TSI antibody question

[Lorilynn]

Do you feel that the TSI antibody test is the definitive test to determine graves disease, and if so, is it the test that determines when remission has occured?  So if the antibodies go below or into the normal range then graves is gone?

Thank you,
Lorilynn

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

TSI is not the definitive test but is very helpful.  TSI and TBII (aka TSH-receptor antibodies) tend to normalize with remission and this normalization helps predict remission -- they will not go below the normal range though.

TSH-R-Abs are useful beyond the diagnosis in my opinion particularly when predicting remission and noting severity of graves eye disease.

[GravesGirl]

the author Elaine Moore, who wrote books on Graves says that normal people have no tsi or 2 percent, I think. Mine was 109 at diagnosis, even though the normal goes up to 125, that's bull! Some just don't feel symptoms till they reach that. I had an uptake scan too, which was normal but on the high side. I have heard the TRab test or the TBII is supposed to show remission. My doc argues this, he says it's just for diagnosing Graves. What was your TSI? What are your labs? Are you on meds?

[Lorilynn]

My TSI at DX was 232.  my starting labs were, TSH o.o1 (o.3-5.7) FreeT3 5.45 (1.5-4.1) FreeT4 2.03 (0.58-1.64)  I started on 20mg of MMI a day for a month until I went hypo, I am now for the past almost 8 mos on 5mg of MMI a day and 50mcgs of synthroid.  my last TSI of Jan 08 was 155.

[enannoshi]

Hello here,
I dx with Graves a year ago, after PTU for 6 months went Hypo. You are the same case as me. My question is: Why are you still taking antythyroid medication together with synthroid? I want to just drop my slowly and maybe go on remission.
Elena

[GravesGirl]

this is called the block and replace method. you are given a small dose of Tap or ptu and to keep you from going hypo a little of synthroid too. In Japan this is used often, but not really in this country. It supposedly has a good success rate too. I don't know what the reason is that it's not used here much.