High TPO Ab

[Anureddy1]

Hi I am 38 year old women. Recently I have weird panic attacks like fatigue, diarrhea and sweating often (may be once a month) for few minutes. Attack was very panic and almost don't know what is going on with the body.
So I consulted doctor, and she has feeling it is related to Thyroid. She ordered blood tests and I got results as below.
T4- 1.43
TSH - 2.63 (it was 2.29, 8 months ago)
T3 - 109
TPO ab - 192

I had ultra sound done this week and waiting to hear the results.

Can someone help me understand what this kind of results mean. I am worried about TPO being out of range and frequent attacks on my body. Will TPO of this number mean any significant health issue? Are there ways to reduce the TPO number through food or exercise?

Any information will be much appreciated.

Thank you!

[gimel]

Just curious.  What brought you to that conclusion. personal experience?

[windingdown]

Yeah I agree, sales pitch!!! Chiro Dr are all getting in on the Thyroid game, its their new CashCow!
Beware!!

[BoatMom2011]

I have had the same type of attacks for a little over two years now, I have them about once a month usually around the time of my period.  Please let me know what your doctor tells you, mine seems to think it's related to hormones.  Best wishes!!!

[Barb135]

I looked over the website, as well and I agree with gimel.  It appears that this doctor is simply trying to sell his own services/protocol.  I notice that he even does phone consultation (pretty expensive, too), but before he consults with you, you have to be checked out by an endo....  seems like a waste of $.  

[Barb135]

I looked over the website, as well and I agree with gimel.  It appears that this doctor is simply trying to sell his own services/protocol.  I notice that he even does phone consultation (pretty expensive, too), but before he consults with you, you have to be checked out by an endo....  seems like a waste of $.  

[gimel]

Sorry Talilowe, but I read through this link, and readily found things that just don't ring true to me.  I fear that the good doctor is just promoting selling supplements, rather than thyroid meds.  Using selenium to try to reduce your TPO ab levels is not new to us.  Selenium has been seen to help, but that does not stop the destruction process that is going on with the thyroid glands.  It may slow it down and require a slower build-up of the dosage of thyroid meds, but eventually you end up in the same place, which is total replacement of your daily requirement of thyroid.

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/treatments/natural-hypothyroid-treatment-methods/

Several things in the link bothered me.  One is "Of course not everyone with a thyroid condition is an ideal candidate to receive natural thyroid treatment methods.  But if you’re like most people with a thyroid condition, then following a certain type of natural protocol can help to partially or fully restore the function of your thyroid gland, as well as regulate your adrenal function and strengthen your immune system."   My question is just how are the thyroid glands going to be restored after being destroyed by Hashi's?  Not likely.

Another thing that bothered me was  "If you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or any other type of hypothyroidism, what would it mean to you to not have to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone for the rest of your life, as most doctors recommend?  How would it feel to stop gaining excess weight, to get quality sleep each night, and to bring your energy levels back to a normal level so that you can be active again and do the things you enjoy doing on a daily basis?  I realize this might sound too good to be true, but just remember that taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone will do nothing for the underlying cause of your condition, as it will just control your symptoms (and in some people it doesn’t even do a good job of accomplishing this)".    My reply is that yes hypo patients do frequently end up with lingering hypo symptoms, but typically only because of inadequate testing and improper medication.

Personally I see nothing here but a sales pitch, with a slightly different angle than other similar ones we've seen.,  

[Talilowe]

Hi,

There is a lot you can do to reduce your TPO levels.
First of all though check with your doctor which units were used in measurement and what is the normal range. Different labs seem to use different units and ranges.

Second, check the use of Selenium. I have Hashimotos Thyroidis and very high TPO levels (>1300 10 months ago where the normal range was 59 ku/l). I have been taking 200g of Selenium per day, in addition l-thyroxin (but the smallest dose, as my TSH are sub clinical). I have also changed my life style quite a lot. Currently my TPO are 550 (normal range 101), so only 5 times higher than normal vs 20 times 10 months ago.

So, there is a lot you can do to get back to health!

Also, recommended is this website:

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/

Good luck!
N

[Barb135]

TPOab is an antibody test.  Elevated TPOab means that you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease in which, for some reason, the body sees the thyroid as "foreign", so produces antibodies to attack it. The longer the antibodies attack the thyroid, the less hormones your thyroid will be able to produce and you will eventually become hypothyroid.  

I've been taking selenium for the past 2 yrs and my TPOab has not changed, however, studies show that selenium aids in the conversion of T4 to T3.

It looks like that T3 test might be for total, which is considered obsolete and of little value; however, it will be  necessary to know the reference ranges for both it, and the T4, which looks to be free, rather than total, but please confirm that.

There is really nothing you can do to control the TPOab, however, with the help of a good doctor, you will be able to control the hypothyroidism, caused by the Hashimoto's.  Diet and exercise will help control the weight gain that many of us have when we become hypo because our metabolism slows down.  

Many people with Hashimoto's have periods during which they swing between hyper and hypo.  Your panic attacks, diarrhea and sweating could very well be caused by a swing toward hyper.

[armywife92]

Do you have ref ranges? An elevated TPO means autoimmune thyroid disease. It is not life threatening, and some people's always stay elevated even when thyroid is under control. TPO is an inflamation marker. Selenium has been proven to lower TPO, maybe you can start taking selenium supplements.