Both antibodies back in range after 13 years of treatment, what does this mean, if anything?! Plus comments on test results please.

[Smpeat]

These are my latest test results. All protocol done as advised here for blood tests.

Would really appreciate any comments on these results, especially if having antibodies well back in range is at all significant?

Many of my symptoms have reduced or resolved since being on NDT only for the last 2 years. My main concern is my heart feels like it is struggling a bit at the moment. I notice it particularly when I first get into bed, feels a bit fast and takes a long time to settle. Also in the last month regularly flush/overheat in bed, as I used to do during menopause (I am now 69).

I have been treated by a private endocrinologist, (on the Thyroid UK list) for the last 3 years

I am currently taking 105mg ERFA NDT daily (60mg am, 45mg pm).

Supplementing

Nutri Advanced Vit D with K2 2000iu daily

Igennus B Complex 1 daily

Nature Provides Bioactive B12 3000mcg daily

All taken together 4 hours away from morning NDT and 4 hours away from afternoon NDT.

Apart from the question on my antibodies, any other comments/observations about these results would be really helpful as I am due to see the endocrinologist in 2 weeks.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

my antibodies go up when I have a bug or my thyroid goes a bit haywire induced by stress or summer or… all sorts.

Mine have gone down since being very careful with my diet and not having had a bug or any major stress recently etc.

does it mean anything? I don’t think so, there seem to be two camps, the ‘remission is possible and I’m cured’ group and the ‘give it time you’ll be back where you started’ group. I’m definitely in the latter.

I don’t take NDT so will leave it for others to comment but it looks as though your FT4 is a bit low in comparison to your FT3 but maybe that’s normal on NDT 🤷🏽‍♀️

D and folate look good, ferritin could be a touch higher, shame they don’t give the actual range on the active B12 I found one reference that suggests top of range is 188pmol/l for active. forthwithlife.co.uk/our-ser...

[Smpeat in reply to Regenallotment]

Many thanks for your reply. It does seem there are marked different points of view on antibodies. My antibodies have systematically dropped since starting treatment but this is the first time both are in range, just made me wonder!

I too think my FT4 is a bit low and will discuss with Endo.

I don’t know why there is no range for active B12 I’m sure there used to be with Medichecks- I’ll check past results.

[greygoose]

Antibodies fluctuate all the time, and your TPOab are only just in-range, so they could very well go over range tomorrow, or next week, or sometime in the future. So, it doesn't necessarily mean anything.

However, it could be that your so much of your thyroid has now been destroyed that there's nothing left to attack. If there are no attacks the antibodies have no work to do cleaning up afterwards. So, they stay low.

But, as far as your health and symptoms are concerned, the lowering of your antibodies has no significance.

FT3: 5.1 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8) 54.05%

FT4: 13.7 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22) 17.00%

Any symptoms you might still have would be from being under-medicated. Your FT4 is very low, and your FT3 isn't great, either. And that despite being on a reasonable dose of Erfa. So, two questions spring to mind:

- How do you take your Erfa?

Do you take it on an empty stomach and wait an hour before eating or drinking anything other than water? Do you take it at least two hours away from any supplements/medication?

- How do you do your test?

Do you leave a gap of 8 to 12 hours between the last dose of Erfa and the blood draw?

[Smpeat]

Hi Greygoose, thanks for your reply. My antibodies have systematically dropped for sure over the 7 years since I have tested on average 3 times a year and they’ve always shown they are reducing. I’m just curious that in all that testing there has never been an uptick. I know you believe antibody levels don’t mean anything I’m a bit unsure given how they have come down. There again your point that I’ve not got any thyroid left to attack is an interesting one.

I am ways leave an hour either side of taking ERFA and water only.

I take my afternoon ERFA dose 45mg at 10pm day before I test the next day, always at 8.30am.

All supplements taken 4 hours away either side of morning ERFA dose.

My FT3 has dropped a bit and FT4 has remained stubbornly low. Endo said last time if FT4 doesn’t raise then may have to add a bit of Levo. Does that sound a good idea?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I would suggest you experiment with adding small dose Levo

Initially perhaps 25mcg

Retest in 6-8 weeks

Personally I had extremely high TPO and TG antibodies at diagnosis….and both remained very high for 25 years.

After endoscopy in 2016 I went strictly gluten free, and also dairy free in 2022.

I was prescribed T3 alongside levothyroxine from 2017 onwards…..so TSH very low or suppressed since then

TPO antibodies been falling steadily since 2016/17

Combination of the two perhaps……..?

prednisolone prescription for last 6 months

TPO have dropped below range for first time ….coincidence?….who knows

TG antibodies fallen a lot, but not quite within range….yet

I would say I feel significantly better

[Smpeat]

thanks, will discuss adding Levo with Endo who is open to me trying things out.

Yes interesting about lower antibodies and feeling better. Needs some research, but sadly so few interested in thyroid conditions. 🙁