Antibody meaning?

[maplewood]

Good morning everyone. I have been off medication for 7 weeks under the direction of GP. My recent bloods show TSH 5.7 range 0.35 to 4.7 my T4 show 8.3 range 7.8 to 21.0 and serum thyroid peroxidase antibody 2 u/ml range 0.00 to 7.5. I have never to my knowledge had any ? antibody tests done previously. What am I looking at. Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You need thyroglobulin antibodies tested too, but NHS only tests TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are high

Many autoimmune thyroid patients only have high TG antibodies

Also at least 20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have raised thyroid antibodies

Looking at previous posts you know you have very small thyroid on scan, so likely Ord’s thyroiditis, autoimmune thyroid disease where thyroid shrinks and shrivels up

[maplewood in reply to SlowDragon]

Is 2 high? thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to maplewood]

No

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to maplewood]

maplewood

serum thyroid peroxidase antibody 2 u/ml range 0.00 to 7.5

Is 2 high? thanks

Just to clarify for you, the range is 0.00 - 7.5 so that means anything over 7.5 is a postive result for antibodies, anything below 7.5 is a negative result. Your result of 2 is well within range, at the low end, so this particular result is classed as negative.

However, as SlowDragon has said, Thyroglobulin antibodies should also be tested as we can have Hashi's with negative TPO antibodies but positive Tg antibodies. It's also possible to have Hashi's with both antibodies negative - just to complicate things!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is always below 2

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis) and especially if dose levothyroxine is reduced or stopped

Previous posts show extremely low B12 and ferritin

Request/insist GP test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

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 hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am last dose levothyroxine 24 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 and money off codes

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...

[Gingernut44]

Why did your GP stop your Levothyroxine? Are these results after being off Levo for 7 weeks? I ask because my GP did that to me in January 2019 for 6 weeks and I’ve not been well since. Three years later and I’m basically housebound.

[maplewood in reply to Gingernut44]

Hi yes those results are after I have been off levothyroxine for 7 weeks. This is the second time they have taken me off. I don't think I tolerate it too well but I have some real problems with my my neck too, discs, spondylosis and trapped nerves and sometimes it is difficult to know what comes from what. What causes you to be housebound? Are you back on your medication now?