Chronic uticaria, angiodema, high thyroid antibodies?

[jaimelynn1976]

I have been dealing with chronic hives angiodema and anaphylaxis for last 3 mos.  I am currently on 30 mg of steroids, benadryl, and 30 mg of zyrtec along with pepcid. My condition with the hives keep getting worse. The doctors did blood work which they all said came back normal and also tsh and thyroid antibody test. My TSH came back they say as normal it was a 4.48. My thyroid peroxidase ab came back as 1226. My thyroglobulin was <20 which was normal. No one has been of much help about this they just shrug their shoulders. The only thing that seems to stop my throat swelling and blood pressure returning to normal is the epinephrine shots. When I do get these shots my heart rate will be beating at around 164 then as soon as i get the epi pen it goes down to 80bpm. They said wow your in backwards world! I am just really confused about this whole situation and am wondering if anyone out their has any suggestions on what I should do next. My mother has hashimotos disorder and one of my sisters has reynos.


This discussion is related to Elevated TSH, antibodies...? re swollen gland, chronic sore throat.

[goolarra]

Your TSH of 4.48 is NOT considered normal by the currently accepted standards of 0.3-3.0.  Your doctor is using an old reference range.  With a TPOab of 1226, it looks like you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmunie disease.

You should ask your doctor to test free T3 (FT3) and free T4 (FT4).  These are the actual thyroid hormones (TSH is a pituitary hormone).  FT3 and FT4 correlate with symptoms much better than TSH.

I don't know if your other problems are related to thyroid, but you should have further thyroid tests to confirm hypothyroidism.

Do you have hypo symptoms?

[Smilerdeb]

I totally agree with goolara's posting.

You shouldnt be on anything for the swelling as the predisolone ( I presume thats what you are taking) would aggravate the thyroid even more.
Get to an Endo and get assessed properly.
You have hashimoto's and most probably a goiter that needs treatment.
Have you had your Free T3 and Free T4 levels done?

You need a T4 med and not prednisolone.
The throat swelling up and a feeling of choking and gasping for air is all Hashi symptoms.

[jaimelynn1976]

well I just had my throid t3 and t4 done and my tsh was redone. this was all while i was on steroids for my hives. two weeks after my first reading of 4.48 my thyroid level is back down to 1.36 and my t4 was 1 point lower than normal and my t3 was great. He said that at these levels it doesn't warrant any thyroid medication.I was wondering if being on steroids could have temporarily stopped my immune system from attacking my thyroid and that is why my level returned to normal? Every time I taper down below 20 mg of prednisone, my hives and angiodema come back with a vengence. I do not want to be on steroids for the rest of my life and my doctor is under the impression that my thyroid is fine. How can my thyroid be fine when my thyroperoxidase ab was 1226. and my tsh fluctuates so drastically in the span of a couple weeks? Not to mention the fact that my mother has hashimotos!!! I am so confused on what my next step should be.

[goolarra]

Do you have your actual FT3 and FT4 results and their reference ranges?  With your TPOab of 1226 and T4 that was "1 point lower than normal", you need to be on thyroid meds.  Your thyroid is not "fine" as is your doctor's impression.  You have Hash's, and your FT4 is already below range.

Do you have hypo symptoms?