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Antibody test question
Last month I had my antibody test and it came back negative. How often should I ask for the antibody test? When do you give up the idea you may have Hashimotos?
Best Answer
Great! I'll ask for those tests at my next visit along with the two antibody tests again. Thank you!!
I don't think my PTH was ever tested.
I take 5,000 IU vitamin D3 and calcium. The Vit D3 because labs I had drawn last year showed my Vit D was low but the calcium I take because of my leg cramps. So if my calcium is good will the tests for hypoparathyroidism be accurate? Do I ask for CaSR and PTH?
I take 5,000 IU vitamin D3 and calcium. The Vit D3 because labs I had drawn last year showed my Vit D was low but the calcium I take because of my leg cramps. So if my calcium is good will the tests for hypoparathyroidism be accurate? Do I ask for CaSR and PTH?
That UK article is talking about autoimmune hypoparathyroidism. The antibody for that disease is CaSR (Calcium-Sensing Receptor) antibodies.
I've had hypoparathyroidism due to magnesium deficiency. My calcium and PTH (parathyroid hormone) were both low. Not sure if you have had your PTH tested. Your calcium looks alright. That said, I've had calcium in low normal range with deficiency showing up with an ionized calcium test.
When I have calcium deficiency I show the chvostek sign. You can try this test by tapping the area of your face where your jaw opens and closes. If you see facial muscle twitching (my lips twitch like crazy~!) then that is a positive chvostek sign. There are various demos on youtube.
I've had hypoparathyroidism due to magnesium deficiency. My calcium and PTH (parathyroid hormone) were both low. Not sure if you have had your PTH tested. Your calcium looks alright. That said, I've had calcium in low normal range with deficiency showing up with an ionized calcium test.
When I have calcium deficiency I show the chvostek sign. You can try this test by tapping the area of your face where your jaw opens and closes. If you see facial muscle twitching (my lips twitch like crazy~!) then that is a positive chvostek sign. There are various demos on youtube.
Hi Barb!
I had them both done and she threw in TSI too.
TSI 93 (<123%)
TPOab 1.0 (0.0-9.0)
TgAb 0.9 (0.0-4.0)
She increased my Armour from 30mg to 60, I'm getting my labs done in a couple weeks but didn't ask to have the antibody tests checked again. Should I ask her to add them to my next lab sheet in a few months or is it safe to assume I don't have Hashi?
Thank you, Red Star. The hypoparathyroidism has me thinking. I read the symptoms and wonder if I was born with it. I've had muscle twitching (not painful) and bad leg pain since I was a kid. Then about two years ago I started getting a numbness in my big toes and sometimes in my pointing and index fingers. The numbness in my fingers comes and goes but my big toes are still numb.
My last labs, my calcium was 9.2 (8.5-10.1)
I started taking calcium during my last pregnancy when my midwife asked if I was getting any leg cramps. I laughed saying I've had them all my life, so she told me to take calcium and if the pain returned to switch to magnesium and alternate again if pain comes back. I still get leg cramps but not as often as before.
What tests do I ask for to find out if I do indeed have it?
I had them both done and she threw in TSI too.
TSI 93 (<123%)
TPOab 1.0 (0.0-9.0)
TgAb 0.9 (0.0-4.0)
She increased my Armour from 30mg to 60, I'm getting my labs done in a couple weeks but didn't ask to have the antibody tests checked again. Should I ask her to add them to my next lab sheet in a few months or is it safe to assume I don't have Hashi?
Thank you, Red Star. The hypoparathyroidism has me thinking. I read the symptoms and wonder if I was born with it. I've had muscle twitching (not painful) and bad leg pain since I was a kid. Then about two years ago I started getting a numbness in my big toes and sometimes in my pointing and index fingers. The numbness in my fingers comes and goes but my big toes are still numb.
My last labs, my calcium was 9.2 (8.5-10.1)
I started taking calcium during my last pregnancy when my midwife asked if I was getting any leg cramps. I laughed saying I've had them all my life, so she told me to take calcium and if the pain returned to switch to magnesium and alternate again if pain comes back. I still get leg cramps but not as often as before.
What tests do I ask for to find out if I do indeed have it?
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What antibody test did you have? There are 2 antibodies that are markers for Hashimoto's. If you only had one antibody test, you could be misdiagnosed.
Many doctors will only test Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and don't bother with the other, which is Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). Some of us have only one of the 2 antibodies, others have them both.
It sounds like you were only tested for one, so you need to get tested for the other.
It's possible that your antibodies haven't gotten ramped up yet, so testing again in a few months would be okay. Once you're positive for either of the antibodies, you don't have to keep testing them, because once you have Hashimoto's, you have it for life.
Many doctors will only test Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and don't bother with the other, which is Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). Some of us have only one of the 2 antibodies, others have them both.
It sounds like you were only tested for one, so you need to get tested for the other.
It's possible that your antibodies haven't gotten ramped up yet, so testing again in a few months would be okay. Once you're positive for either of the antibodies, you don't have to keep testing them, because once you have Hashimoto's, you have it for life.
"Seronegative Hashimoto thyroiditis with thyroid autoantibody production localized to the thyroid" concludes...
"These studies show that lymphocytes capable of producing antithyroid antibodies can be present in the thyroid glands of patients with Hashimoto disease without evidence of a peripheral immune response, thus indicating that Hashimoto disease can exist as an organ-restricted autoimmune disorder."
In other words, Hashimoto's thyroiditis can be present with no thyroid antibodies in the blood. A FNA (fine needle aspiration) biopsy can be requested if you are suspicious of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A few red flags that you might have this autoimmune disease would include family history of autoimmune diseases, if you have another autoimmune disease/s yourself, hyperthyroid symptoms.
Just to add, my only notable symptoms for years of a hyperthyroid flare up due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis was a lupus like malar rash across my cheeks that sometimes felt hot/burning and lasted for an hour after I had a shower (now I know this symptom is physical urticaria - hives) and splinter hemorrhages on my fingernails and toenails.
*Excerpt from Patient UK - Hashimoto's thyroiditis...
"Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism are associated with other autoimmune conditions:
Addison's disease.
Diabetes mellitus.
Hypogonadism.
Hypoparathyroidism.
Pernicious anaemia.
Alopecia areata, totalis, and universalis.
Chronic active hepatitis.[7]
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis.
Primary biliary cirrhosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus.
Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
Vitiligo.[8]"
"These studies show that lymphocytes capable of producing antithyroid antibodies can be present in the thyroid glands of patients with Hashimoto disease without evidence of a peripheral immune response, thus indicating that Hashimoto disease can exist as an organ-restricted autoimmune disorder."
In other words, Hashimoto's thyroiditis can be present with no thyroid antibodies in the blood. A FNA (fine needle aspiration) biopsy can be requested if you are suspicious of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A few red flags that you might have this autoimmune disease would include family history of autoimmune diseases, if you have another autoimmune disease/s yourself, hyperthyroid symptoms.
Just to add, my only notable symptoms for years of a hyperthyroid flare up due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis was a lupus like malar rash across my cheeks that sometimes felt hot/burning and lasted for an hour after I had a shower (now I know this symptom is physical urticaria - hives) and splinter hemorrhages on my fingernails and toenails.
*Excerpt from Patient UK - Hashimoto's thyroiditis...
"Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism are associated with other autoimmune conditions:
Addison's disease.
Diabetes mellitus.
Hypogonadism.
Hypoparathyroidism.
Pernicious anaemia.
Alopecia areata, totalis, and universalis.
Chronic active hepatitis.[7]
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis.
Primary biliary cirrhosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus.
Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
Vitiligo.[8]"
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