# Secondary Thyroiditis?



## Twin1 (Mar 21, 2010)

My sis Gudrun got no answers at the endo yesterday. I'm bummed for her and confused. So, if it's not Hashi's or Graves, could she have secondary thyroiditis? 
I have: Vitamin D deficiency 
We both have : high cholesterol
She also has: Multi-nodual goiter
My symptoms (well, mostly) could be explained by the D Deficiency, primarily the inflammation, and even fatigue and anxiety. Could hers be as well?
We know:
thyroid disease = D deficiency = inflammation 
In a chicken and the egg scenario is it possible that: 
D deficiency = inflammation = thyroiditis = symptoms, highs and lows, goiter. And what about the cholesterol? Could a D deficiency raise cholesterol? Is this maybe an absorption issue? I know D, thyroid hormones, and cholesterol are in some ways similar. Feel free to tell me my theory is medically improbable. I'm just desperate to help my sis find some answers!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Twin1 said:


> My sis Gudrun got no answers at the endo yesterday. I'm bummed for her and confused. So, if it's not Hashi's or Graves, could she have secondary thyroiditis?
> I have: Vitamin D deficiency
> We both have : high cholesterol
> She also has: Multi-nodual goiter
> ...


Hi Twin 1......................have either of you had these antibodies run?

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

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

These are indigenous to the thyroid. I am upset and will await to hear from your sis about her appt. w/ endo. Did he/she NOT order any tests?


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

He ran TPO I think but made it sound like it was pointless since even if I have Hashi's he would do nothing for me.


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## Twin1 (Mar 21, 2010)

I'm still waiting for my labs in the mail. Doc told me it was neg but I don't believe what they tell me anymore.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> He ran TPO I think but made it sound like it was pointless since even if I have Hashi's he would do nothing for me.


Boy, am I upset and I know you are also. This is a travesty.

Here is that list I gave your sis..........

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

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

While TPO "suggests" thyroid, it also suggests a myriad of other things so the above tests are what I call "dig deeper"tests.

What does the test result mean?

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.

When reading, noting key words and sentences are vital. For example: "may be found", "in a variety", "most frequently indicate"..................

Here is where you can read the whole thing.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_antibodies/test.html

You may or may not have TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), just reviewing w/ you how this stuff plays out.

And incidently, because of all of the above, "if" you do not have TPO, that does not mean you do not have thyroid disease.

When will you hear about the TPO? Is that the only lab test the endo ran?


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## Twin1 (Mar 21, 2010)

The name of this thread should have been Silent Thyroiditis. I think your thyroid is really inflamed. Symptoms in between hyper and hypo, starting with a brief hyper spell that turns into a hypo phase and then resolves.I think this would explain why your symptoms resolve themselves and why your symptoms are so mixed. My doctor's one helpful comment was that I was "really inflamed" and she thought it was the D deficiency and stress. I think you need to go back to your doctor and talk to him about inflammation.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

It would make sense. I had postpartum thyroiditis, even the endo agreed not having seen me then that I probably had it. This issue I'm having now started after I weaned my son, this after being pregnant or nursing for 5 years. Could it be another case of thyroiditis brought on by a big hormone change?


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## Twin1 (Mar 21, 2010)

I just talked to Mom. Aunt Karen had a silent thyroid for ten years all thru her 30's before they figured it out. The cause: Vitamin D deficiency. I Sh*t you not. I am dropping Griffin off at the club so he can spend the weekend with Nana! Aunt Karen said she would be there so we could talk. Really, I think we are onto something!


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## sadie belle (Mar 29, 2010)

Gudrun- I'm new to these boards but something you wrote really struck me, so I had to write.

I had on and off symptoms of thyroid disease for many years during my 20's and early 30's but never diganosed with anything. Like you, my most recent increase in hypo symptoms has been severe and directly correlated with the process of weaning my son. During the 2+ years I was pregnant/nursing, I actually felt ok (minus the not sleeping thru the night!). But then the less he nursed, the worse I felt (fatigue, depression, cold intolerance, dry hair/skin, etc, etc).

Please keep fighting to figure out the connection in your case. I was finally diagnosed this past week as hypothyroid and started on medication. My doctors (and I've been to several over the years for these symptoms) never looked at anything more than a TSH (which was in the 1.5-2.7 range) and always told me my thyroid was normal. I finally had full labs done this month after doing some online research, and sure enough my free T4 was well below the acceptable lab ranges (despite a "normal" TSH- imagine that!).

I firmly believe now that there is a hormonal component to the fluctuations in thyroid symptoms, particularly when you have an autoimmune process going on.

Good luck!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

sadie belle said:


> Gudrun- I'm new to these boards but something you wrote really struck me, so I had to write.
> 
> I had on and off symptoms of thyroid disease for many years during my 20's and early 30's but never diganosed with anything. Like you, my most recent increase in hypo symptoms has been severe and directly correlated with the process of weaning my son. During the 2+ years I was pregnant/nursing, I actually felt ok (minus the not sleeping thru the night!). But then the less he nursed, the worse I felt (fatigue, depression, cold intolerance, dry hair/skin, etc, etc).
> 
> ...


Welcome to the board. And yes, there is a hormonal component. It is not unusual for some hormones to keep the antibodies very very quiet. Especially when one is pregnant and/or nursing. We old ladies used to say, "Mother Nature provides for the pregnant and nursing mother." So she can care for the "wee one" , of course.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

That's interesting Andros, I never thought of that. It would explain why I loved being pregnant, I always felt like a million bucks. Or maybe I just liked the eating, that was nice. :winking0001:

I need to make another appointment with my GP to see if I need a second opinion and have my vitamin D tested. Becca (twin1) has been taking her supplements and has noticed and improvement in her inflammation and fatigue. I'll let you guys know what happens.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Twin1 said:


> My sis Gudrun got no answers at the endo yesterday. I'm bummed for her and confused. So, if it's not Hashi's or Graves, could she have secondary thyroiditis?
> I have: Vitamin D deficiency
> We both have : high cholesterol
> She also has: Multi-nodual goiter
> ...


The antibodies' tests will solve the mystery...........

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

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

The only one that is not indigenous to the thyroid is TPO (antimicrosomal) which can be found in a myriad of autoimmune including thyroid. It is highly "suggestive" of thyroid, however.

If you can get some of these tests; either you or your sis, we will soon know. Botton line here.


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## Gudrun (Mar 19, 2010)

The endo did a TPO and I'm going to try to muster up the nerve to ask my GP for the others. Why is this so difficult?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Gudrun said:


> That's interesting Andros, I never thought of that. It would explain why I loved being pregnant, I always felt like a million bucks. Or maybe I just liked the eating, that was nice. :winking0001:
> 
> I need to make another appointment with my GP to see if I need a second opinion and have my vitamin D tested. Becca (twin1) has been taking her supplements and has noticed and improvement in her inflammation and fatigue. I'll let you guys know what happens.


Yep; that is correct. You got it!

Have to be careful w/ that vitamin D as it can trigger the antibodies.......

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/arf-vdm040809.php


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