Hi, I had a private blood test that showed my thyroglobulin antibodies were very high. My other thyroid levels were normal. The results said that due to the high level of antibodies it puts me more at risk of developing thyroid problems in future. My question is....could I have hashimotos if my other levels are normal but antibodies are high? I have symptoms of extreme fatigue, very sensitive to cold, body aches/pains etc. The private blood test was from a company that gives you results but no follow up so I'm wondering whether to see my GP to discuss or not.
Thanks
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Eils2011
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What time of day was this test taken? 9am is when TSH is at its highest. If you get more thyroid tests book for as close to 9am as possible and do it fasting for consistency of results.
So with positive antibodies you do already have Hashimoto's, just its in the very early stages where you still have lots of sympotms, just the blood results appear within the normal range, although they may not be normal for you! This Isabella Wentz article describes the stages of Hashi's, ignore that shes talking about TPO antibodies, works the same whichever.
Would recommend you get key vitamins checked - ferritin, folate B12 & d3, GP might do this or if not then head back to Medichecks. They do special offers on Thursdays for thyroid tests or Thyroid UK offer discount codes. Hypo people get low vitamin levels due to low stomach acid and not being able to absorb vitamins well.
Conclusions: Elevated TgAb levels are associated with symptom burden in HT patients, suggesting a role of thyroid autoimmunity in clinical manifestations of HT. Based on these results, we recommend screening for TgAb antibodies in HT patients with symptom burden. We also suggest that further work on understandings of symptoms appearance due to their autoimmune or hypothyroid causation is needed.
Thank you so much for your reply, really helpful. I wasnt sure if you could still be classed as having hashimotos as some thyroid levels are normal. Im xonstantly freezing and never felt fatigue like it. The test was taken at 10.25am and was a fasting sample. My vitamin D level is very low, ferritin is on the low side of normal range and B12 is OK but I did get an injection last month to see if that would help fatigue. I'll see my GP. Thanks again 🙂
It's likely that your GP won't diagnose anything, as that is not how they are taught. They will only diagnose Primary Hypothyroidism when your TSH reaches over range on 2 separate occassions consecutively or over 10. The NHS doesn't really talk about or diagnose Hashimoto's, they just call it sometimes autoimmune hypothyroidism. The main thing is, you know what it is and why you are likely feeling terrible!
What were your vitamin results with ranges? It will help you a bit to supplement the low levels to get them OPTIMAL - top quarter of range. Did they test folate?
Use this calculator for how much vit D + K2 you should be taking to get it to about 100. Always buy a D3 supplement that has K2 as that helps it go to the bones where it is needed. grassrootshealth.net/projec...
You can try eliminating gluten from your diet, this helps many with Hashi's. The second thing Hashi people are intolerant to is dairy.
Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes:
Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L
Female's: 16-60: 30-150
Both >60: 30-650
The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘
Unfortunately not, GP said nothing wrong with B12 so I paid privately for an injection. Starting to realise I need to be well informed before seeing GP again!
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)
Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20
If you want to try a different brand in the meantime, one with virtually identical doses of the ingredients, and bioavailable too, then take a look at Vitablossom Liposomal B Complex. Amazon sometimes has it branded Vitablossom but it's also available there branded as Yipmai, it's the same supplement
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
Gp likely won't do much but do try and get the regular blood tests. The NHS doesn't recognise Thyroglobulin antibodies, only TPO.
For ferritin it should be 90-100. Eat chicken livers twice a week or pate.
For folate & B12 its recommended to take a good B complex to keep all the B's in balance. This is a good, reasonably priced one. amazon.co.uk/Yipmai-Liposom...
It's really a watch and wait situation but at least you know why you are as you are. Just cut yourself a lot of slack, eat well, try cutting out gluten then dairy to see if they help how you feel. Don't push yourself or take on too much.
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