Had some very helpful advice from here over the past few weeks since first getting diagnosed with thyroid issues.
TRAb just came back as 3.5(0-3.3) to go with previous out of range results
TPO 498(0-34)
TSH 0.02(0.27-4.2)
FT3 10.7(3.1-6.8)
FT4 33(11.1-22)
VitD 43(50-99,999)
RBC 4.92(3.8-4.8)
If TRAb is just above range does that still point to Graves? My GP has referred to endo but no appointment yet so I’m on a holding dose of 10mg carbimazole. Can’t say if it’s having an effect yet cos I’m on day 4 of covid so feeling pretty rubbish!
Getting blood test results directly is amazing but does get my mind racing with questions about what it all means - but it does look like Graves to me?
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ScarboroughFair
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The fact that the TRab is only slighly over range would explain why your T4 and T3 are not massively high.
(Stimulating TRab act like TSH , they stimulate the thyroid to make more T4 /T3 ... so if there are not many TRab , the thyroid isn't stimulated to make as much T4/T3 as it would if there were more TRab)
Some cases of graves would have much higher T4/T3 thann yours and woud also haeve higher TRab levels
So your results probably indicate 'mild 'graves ( although i'm sure it doesn't feel mild from where you're sitting )
It's not an 'absolute certainty' though ..because that is quite a low level of TRab (few things are with thyroid disease).. there is a lot of crossover between the different sorts of antibodies .. a lot of hypo patient do actually have a few TRab , as there are 2 sorts of TRab ..Stimulating and Blocking , and only the stimulating form causes graves,,, the TRab test can't tell which is which ,so it measures both ....
to know for certain if your TRab are stimulating ones you would have to have a TSI test ~ Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins
usually it can be deduced from the effect they are having on the thyroid .. if the patient has high TRab and high T4/T3 they are mainly stimulating TRab ... if the patient has high TRab and low T4/T3 they are mainly blocking TRab .
Thanks tattybogle, the blood results keeping dripping through so maybe TSI will come through soon. It’s interesting to hear that TRAb isn’t necessarily just Graves related
if you're curious here's a good site for accurate information about thyroid antibodies / autoimmunity....it's way more detailed that you need at the moment , so don't be surprised if you are confused by some of it .. but well worth checking out the site map for loads of other thyroid stuff .
Your TSH shows an autoimune tiroiditis with hyper function. It looks like you have antibodies for both hypo (ATPO) and hyper (Trab). That is like me, I have mixed symptoms. Your TRab is not actually too high, it needs to be 0 though.
Related to your dosage, I usually go by my symptoms. When I have a high dose of Carbimazole, I get tired, irritated, very cold feet and hands. I adjust it myself as I do not have any help from my doctor. Right now I am taking 5 mg every second day and I feel good.
I do not take vitamin D although every doctor under the sun told me to take it. I do eat a lot of types of seeds and nuts, lots of fruits and vegetables, nutritional yeast (vitamins B), vegetarian diet, no dairy, no sugar. I still eat eggs from time to time.
I will start pretty soon a different healing method, Ayurveda, and will see how it goes.
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