Hypothiroidism or Hashimotos?

[jand123]

Hi All,

Maybe a silly question, but how do you know if you are suffering Hypothiroidism or have Hashimotos?

No one has ever told me which one I have !

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Jand123

Hashimoto's is hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto's (also referred to as autoimmune thyroid disease) is where the immune system attacks the thyroid and gradually destroys it ultimately leading to hypothyroidism. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism but lots of us have hypothyroidism not caused by Hashi's.

Raised thyroid antibodies confirm Hashi's although it's possible to have it with negative antibodies.

[jand123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok so no straight answer as to the cause, if we were not told how we got it!

[DawnD]

Thank you for asking the question - I have always wondered this too, but never remember to ask my Doctor! I was just told that I had myxodema - severely underactive thyroid.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

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)

You should have had thyroid antibodies tested at diagnosis of hypothyroidism

Look back at historic test results

Or test privately yourself if not results on file

If TPO or TG antibodies are high this confirms autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

An ultrasound scan of thyroid can diagnose

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[jand123 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for that reply, I understand better now

[SilverAvocado]

A simple answer is if you became hypothyroid fairly spontaneously at some point after you were a few years old, then it is almost certainly Hashimoto's (or more specifically maybe Ords, but I'm assuming rolling them both together and calling them Hashimoto's).

This is even more likely if it started during one of the most typical triggers like menopause, pregnancy, or stopping smoking, and even more likely again if your illness showed up as expected by your doctor on blood tests with a raised TSH.

Hashimoto's is an auto immune disease, caused by antibodies. As others have mentioned you can absolutely confirm you have it by a blood test showing tasked antibodies. These antibodies for some people are quite noticeable as they rise and fall at times, meaning you may feel more or less hypothyroid at different times. It also means it has things in common with other auto immune illnesses, such as often being exacerbated by gluten, and can make you more likely to have other auto immune illnesses.

Because Hashimoto's is the most common form of hypo, almost everything you read on the forum, in journal articles or books about the it will be specific to this kind of hypothyroid illness.

For examples of others kinds of hypothyroid illness, mine is caused by having thyroid cancer, which was treated by removing my thyroid. It's also possible to have congenital hypothyroid, or secondary or tertiary hypothyroid meaning the thyroid itself is healthy, but it is being given the wrong chemical instructions from the brain, so can't work properly. These other forms turn up on the forum very occasionally. There are probably also even rarer forms that I haven't heard of.