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Can a high ANA be only caused by Hashimoto's?

Free T4 1.0
TSH 2.3
Thyroglobulin antibodies 200
Thyroid Peroxidase autoantibodies 1,342
ANA  1:1280 positive with speckled with centrome antibody seen

Has anyone had an ANA that high with only Hashimoto's?  Two endocrinologists say no, must be something else  Rheumatologist says yes it can be- he grudgingly ordered more tests but I won't know for 10 days!  Anyone had a similar experience?
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Avatar universal
I have high ANA and Hashimoto's disease (thyroid). That's the only autoimmune I have (runs in family). For a really good site see http://www.*************************/

I'm on the amour thyroid and it's really done the trick. Need to play with dosage a bit at first.

Good luck!
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Avatar universal
Hi there -- I'm hypothyroid, female.  Dx'd 3.5 years ago. Started developing red, mostly round spots on my face (forehead) and neck about a month ago. Some round spots the size of a quarter and some 1" long slashes on my neck. My fingers started hurting really badly when I awoke, and I thought I had the start of arthritis.  I'm 55. I had some blood work done, ordered by my PCP, then went to a rheumatologist. I'm going for the full panel of labs tomorrow for R.A. and SLE. My ANA came back 'positive.' Now I'm wondering if it's my thyroid.  I take Nature-Throid, 3 grains a day, for my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (hypo). It's a prescription, but it's natural, 100% thyroid gland from desiccated thyroid from pigs.  No Sickthroid for me, no synthetics -- they're poison! At any rate, what type of spots did you have, for how long, did they itch, were they raised (mine were sort of like eczema, I guess, tho I've never had that)? Mine didn't itch at all. They're starting to go away since yesterday but I had them for about a month now, and I have about 10 of them.
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Avatar universal
Oh, and if lyme disease is left untreated beyond the 6-month stage, it very often causes abnormally high ANA titers.
I've had umpteen tests trying to find out what my high ANA titers specifically are, but so far they cannot pin them down and that is usually the case with lyme-induced autoimmunity - except if you develop Hashimotos, which ten percent of lyme disease patients do.
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Avatar universal
All true regarding fibro, but also true is that, of all the misdiagnoses lyme disease patients are given before eventually finding out they have lyme disease, fibromyalgia is the most common. All the abnormalities in ATP, mitochondria and nerotransmitters are also found in lyme disease.
Just saying.
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Avatar universal
FYI:  Fibromyalgia has been studied in more in depth than you think. Pain signals are sent via nocicepters (pain receptors), they are met by antinociceptors which can modulate pain messages, but these neurotransmitters are low in fibro. patients. They have 3x as much Substance P (pain messenger).  They have less natural opiods, and higher excitatory neurotransmitters.  There is reduced blood flow in areas of the brain, and increased blood flow in others, and fMRI shows increased activation in pain areas of the brain.  There is also a loss of brain matter:  9.5x the normal loss from ageing.  FM patients have less ATP, the first step in making glucose 6 for cells to burn.  This takes place in mitochondria.  Staining of biopsied muscle shows "red, ragged fibres", indicating a peculiar distribution and proliferation of mitochondria.  This is found in neuromuscular diseases as well.  Over 50% have small fiber neuropathies on skin biopsy (Gupta et al.)

I merely want to avoid giving future readers the impression that fibromyalgia is not real or not at all understood.
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Avatar universal
Postscript
  Well, my tests are all in and I have NO signs of anything except being hypothyroid!
Every test was normal except my repeat ANA this time still positive but at 1:640
The rheumatologist was correct that you can be that high and only have hypo
I have been on the Synthroid 1 week now and at about day 5 started to feel like my old self- joint and bone pain mostly gone, no new red spots on my face or neck or chest lots more energy- like a miracle!  Sleeping much better too, if I feel this great on 50 synthroid I can't imagine I need much more but he has targeted getting my TSH down to  .5   Moral of my story- go to lots of Doctors until someone gets it right  :)
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Avatar universal
wow, this thread was very informative. Especially the part about meds giving a false positive Lupus diagnosis.
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Avatar universal
99% of people diagnosed with 'Fibro' are HYPO/HYPER and it isnt always the case.
I was diagnosed with it one day then supposedly 6 weeks later ...I didnt have it.
Work that one out lol.

Diagnosis of Fibro is usually done because Docs think...."I dont know what is causing the symptoms".

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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree that you might need the synthroid, though I can't agree with that high a dose to start; not sure about the increase in 8 weeks, without new blood work.  

I believe, pretty much, that fibro has become a "catchall" for things the docs can't/won't take the time to figure out, and is a "symptom" of something else. The symptoms are often related to thyroid issues, but also, what about RA, lupus, etc.  

I'm anxious to see results of other tests.........
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Avatar universal
Female, no meds that should affect the ANA
Endocrinologists both said Rheumatologist should have an answer and that my numbers can't be THAT high without something else brewing- they started me on Synthroid 50 mcg and plan to increase in 8 weeks
Rheumatologist thinks I have fibromyalgia, which I totally reject- I have never been a whiner  ( my apologies to those who REALLY suffer with fibro)  have no depression or stress (at least before all this)  he sent me on my way with a prescription for Flexeril, muscle relaxant, and physical therapy!  He thinks sleep and more effective exercise than my current 1 hour on the treadmill a day is the answer
Honestly, 3 docs in 3 days and each a completely different diagnosis- do  yourselves a favor and always get a second opinion- the first endo thought i should get my thyroid taken out asap!  Either I am going crazy or they are!
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Avatar universal
I was also told I had Lupus only to be told after 3 blood test showing NEGATIVE.
Doctors are not God.
They make mistakes just like any other human being....keep this in mind hehehe.
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Avatar universal
sherwooddog, are you a male or a female?  I ask because there are several medications that can give you a false ANA result, one of them is the birth control pill, and there are several anti-biotics that can as well.  Please check with your doctor if you are taking ANY medications, or look them up on the internet.  I had a Physician's Assistant tell me once I had Lupus, I did some research and found that I was on TWO meds that gave a false ANA result.  Needless to say I cleared my body of those meds, and no Lupus.
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
"A positive ANA test indicates that your immune system has launched a misdirected attack on your own healthy tissue — in other words, an autoimmune reaction. Because connective tissue is often the target of autoimmune reactions, the resulting diseases are known as connective tissue diseases. Examples include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma.

The result of an ANA test doesn't prove that you do or do not have a connective tissue disease. Along with other tests, an ANA test helps narrow the range of possible diagnoses if other factors suggest that your illness is the result of an autoimmune reaction".

The above quote was taken from the Mayo Clinic website, explaining the use of the ANA test. Note that ANA is used most to diagnose issues with connective tissue.  I think your endos are correct; the rheumy is wrong.  I have Hashimoto's, my ANA test was normal; my daughter has lupus - high ANA, but does not have Hashimoto's.  
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