Thyroid Gland Decline Slow or Quick ?

[Spritze]

Hi

I am new to the possibility of Hypothyroidism. I have had some "Odd Levels" and still awaiting further test results but in the meantime I would be really interested to know if Thyroid decline is most commonly long and slow (years) or quick (months).

Or does its functionality jump about a bit and if so why and by how much ?

How long might it take to fail completely ? Months or years ..... ?

I imagine it would depend on the reason eg immunity or pituitary or other ?

Thanks so much for any links or theories

Spritze x

[Charlie-Farley]

Hi Spritze

I think depending on who you asked where they were in the journey and how much they understood about their own condition you would get completely different answers. Not least because some are dealing with the complications of more than one condition.

All I can say is read lived experience, not just answers to your own questions - read a few threads every week and get a good book and when you feel confident start reading the odd paper. The NICE and NHS guidelines are also useful to get under you belt. A straw poll on here will get you a variety of answers but to get closer to understanding your own situation requires a bit of reading. That way you can self advocate and not be ‘doctored’.

I’ll pop you a link to a very interesting string below- I’ll just go grab it 😉👍

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

The responses are gold - all lived experience.

One word of caution- Be wary of gravitating towards narratives that tell you what you want to hear…….

[SlowDragon Administrator]

previous post suggests central hypothyroidism

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu........

You need FULL thyroid and vitamin testing including thyroid antibodies

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

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.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and 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

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

See detailed reply by SeasideSusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Spritze in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon I'm working on all of the above at the moment and will post test results in detail when they are all in ...... I was just curious if failure usually happens in one go or bit by bit and how that might look like ?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Spritze]

Usually over years….or decades

Personally I had symptoms aged around 10-12….diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at 34

Finally treated correctly, after learning the importance of good vitamin levels and food intolerances by Thyroid U.K. and this forum ….age 57 (seven years ago)

[heathermr]

My thyroid function took about 5 years to fail completely as a result of pituitary failure after a head injury. I already had central hypothyroidism so my tsh was very low and it continued to keep dropping. Eventually it became undetectable and thus my thyroid stopped functioning. It's taken me nearly 20 years for a Dr to understand what's happened and get appropriate treatment. T4 does not work for me now at all I am on T3 only, presumably that's because my tsh is undectable.Heather

[Charlie-Farley in reply to heathermr]

Terrible state of affairs- speaks to the complete ignorance that is far and wide in the medical profession. I’m so sorry you went through this.

[Bearo]

if you have Central hypothyroidism the problem may not be with your thyroid gland - in which case it will not atrophy at all. The problem would be with the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus. An endo would test for this if your FT4 was very low but TSH was in range.

Atrophy of the thyroid gland has several causes - most commonly autoimmune disease known also as Hashimoto’s. Tests for antibodies will often, but not always, pick up Hashimoto’s and a scan would look at atrophy of the thyroid gland.

It would be possible, but probably unusual, to have both Central hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s.

[Charlie-Farley in reply to Bearo]

But neither are mutually exclusive 😉 and if they are not looking for it and considering any likelihood of pituitary or hypothalamus dysfunction, how will we ever know?

Central hypothyroidism- Is it rare or rarely diagnosed? Heck it is hard enough to get a plain old Hashimoto’s diagnosis. 😂. Why am I laughing? Because if I didn’t I would just cry….

heathermr ’s experience is a good example of what we are up against 😢.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Charlie-Farley]

Central hypothyroidism- Is it rare or rarely diagnosed? Heck it is hard enough to get a plain old Hashimoto’s diagnosis.

Personally I think many Hashimoto’s patients have at best a very sluggish TSH…..so often similar to central hypothyroidism……

I only got diagnosed because my GP had an interest in Hashimoto’s so they tested thyroid antibodies…..otherwise I would probably have not been diagnosed for several more years…..TSH was reluctant to respond

I would say central hypothyroidism is not rare, but it is rarely diagnosed

[FallingInReverse]

Great question! It’s fascinating to look back and try to think how and when it all started…

And also if there was anything I did (unknowingly) to speed up my thyroid’s demise.

For me I see the early signs back to 2015. Diagnosed Aug 2022.

I’ve often wondered if running marathons during that time, in retrospect, was something I should not have done. Did it make things worse… or just get me to the same place I’d eventually get to, just faster.

Or maybe neither and it is what it is, and there’s nothing I could have done in any case to change how things happened.

[Tlflom]

My hypo is relatively unchanged in 20 years. I eat very healthy to include organic gardening and regularly substitute a veggie smoothie for a meal. I should eat more seafood.