Hashimotos ... flipped hypo to hyperthyroid - Thyroid UK

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Hashimotos ... flipped hypo to hyperthyroid

Flashgirl profile image
12 Replies

Hi. Please could you look at my blood test results below. I was diagnosed with hashimotos in jan and seem to have gone from having an underactive thyroid to now having an overactive thyroid with positive TPO antibodies.

My resting heart rate is 85 (used to be 65) and I feel jittery. Even walking pushes my heart rate to 150. I stopped levo a month ago. I’m addition I had a thyroid scan this week and it confirmed thyroiditis (repeated since March as I’m experiencing constant thyroid pain which hasn’t responded to two courses of prednisolone)

I’m very confused! Thanks!

SERUM TSH (range 0.35-5.00mu/L)

JAN 2020 - 1.75

MAR 2020 - 1.51

APRIL 2020 - 0.66

JULY 2020 - 0.41

SEPT 2020 - 0.07

OCT 2020 - <0.01

NOV 2020 -<0.01

SERUM FREE T4 (range 9.00-22.0pmol/L)

JAN 2020 - 9.7

MAR 2020 - 11.1

APRIL 2020 - 13.3

JULY 2020 - 11.7

SEPT 2020 - 13.6

OCT 2020 - 21 - stopped levo

NOV 2020 - 20.6

SERUM FREE T3 (range 2.40-6.00pmo/L)

MAY 2020 - 3.80

JULY 2020 - 4.6

NOV 2020 - 11.6

FERRITIN (range 10.00-200.00)

AUG 2019 - 8 . Ferrous sulphate x2 a day.

JAN 2020 - 50

MAR 2020 - 32 Iron saturation level high.

MAY 2020 - 23

JULY 2020 - 31

SEPT 2020 - 36

OCT 2020 - 42

NOV 2020 - 56

VITAMIN B12 (range 200.00 - 910.00ng/L)

NOV 2019 - 840

JAN 202 - 705

MAY 2020 - 705

JULY 2020 - 869

SEPT 2020 - 1036 (OVER RANGE) stop supplement

OCT 2020 - 880

NOV 2020 - 797

SERUM FOLATE (range 3.00 - 20.00ug/L)

NOV 2019 - 8.4

JULY 2020 - 8.2

SEPT 2020 - 17.7

OCT 2020 - 19.7

NOV 2020 - 16.7

VITAMIN D (uraminase (range 20

JULY 2020 - 119

OCT 2020 - 118

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Flashgirl
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12 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Flashgirl

Swinging from hypo to "false hyper" - not real hyperthyroidism but a temporary hyper episode which happens when the immune system attacks the thyroid and excess hormone is released (which is normal Hashi's activity) is what to expect with Hashi's.

Adjusting dose of Levo during these episodes can be helpful.

SlowDragon gave you information about Hashi's in reply to your previous post here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Are you gluten free, some Hashi's patients find his helps, as can supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily.

Your Ferritin would be better half way through range, you can help raise this by eating liver regularly, no more than 200 grams per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding and other iron rich foods.

Flashgirl profile image
Flashgirl in reply toSeasideSusie

Thanks seasidesusie. I have come off levo a month ago but my blood tests are reading approx the same. Shouldn’t the t4 have dropped and tsh increased in that month. Also because I’m more hyper my periods are so light, which has resulted in the highest ferritin result in a year! (Sorry if too much info!) I do supplement with selenium and also I’m gf. How long does a false hyper last. It’s been 6 weeks? Also my Endo told me to come off levo as my resting hr was 120bpm. I Was on 100. Thanks!!

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toFlashgirl

Flashgirl

I don't have Hashi's so no personal experience to pass on; however, I think there's no "norm" where how long a hyper episode can last.

It's worth doing some reading about Hashi's if you haven't already, here are a few links:

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

Flashgirl profile image
Flashgirl in reply toSeasideSusie

Thank you for this. Much appreciate. Will take a look.

eachpeach profile image
eachpeach

If you haven't had a TRAb or TSI test I'd ask for one (you may need to see an endocrinologist to get the test) or ask your GP if they think you could have Graves'.

TRAb is the antibody test for Graves' disease, to see if your hyperthyroidism is caused by that. I was diagnosed with Hasimoto's in July 2018 and then diagnosed with Graves' early 2019 so it is possible to go from one to the other. Graves' can start with hypo symptoms as it did for me. If it is Graves' you need treatment asap.

Are you on propranolol - a very fast heart rate should also be treated asap? Good luck. And hope you feel better soon.

Flashgirl profile image
Flashgirl in reply toeachpeach

Thank you eachpeach. My sister had Graves’ disease when she was my age. Is it possible to have positive tpo antibodies with graves? I’ve been looking online but I can’t find any info. Funnily my doc prescribed me propanol 80 and I have been taking them. I am shaky and jittery. So where are you at the moment with your health? What happened? I have just booked to see a private Endo tomorrow. I hope to get some clarity! Thank you!

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply toFlashgirl

yes ,you can have raised TPOab with graves.thyroidpatients.ca/2020/04/...

This article and several others by Tania S Smith from Thyroid Patients Canada has a diagram showing the crossover of antibodies in different forms of thyroid disease

Flashgirl profile image
Flashgirl in reply totattybogle

Thank you for responding. My sister has Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease for a few years. She doesn’t have anymore and has tests to check up. I’m now worried I may have the gene so need to be careful I think. As I say going to see a new Endo tomorrow. So I hope he can help!!

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply toFlashgirl

From what i've read it is very unusual , but not impossible to go from Hypo to graves, I think it is less unusual to go the other way round ie. graves to hypo.So it's most likely that you are having a hashimoto's 'swing' episode , but as for how long they can last , i've never seen any research , so i think the answer is in the 'how long is a piece of string ?' category .

But you definitely seem to be getting some extra hormones from somewhere. Shame we cant share them out between us.

Hopefully you get some answers from endo if he'll test for Graves antibodies, and sorry you seem to have become so 'interesting', doesn't sound like any fun.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply toFlashgirl

Hello Flashgirl :

Both Hashimoto's and Graves are auto immune disease and as such, for life.

Hashimoto's presents with transient " hyper phases " which are not treated with AT medication.

As your immune system calms down your levels of T3 and T4 will come back down naturally but your thyroid hormone production may become erratic and ultimately over time, you will start to experience symptoms of hypothyroidism as you damaged thyroid struggles to support you.

Graves presents with hyperactive symptoms that are continuous and symptoms are relieved by taking anti thyroid medication, as hyperthyroidism is considered as life threatening - hence the heart palpitations and the additional medication of a beta blocker, should this be a particular worrying symptom being experienced by the patient.

Looking back when I was diagnosed in 2003, my only symptoms were insomnia, exhaustion and dry gritty eyes and I didn't present with anything like the symptoms we read about on here. However once on the AT medication I ate for England, lost weight - first time in 50 years - and felt a bit revved up with a loose bowel :

You can have Hashimoto's as well as Graves and think the medics would treat the Graves as it is " seen as " life threatening.

Both AI thyroid diseases need you, the patient, to take back some control yourself as currently the mainstream medics do not know how to control the immune system aspect of these diseases.

Once diagnosed through over range antibodies and labelled with this or that AI disease, medics seem to pay little attention to these levels as they have no answers.

Elaine Moore has done much research into this complex area and having Graves herself which initially was her area of expertise is now researching further into various health issues, thyroid and non thyroid, currently seen as a bit of a " mystery " for which mainstream medical have no solutions.

Flashgirl profile image
Flashgirl in reply topennyannie

Thanks you pennyannie. It’s a lot to get my head around as I had been feeling shocking with hypo symptoms and now I’m all over the place with a racing heart. Went to see Endo on Friday and he wants to test for Graves and then if positive put me on carbimazole. I just want to sort it all out!! 🤪

eachpeach profile image
eachpeach in reply toFlashgirl

Yes it is possible if you're in the first hypo phase before you go hyper. I had raised TPO antibodies and hypo symptoms and blood results showed that I was very hypo in the first few months. Think you're doing the right thing seeing someone tomorrow. Like you, after a few weeks suffering awful hyper symptoms and my local endo saying they had no reason to suspect Graves', I booked a private consultation. The consultant said straight away after examining me that she thought I had Graves'. She requested antibody blood test and that confirmed it. I've been taking Carbimazole ever since (for around 21 months) but I'm now on a very low dose and have just had my TRAb tested again to see if it's come down. Lots of people recover quicker than that though. If you are diagnosed with Graves' I think you'll start to feel better once you've been taking Carbimazole for 3-4 weeks. It's so debilitating so hope you get the help you need tomorrow. Best wishes.

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