Abnormal thryoid test - suggestions

[energylaw]

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 7 years ago.  I took Levothyroxine 50 mg for two years and still wasn't feeling better.  Another doctor added 5 mcg of Cytomel to my regimen and I have been on both medications since.  I just had a baby 4 mos ago and gradually cut down on breastfeeding.  I stopped breastfeeding completely about 2 weeks ago and have been feeling horibble.  My obgyn (in my new hometown) was monitoring my thyroid during pregnancy and all was fine.  

I just went to a new Endo (in my new hometown) to have post pregnancy bloodwork done.  Per my Endo, I'm supposed to stay on my current meds and repeat tests in a month.  My results were as follows:
TSH - .019 (low)
T4,free (direct) - 1.13 (normal)
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab - 252 (high)

Any thoughts on what these results mean?  

Last, I have been having trouble swallowing and the bottoms of my feet kill when I am not wearing tennis shoes (it feel as if the bones in my feet are broken).

Thanks for any help or advice!


This discussion is related to Thyroid Peroxidase Ab.

[AR-10]

You have gone Hyper from the med dose you are taking.

The new Endo may feel your med dose is alright, and your body is still adjusting to not being pregnant.

I would have suggested something different, but I am not a doctor and there may be a valid reason not to cut back on your meds temporariy.

Anybody know what that reason would be?

As for the TPOab, is that a new concern? I assume you had TPOab tests run 7 years ago. Are you worried about the level? It's not great, but it's not horrible.

[energylaw]

I have no idea what tests were done, nor the results, for my original diagnosis -  so the TPOab is a new concern.  Previously, the only buzzwords I knew were TSH, T3, and T4.  

My understanding is that ones TPOab should be 0-34.  My Endo used the words "significantly high" with regard to my 252 TPOab result.  Sounds scary to me.  I don't know what the TPOab is or even tests for.  I also don't understand how my TSH can be low, but the TPOab can be so high?  

I am very worried because I am 38 yrs. old, and my husband and I would like to try to get pregnant again in 2 or 3 mos.  I don't know what all of these test results point to, or if it's just my hormones adjusting.  I only know that I feel terrible!!

[AR-10]

TPOab is a test given that indicates Hashimoto's disease, and is often considered key to making that diagnosis.

So you probably had that test run years ago.

TPOab is thyroid peroxidase antibodies, and it signifies an auto-immune disease, which Hashimoto's is one of many.

Right now my TPOab is 1,250, and my TSH is less than 1.0. The two numbers do not have any correlation to each other.

TPOab can run as high as 5,000, or higher.
Endo's usually freak out when it hits a thousand.

You should ask for a TGab test, which is another anti-body test that points toward Hashimoto's. In fact, you should ask for all the anti-body tests for auto-immune thyroid disease. There are four or five, or six. Most doctors run the three most common, and that is fine.

I have anti-bodies for Hashimoto's and also for Grave's Disease, which is the opposite of Hashimoto's.



You have an auto-immune thyroid Disease. Hashimoto's is the most common form of Hypothyroidism, so you share an affliction with MANY thyroid sufferers. The antibody count is an important part of the picture, because the more antibodies you have, the more antibodies there are damaging your thyroid. The fly in the ointment is, there is no way to control the number of antibodies you produce.

Some people have fairly low antibody counts, and the disease progresses very slowly. Some have very high counts, and the disease progresses very quickly.

You are sort of a "tweener" with your TPOab, but it would be good to know what other antibodies you may have.

Being pregnant with your thyroid hormones out of whack is risky for the baby, so you need to get things under control, and be in a situation medically where your doctor can keep the hormones within certain ranges.

That is why your Endo used the words "significantly high". For me, it is my body being affected. For you, when you are pregnant, it is two people being affected, and the fetus can be affected significantly.

The Endo knows with a TPOab of 252, you are not going to be a walk in the park. Your thyroid is going to be changing, maybe not rapidly, but changing, and that is going to make getting pregnant problematic.

You really should try not to get pregnant until your TSH is stable and your Endo says having a baby would be safe.


Some of what I have said may be completely wrong. I try to be as acurate as I can be, but I make mistakes. Hopefully if I have given you some bad info, someone will come along and correct me.