What do my thyroid autoantibody test results mean? - Thyroid UK

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What do my thyroid autoantibody test results mean?

TheTeapot profile image
17 Replies

Hello, I have been diagnosed with primary hyper parathyroid disease, and am waiting for surgery to remove a 9mm right side adenoma lying dorsal to the mid/lower pole of the right thyroid.

During my ultrasound, the consultant asked if I knew what my thyroid autoantibody results were.

He didn't discuss any further, as he was concentrating on the parathyroid glands.

I've checked the autoantibody results (June this year), 68.7U/mL

Does this indicate Hashimoto's?

My thyroid function results since October 23 are:

serum TSH (mU/L) serum free T4 (pmol/L)

Oct 23 1.28 / 8.8

Nov 23 2.53 / 9.2

Jun 24 2.25 / 11.1

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TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot
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17 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Hi LiptonsTea, welcome to the forum. :)

I imagine those antibodies were oveer-range, weren't they? If so, then yes, it does indicate Hashi's.

For the FT4, I'm afraid we need the range because they vary from lab to lab, and a result without a range is meaningless. But for the last two TSH results, they suggest your thyroid is struggling. Were the blood draws for these test all done at the same time, early morning?

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot in reply togreygoose

Hi, greygoose, thanks for replying. The ranges are;

Serum TSH (0.57 to 3.6 mU/L)

Serum free T4 (7.9 to 14 pmol/L)

Thyroid Auto Antibodies (0-9 U/mL)

They were all drawn at the same time, 9.10am

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toTheTeapot

OK, so the antibodies are definitely positive.

Your FT4 is very low, and the weird thing is, as it gets lower, so does you TSH. It shouldn't do that. So, your FT4 is saying hypo, and your TSH is saying euthyroid (normal). I think you probably have a sluggish pituitary as well as Hashi's.

What do your doctors say about these results?

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot in reply togreygoose

Thank you, I wondered about the figures, as well! The endocrine consultant only discussed the TPO with me, after I asked if my levels were unusually high-he said they indicate an increased likelihood for hypothyroidism in the future. No other follow up so far, the only endocrine specific extra test is nor and met adrenaline, due to pain and palpitations he thought may not be caused by by parathyroid tumour and hypercalcaemia. I wasn't contacted re. the results, so assumed there was nothing significant. I'm due for a review in November.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toTheTeapot

Yes, well, that's what he might think. But you are already hypo with that low FT4 but he doesn't know enough about thyroid to recognise that. Problem is, your TSH does not correspond to your FT4 level and that's more than likely all he's looking at.

And the palpitations are due to your low FT4.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply toTheTeapot

Fellow parathyroid suffer here....palpitations and pain are both linked to this disease...its blatantly obvious your consultant knows very little about the effects of PHPT🤦‍♀️ but that's not unusual as many don't even know the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism you may have to teach him👍

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator

Welcome to the forum 😊

Please change your user name to something that doesn't suggest you are advertising a company/product 😊

You can do this in your member profile by clicking this link healthunlocked.com/settings and scrolling down to where it says Change my username

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot in reply toRedApple

Whoops! Changing it now 😂

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply toTheTeapot

Thanks! 🤣

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

so high antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease

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

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG 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.

Request GP test Folate, ferritin, B12 and vitamin D

Or test privately

ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG 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

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

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

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you for such a detailed reply, I had very low Vit D3 in 2016 (about 15?) and again this year (27) and have just finished 7 weeks loading dose treatment. My endocrinologist said that all the TPO shows is an increased likelihood for hypothyroidism in the future. He did nor and met adrenaline tests as well as he thought palpitations were not explained by my hypercalcaemia, but I haven't been contacted following these tests, not due to speak too him until November now (unless repeat bone profiles show my calcium is continuing to rise).

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toTheTeapot

If you have genuine hyperparathyroid disease you shouldn’t be taking vitamin D

parathyroid.com/low-vitamin...

Parathyroid tumors cause low Vitamin D, not the other way around, and low Vitamin D cannot cause a high calcium. You cannot treat a parathyroid tumor with high doses of Vitamin D.

Was calcium level high BEFORE starting on vitamin D supplements

Vitamin D supplements will cause increasing calcium levels

Palpitations can be low iron/ferritin

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot in reply toSlowDragon

Yes, calcium (serum and adjusted) was high before starting the Vit d3 treatment, I suspect I had high calcium and the tumour back in 2016 as the vit d3 then was really low, and I have never felt well since then. I definitely have primary hyper parathyroid disease confirmed by blood tests and scans. Will be interesting to see my calcium levels retested yesterday and if the vit d3 levels have improved at all.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toTheTeapot

Suggest you read the website link in full

Loads of info

parathyroid.com/low-vitamin...

birkie profile image
birkie in reply toTheTeapot

As slowDragon said if your calcium is high end or over range you should not be taking high loading doses of vit D,But here's why endos give you it....they see the low vit D and assume its low because the of the high parathyroid , so they give you large loading doses in the hope getting your vit D in to a better range will fix the high parathyroid , not realising large doses of vit D will also raise your calcium 🤦‍♀️I've been through this very thing I felt awful 🤮 to cure your PHPT you need the parathyroidectomy which I believe you are having 👍

As anyone mentioned 4 gland exploration to you?

As more than one gland can be effected in this disease, many sufferers find only one gland lights up, but when under the surgeon should check all 4 glands to make sure it's not hyperplasia, unfortunately many don't do this procedure ☹️ and find out later they are still not cured because another gland was missed.

There's a lot about this disease and thyroid disease the specialists won't tell you...do some digging be informed and the best of luck for your parathyroidectomy 🥰

Capan24 profile image
Capan24

I was diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism in 2014 with the removal of two parathyroid glands due to adenomas. When I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto's in 2006, my TPO antibodies were extremely elevated. Occasionally I get them checked now and they are still present but not like they were before. I was told that once you have those antibodies, they are always present. When they are really elevated you have more inflammation going on. When I had my surgery to remove the adenomas, I also had 2 thyroid nodules removed. The biopsy of the nodules confirmed the Hashimoto's. I am assuming that they will do biopsies on any nodules that they find on you too. But if you do have antibodies, you do have hashimoto's. Good luck with your surgery.

TheTeapot profile image
TheTeapot

Thank you for taking the time to share all your stories and suggestions, my knowledge of the thyroid isn't up to scratch, so I will be looking at all the sources you have provided.-I have been referred for surgery (I think!) only because i challenged the original plan to treat with Vit D3, then go back, then see if the Vit 3 had reached optimal levels. I pushed and pushed and argued that making me wait was wasting 10 weeks of my life, and that I was adamant that I needed surgery as nothing else is curative for PHPT. I also had to correct the Endo every time he commented i was "mildly" symptomatic! It's exhausting and frustrating and quite intimidating. As you say, there seems to be such a superficial, one size fits all approach. i feel extremely fortunate to have been referred to a surgeon, as my high calcium was picked up in October. But I also wonder how long I have been brushed off over the years. In my area the wait for the op is reportedly 18 months. Once I have met the local surgeon I will have a better idea of the unanswered questions and will pay for a private consultation with a high volume parathyroid surgeon, as I want to speak to a a surgeon who is experienced in 4 gland exploration, ectopic glands and thyroid surgery.

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