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Need advise

Hi: I will try to get to the point but it might be a little long.

About 1 1/2 year ago i started getting the following symptoms:
Dizziness, numness in legs, arms feet and hands, tongue, and right side of face. I saw a neurogist and rheumatologist at the time and had 2 mris done to rule out ms (clean) and a lot of blood test done and everything was normal except a positive ana of 600 i think.
I got pregnant 3 months after the symptoms started and throughout the pregnancy the only symptom i had was dizziness. But 6 weeks aftet i had my son all the symptoms came back stronger and now i am also in pain (legs, arms and back) and the numbness is everywhere. So i went back to the rheumatologist and to the ms specialist. Again 3 more mris to rule out ms and blood to test for lupus, arthritis, sjrogens, scleroderma, lyme, and a lot more stuff. Everything is normal but ana is up to 1280.

Now i've had my thyroid checked (tsh) 2 or 3 times and is been normal everytime, but my doctor test the tyroid antibodies and that was high.
Thryroglob ab 5.3 (0- .3)
Thyroperox ab 19 (-<= .9)
Tsh 1.78(.3- 4)

My rheumatologist says it doesn't mean anything, and that my symptoms are no thyroid related, so the question is:

Is it worth it to see an endocrinologist, could the symptoms be caused by my thyroid? Or dont waste your time your rheumatologist is probably right.

Please answer i am in desperate need of guidance, my doctor says he doesnt know what is wrong with me and there is nothing he can do.
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Avatar universal
Thank you both for answering. I have had my b-12 checked twice and it was normal both times. I have decided to get an appt with an endocrinologist and ask to have ft3 and ft4 exams done. Thank you both for the information.
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1756321 tn?1547095325
Edit aka oops lol: Anti-TPO antibodies belong to thyroid tissue antibodies and are a useful biochemical marker for autoimmune thyroid disease.  
Helpful - 0
1756321 tn?1547095325
"Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies  

TPO antibodies are the main and possibly only auto-antigenic microsome component. Anti-TPO antibodies to thyroid tissue antibodies are a useful biochemical marker for autoimmune thyroid disease.  

Test Purpose. To help in differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism and thyroiditis.

Increased Values - positive. autoimmune thyroid disease (Graves' disease, idiopathic myxedema, Hashimoto's thyroiditis)

Interfering Factors: healthy individuals, elderly women
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1756321 tn?1547095325
Excerpt from the book "Differential Diagnosis by Laboratory Medicine: A Quick Reference for Physicians" edited by Vincent Marks, Dusan Mesko...

"Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibodies.

Thyroglobulin is quite a strong autoantigen.  In healthy blood there are many B-lymphocytes with membrane-bounded IgM type thyroglobulin antibodies. IgG antibodies against thyroglobulin are Hashimoto's thyroiditis markers. The presence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin can lead to the functional destruction of the thyroid gland.

Test Purpose. To detect and confirm autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Increased Values - positive. anaemia (pernicious a., autoimmune hemolytic a.), rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders, granulomatosis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus, Graves' disease, myasthenia gravis, idiopathic myxedema, myxedema coma, myxedema heart disease, thyroid tumours, syndrome - (Down sy, Sjogren's sy, Turner's sy), thyroiditis - (Hashimoto's t., de Quervain's subacute t.), thyrotoxicosis, rheumatoid - collagen disease, non-toxic nodular goiter

Interfering Factors: healthy people, medicaments - (amiodarone)."
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Avatar universal
Deficiency of Vitamin B-12 can cause numbness in the extremities (usually hands/ & feet/toes).  So that may be something you can check.

I have heard a number of people who have low thyroid (Hypo) complain about dizziness.

The fact that your symptoms went away with Pregnancy and then returned afterwards would seem to suggest that SOMETHING hormonal might be the cause.  So I would think continued looking at some sort of hormonal imbalance might be worth it.

To really checkto make sure that Thyroid is not at least part of the problem. You REALLY, REALLY need more testing beyond TSH.

TSH is a screening test at best and is in my opinion so unreliable that it is useless.  To get a much more accurate account of your thyroid status you really need to have tested BOTH of the following:

1) "Free T4" abbreviated often here as FT4.  This is DIFFERENT than the T4 test or "total T4" (TT4).  so you must INSIST and be positive sure the Dr requests the "FREE" T4 test.

2) "Free T3" abbraviated as FT3.  Again this is different than total T3 (TT3).


The term total versus free is simply this.  You body ONLY uses the hormone that is isolated and does NOT become attached to a protein.  Thus it is "free".  While total designates or will count any and all of the hormone whether it is free or attached to the protein (and therefore unusable).

Since your body ONLY uses the "free" versions of the hormone, you can see why it is so important to test for the "free" hormone.

Another way to look at it using an automobile analogy;.  The "total" test is like measuring the amount of gasoline that is in the fuel tank.  Sure you need gas for the engine to run. But to determine if the engine will run, you REALLY need to test how much gasoline reaches and is available for the engine to burn.  This would be analogous to the "free" hormone tests.

Hope that helps.  Others may have additional advice!
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