Hashimoto's

[Kardie]

Could someone please explain to me what Hashimoto's is.  I have Hypothyroidism and and there was a mention of Hashimoto's but I just don't understand what it is.  I've read alot that talk about it but not really about what it is.

[Cynnieb4]

Its an auto immune disease. Secondary to your hypothyroid. Basically, your body is attacking your thyroid. Noone nows why, I have read that sometimes it can come back to life and cause temporary hyperthyroid. A few of us have the same autoimmune. If you have any questions keep posting!

[AR-10]

Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, as Cynnieb4 said.

It is the most common form of hypothyroidism.

It can take many different paths. For some people it is a minor interuption and then life goes on. For others it is a significant problem. There are several degrees between those two extremes.

Having an autoimmune disease increases your risk of developing another autoimmune disease.

When the immune system goes whacky, the result is unpredictable.

Hashimoto's is a condition where your body is attacking your thyroid. How things go depends to a degree on how many antibodies you have and how diligent they are.

[stella5349]

I would like to add to AR stuff also

You need a TPOab test to determine if certain you have Hashi's

The more you have the worse many people feel.

[Kardie]

Thank you all for the response,  I get the results of my last bloodwork on Monday and will ask the Dr. about getting a TPOab test.  
I have been on 75ug of Levothyroxine since June

[Rainydeb]

Do they ever retest to see if antibodies have increased or decreased? Is that something they keep track of? Or do they just test once to confirm?

[AR-10]

Normally they only test it once if it comes back high.

Sometimes they will retest it for one reason or another, like if you are wanting to get pregnant and the doctor wants to assess the wisdom of that desire.

My TPOab has been checked more than once, but only because the Endo I went to didn't trust anything in my records and wanted to see for himself what his lab had to say about my blood.

He tested for all antibodies, even though my GP had already done the same thing.

My GP would probably run another set of antibody tests if I asked him to. It would be mere curiosity on my part, and a matter of him satisfying my curiosity. Since I no longer have a thyroid, it would be interesting to see how much the levels have dropped on the various antibodies.

Most of the time the test is not repeated if the initial result is high because there isn't much they can do about it anyway. It is considered a waste of money unless there is a compelling reason to check it again.

[stella5349]

I just went though the same senerio. I knew I had Hashi - no test done - but I just knew it.

I asked twice for a test and was not given it.

Just last week I finally got the TPOab done and the lab came back positive for Hashi

It hasn't changed my thyroid medication - it just gave me a bigger DX.

[kathrynemae]

How did you know you had Hashi?  I'm so confused about all this.

[AR-10]

If you test positive for TPOab, and you have a goiter OR you need thyroid hormone replacement, that is considered Hashimoto's Disease. You may also test positive for TGab as well, or not.

If you test positive for TSI, you have Grave's. You can have Graves and also have TPOab, and/or TGab, but it is still Grave's Disease.

That's why it is best to test for all of them.

In your case, with a diagnosis and history of hypothyroidism, a TSI test is going to come back negative, so it is probably a waste of money.

[Barb135]

Now I'm getting confused, too.  Are you saying that "hypothyroidism" and Hashimoto's are the same thing or did I not read that right?  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in June 08 and was put on 100 mcg synthroid.  TSH in Sept was 0.03 so they dropped synthroid to 88 mcg.  I just had blood work done last Friday and am awaiting results - see dr next Wed.  Only tests done were TSH, T4 and T3.  

For the past few weeks I've felt like I might have some blood sugar issues so I bought a glucometer and my blood sugar levels are bouncing all over - ranging between a low of 64 to high of 193.  Recent fasting has been approx 105-120 so think I'm looking at prediabetes as well (have lots of diabetes in family).  I was also diagnosed with pernicious anemia in 2007 and am currently on B-12 shots every 2 weeks and probably soon going to weekly.  

I did a search once for "autoimmune diseases" and pernicious anemia, thyroid and diabetes, all came up, along with a bunch of other things.  So I guess I have more than one thing to get worked out, but I know so little about hypothyroidism and it sounds very complicated if one's doctor is reluctant to run the proper tests.  It's all pretty scary.  

[AR-10]

Hashimoto's Disease is the most common form of hypothyroidism.

There are several causes of hypothyroidism, most of them temporary. You can have a Pituitary problem that gives you permanent hypothyroidism.

But the most common cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune, Hashimoto's.

Type 1 Diabetes is autoimmune. Type 2 diabetes is not. However, many people with hypothyroidism eventually develop type 2 diabetes, due to weight issues. High cholesterol is quite common as well.

When you have one autoimmune condition, there is a propensity to develop a second or third autoimmune disorder. Pernicious Anemia is also autoimmune, as you mentioned.

It IS a little scary, when you think about it. It is not a foregone conclusion that you will continue to develop other autoimmune conditions, but it is possible.

Your doctor needs to run antibody tests. It does not change your treatment, but a diagnosis of Hashimoto's is more specific than a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. It tells you what you already know, that you are at risk to develop other autoimmune conditions. The tests can give a small hint as to how quickly the disease will progress.

It also seems to change SOME doctors' attitudes about treatment. Hypothyroid = take these pills and we'll retest in three months. Hashimoto's = we'll retest in six weeks, and oh by the way, I'm ordering an ultrasound of the thyroid.

That's not always true, but doctors are sometimes flippant about hypothyroidism but when it gets called Hashimoto's they perk up. Or not.    

[Kardie]

I got my bloodwork back and Dr. is happy with the results TSH 3.210.  Our lab considers 0.35 - 5.0 as normal.  My cholestoral is coming down and he wants me to stay on the Lipitor for another 5 months and be tested again.  
He doesn't seem at all conserned with the fatigue or other symp. #'s are good so all is well.
Doesn't think I have Hashimoto's and I didn't have a chance to ask about getting a TPOab test because he got called to the phone.
Kardie

[stella5349]

That is because he is using an outdated reference lab range.

He should be looking at it with using the new ranges of .3-3.0

You are above the  high end of  hypothyroid of the reference range which actually indicates you are hypothyroid at this time.

If he is happy with that test for you - I'd fire him and go to a doctor qualified in thyroid disease and proper treatment.

[AR-10]

If you have been taking levothyroxine since June and your TSH is 3.210, you need a slight med increase.

The TSH target range for a person taking Levothyroxine is 1.0-1.5, and then if symptoms persist for a few months the dosage should be adjusted until you are free of symptoms.

3.210 is not fine or good. It sounds like you need to either grab your doctor by the ears and demand his/her attention, or seek another doctor.

If you can get your thyroid hormone levels correct, you can probably stop taking the Lipitor eventually. High cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism.

[yamit]

hi,

i have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

my doc says the cause is Hashi, but he did not order a test for TPOab like you have explained, so how can he be shore that it's from Hashi and not something else?

is thare anything else that can chose hypothyroidism?

the test's thet he ordered ware-TSH, T4, T3 UPTAKE, FREE THYROXINE INDEX, T3.

is that enough?

what is TPOab anyway?

you also wroth that you no longer have thyroid, so that means that it can go away once it's  'fixed'?

i started with 0.25mcg, and it was not enough, so now i have to take 0.25 + half a  pill.

HO ,and you ware right on the point - about  "SOME doctors' attitudes about treatment. Hypothyroid = take these pills and we'll retest in three months. Hashimoto's = we'll retest in six weeks, and oh by the way, I'm ordering an ultrasound of the thyroid."


thank's,

yamit.

[AR-10]

TPOab is thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Thyroid Peroxidase is part of the chemical makeup of thyroid activity, and antibodies attack and destroy peroxidase cells.

TPOab is a malfunction of your immune system and it indicates an autoimmune activity. It can be found in low numbers in several autoimmune diseases, but if it is found in high numbers it is indicative of Hashimoto's.

There are other factors to be considered, as I mentioned above. An ultrasound will often show a thyroid that has the classic signs of TPOab damage.

But he really shouldn't hang a diagnosis on you without running proper tests.

Hashimoto's doesn't go away after it's fixed. Your antibody count may go down quite a bit, but you will almost always have antibodies above the lab range. You're stuck with the autoimmune part for good.

[mtkst13]

okay.  so i have a question.  i have tgab but no tpoab.  it seems like most who have hashimoto have antitpo.  does that mean i don't have hashi?  i had hyperT for several months.  now i'm hypoT, and this is lasting for way too long!

is there a difference between those who have just antitpo vs just tgab vs both?  and is there a difference between someone who develops hypothyroidism slowly vs someone like me who had hyperT then hypoT very very quickly?

[AR-10]

If you have a flare-up of thyroiditis you can go hyper and then go back to hypo. It happens to most people.

TPOab is more common than TGab, but they both point to an autoimmune thyroid condition.

You can develop one antibody this year and a second antibody next year. You may end up with TPOab, or not.

The only difference between someone with one antibody and someone with two antibodies is how many types of antibodies they have. The symptoms are about the same and the treatment is the same.

[Kardie]

Thanks to all, this makes me feel better about the doubts I've been having with the Dr. now, and my old Dr. which I went to for years.  
I got a copy of the lab results going back to fall of 2006 and my thyroid was 5.316 back then with cholestoral 6.63 and he did nothing even though I was in complaining of extreme tired, buzzing in ears, dizzyness etc. different times trying to get answers.  
Nothing was ever done till I had a seizure last fall after extreme migrain.  My thyroid after that was at 29.68, chol. 7.14.  I don't know if one thing had anything to do with the other but at least it got me dx.  (I should add I had never had a seizure before this and haven't had one since.)
I would like to know how long my thyroid has been going up!  I had a son at age 41 and started having problems with Menopause and different symptoms about 2 yrs. after.  Maybe it was all Menopause related but I'm starting to wander.
I think I'm going to try and get referred to a tyroid specialist to get some satisfaction, or at least to help me understand why I still feel the way I do most of the time.
You have all helped open my eyes, maybe I'm not loosing my mind.