WHat do you all know about Thyroid Perodase Antibodies being excessively high

[mamatokevin]

Hello,
I am trying to figure out my situation. I have had Hypothryoid since I was at least 20. (I am 32 now.)  I just recently went to see an endocrinologist for the first time.  He did blood work. My Thyroid Perodase Antibodies came back at over 1,000 (normal range 0-35).  Doc said he's never seen them this high- as my TSH, T3 and T4 are within normal ranges.  

Last year- I had 3 early miscarriages in a row.  (I conceived a son with no problems in 2006... then when we tried for another... we had the miscarriages.  I went on baby aspirin, extra B vitamins, fish oils and a low carb diet... then I got pregnant last May.  I had a baby girl this past January.

We would like to have another baby next year-- I am now wondering what I can expect with those antibodies?

Also-- what OTHER health issues are associated with this?  How can you lower these levels?
Thanks

[Barb135]

I was dx'd hypo in June of last year and with Hashi's in Nov.  I take 200 mcg/day of selenium and although my antibody count has not actually gotten lower, it has remained almost exactly the same since I started on the selenium.  Prior to that the count was going up each time it was tested....... I can't say for a fact that's what is keeping them in check, but it would appear that it's doing something.  It also seems to help lessen, what I have come to call the "Hashi Attacks", which include, but are not limited to, the sore neck, choking feeling, etc.  

I haven't had a tetanus shot in years, so I can't comment on that.  But just a year prior to the hypo/Hashi dx, I was dx'd with pernicious anemia - so that's 2 autoimmunes, plus diabetes runs rampant in my family and my daughter was dx'd with lupus about the same time I got my Hashi dx.

[mamatokevin]

You know what is even weirder about all of that?  I have an identical twin- who doesn't suffer any of my issues!

[goolarra]

Even if you tested negative to celiac...try gluten-free...it's cheap, and if you feel better...I've heard of others who tested negative, but had celiac.

Yes, the tetanus thing is a bit whacked.  I'll have to think about this a lot more.

[mamatokevin]

Wow- how crazy it the tetnus thing? I wonder how many others may have began with this. I was tested for celiac- but it looked negative I guess.  I also have issues with fasting blood sugar being elevated too.

[goolarra]

I don't know how much selenium you take as I've never pursued it.  My philosophy is to take as little of whatever as you can.  I like to get what I need from food.  Apparently a couple of Brazil nuts a day provides all the selenium one needs.  You might post a question as I know others on the forum know how much to take.

I've just pretty much diagnosed my gluten issue (celiac disease?).  I went gluten-free, and, oh boy, what a difference.  You might try it.  If it doesn't help, you've lost nothing.  If it does, then I guess you have an answer.  There is, apparently, a non-celiac gluten intolerance.  Help!  My best friends are now corn tortillas!

I wish you hadn't mentioned the tetanus connection!  Strangely enough, my Hashi's surfaced just after a tetanus shot to which I had a bad reaction.  Now you have me thinking...and that's always bad news!

[mamatokevin]

Hi Goolarra,
Thank you so much for your reply.  I don't remember what the T3 & 4 ranges were... the TSH was in range but at the level closer to putting me into hyperthroid- but just in the normal range (like .54 I think).  I was on 137 of synthroid before my pregnancy all last year and then all through my pregnancy-- and then my TSH a few months after having my baby (like in March I think) was .31 which was out of the range.  So my dose is now 125 of Synthroid.
I always wondered if I had issues with gluten.  All my issues began when I was 20 in college- after  receiving a tetnus vaccine.  Within a few weeks after that vaccine- I began a journey of severe chronic constipation problems. I went to see a doc for the constipation. He ran bloodwork and diagnosed me with hypothyroidism.  I don't think my constipation has anything to do with my thyroid.  I have been to numerous docs, I have had 3 colonoscopies, enema studies, been on all kinds of meds that never worked I was even in a Zelnorm drug study, I was even on random meds which side effects were diareah-- nothing has worked... but I recently had bloodwork for celiac and it came back negative.  I also have had issues with insulin resitance.
I would love to figure this all out.
I eat healthy, I am at a good wieght (never been obese or anything-- I do gain a lot when pregnant though.- but I get all the wieght off after).  I take fish oils, flaxseed oils, baby aspirin, supplements, I drink tons of water...etc...
Well there is my history ... how much selenium do you take?

[goolarra]

Do you have the actual numbers for FT3, FT4 (and FT3 and FT4 reference ranges) and TSH?  Too often we hear doctors say that everything is "normal" when testing was inadequate or reference ranges obsolete.

Are you on thyroid meds?  If so, what is your dose?

If you've been hypo for twelve years, it's very likely you've also had the antibodies (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) for that length of time or longer. In addition to all the health issues that are associated with hypothyroidism in general, those of us with Hashi's (an auto-immune disease) are more likely to get a second auto-immune disease, e.g. celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.  In addition, Hashi's runs in families, so you could pass it on to your children.

The only thing I've heard of to lower antibodies is selenium.  Although unproven in any large-scale study, many people swear by its ability to lower antibodies.