hashimotos

[Jessi63]

What is the difference between Hashimotos thyroiditis, hashimotos encephalopathy (hope I spelled that right), and hashimoto toxicosis?  Simple terms please.  Brain fog is pretty strong these days?  

[AR-10]

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common form of Hypothyroidism. Thousands of people have it, and many of them get along fine with very little medical assistance.

Hashimoto's Toxicosis is a rare form of Hashimoto's. the easiest way for me to explain it is to ask you to go to my profile and read the first bit of my journal.

Hashimoto's Encephalopathy is an extremely rare form of neurological disease caused by high Hashimoto's anti-bodies, which mimics Dimentia. There are only a hand full of patients in the country diagnosed with it, and if it is caught early, it can be treated with steroids. There are other symptoms that manifest, but dimentia is the first real clue leading to diagnosis.

[AR-10]

I shouldn't brush off Hashimoto's thyroiditis as I did, without further explanation.

Many people, and I have several relatives in this catagory, have Hashimoto's with fairly low anti-bodies. Once they are diagnosed and on meds, the disease progresses very slowly, and they may be able to get along under the care of a GP with occasional med increses over a span of decades.

Many never even see an Endocrinologist.

If one has high anti-thyroid anti-bodies, the disease can progress faster and may lead to other complications. The med changes are more frequent, and the high count of anti-bodies can tear the thyroid apart significantly.

I was not trying to make light of that form of Hashimoto's, but just pointing out that almost everyone with Hypothyroidism has Hashimoto's.

For my mother, my sister, and my aunt, it was a case of low anti-body counts, and they have lived with it for decades with relatively simple treatment, although they have all had times of being out of balance with their hormones and TSH levels.

[Jessi63]

I'm just sooo confused over all this.  And if i go looking it up I'll swear I've had it a one point in time or dwell on the fact that I may get it.  It's easier to just ask you guys, selfish I know.  But it works for me.