Graves with this TSI?? Could it still be Hashi's?

[ohmyhealth]

Hi All,

I've been having some issues for the past 5 years, though they come and go. Mostly anxiety (OCD tendency), hair loss, insomnia, weight loss, tremors, weakness, etc. etc. Recently I've been feeling a little numb- I won't REALIZE I'm anxious and then my heart rate will be 120. I've been tested over the years and thyroid always came back normal until two months ago when all the sudden the test results weren't normal anymore.

Since then I've been to numerous doctors, numerous times and they all seemed to think I had Hasimoto's and wouldn't prescribe an anti-thyroid until I got a definitive diagnosis. The last doctor did a sonogram and said my thyroid looked like swiss cheese, but wasn't enlarged and she didn't think I needed an uptake test because she could see the blood flow through the thyroid just fine.

Well, now my final bloodwork came in and I'm wondering if this means I have Graves? Or could it mean I still Hashi's but am just in a toxic period?

T4,Free(Direct) 1.79 ng/dL 0.82-1.77 H
TSH 0.007 uIU/mL 0.450-4.500 L
Thyroid Stim Immunoglobulin 288 % 0-139 H
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 6.3 pg/mL 2.0-4.4 H
Antithyroglobulin Ab 96 IU/mL 0-40 H
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab 115 IU/mL 0-34 H


The good thing (I think) is that both my T4 and my T3 test are lower than the last time they were tested (Former Free t4 direct was 2.51 and former Free T3 was 7.7).


I'm so sick of waiting around to figure out what's happening- I literally wake up every morning with an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach and sometimes it sticks around for entire days.

Any help would be SO appreciated!

Thank you!

[goolarra]

I've been on a beta blocker for several years.  At first, I felt like it slowed me down a little, kind of a delayed reaction time.  However, that feeling has either gone away or I've gotten used to it.  BBs have been around since the '60s, and they actually have few side effects (read the insert on any meds, and you'd never take them) and a proven long-term use track record.  You'll probably find you can wean off the propanolol once the tapazole kicks in.

Best of luck...diagnosis is half the battle!  

[ohmyhealth]

Goolarra,

Thanks for your response- I was obsessively googling to learn more about both Hashi's and Graves.

I heard from the doctor who diagnosed it as Graves. I asked if it could be Hashimoto's disease because of the presence of Hashi antibodies (and the look of the thyroid)- she said no, she's much more comfortable labeling it as Graves but acknowledged that I could have both and that I could switch from hyper to hypo.

I'm starting on 30mg of Tapazole a day which I'm actually pretty happy about- hopefully in time they will lessen the shakes and other symptoms!  I also have Propoanel (sp?)  to take, though I'm a little wary of taking that one because the side effects scare me!

Thank you!

[goolarra]

Your TSI is definitely positive for Graves'.  TPOab and TGab can be "somewhat" elevated with Graves' as well as Hashi's, but I've yet to see anyone define "somewhat".  It's also possible to have both.  

Since I was having trouble finding that definition of "somewhat", I asked my endo the question last time I saw him, and his reply was that elevated TPOab and TGab were positive for Hashi's, period.  Presence of TPOab and TGab increase the probability that you will eventually be hypO.  However, at the moment, you are hyper, and that's how you should be treated.  

Are you taking a beta blocker for the increased HR?  It really helps and almost immediately.