# New and Confused!



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

I just had a really frustrating day! My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year, so that's my number one complaint. I've also been noticing that my hair is thinner and that I'm putting on weight (only ~5-10lbs) despite regular exercise (I've never had a problem with my weight). I have a very poor memory, although I don't know if that's related to ADHD. My mom had Hodgkin's lymphoma and Graves disease. I'm also lactose intolerant, since I'm already putting forth a bunch of my medical history! 

In August, a doc noticed my goiter and sent me to get labs done:
TSH 1.11 (0.5-4)
Thyroglobulin Antibody 105.7 (<4)

I then went to a reproductive endocrinologist a week later who ran more labs:
TSH 0.89 (0.34-4.82)
Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibody <5 (0-9)
Free T4 0.7 (0.59-1.17)

Last Thursday, I went back to the first doctor for an irregular period (sorry if TMI!) because I've been concerned about what might be causing our inability to conceive. The doc wanted to run another thyroglobulin ab along with other thyroid tests. All the numbers were in the normal range except the thyroglobulin ab, which was 132. My doctor consulted with an endocrinologist who said not to do anything since my TSH level's normal and to recheck me in 6 months. I'm waiting on a referral to a different endo.

I called the reproductive endo, and he said not to worry about the thyroid, that I have a goiter because the abs are attacking my thyroid, and that I will eventually become hypothyroid, but until then I should just get tests done every 6 months. Something just seems wrong about knowing something will happen and waiting until it does. Plus, I keep seeing that thyroglobulin abs can negatively impact conception and cause miscarriages. Is there any truth to that?

Based on these labs, am I just overanalyzing things? Thank you in advance for any help!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

reanerbean said:


> I just had a really frustrating day! My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year, so that's my number one complaint. I've also been noticing that my hair is thinner and that I'm putting on weight (only ~5-10lbs) despite regular exercise (I've never had a problem with my weight). I have a very poor memory, although I don't know if that's related to ADHD. My mom had Hodgkin's lymphoma and Graves disease. I'm also lactose intolerant, since I'm already putting forth a bunch of my medical history!
> 
> In August, a doc noticed my goiter and sent me to get labs done:
> TSH 1.11 (0.5-4)
> ...


Hi there and welcome to the board. Well.............I will get straight to the point here. Sometimes when the Thyroglobulin Ab is so high, one starts to think cancer. For that reason, I suggest that you get RAIU (radioactive uptake scan) to either rule it in or rule it out.

There are other tests you should have as well.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html

More comments later; I am in a dash this morning!! LOL!!

A positive test means antithyroglobulin antibodies are found in your blood. This may be due to:

•Graves disease 
•Hashimoto's thyroiditis 
•Hypothyroidism 
•Myxedema
•Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
•Thyroid cancer
•Thyrotoxicosis 
•Type 1 diabetes
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003557.htm

And here are some further suggested lab tests to help sort things out...........

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html


----------



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

Thank you for your reply. I'm waiting for my original doc to call me back, and I'll talk to her about additional tests. I find it strange that my levels went up 30% in 2 months. I don't know if it's relevant or not, but I also had low testosterone 34 (65-119 for adult female, 49-113 for postmenopausal). I'm 25 years old. Thank you again!


----------



## greatdanes (Sep 25, 2010)

High ATG is usually an indicator of Hashimotos(hypo) disease, elevated levels are common in those with hashimotos thyroiditis.

As a side note, why does every answer first have to be cancer? Some ppl are already on edge when they come seeking for answers, and while cancer is a possibility, does that always have to be mentioned FIRST as a possibility? Especially when other things are more common, and cancer least common. I just noticed -the ''it might be cancer'' as a trend and the first reponse to people. Again knowledge is power but most of us with thyroid disease have anxiety issues already, and I know that is not the first thing i want to read when seeking help. Maybe list all the other possibilities, then cancer last? Sorry, been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile. I know you mean well, but try to be sensitive to the new posters,:hugs:


----------



## greatdanes (Sep 25, 2010)

Andros I just wanted to say thank you for always being here to encourage the posters, and you are a wealth of knowledge to many of us, I hope I didn't offend you!!


----------



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

Thanks greatdanes! I admit I was a little apprehensive when I saw cancer, but I could tell that a) Andros was in a hurry and b) she's super helpful! But yeah, the c word can be scary, especially when dealing with the unknown. I personally am leaning toward Hashimoto's as what I believe, but does it not get treated unless you're hypo? Do you just have to sit and wait while your body attacks your thyroid to the point where it's failing?


----------



## greatdanes (Sep 25, 2010)

reanerbean said:


> Thanks greatdanes! I admit I was a little apprehensive when I saw cancer, but I could tell that a) Andros was in a hurry and b) she's super helpful! But yeah, the c word can be scary, especially when dealing with the unknown. I personally am leaning toward Hashimoto's as what I believe, but does it not get treated unless you're hypo? Do you just have to sit and wait while your body attacks your thyroid to the point where it's failing?


Correct, they usually won't treat unless your labs are low(T3&T4). I have a friend who has hashi's and is frustrated b/c she has all the symptoms of hypo but they won't treat her. Some endo will treat symptoms, but they are the needle in the haystack endo's, lol. I hope you get more answers. Have you ever been on thyroid meds in the past?


----------



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

Ugh, how frustrating! My concern is that this is a problem that's affecting my ability to get pregnant, and no one wants to treat it... I've never been on thyroid meds before.


----------



## Guest (Nov 10, 2010)

greatdanes said:


> Correct, they usually won't treat unless your labs are low(T3&T4). I have a friend who has hashi's and is frustrated b/c she has all the symptoms of hypo but they won't treat her. Some endo will treat symptoms, but they are the needle in the haystack endo's, lol. I hope you get more answers. Have you ever been on thyroid meds in the past?


I know the word cancer can be scary to read, but I am the type that likes to know the worst possible can be's. When I first came to this forum, I had no idea what I could be facing and everyone here has been such a great help and blessing to me and basically my lifeline. If it wasn't for this forum I would not have had the ultrasound nor the FNA done, I would have just let it go. Also I have no one that will talk about the possibilities with, except for here as my husband, son and daughter-in-law(which is a nurse) clams up on me. I have cancelled last week and this week a Brain MRI(due to a headache for 2 months) because I hesitate to do for many reasons. So sometimes we need a little scare or push for the get go.

Just wanted to say this and to thank everyone for your help and encouragement what ever it has been!

Hugs & Blessings to All!!


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Published by Elsevier Inc.

Thyroglobulin gene is associated with premature ovarian failure

References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.

Jung-A. Pyun M.S.a, HyunJun Kang M.S.a, JiHye Kim B.S.a, Dong Hyun Cha M.D., Ph.D.b and KyuBum Kwack Ph.D.a, ,

a Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea

b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, CHA General Hospital, CHA University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Received 29 April 2010; revised 5 July 2010; accepted 18 August 2010. Available online 22 September 2010.

Variants of the thyroglobulin gene were significantly associated with premature ovarian failure in a Korean population. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms and one haplotype were found to be associated with a significant increase in the risk for premature ovarian failure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reminder: This doesn't mean this is always true.

I tend to agree with the plan to wait for 6 months, then retest.

As far as hair thinning - it's late fall and it's not uncommon to do a little "shedding" then.


----------



## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Welcome!

Although not out of range, your Free T4 is pretty low. And something is of in that your TSH is on the lower side of normal also.

TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone. It is made by your pituitary and tells your thyroid to make Thyroid hormones T3, T4, etc. When your T3 and T4 are low, your TSH should raise to tell your thyroid to make more thyroid hormones. That does not appear to be happening with you.

I have a friend who had low (but not out of range) thyroid levels who had difficulty conceiving and 1 miscarriage. She was put on synthroid through the second pregnancy to help her carry the baby to term.

Changes in menstrual patterns are a sign of thyroid issues. I am 33, and it was one of my first obvious symptoms as I was going hyper last winter, but my doc totally blew it off. Weight gain/loss is also a sign of thyroid issues.

In my opinion, all hormones are related, and if your testosterone levels are off as well, that's a sign that something is off. It is worth finding a doc who will take your concerns seriously and run labs to see what is going on. Especially if getting pregnant is important to you right now.


----------



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

Thank you, CA-Lynn. I'll check into that article. I'm reluctant about the 6 month wait because I'm a doctoral student set to graduate in May (and hopefully find a job!). At a certain point, we'll likely have to consider waiting to try to get pregnant so that I don't just start work and then have to leave right away.

And that kind of segues into lavender's post - getting pregnant in the near future is important to us. Thank you for that clarity on Free T4/TSH. That makes a ton of sense. Hormones are really confusing for me, even though my undergrad was biology!

I was able to get an appointment tomorrow to see a nurse practitioner who treated a friend with similar issues, though she had high TPO, and I don't. I'm hoping this will be the beginning of good news..? Can you even call it that?


----------



## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

greatdanes said:


> High ATG is usually an indicator of Hashimotos(hypo) disease, elevated levels are common in those with hashimotos thyroiditis.
> 
> As a side note, why does every answer first have to be cancer? Some ppl are already on edge when they come seeking for answers, and while cancer is a possibility, does that always have to be mentioned FIRST as a possibility? Especially when other things are more common, and cancer least common. I just noticed -the ''it might be cancer'' as a trend and the first reponse to people. Again knowledge is power but most of us with thyroid disease have anxiety issues already, and I know that is not the first thing i want to read when seeking help. Maybe list all the other possibilities, then cancer last? Sorry, been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile. I know you mean well, but try to be sensitive to the new posters,:hugs:


For you, and for the original poster:

If you have a thyroid, you can have thyroglobulin, as it is made in thyroid tissue. Conversely, about 10% of the population has autoantibodies for thyroglobulin, which is useful information for thyroid cancer patients. Why?
Thyroglobulin, in a patient that has had their thyroid tissue removed, is an important indicator that tissue has grown back--the presence of autoantibodies interferes with the thyroglobulin tests in these patients.

For everyone else, thryglobulin does not have a lot of predictive value:

http://www.mythyroid.com/bloodtests.html

http://www.mythyroid.com/thyroglobulin.html

Now, there are certain thyroid cancers that do produce thyroglobulin, so very high titers, along with a mass or nodule in the thyroid gives good reason for suspicion. For most people, this isn't the case.

Now, for reanerbean:

Just because you have autoantibodies, it does not necessarily mean that you have an autoimmune problem, yet. You have yet not been tested for Graves--which would require a TSI, so that should be run just to rule it in or out. Right now, your numbers don't really show it--although yes, that FT4 is on the low side, the TSH is fine enough that it will make it difficult for you to find a doctor that will medicate you for a thyroid problem. This doesn't mean that you don't have a problem, or won't in the future, or shouldn't be monitored, but just that it isn't that apparent right now.

As for the pregnancy, I don't personally believe that there is some "magic" thyroid number you should be at to get pregnant--there is plenty of variability for thyroid number ranges in the human population, and if that were the case, thyroid would be more of a reason why women don't get pregnant.

That aside, you said your periods were irregular. Did you use hormone based birth control? It can take your cycles some time to adjust after going off hormone birth control. Have you had a full slate of hormone testing, testing for PCOS and vitamin deficiencies? Has your partner fully been tested? There are so many reasons, it takes a while to sort them all out--some women don't ovulate, some get pregnant but don't have the proper hormone balance to maintain the pregnancy, sometimes there are problems with the number and quality of the sperm or the environment in the female is "hostile" to them, to name a few.

There are more reasons for this than you might be able to cover in the 6 months that they may tell you to "try"--so while you are trying, investigate.


----------



## reanerbean (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi lainey, Thanks for your response. I actually don't usually have irregular periods, but had one three cycles ago and last cycle. So that's why I went in to get checked. I was on hormonal birth control, but I've been off it for over a year now. It felt to me that it was about 3-4 months before things got to normal. I have had some hormone tests (the reproductive endo did a workup for fertility when I went in and ruled me "normal"). I haven't had vitamin tests or other hormone tests. I'll talk to the nurse practitioner tomorrow. Thanks again.

Oh! and I forgot to mention - my husband had a semenalysis, and his doc said it was normal.


----------

