Thanks so much. I am sending this information on to my family. I know in the past I saw that you needed to be tested for all the free t3 and t4 as well as the tsh. My current doctor is not. Back in early 2008, they discovered the goiter and ran the antibody testing. The current doctor is not. Thanks for the help again.
Thanks so much. I am sending this information on to my family. I know in the past I saw that you needed to be tested for all the free t3 and t4 as well as the tsh. My current doctor is not. Back in early 2008, they discovered the goiter and ran the antibody testing. They didn't do it with this ultrasound. I will get a copy of all testing and show my family that link. I am repeating myself so I can understand it as well. Thanks so much .
Assuming that the original confirmation of Hashimoto's was based on testing for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, then there is not really anything to be gained from testing again.
Hashimoto's is Thyroiditis is a disorder of the autoimmune system with which the thyroid gland is erroneously identified as "foreign" to the body and antibodies are produced to attack the gland until it is eventually destroyed. Frequently this occurs over an extended period, resulting in gradually diminishing levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and T4). So Hashimoto's causes the hypothyroidism.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not just TSH levels. That is why I suggested the following in response to your last post.
"Obviously your problems can be related to a number of possible causes, but I think that in view of your previous diagnosis of being hypothyroid, I would start by thoroughly checking out your current status and get that corrected as necessary. I would also start with the family by showing them this link to the many symptoms/signs of hypothyroidism, of which some have quite serious effects.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm
I don't recall that you have had any thyroid tests done other than TSH, which is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic by which to medicate a hypo patient. So the first thing you need is to be tested for Free T3, Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and T4), along with TSH that they usually run. I would also check for Reverse T3. I expect those tests will show that you are low in the most important thyroid hormone, which is Free T3, and in need of revision to your meds.
Since hypothyroid patients are frequently deficient in other areas as well, I suggest that you also test for Vitamin A, D, B12 and ferritin. If your doctor resists doing any of these tests, then you should insist on them and don't take no for an answer.
When test results are available, then please get a copy of the lab report and post results and their reference ranges, and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further."
This is still the best advice I can give you. As a start, you really need to do whatever is necessary to make it happen.