiary hypothyroidism) 😬

[Coachgeorge in reply to Jackiez]

Is treatment the same for all?

[Jackiez in reply to Coachgeorge]

Well ultimately it is! We have Levothyroxine (T4) and Liothyronine(T3) which are synthetic hormone replacements, and NDT which is a natural replacement, derived from pigs I believe. It's usually trial and error to get to the right dose of any of these, and if you are in the UK it's not likely that you'll be prescribed anything other than Levothyroxine.

[Coachgeorge in reply to Jackiez]

Thank you. I’m in the US and prescribed both t3 and T4. Much easier here

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coachgeorge]

Yes....about 80-90% is due to Hashimoto's

But other reasons can be

Secondary or Central hypothyroidism....eg pituitary issues

healthline.com/health/hypot...

Head trauma

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/313...

Whip lash

Some medication - e.g. Lithium

medscape.com/viewarticle/58...

Heavy metal toxicity

amymyersmd.com/2015/07/the-...

Or no known reason

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...