Help with thyroid test results...

[toots_jwu]

Hi, sorry in advance for my spelling mistakes as this is a new topic for me.  I have not been feeling like myself for the last 4-5 years.  Always feeling tired, depressed and extremely cold when I'm in a resting state but sweating when I walk two steps.  People said it was all in my mind but when you touched my skin it was actually cold.  I was stubborn and chalked it up to my dieting.  I was dieting alot because i was on antidepressants and was gaining a lot of weight.  Weight never seemed to melt off me.  In the last year or so, it finally started to hamper my daily life and enough was enough and asked my doctor to run some tests.  I just got the results back from my blood test and these are the results:

Blood cell counts are all normal range
Free T3:   4.4  (range 3.5- 6.5)
Free T4:   16   (range 9- 23)
TSH:       0.97  (range 0.35- 5.00)
Antinuclear antibody:  POSITIVE
TITRE:   1:320  HI  (range <1:40)
ANA Pattern:  Speckled and Homogeneous pattern
RHEUMATOID FACTOR-SERUM:   <12   (range <14)

I have no idea what these mean but my doctor is asking me to do another blood test for auto immune disorders and wants me to see a rhuema (sp?)  specialist.  Shouldn't I be seeing an endocronologist(sp?) Thank you in advance for reading and I am just looking for answers so I can continue with a healthy life.  


PS.  Oh forgot to add this...I have an enlarged thyroid with no nodules or masses.  My mother was always on the cold side but never had her thyroids tested.  I might have to convince her to now!!!  I am a very pale person and look like I have no color or rosy tones to my complexion.  I also have had IBS since I was a young child and now I am 26.  When I get my cold flashes I actually feel like I am cold from the inside first...like in my bones.  Although none of my fingers or toes turn blue. Hmm..that's all of the information I can think of now.

[toots_jwu]

A related discussion, Finally saw a rheumatologist.. was started.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

The ANA is more likely a rheumatological problem, sometimes Lupus.  
The normal TSH does not exclude graves/hashi and with the larger thyroid, this is possible -- testing thyroid antibodies could help predict future risk for thyroid problems --- but first the high ANA needs to be evaluated.

[toots_jwu]

thanks for the reply.  So even with normal thyroid levels does this mean there is NO chance I could have hashimotos or graves disorder?  What problems can arise from ANA levels not being normal?  I have had an ultrasound and it showed an enlarged thyroid but no nodules.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Your thyroid levels are normal.
The ANA test is not normal and a rheumatologist is the right next step.
If the thyroid is enlarged, ultrasound can confirm there is no nodule (if not already done).