Hashimoto Flare?

[Matt39]

I’m wondering if recent symptoms might be a sign of a Hashimoto Flare.

It started with me noticing my heart rate (av resting) gradually elevating by about 1bpm per day until reaching approximately 10 above the norm. It has since come down as gradually as it rose.

Meanwhile, my mouth has become noticeably drier, not Saharan, but it can feel as if my cheeks are sticking to my gums. My lips are also dry and occasionally the corners of my mouth (shaving would appear to be the trigger). This is still present.

I had some digestive issues and psoriasis on an elbow which have both settled down.

This morning I noticed my toe nails had become cracked and brittle. This is new.

At my last bloods I tested weak positive for antibodies, would it be reasonable to assume a flare is what I am experiencing?

Next bloods are later this week, then I’m onto yearly monitoring.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Previous post showed Vitamin D ok, but could be better at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better

Folate was rather low

No ferritin result

Are you on gluten free diet?

Obviously you need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine at each prescription

[greygoose]

A Hashi's 'flare' would give you hyper symptoms. Those don't sound like hyper symptoms to me.

Personally, I don't think Hashi's 'flare' is a good way of describing it, because a lot of people take it to mean an exacerbation of hypo symptoms, as in 'flare up'. I prefer to call it a Hashi's 'hyper' swing. What happens is that the immune system attacks the thyroid, and the dying cells release their stock of thyroid hormone into the blood, causing levels of FT4/3 to suddenly shoot up, and the TSH drops accordingly, causing a temporary state of hyperthyroidism. Then, eventually, the levels will drop and you become hypo again.

So, no, I don't think you're having a Hashi's 'flare'.

[Matt39]

Hi Slow Dragon,

Test is booked for 0820, so I’m good on that front.

Other that Vit D during the height of C19, I haven’t been supplementing. I tend to eat fairly well - I wouldn’t say I’m gluten free, but I avoid processed food and do the vast majority of my own cooking lots of veg, nuts, legumes, some couscous, plus meat or fish.

I’m planning to do a private test at a suitable interval following the one next week. A year seems a long while to go without testing and as you say, they don’t seem to test everything they should on the NHS. And not expecting to get anymore than TSH, FT4 and antibodies next week. Anything else will be a bonus.

[Matt39]

Hi Greygoose. My thought process was that the elevation of heart rate might indicate an increased metabolism, but I wasn’t sure about the other symptoms.

Thanks for your help!