I'm so confused. Antibodies! Can anyone help?

[Rite760]

For those of you who know me, you'll know my TSH has been swinging from high to low, but within normal ranges, for some time now, but that at one point it was borderline high at 4.6. I saw an endo last week who said I have a thyroid problem, even though results have been normal and borderline, because it is swinging up & down. Because of this fact and also because my mum and two sisters are hypothyroid, she was sure I'd have thyroid antibodies too. She also said she was sure that I would soon stay hypothyroid once and for all. But my antibodies have just come back as normal!!! So does this mean I haven't got thyroid disease afterall. Or can I still have thyroid disease without antibodies?

[Rite760]

Thanks once again to you all for your swift replies, I got panicked because it's took me so long to be taken seriously by docs that I suddenly thought, oh no, they'll think I'm a fake now. But can I just clarify one more thing? I know you are all saying that I can still be hypothyroid without antibodies, which I now understand. But can a person swing from high to low etc. at fitst and then end up hypothyroid in the end?

[kitty9309]

Also, a small number of people with Hashi's will not make antibodies to the thyroid.

[borninquisitive]

Yes, you can be Hypothyroid without having Hashimotos. Like the above poster said, it would be good to get a U.S. and repeat antibody labs at another date.

[898]

Rite, let me try to answer your post using simple terms.
First of all, if the antibodies level is not elevated mean the good news. Most people who have predisposition to the autoimmune disease will show elevated antibodies level BEFORE they develop the obvious symptoms of the disease. However, just to be sure the test was accurate , the doctor sometimes may decide to repeat the antibodies test let say 3 to 6 months from now ( it does not mean they may be present next time).
Lets wait for the ultrasound results