# Recently diagnosed with high count of antibodies



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

Hi everyone. 3 weeks ago my tests came back with high thyriod peroxidase levels. Other levels were fine. Grandma has graves abd my aunt has hashis as well. I am not on medication yet. I've been feeling lethargic and sore all over for 6 months. Severe brain fog and headaches, of course weight gain.

My doctor recommended going on a gluten dairy and soy free diet and retesting in a couple months. I'm 3 weeks into this new diet and I feel really weird.

I'm having rapid highs and lows. I'm all over the place. Different from one hour to the next. Happy then sad, jittery then exausted then jittery again. Mental state is really odd too....cannot focus and just want to be alone.

Has anyone else experienced something like this with change in diet? I am worried I'm getting exposed to gluten or something. Or maybe the diet isn't working at all and it's hashis doing its thing.


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Hi Beca,

Did your doctor run any tests other than antibodies?

Please post any test results with ranges please.


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I think this gluten-fee thing is on overkill. It won't work for most people and they'll end up being more stressed trying to stick to the diet.....


----------



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

They ran a standard bloodwork panel and a standard thyriod to check my tsh levels. Like I said, everything else was normal. I've been anemic and low vitD before but not now.

I feel very hyper but I am exausted. Light headed and really hot all the time. Night sweats and insomnia. I'm hoping this change in diet has just made my thyroid act up and it could potentially level out.

My aunt said it takes months for the diet to work. She is on a very restricted diet.

I'm just wondering if I should persist to get a more extensive panel done and try meds or just stick w the diet for 6 months first. I don't mind the diet actually its fairly easy now that I've adjusted.


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Diet can be supportive when you are talking about treatment, but very few things can beat actual medication.

First, if you have them, post the actual results with the reference ranges. Once we see that, I think we can be more helpful.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Welcome to the board! How high are your TPO antibodies? It might be wise to have an ultra-sound of your thyroid.

Please try to get copies of your lab tests and post the results w/ the ranges for all of us to have a look see.


----------



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

My peroxidase ab was at 112 iu/ml. Norm is <9.


----------



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

Tsh was 1.33 uiu/ml


----------



## surge (Aug 15, 2012)

Hi, Becka-- If you have high antibodies, your tsh might not be reliable at all. For some, the high antibodies make treatment harder, but hashimoto's itself is all about ups and downs and it sounds like you're on the way to charting exactly that-- the fatigue and sore joints could have been a low. That whole time your brain was sending out memos: hello, thyroid! more please! and eventually, your thyroid started to wake up a bit and sent out a lot juice. It sounds like right now you're feeling hyper. I could never decide which was worse. They were both awful in their own special way...

When I had my thyroid, my symptoms never coordinated with my tsh. After surgery, it took several months, then symptoms started to align with tsh. I started to feel low when I was over 2 tsh and started to have hyper symptoms under .5. Our best guess (me + endo) is that the antibodies either were their own set of problems which brought on their own symptoms and signs OR they just masked the reading.

For your own care: yes, request the ultrasound, make sure you're getting tested every 6-8 weeks. Keep track of results and write down all symptoms that go along with this particular result. Over time, this can be helpful in establishing patterns, ideal dosage, etc.

As for diet, low inflammation diets can help to a degree, as can some at least gentle exercise every day. But your aunt's right; it's for the long haul and also Joplin is right, diet is secondary to medication.


----------



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

Is ultrasound and bloodwork the way to go? Thanks for giving me some insight. My dr made it sound like alternative diet was the best treatment. I need more testing to get a plan in place


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

If your doctor made it sound that diet was the answer, you need to find another doctor.

What specialty is this doctor anyway?


----------



## Becka (Jun 30, 2014)

Osteopathic dr. She was recommended by a friend who had trouble diagnosing thyroid issues. This is the 3rd Primary dr I've had in a year. I kept going to new ones complaining about the same symptoms. Now I need to pressure her to order more extensive labs or refer me to an endo.


----------



## surge (Aug 15, 2012)

My primary is an DO as well and she IS actually really helpful for the thyroid initially, but the high antibodies put it into the endo realm for me, and it could be, especially since you have a test confirming high antibodies, that you need to move to an endocrinologist. Osteopaths think in terms of whole systems, and she's right that a good way-- I wouldn't say best, though-- to support your whole system in an anti-inflammation diet, but you still are going to need to be closely tracked as far as thyroid numbers, probably need a started dose of thyroid-replacement in the near future, and I'd want an ultrasound, just to look for nodules, just in case, especially since you know something is up in thyroid land.

So, I guess I'd double check with the doctor you have about a full thyroid panel + ultrasound. You've been living with symptoms for awhile; now that's you've learned the thyroid is a problem, it's important to start tracking. The ultrasound and bloodwork every 6-8 weeks are absolutely reasonable requests. I'd also want to know when she recommends to an endocrinologist and when she typically starts medicating.


----------

