# Does this sound like Hashimoto's or something else?



## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

I am waiting to hear back from my antibodies tests... I hate waiting!!!

The last week or so I have been feeling considerably more alert, have had some pinching feelings in the area of my thyroid. The last 2 nights I have been waking up feeling like the bed is literally burning my skin... really really hot (I am normally freezing almost all the time), my appetite has picked up and I lost close to 5 pounds this week. (the same 5-10 just comes off and on).

My last TSH was 1.4 and around 6 months ago was 2.33
I have a benign nodule causing me throat symptoms due to it's location (along the trachea and presses down on esophagus when I swallow) and an "indeterminate" nodule on the other side.

I do have autoimmune diseases in my family including Grave's and Lupus and also thyroid cancer.

I seem to have "episodes" of familial hemiplegic migraine which come and go, usually lasting 4-6 weeks or longer, which I wonder if my thyroid is precipitating.

Any impressions as to what may be going on or further things I should talk to my endo about if the antibodies for hashimoto's comes back negative?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> I am waiting to hear back from my antibodies tests... I hate waiting!!!
> 
> The last week or so I have been feeling considerably more alert, have had some pinching feelings in the area of my thyroid. The last 2 nights I have been waking up feeling like the bed is literally burning my skin... really really hot (I am normally freezing almost all the time), my appetite has picked up and I lost close to 5 pounds this week. (the same 5-10 just comes off and on).
> 
> ...


Hi, Jaimee!! Typically, if high titers of TPO are present, the patient is presumed to have Hashimoto's. The only definitive test that I know of would be FNA (fine needle apiration) whereupon the pathologist would look for certain Hurthle cells which are indigeneous to Hashimoto's.

We will all be very interested in the results and ranges of your antibodies' tests? I am wondering which ones your doctor has run!

Here is info on the TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) and what their presence "suggests!"

Mild to moderately elevated levels of thyroid antibodies may be found in a variety of thyroid and autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid cancer, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia, and autoimmune collagen vascular diseases. Significantly increased concentrations most frequently indicate thyroid autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_antibodies/test.html


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Hi! Thanks for answering so quickly!

He ran anti-TPO and TgAb (whatever those are!)

Now I already had 2 biopsies... is that what a FNA is? So they technically could have seen something with that?

If he calls and says that those are negative, what should my next step be? I have a surgery consult scheduled for September 10. Kind of hoping to wrap up whatever testing needs to be done before then so I can make an informed decision.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> Hi! Thanks for answering so quickly!
> 
> He ran anti-TPO and TgAb (whatever those are!)
> 
> ...


Yes; that is what FNA is. So, if you were clear on that, you are good and also if there were no Hurthle Cells indigenous to Hashi's, I would say that you probably don't have Hashi's.

http://books.google.com/books?id=_b...v=onepage&q=hashimoto's hurthle cells&f=false

It probably would be better to get results and comments from your doctor before we think about the next step.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> I am waiting to hear back from my antibodies tests... I hate waiting!!!
> 
> The last week or so I have been feeling considerably more alert, have had some pinching feelings in the area of my thyroid. The last 2 nights I have been waking up feeling like the bed is literally burning my skin... really really hot (I am normally freezing almost all the time), my appetite has picked up and I lost close to 5 pounds this week. (the same 5-10 just comes off and on).
> 
> ...


I meant to comment on the migraines. It is entirely possible that when your thyroid shoots out thyroxine, that triggers a migraine.

It seems you are flip-flopping here and I personally suspect hyperthyroid.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) would solve that question. If you have it, then the TSI is responsible for hyperthyroid. Many of us have waxed and waned for years like this until such time as the hyperthyroid became full-blown.


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Hmm... I wonder if they checked for that when they did the biopsy. The only reason they're checking these antibodies was because I asked after I read an article. He had just said my thyroid function was normal, so we could either take it out (since the one that might be cancerous is on one side and the benign one on the other side is causing throat symptoms) or I could just come in every 6 months and have everything rechecked. Perhaps if he sees the numbers swinging after a couple checks, he will be more likely to investigate??? My urgency though is with the migraines. I don't have head pain, but I get paralysis on one side of my body. And when it lasts for weeks at a time sometimes, it really wears me down. I feel it all has to be connected somehow... I'd like to get it all under control.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> Hmm... I wonder if they checked for that when they did the biopsy. The only reason they're checking these antibodies was because I asked after I read an article. He had just said my thyroid function was normal, so we could either take it out (since the one that might be cancerous is on one side and the benign one on the other side is causing throat symptoms) or I could just come in every 6 months and have everything rechecked. Perhaps if he sees the numbers swinging after a couple checks, he will be more likely to investigate??? My urgency though is with the migraines. I don't have head pain, but I get paralysis on one side of my body. And when it lasts for weeks at a time sometimes, it really wears me down. I feel it all has to be connected somehow... I'd like to get it all under control.


Peripheral neuropathy is quite common w/ thyroid disease and many other metabolic/endocrine problems.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

Interesting. So there is a chance, however slight or perhaps forever undiagnosed... that everything could be a direct result of some thyroid malfunction... I hope I will find out for sure someday.


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## Jaimee (Aug 18, 2010)

High peroxidase antibodies... strongly suggestive of hashimoto's thyroiditis... That was the call I just got. I was too shocked to ask about specific numbers. She's mailing me the labwork and some info about the disease.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jaimee said:


> Interesting. So there is a chance, however slight or perhaps forever undiagnosed... that everything could be a direct result of some thyroid malfunction... I hope I will find out for sure someday.


That is entirely possible but we cannot lose sight of the fact that something else could be at play also.

It's "The rule in, rule out system" that is most helpful here.


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