# What is Anti-TG and is 481.9 bad?



## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

Hello,

I have been suffering from what my regular doctors had been telling me was "peri-menopause" as I am a 43 year old woman. Anxiety, fatigue, eyesight and concentration issues and then weight gain. I went to an Alternative Health Center because I wanted an overall health analysis that my regular doctor would not provide. I had urine, blood, saliva and stool tests and the Alternative Dr told me I most definitely, without certain have an auto immune disorder and probably Hashi's.

My results are below but he kept referring back to the Anti-TG level, which he said is what makes him certain. I would like some feedback from you fine folk, who have a lot of experience on this issue as to

1) If your thyroid levels can be crazy because of a random occurance, like a false result?

2) Your opinion on alternative doctors. He does seem extremely well versed but of course insurance wont pay, so maybe I should get my regular doctor involved to get a formal diagnoses for insurance purposes?

Thank you so much in advance for your help and advice. I am a little numbed by his diagnoses :-(

T-3 = 1.1 (Range 0.8-2.0)

T-4 = 5.7 (Range 4.5 - 9.8)
Free T3 = 2.8 (Range 2.0 - 4.4)

Free T4 = 0.9 (Range 0.9 - 1.7)

TSH = 3.650 (Range 0.111 - 4.910)

Anti-TPO = 8 (Range <34)

Reverse T3 = 8 (Range 7 - 23)

Anti-TG = 481.9 (Range <115.0)


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Hi and welcome.

First, you are hypo and need to be on thyroid medication.

Second, Hashi's is usually diagnosed with TPO, not Tg. Tg is more associated with thyroid cancer. So, you need a thyroid ultrasound, STAT.

Third, some alternative doctors can serve a role, but I will own that I rely primarily on western medicine. With those results, there's no reason you shouldn't get treated.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I agree with what Joplin1975 says and encourage you to take those results to someone able to order an ultrasound of your thyroid.

Don't freak! Thyroid cancers are usually slow growing and the survival rate is very high.

Your symptoms definitely point toward being hypo thyroid and your lab results confirm.


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## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

Will an Ultrasound of my thyroid show the hypo....err...ness as well as cancer if that was the case? Is an ultrasound "THE" test to get to rule out most everything else? Also, will my regular doctor do this or should I be asking for an endocrinologist?

And back to my original question....is there anyway this could be a fluke or a one time false positive? Yes, grasping for straws, lol.

Thanks so much for your responses


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Do lab errors happen? Sure. Do they happen often? No, not really. I mean, it won't HURT to re-run the labs, but I wouldn't expect any major differences.

The thing with thyroid stuff is that there is never one definitive test. Or, well, the only definitive test is post-op pathology testing. All other pre-op testing has limits on what it can and cannot tell you.

The ultrasound is looking for physical defects of the thyroid gland. You'd expect to see nodules growing on the thyroid when you are thinking thyroid cancer. It won't tell you how the thyroid is functioning -- you already know yours is not functioning well at all. If the nodules are larger than 1cm, they will do a biopsy.

Biopsies can come back as cancer, non-cancerous growths, or indeterminate.

Endocrinologists can be good, but so many of them are focused on diabetes that most people get basic labs and ultrasounds ordered by their primary care physician and, if there are abnormalities, they then consult a surgeon, usually an ENT.


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## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

Thank you so much. I have an appointment with my regular doctor next Wednesday and will bring her the results. It looks at the very least, that I need to consider medicine. I am usually very much against taking pills of any sort and prefer to use exercise and good eating as far as treating things, but it seems like diet alone may not cure or even help the symptoms of a failing thyroid.

My alternative doctor said he has a 60% success rate in treating alternatively and finding the exact trigger for the auto immune response. I would like to find that trigger too to help alleviate if that is possible but the thought of that taking a year or longer is not feasible as it already affects work and energy to chase after my 5 year old son. So the best thing is to look at both the Western medicine for immediate relief and treatment as well as delving into some alternative research as to a possible trigger.

I have much to learn it looks like.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, that's a common line fed to people by alternative med docs. I don't mean to sound jaded....its just posters come here again and again looking for the same answer and they lose lots of (in my opinion) precious time chasing down "the root cause" when, honestly, no one knows what the root cause is. If we did, believe me, I'd be on board.

But before you worry about any of that, make sure you don't have cancer.


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## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

I simply CANNOT have cancer. I lost my father and my little brother to brain tumors and although thyroid cancer is highly survivable and treatable....my poor mother couldn't take it, lol. I will get tested for sure....since we are a Murphys Law kind of family, but I am willing it to be Hypo only. Maybe with non cancerous nodules. 

I will let you know how it turns out! 

And thanks for the sentiment on the alt care. If clean eating cured cancer, we'd all probably eat better....but somethings are out of our hands and do need medicine. Thanks for being honest; I appreciate it.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

The nodules are making you hypo - the ultrasound will help rule out cancer. Depending on what they see - they may order FNA ( fine needle aspiration) of nodules if suspicious.

If you don't have luck with your primary physician, go to an ENT - they will likely order an ultrasound with those results.

I am a fan of alternative medical doctors - since I imagine you are paying out of pocket - they could likely also order the ultrasound but you would pay out of pocket for it.


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## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

Went to my regular doctor today. She did not seem too concerned about levels. I did not realize she had done TSH levels back in December and it was 2.6 back then so it has risen.

She said levels can fluctuate regularly and that she has seen Anti-Tgs in the thousands and it could just be a slow progression.

She did say she could see my thyroid was swollen and did order an ultrasound for tomorrow morning. Should have results back by the end of the day...which prob means I wont get them until Friday.

If ultrasound looks good then she plans to just follow up with more bloodwork in 3 months.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

So she doesn't want to treat any of your symptoms for now, just wait 3 months to retest? It might be time to start doctor shopping--just because some numbers are "in range" doesn't mean they are good or that you feel good.


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## debinsky (May 25, 2017)

She had her nurse call me, who said I had a normal ultrasound. It showed 2 cysts, both the size of M&M's and everything else looked good. She said the doctor will follow up in 3 months with more bloodwork.

So, I just live with my symptoms and deal with it? Are my symptoms dehabilitating? No. But I have been on a diet (salads, no dairy, no soda, no junk food, grilled chicken and 1 day I cheated and had a brat) for 3 and a half weeks now with absolutely no results. Ok, the weight isn't that big of an issue but by eating cleaner, in theory, shouldn't I be feeling better and less tired?

It seems like if the thyroid wasn't that big of an issue, I wouldn't be having these symptoms. Or at least I would feel a LITTLE better with my new diet & exercise efforts. So I tend to think maybe she is just not the right doctor?

I called to get into an endocrinologist but I need a referral from my doctor.

So how should I handle this? Thank you for your advice. I am frustrated.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I would seek a second opinion - be it an ENT, endo, integrative medicine or another primary care physician.


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