Hashimoto's or Lupus?

[Positive38]

For the last 2 1/2 years I've been experiencing a rash of medical symptoms that are slowly driving me to the brink. What started w/a case of facial neuralgia from a botched 'mole removal' by my right eye has taken on a life of its own. After 6 mos of being told it was stress causing my symptoms, I had some bloodwork done that indicates possibly otherwise.

Symptoms over last 2 1/2 years; realize that they may or may not be related:
*iron deficiency anemia (ferritin down to a 6 .. working to get it up w/supplementation)
*diffuse hair loss
*nail texture changes (vertical ridging)
*sleep disturbance/insomnia (due to premature ventricular contractions per sleep study)
*also have 'swollen tongue' (2 docs said this).. dry mouth; find that it blocks my air passage when I sleep
*very low blood pressure (90/50 at times)
*low body temp (97-98 normal)
*labored breathing (spirometer showing 300 upon normal breathing)--going for EKG b/c chest xray indicated 'abnormally 'small heart' per 2 docs)
*menstrual periods turning quicker between cycles and VERY heavy (clotting too)
*difficulty swallowing
*initially lost 10 lbs, then gained back to normal weight
*initially experience blurred vision in eye, now just intermittent eye nerve pain in affected eye/lid area
*occassional tingling left side of scalp
*'moderate' microscopic hematuria; they did an IVP and an ultrasound and found no stones or tumors, so idiopathic per urologist

My bloodwork has indicated:
*Positive ANA: in 3/07 it was 1:320 speckled; in 9/08 1:640 speckled
*Serum ferritin was 6 in Jan 08; it has gone up to an 18 in June 08 and I keep taking iron to get it up to a goal of 70 or 80 for the hair
*slightly high free testosterone
*TSH was .82 in 3/07; has gone up to 1.7 in 8/08
*Did have elevated antithyroid antibodies (around a 25, but not over the 35 'threshold' for Hashmoto's)

I've taken iron and a multivitamin. Just last month started birth control (Yasmin) to help control the bleeding if I chalk up the iron deficiency anemia to a menhorragia-type reaction.

I am frustrated as the ANA indicates an autoimmune reaction. My rheum doesn't think it's lupus; my endo doesn't think there's a thryoid problem. I say it's one of the two. Thoughts? I am getting worse, not better, and want to try a treatment, be it an immunosuppressant or a Synthroid-type medication. I need to try to move the proverbial needle, but no one seems to want to help. Thoughts?

Thank you.

[estrelinha]

ANA's gives just information, there are specific tests for LUPUs, I have high ANA's (april was 1:640, in June was 1:320, speckled, I did all tests for autoimmune diseases and all came back negative except TPO antibodies that were more then 1000 in my first  analyses and in June 1: 820. I have Hashi , ultrasound says it's a thyroiditis. My ferritin was 9, and I'm still taking iron for my anemia. Stress was responsible for most of my symptoms. Did you check your free T3 and free T4?
About ANA's you can read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-nuclear_antibody

[selmaS]

Hi...my drs looked at both hashi's and Lupus...as of now it's hashi's because they found nodules....did they do a US of ur thyroid???


Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"

[turtltatt]

I had some of the same symptoms you describe.
I recommend you find a Naturopathic Doctor in your area.  This website has a list of Drs recommended by thyroid patients:
http://thyroid.about.com
I went to one of the Naturopaths listed there and she found antibodies in the 800's -clearly Hashimoto's-  and adrenal distress.  I have found relief with daily t3 and t4 chemical thyroid,  adrenal glandular to nourish the adrenals,  and selenium to lower antibodies. Though this is not the most natural treatment, she said that Armour would only provoke the antibodies to fight harder and I must bypass the thyroid altogether.
Incidentally,  my OB said this sounded like LUPUS (she was wrong),  and that she would not even attempt to manage Hashi's,  but refer to an endocrinologist. I don't have insurance so I started with the naturopath and have been happy with the bill and the results. Generally naturopaths are committed to helping find answers,  not just prescribing meds. I got seen the same day I called too,  no 3 month wait!
Good luck to you.