How do you know if you have Hashimoto’s?

[Montheone]

My GP told me in 1996 when I was first diagnosed that I had Hashis - my recent endo ( private) says I haven’t - just ordering a new Medichecks’s test - will I be able to tell from the results if I have hashi’s?

[PurpleNails Administrator]

It’s very unlikely you would be able to obtain records from that long ago.

How does you private endo know you don’t have Hashimoto’s? Have they evidence of another cause?

If ordering a medichecks advance package that will include TPO & TG antibodies. If either of these are elevated it will confirm positive for Hashimoto’s.

From what I understand antibodies can fluctuate a great deal and some do not get both types of antibodies. After having the disease and treatment a long time the levels do drop. So while one positive levels confirms a diagnosis a negative level may mean they are currently reduced.

This may seem ridiculous but check with your specialist if you have ‘autoimmune thyroiditis’ which the term used in UK [although they don’t pay attention to the autoimmune aspect] All hypothyroid is treated the same. The term Hashimoto’s is widely used worldwide & most Doctor s should know the reference, but you never know. They won’t admit they don’t have knowledge of something you reference.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

In U.K. medics never call it Hashimoto’s, just autoimmune thyroid disease (and they usually ignore the autoimmune aspect)

Your private endocrinologist might have meant you don’t have goitre…..therefore it’s Ord’s …….rather than it’s not autoimmune

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

If On T3 or NDT - day before test split daily dose into 3 smaller doses, spread through the day at approx 8 hour intervals, taking last dose 8-12 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

In unlikely event that both antibodies are low an ultrasound scan of thyroid can diagnose

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

[TSH110]

Dr Tania Smith does very good posts on thyroid disorder.There are two parts to this one explaining the different types of thyroid disorder, you may find it helpful:

thyroidpatients.ca/2020/04/...

thyroidpatients.ca/2020/04/...

[Montheone]

Thank you everyone - I have ordered a medichecks advanced thyroid test plus adrenal saliva tests. I will post the results on here