TPO AND TRAB ANTIBODIES & CONFUSED: Firstly... - Thyroid UK

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TPO AND TRAB ANTIBODIES & CONFUSED

NIKEGIRL profile image
28 Replies

Firstly thanks for reading.

I have Graves’ disease. I have Graves symptoms but these were my antibody test results. I am confused. Will I end up with Hashimoto disease? I have been supplementing with selenium, b12, magnesium for 4 months. Folate was ok and iron was over the range but I think it’s higher due to Graves. Anyway I’m confused?

TPO 462 range <10

Trab >100 range >0.8 is positive result

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NIKEGIRL
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tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

Not necessarily...... a percentage of graves patients do have TPOab's, just like a percentage of autoimmune hypothyroid patients have some TRab's,( there are TRab's that are 'blocking ' and others that are 'stimulating' , and it's the stimulating ones that were causing you to have high levels of t4 and t3. )Also . a percentage of 'well' people have raised TPOab, and a percentage of autoimmune hypothyroid people do not have raised TPOab.

All you can say for certain about raised TPOab in a 'well' person , is that they indicate an increased probability that that person might eventually become hypothyroid at some point in the future with raised TSH and low t4.

TPOab antibodies do fluctuate.

I'll find you an article on the spread of various types of antibodies across the different forms of thyroid disease later on today.

Don't worry about it , keep dealing with today , tomorrow can look after itself. x

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to tattybogle

I agree tattybogle my TPO levels are 600 and have been that high for a couple of years now.

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to Lora7again

Ok thanks

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

Thanks. That has helped

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

Good x and Lora7again had graves but is in remission now on no meds at all. so who knows , it might even turn out that TPOab's in a graves patient is a good thing

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to tattybogle

I feel like I am in remission but I do need a blood test to confirm this but I am waiting until they get the corona under control before I visit my local hospital to get my blood drawn.

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to Lora7again

You couldn’t pay me enough to go near a hospital. Better to wait until COVID disappates

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply to Lora7again

I think you'll be waiting a long time then. The only virus that has ever (allegedly) been wiped out is smallpox and that took many, many decades. Generally, viruses don't go away, we just adjust to deal with them (colds, flu, chickenpox etc)

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

Yes I didn’t think of it like that. 😊

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

The thing about TPOab is that, unlike TRab , they don't actually DO anything to your thyroid function. TPOab are 'clean-up labels' that are stuck onto bits of thyroid peroxidase that has ended up in the blood for some reason, and then some other 'things?' come along and clean up the things with labels on.

So TPOab indicate a messy party has happened , but they didn't cause it.

Has your thyroid been having a wild party recently :) lol

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

That actually makes some sense. My thyroid is having a rave. It’s my fault though. I don’t take the drugs because of the side effects and I am struggling with trauma from the medical system because my teenage children were very sick together for 3 years. My son talked about suicide. The local hospital refused surgery for a tear in his hip and at the same time my daughter got a benign bone tumour and the medical person missed it and she went another 9 months suffering extreme pain. Then I got hit in my car in a major car accident and then my daughter got two more tumours and they lost her file so she suffered another 5 months of extreme pain and then my father in law died and my husband needed surgery and then my son got diagnosed with nerve damage from football in 2015 and then another surgery for my husband and then he lost his job and then my son threatened suicide again whilst on prescription drugs for the nerve damage and then this diagnosis. Now I have been diagnosed with trauma and I am trying to deal with this because I no longer go to the hospital to attend any appts. I literally cry days before I go and I am gripped by fear. I’m not in a bad place mentally. I just struggle and need some psychology to help me process what happened to me as the mum of the kids

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

Crumbs.... that's too much for anyone to handle , i'm not surprised your thyroid threw it's toys out of the pram. You're doing quite well to still be sane.Having to watch life being cruel to your child is the hardest thing. And both at once is just taking the p***

And then to be handed a disease who's main side effect is making you feel jittery and anxious and hot and terrible ..... well that's beyond 'not funny' and well on the way to 'too rude to type'

Be kind to yourself , you are doing really well here , even though it won't feel like it

if you're still standing up at all in the face of this lot , then you are stronger than you think.

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

A work colleague told me today I was stronger than I give myself credit for. Thank you. It was a shit show from 2015-2019. 2020 has been crappy for everyone. What i went through with the kids was very hard and essentially I can’t go to that hospital. My diagnosis has left me at a loss., an absolute loss. To know that what I endured through that time with the kids caused this is just the ultimate slap in the face. I’m dont feel sorry for myself but I question “have I not endured enough” that I have to go back to the hospital and listen to drs who don’t give a shit about you as a human being but rather u r a number. I don’t have time for them. That’s what my sons dr taught us. We were not worthy of his time or care. I think I am pretty sane. Funny I was going to say that in my last post but thought no and then u typed it. My GP cares because he keeps ringing me bit he is not offering any real help. I am going to see a counsellor next week who specialises in trauma while I wait to see my psychologist.

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

You are right because I have had TSI tested but only the endocrinologist has those results. I tested positive for TSI but I don’t know the number or the range

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

Oh , that's interesting . Some of us were wondering how the heck you can measure the 'blocking' ones, in some other posts last week.

If you ever find out the TSI result it might be interesting to compare it to the TRab result.......as long as you don't mind us using you as a ginea pig and going ooh! how interesting ....

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

No I don’t mind. I don’t see my Endo until next March hence why I struggle to comply because I literally feel depressed and sick and don’t have enough support around me from medical professionals so I just stop taking the carbimazole. No one is offering PTU. No one is offering any alternatives. My dr keeps ringing the house every Friday saying I need the drugs. I say they make me feel very unwell and I need more support. That’s it. No help or drug change offered. We r just at an impass.

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to NIKEGIRL

I took PTU and it suited me better because Carbimazole made me have an angry rash all over my body.

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to Lora7again

From what I know and that’s very little. PTU causes more liver damage. It’s not being offered as an option. You would think when a patient doesn’t comply and says they have side effects that you would offer it. It’s crazy

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to NIKEGIRL

Well my doctor said it was a very old trusted drug and both Carbimazole and PTU can cause liver damage. I have had a couple of times when some of my liver enzymes were highish and I wonder if the drug caused it or this horrible disease. Luckily my levels are ok now and I think it is because I am in remission but I will have them checked at my next blood test.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

Oh... i'm so sorry to hear you're still having such a tough time. I'd hoped you were doing Ok on the carbimazole now ... that sucks. I hope some of those who've had graves and know what it's like will see this , cos i really don' know how to help ......... but i'm sending you a big (((hug))) it should be over there in a few minutes so make sure you catch it. xx

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

I caught your wonderful cuddly cuddle. I always say that to my 21 and 19 year old still. Do you want a cuddly cuddle. I’m ok. I am affected by side effects and lack of support by medical profession Saks and I’m am dealing with trauma which affects my decision to comply. Trust has gone. All gone. Penny Annie says I need to trust someone medically and agree not I don’t know who that is. My daughter had failures in the system testing her but her care and surgeon was good. My son was treated like shit and it took them 5 years to diagnose nerve damage and I had to fight and I mean fight to get him surgery. At times I was left completely desperate. Today I have guilt. A lot of these feelings are trauma symptoms and the non Compliance to go to hospitals to attend appts is all part of the trauma. I am hopeful though. With help I will work through this. We are all with our stories. Definitely not a crazy person.

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to NIKEGIRL

I totally understand where your heads at, i'm not a crazy person either, but past experiences make us what we are now , and loss of trust ,or guilt , or shame , can make it difficult for us, but you're talking about it , thats good. I have to go out now ,cos my 22 yr old has still not passed her driving test , (first the engine chewed itself up and needed rebuilding , then she hurt her back and couldn't drive for 6 months , and then covid came along and it was cancelled in april , so we got a new date for the 11th november, and then covid cancelled that one too..... so it looks like i'll still be having to sit in the passenger seat of her car while she goes to work.... for ever.

Take care sweetie xxx

NIKEGIRL profile image
NIKEGIRL in reply to tattybogle

Thank you for being so kind. I know what’s it’s like with kids and driving tests. She will pass eventually. Just gotta keep at it. Have a great day and take care of yourself and your family. Family is everything and all we have. It was lovely to talk with you and thank you for listening and I am now se do f you a cuddly cuddle. Kindest regards NIKEGIRL

Star13 profile image
Star13 in reply to tattybogle

I don't think its the TSI per se that has the blocking element it is the TSHR- antibody.

I found this on a Mayo Clinic Lab site: mayocliniclabs.com/test-cat...

Specifically its says: THYRO / Thyrotropin Receptor Antibody, Serum. Thyrotropin receptor antibody (TSHR-antibody) is a binding assay that detects both TSI and TSHR-blocking autoantibodies; it can be used instead of this TSI assay for most applications, as long as the results are interpreted in the clinical context. The TSHR-antibody test has a shorter turnaround time than the TSI assay, is less expensive, and if interpreted within the clinical context, has excellent correlation with the TSI assay.

be interested to hear what you think........

Oh and I should add Im not sure how the TBII = Thyrotropin Binding Inhibitory Immunoglobulin comes into the above!

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to Star13

Hi Star, I have no useful thought at the moment , cos i just had a cup of coffee , so when i look at that quote it's just loads of TSRSHITSHTr's jumping around the page :).....I was wondering about comparing TSI to TRab result based on a thought from asiatic in the other post, (which is probably far too simplistic to be useful , but it's how my brain works !)healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

"...... as it is something like tattybogle I find confusing. I read somewhere that TBII tests blocking antibodies but is being phased out and replaced by TRAb tests of varying sensitivities. TSI measures stimulating ABs and TRAb measures both blocking and stimulating. Does it then follow if you subtract your TSI result from your TRAb result you will have a rough idea of your blocking ABs ? ...."

also did you see this post ?

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

we got an answer from diogenes , and a really helpful explanation from helvella.

NIKEGIRL... in case you wonder what the heck we're on about and want to give yourself a headache trying to understand it (!) here's my post from the other day, that goes with the two above; healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

.... but be warned trying to understand this is like knitting fog and likely to give you a headache and get you nowhere fast, it's just that some of us have got nothing better to do in between acting as chauffeur to grown up children xx

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply to tattybogle

p.s NIKEGIRL This thyroidpatients.ca/2020/04/... is what i was thinking of to show the how the antibodies go across the different diseases, half way down the page there's a picture. This canadian website has loads and loads of articles to help understand everything. look under resources and site map for a full list

Star13 profile image
Star13 in reply to tattybogle

Excellent site but is what started this train in motion......🤪

Star13 profile image
Star13 in reply to tattybogle

Thanks for all of this I hadn't seen diogenes reply. Will go and have a look now.

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