High Thyroid Antibodies

[katseye]

I have had several "standard tests" for cheking the thyroid and they all continue to come back normal, except one which tested the antibodies instead. That won came back off the charts and my dr. put me on Iodoral and vitamins to try and help bring the antibodies down. Every other dr. that I have seen will not except the antibodies test and keep telling me my thyroid is fine. My question is, are they waiting for it not to be fine? This runs in my family. I really believe that the vitamins and Iodoral are helping me though. Just wanted to see what advice I may get back for this. Thank you!

[kitcurious]

Sensitive TSH tests are indeed the best measure. If you feel unwell best to look to something other than your thyroid as "thyroid symptoms" are actually non specific to thyroid.

[kitcurious]

Yes, 10% of the population has antibodies, doesn't mean they will get the condition. The selenium some will give you for thyroid antibodies can only lower them a tad and can contribute to getting diabetes.

[GravesLady]

Antibodies are not curable nor treatable - there is nothing that can be done about them.  Thyroid levels are the prevailing diagnoses of thyroid conditions and antibodies as well as other thyroid test just confirms what thyroid levels already state.  Having antibodies with normal thyroid levels means that your thyroid has not failed as yet, but might fail in the future especially when thyroid runs in the family, which in turn will reflect in thyroid levels. Also antibodies can wax and wan, meaning that they can fluctuate, go up or down in range, all by themselves.
Due to this, most doctors wait to treat until thyroid levels reflect thyroid condition.

Good luck with your treatment.