Hi guys,My recent lab results were tpo antibodies 42 ku/l (0-60)
Tsh 5.5 (0.2-4)
My doctor has told me I don't have hashimoto's. However after doing some research online, lots of thyroid resources stating anything higher than 35 ku/l = hashimotos.
I feel so depressed and unwell, the more I read the more confused I feel. Please help.
Thanks
Jo
Previous posts here
healthunlocked.com/user/Anx...
Your ferritin is deficient and low iron/ferritin can make you feel exhausted/anxious
Improving low iron/ferritin is first step
Then, as detailed in replies on your first post…..you need BOTH TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested
You will need to test privately
Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies
And if both antibodies are negative…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...
You mentioned in previous post you have and Aunt with coeliac
Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue with thyroid disease.
Request coeliac blood test BEFORE considering trial on strictly gluten free diet
My recent lab results were tpo antibodies 42 ku/l (0-60)
However after doing some research online, lots of thyroid resources stating anything higher than 35 ku/l = hashimotos.
There are a few different ranges for antibodies but we can't mix and match, we can only use the range that comes with our own results as that's individual to how the testing equipment has been calibrated. If you were tested by a different lab with a different range then you wouldn't have a result of 42, it would be appropriate to that equipment and likely to be the same percentage through the range as it is with your own lab.
But it really doesn't matter very much having the label "Hashimoto's", it just confirms that it's the cause of that person's hypothyroidism, Hashi's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated and that's the same for whatever the cause. If it is Hashi's then going gluten free helps some people, dairy free helps some people, but there's no guarantee.
You're obviously hypo with a TSH of 5.5, it's classed as subclinical as you know. Some GPs will start treatment with an over range TSH if FT4 is low and symptoms present.
List of signs/symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...
Thank you, feeling really down and overwhelmed today. I appreciate your kind reply xxx
Really, really important to improve low vitamin levels
'over 35' would be a positive result ONLY on a test that was done on a machine using the [0-35] range .
Different test machines use slightly different test methods , hence the ranges are different .and why can only interpret a result with the range that came with it .
Your TPOb test of 42 is negative because it's less than 60.. if you did your blood test on a test that used a [0-35] range you result would be less than 35. Still negative .
well theoretically it should be anyway ~ but even if you got a result of 42 on a [0-35] range , it would only be considered a very weak / questionable indication of autoimmune thyroid disease, because it's so very close to the normal range.
Anything over range is accepted as 'positive' , but for research purposes >500 is sometimes required as definitive evidence of autoimmune hypothyroidism . 100 - 200 is a pretty common level found in autoimmune hypo patients on the forum , but levels in the 1000's are not unheard of .
but your in range TPOab level does not rule out autoimmune hypothyroidism ~ you could be one of those who only have TGab over range .. (or one of those who don't have either TGab or TPOab over range )... your thyroid is clearly struggling for some reason since your TSH is over range at the moment.
Thank you, you're so sweet to reply
Thyroid levels should be retested again in another 2 months
Meanwhile working on improving low vitamin levels
Book early morning 9am appointment for highest TSH
If 2nd test TSH is over range then GP should offer trial of levothyroxine
Starting levothyroxine - flow chart
gps.northcentrallondonccg.n...
Thank you slow dragon, ive had tests over past few years showing tsh over 5. I'm thinking time to start a levothyroxine. XxxI do have quite bad health anxiety as you can probably tell from my posts, but yesterday and today have been quite low points in my war with mental health problems and thyroid issues.
You need to address low ferritin too
Levothyroxine needs good vitamin levels to work well
Being hypothyroid results in low vitamin levels, due to low stomach acid…..so it becomes a vicious circle
Recommend getting BOTH thyroid antibodies tested too
Anxiety is extremely common hypothyroid symptom and does improve once levels are balanced
I am currently taking the vitabiotics liquid iron supplement. Do you think that will help with low ferritin? Trying to eat more steak too. Thanks again you're wonderful.
Test full iron panel for anaemia 3-4 times a year if taking iron supplements
It’s possible to have high iron and low ferritin
Medichecks iron panel test
medichecks.com/products/iro...
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
List of iron rich foods
Links about iron and ferritin
An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked
preventmiscarriage.com/iron...
irondisorders.org/too-littl...
davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...
Great in-depth article on low ferritin
oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...
drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...
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.
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Iron and thyroid link
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Excellent article on iron and thyroid
cambridge.org/core/journals...
Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron
healthline.com/nutrition/he...
Heme iron v non heme
hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...
Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism
HASHIMOTOS or NOT?
Hashimotos or not? Been referred to Positive Steps 
Making sense of my results
Levo exhaustion
hashimotos/parathyroid
