# "Normal" TSH & T4 Now Positive for Hashi



## kdm68 (Dec 28, 2010)

OK to all of you others that have a "normal" TSH and FT4, you can have Hashi and the doctors need to do the antibody tests. I have a goiter that isn't huge, but occasionally would swell and cause some problems with swallowing. I also had hypo symptoms: No sex drive, fatigue, 20lb weight gain in the last 2 years, brain fog, hearing loss with some tinnitus, itchy skin. My OB Dr. checked TSH and FT4 both were "normal". TSH was 1.4 then. She sent me to ENT for nods. and ultrasound. Ultrasound said a few nods., but not big enough to biopsy. 6 months later went back for follow up ultrasound. Then they said it is a goiter, but second TSH was normal - 1.66 this time. I told them of symptoms I was having and he said that was normal for a pre-meno. 42 year old female. Then came the tinnitus and I had had enough. I called my uncle (Aniteisiologist) and he referred me to a surgeon. I wasn't sure I needed surgery, but he said this was the guy to see.

I went to the surgeon last week. He had an intern with him. I tell him what was going on and he says "sounds like Hashi to me" and says lets go take a look at your thyroid. They had an ultrasound machine in the office. He does the ultrasound and says, "yup, you have black spots on your thyroid, not nodules and it's slightly enlarged, classic Hashi looking thyroid". He then starts talking to the intern telling her that you cannot go based on TSH and FT4 & FT3 numbers only. He said that at 1.66 it was most likely that my normal TSH is around .5 - 1. He then said to the intern. "left untreated, the TSH will gradually rise to above the normal range, but she will feel just awful if you wait until it gets to that point. He said we're going to have you have just the antibody Hashi tests and if those are normal, then I'll do a Radioactive Uptake test, but I'm quite sure this is Hashi, so we'll wait to get the blood results first. So, he sent me for the Hashi antibody tests last week. His office just called me back yesterday and said it was positive for Hashi and they called in RX to the pharmacy. I'm just starting the 75 mg. Synthroid today, so I'm hoping I'll see some results soon. They want to do more blood work in 6 weeks to check TSH. He said he wants that number under 1. He also added at my appt. that he ends up treating a lot of people with thyroid problems who don't need surgery, but their doctors don't know how to treat thyroid issues.

So, you all here were totally on target and now I don't feel like I'm crazy. I also knew to tell the pharmacy that I didn't want generic drugs, which is what they were going to give me, because of this board. You have all been very helpful and I thank you!!

To the couple of other newbies that have been posting that they don't feel well and their doctors aren't doing anything because of normal numbers, please feel free to print this post and bring to your doctor. Thyroid issues aren't just numbers, because normal for one is not normal for another. If they would just do the research which you can do online, it will explain this quite well.

AGAIN, a BIG thank you to all of you senior members here. I think I would have let things go had I not talked you BTDT people. :hugs: hugs4


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kdm68 said:


> OK to all of you others that have a "normal" TSH and FT4, you can have Hashi and the doctors need to do the antibody tests. I have a goiter that isn't huge, but occasionally would swell and cause some problems with swallowing. I also had hypo symptoms: No sex drive, fatigue, 20lb weight gain in the last 2 years, brain fog, hearing loss with some tinnitus, itchy skin. My OB Dr. checked TSH and FT4 both were "normal". TSH was 1.4 then. She sent me to ENT for nods. and ultrasound. Ultrasound said a few nods., but not big enough to biopsy. 6 months later went back for follow up ultrasound. Then they said it is a goiter, but second TSH was normal - 1.66 this time. I told them of symptoms I was having and he said that was normal for a pre-meno. 42 year old female. Then came the tinnitus and I had had enough. I called my uncle (Aniteisiologist) and he referred me to a surgeon. I wasn't sure I needed surgery, but he said this was the guy to see.
> 
> I went to the surgeon last week. He had an intern with him. I tell him what was going on and he says "sounds like Hashi to me" and says lets go take a look at your thyroid. They had an ultrasound machine in the office. He does the ultrasound and says, "yup, you have black spots on your thyroid, not nodules and it's slightly enlarged, classic Hashi looking thyroid". He then starts talking to the intern telling her that you cannot go based on TSH and FT4 & FT3 numbers only. He said that at 1.66 it was most likely that my normal TSH is around .5 - 1. He then said to the intern. "left untreated, the TSH will gradually rise to above the normal range, but she will feel just awful if you wait until it gets to that point. He said we're going to have you have just the antibody Hashi tests and if those are normal, then I'll do a Radioactive Uptake test, but I'm quite sure this is Hashi, so we'll wait to get the blood results first. So, he sent me for the Hashi antibody tests last week. His office just called me back yesterday and said it was positive for Hashi and they called in RX to the pharmacy. I'm just starting the 75 mg. Synthroid today, so I'm hoping I'll see some results soon. They want to do more blood work in 6 weeks to check TSH. He said he wants that number under 1. He also added at my appt. that he ends up treating a lot of people with thyroid problems who don't need surgery, but their doctors don't know how to treat thyroid issues.
> 
> ...


Boy; are you lucky that your uncle the anesthesiologist sent you to his General Surgeon friend. Just think if you had to go on the way things were.

It was so kind of you to explain all the details to our posters as in fact, somewhere along the line this will help somebody!! Thank you for this.

How are you feeling now? How often are you to go in for labs?

My attitude about ranges is that their only purpose is to detect movement either up or down. Sadly, my perspective on that counts for little.

I am sure that just being "validated" has lifted a huge weight off your shoulders!! We "all" know how you feel!


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## kdm68 (Dec 28, 2010)

Hi Andos
The Dr. that helped me is a general surgeon, not the ENT. The ENT dr is the one that told me I was just pre-menopausal.

Just started the Synthroid today, so I'll keep you posted how I feel on that after 6 weeks and my numbers then. I'm going to call today and get the last TSH they ran last week, as I'm curious how they came out for tracking purposes.

I posted all these details in one post, because it took a lot of time to track people' progress on the board, without going back and reading all the posts. I figured one post was most helpful for those looking for histories like theirs.


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## prettynikki5 (Dec 9, 2009)

kdm68 said:


> Hi Andos
> The Dr. that helped me is a general surgeon, not the ENT. The ENT dr is the one that told me I was just pre-menopausal.
> 
> Just started the Synthroid today, so I'll keep you posted how I feel on that after 6 weeks and my numbers then. I'm going to call today and get the last TSH they ran last week, as I'm curious how they came out for tracking purposes.
> ...


Congrats on your diagnosis and thank you for sharing so you too can help others in the same situation  I hope you get to feeling much better and it seems you have an AWESOME doctor in your corner now.
I found that the surgeon that did my TT was may more informative about Hashi's than my other doctors. I was treated very differently, like a patient with an illness to be treated, not like my other doctors who made me feel like I was making up my symptoms up because my thyroid levels were normal. I remember wishing my surgeon could be the one in charge of my ongoing treatment. And I still do. If only all doctors could be consistent, it is really pathetic. I am so glad you got your answers....now on to feeling better!!!
hugs4


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kdm68 said:


> Hi Andos
> The Dr. that helped me is a general surgeon, not the ENT. The ENT dr is the one that told me I was just pre-menopausal.
> 
> Just started the Synthroid today, so I'll keep you posted how I feel on that after 6 weeks and my numbers then. I'm going to call today and get the last TSH they ran last week, as I'm curious how they came out for tracking purposes.
> ...


Bless your heart! Yes; very very helpful. You will never know how much. I will go back and correct my post. This is important info; don't want to mess it up. LOL!


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## jewelbreeze (Nov 18, 2010)

Congratulations on such a quick diagnosis!
I've been battling these issues for as long as I can remember, started having my thyroid checked I think when I was 12. (My mom is a nurse.) But the doc's always just said eat right and exercise!
HA! How can you exercise when you are so tired you can barely lift your arms? Or when your legs burn walking from your car to work? Or when your bones just flat ache?

Someday, there will be disease simulators that will show physicians exactly how it feels to have a disease. They can know all the statistics and numbers and physiology and etiology of it all....but they can't know how it feels.

I hope you feel better, and thanks for directing me to this post. I think I will print out a copy of it and bring it along to my recheck in a couple weeks!

~~jewlie~~


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## kdm68 (Dec 28, 2010)

Hi Jewlie: I hope my doctors opinion will at least prompt your doctor to question his/her quick rush to judgement! Good Luck to you and I will say a prayer that you get listened to.


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