# Lab results from Nov-2011 to Aug-2013



## Jo853 (Aug 16, 2013)

Hi, recently joined this site and newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

I have some lab results done on thyroid function and there are a few things I don't understand about them.

The results date back to Nov 2011 but they're not page upon page of them!! :winking0014:

November 2011 TSH - 5.2 (0.2 - 4.2)
FT4 - 16.48 (10 - 23)

January 2012 TSH - 2.2

****These 2 results were done at my former family practice.****

January 2013 TSH - 0.69 (range 0.27-4.2)
Anti-thyroid autoantibodies - 84 KIU/L

May 2013 TSH - 22
FT4 - 10.9 (10-23)

Was on Levothyroxine 75mcg 31 May - 16 August

August 2013 TSH - 4

Course changed to 125mcg 16 August onwards.

What I don't understand is that my doctor said he was confused about the sudden rise and dip in TSH - and he seemed to think it was too much of a dip since I've taken Levothyroxine which I presume would have slowly brought it down? Instead it's gone down in one sharp slope.

Also I have not been given an official diagnosis of Hashimoto's but because of the high antibodies is it now the case that it is Hashimoto's? Every single NHS doctor I've seen about this must think I'm the only patient they see with this!! :confused0003:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jo xx


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Now that you are on replacement - you need to dose yourself on FT-4 and FT-3 if you are lucky enough to have them run both.

You may have some antibody or nodule affecting your TSH.

How do you feel?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Jo853 said:


> Hi, recently joined this site and newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
> 
> I have some lab results done on thyroid function and there are a few things I don't understand about them.
> 
> ...




Probably antibodies are causing this roller coaster ride. There are blocking, binding and stimulating antibodies to the receptor sites.

Here is a little info about them to give you and idea of what may be taking place.

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism.
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583

TBG (thyroxine binding globulin)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003374.htm

TBII
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9364248
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-thyroid_autoantibodies

Blocking TRAbs (also known as Thyrotropin Binding Inhibitory Immunoglobulins (TBII)) competitively block the activity of TSH on the receptor. This can cause hypothyroidism by reducing the thyrotropic effects of TSH. They are found in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease and may be cause of fluctuation of thyroid function in the latter. During treatment of Graves' disease they may also become the predominant antibody, which can cause hypothyroidism.[12][2]

Have you had an ultra-sound of your thyroid? It might be the prudent thing to do.


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## Jo853 (Aug 16, 2013)

Hi guys, thanks for your answers.

Andros - I had an ultrasound done on my thyroid last year. The ultrasound person said that although the scan was "normal" I did hear her say it looked "bulky", however when I went to my family doctor for feedback (I've since left them) they didn't seem to take my word for it. The doctor I'm now with has sent me a printout of the blood test for thyroid antibodies and it just says "thyroid autoantibodies" - nothing more, nothing to say which ones they were that they found - which makes me wonder if it is hypo at all.

Lovlkn - Unfortunately my doctor does not test for FT3, only FT4 I'm afraid. I might have to push for the FT3 to be tested. Whether or not they will, I'm not sure. They're NHS registered so I'm not holding my breath.
I don't feel any different to before - I've only just started taking the 125mcg as of today so I'm guessing it'll be some time before my body adapts to it. How it'll adapt from a 75mcg to a 125mcg is something that I'm worried about since it's a bit of a jump.
I've experienced more symptoms today also, hips and legs aching like mad. The pain always plays up just before the weather gets wet/damp/cold/windy. I used to love going around town with my boyfriend but dread doing so when the weather is bad or going to be bad because I know problems start. We were both waiting for our bus to take us home from the centre and it been raining. For a couple of minutes I was fine and then I start to get these weird symptoms:

* Tiredness/sleepiness despite standing up/being mobile
* Headaches
* Confusion
* Irritability/anger
* Some shivering but not on all occasions

Once I'm in the warm it instantly goes away and it's impacted a lot on my social life as we both like to go out and do things together.

Also when I go to meet up with him after work (I leave the flat to meet him at a set point as he walks home from work) we then go off to do our shopping for the day and I get very - I guess "spaced out" or not quite there. I'm also uncomfortable when going into any place/situation where there are lots of people I don't know, a supermarket is a good example of this, and I've got this impression that everyone's out to get me or they think I'm weird or are laughing at me.
I've also been known to forget things, especially where they're meant to go or getting things mixed up. Even my speech is a little disjointed, as in I put words round the wrong way. Just little things like that. Might not seem like very much and might not be anything at all, but I'm worried my doctor won't connect all of this with thyroid issues as he didn't make the connection between the thyroid autoantibodies and the high TSH.

Thanks xx


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