Inaccurate TSH and Mouse Antibodies

[Melmike]

I posted a few months ago about having tachycardia and other hyper symptoms but with a normal TSH.  I finally got my docs to listen to me (took a YEAR!) and they have decided I am one of those rarities who have mouse antibodies in their blood, which interfere with some of the TSH assays.  My free T4 was 1.4 (normal) but my TSH was 28!  So 6 weeks later my endo sent me to another lab, indicating that their assay did not have the mouse antibody problem.  Interstingly, my TSH from that lab was 83!!!  Free T4 was very low, too (this because 1. I self adjusted my dosage when the tachycardia, nervousness, and anxiety got to be too much while I was still trying to convince the docs; and 2. the endo decided to drop me down to 50 mcg of levothyroxine and work our way up; I was on 112 mcg when everything went crazy in fall of 2005).

My question: has anyone else had this problem, and if so, how did it all work out for you?  Did you find an alternative lab whose TSH values you (and your doc) could trust?  I am still pretty hypo (we are up to 75 mcg now, and I see the endo again in a week to check again).

BTW, there are 3 ways to get mouse antibodies: chemotherapy that uses mouse blood products; immunizations that use mouse blood products; or being in the animal handling industry (vet, etc.).  At the time that I started feeling hyper, we moved into a rural home that, while on the market, got infested with mice.  We had to do the clean-up.  I think that was my exposure.

Melmike

[froggy157]

Just wondering if you could followup on your tsh results with the mouse antibodies.  I feel like I have a thyroid problem and my endo took me off medication after I saw him.  I work in animal care and wonder if this could be one of my problems in diagnosis.  I did not have an extremely high tsh, but have a low free t4 level for the past 6 months (at least) but endo not concerned as tsh and t3 are normal.  T3 levels are at the very low end of normal.  Last year I accidentally poked my finger with a needle that I had used to inject medication into a dead mouse.

[ChitChatNine]

WOW .. no knowledge here but WOW after reading your posting.  Isn't there some kind of disease, too, that one can get being exposued to mouse droppings etc. such as cleaning up an old house, barn, etc.?

C~

[Melmike]

There is definitely a risk of hantavirus when coming into contact with mouse feces/urine.  We had to be very careful.  And I say "infestation" but it was really just the kitchen, where we had to clean up droppings (cats got rid of the actual mice very, very quickly and there have been no mice since).

I was talking to my rheumatologist about the mouse antibody issue with TSH the other day, and she had a good point -- what about all the researchers who work with lab mice and rats?  Might they also have mouse antibodies and be at risk for inaccurate TSH readings?  Food for thought!

Melmike

[utahmomma]

I was thinking the same thing (Haunta Virus).  If enough of us are getting exposed to *that* from mice are more of us having this "masking" problem with our TSH levels?  Hmmmmm.

[utahmomma]

I have not heard of the mouse antibodies causing such problems.  Wow!  And a TSH of 85?!?!  How are you functioning??

I hope that you can get some good answers SOON!