Testing for antibodies

[Guest guest]

Hi, can anyone enlighten me here about the anti body testing. I was tested

around 4/5 years ago, and I assume it was all ok. I am still undiagnosed, and

still poorly to say the least. I had an appointment with an endo back in July

and she said there was no point in testing for antibodies as I have already

been tested. Is the antibody test just a one time test, and if it's proved ok,

does that mean you do not need to be tested again. I am asking as this year I

have spent most of it in bed, so many more problems with pain in joints and

muscles, plus weakness. Sore throats, flu type symptoms, abdominal pains, (had

gastroscopy , all clear).. I dread to think how much worse things are going to

get. My mum had auto immune problems, both my daughters are hypothyroid, and I

am sure I have an undiagnosed uncle... Anyone got any advice for me..?? Many

thanks. Marilyn.

[Guest guest]

Your endocrinologist has it absolutely wrong. If you had

previously been tested and found to have antibodies to your thyroid, only then

would there be no point in checking again. Once you have been shown to have

antibodies, you have antibodies until they have done the job they are supposed

to, i.e. destroy your thyroid tissue. However, as your last test 5 years ago

showed that you did not have antibodies AT THAT TIME - then you should keep getting

checked, especially if there are members of your family who have a thyroid or

autoimmune disease because this comes down the family line.

Is there any possibility you could get referred to an

endocrinologist who knows what s/he is actually doing. I bet the

endocrinologist you saw specialised in diabetes and not in thyroid disease.

What I would do in your case, because of all your symptoms and

the fact that nobody appears to be looking after you is to write a letter to

your GP and send a copy to the Head of Practice, asking also that your letter

of requests is placed into your medical notes, and write in the letter asking

for your GP to confirm in writing that this has been done.

First, you should tell your GP that you are no longer prepared

to continue being so ill without being given a diagnosis and treatment, and

that you hope s/he will work with you to find the cause.

Second, list all of your symptoms and signs that you are

showing. You can check yours against those listed in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk under 'Hypothyroidism' in

the Menu.

Next, take your basal temperature for four or five mornings

before you get out of bed and list these if they are 97.8 degrees F (36.6

degrees C, or less).

Next, ask for a FULL thyroid function test which must include

TSH, free T4, free T3 and TPO and TgAb (the last two are to check if you have

thyroid antibodies). Mention here in the letter that you have members of your

family who have a thyroid or autoimmune disease and their relationship to you.

Next, ask for the following specific minerals and vitamins to be

tested. These are iron, transferrin saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin

D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc. If any of these are low in the

reference range, no thyroid hormone (not even your own) can be fully utilised

at the cellular level. Just in case your GP tries to tell you that there is no

connection between these low levels and low thyroid, copy out the references below

that show just some of the research and studies that have been done to show

that there is a connection. Please ask here that when the results for your

thyroid function and these minerals and vitamin levels have been returned, that

you are given access to these and the reference range for each of the tests

done. You can then post them on the forum and we will help with their interpretation,

as doctors often tell you that your results are 'normal' if they appear

ANYWHERE within the ref. range and say therefore that you do not have a

problem. This is wrong. BTW - a doctor cannot withhold any information that is

in your medical notes under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Next, ask for a referral to an endocrinologist of your choice.

You do not have to see the endocrinologist your GP refers you to. I will send

you a list of endocrinologists recommended by our members, so ask to be

referred to the one of your choice, even if this is outside of your area, and

you might have to go outside of your area to find one who will help you,

unfortunately.

Next, remember to write at the bottom of your letter that you

wish it to be placed into your medical notes.

See if that works, it often does, because doctors have to follow

things through when it is requested by the patient in writing.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on Marilyn.

Luv - Sheila

Here are the references you should enclose with your letter to

your GP to back up your reasons why you are asking for these to be tested.

Low

iron/ferritin:

Iron deficiency is shown to significantly reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase

reverse T3 levels, and block the thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties

of thyroid hormone (1-4). Thus, iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron

saturation below 25 or a ferritin below 70, will result in diminished

intracellular T3 levels. Additionally, T4 should not be considered adequate

thyroid replacement if iron deficiency is present (1-4)).

1.

Dillman E, Gale C, Green W, et al. Hypothermia in iron

deficiency due to altered triiodithyroidine metabolism. Regulatory, Integrative

and Comparative Physiology 1980;239(5):377-R381.

2.

SM, PE, Lukaski HC. In vitro hepatic

thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat.

Life Sci 1993;53(8):603-9.

3.

Zimmermann MB, Köhrle J. The Impact of Iron and Selenium

Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry and Relevance to

Public Health. Thyroid 2002;12(10): 867-78.

4.

Beard J, tobin B, Green W. Evidence for Thyroid Hormone

Deficiency in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats. J. Nutr. 1989;119:772-778.

Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329

and http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738

and http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

Low  copper http://www.ithyroid.com/copper.htm

http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxicity_syndrome.htm

http://www.ithyroid.com/copper.htm

http://www.rjpbcs.com/pdf/2011_2(2)/68.pdf

http://ajplegacy.physiology.org/content/171/3/652.extract

Low zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf

and http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

____________________

Hi, can anyone enlighten me here about the anti

body testing. I was tested around 4/5 years ago, and I assume it was all ok. I

am still undiagnosed, and still poorly to say the least. I had an appointment

with an endo back in July and she said there was no point in testing for

antibodies as I have already been tested. Is the antibody test just a one time

test, and if it's proved ok, does that mean you do not need to be tested again.

I am asking as this year I have spent most of it in bed, so many more problems

with pain in joints and muscles, plus weakness. Sore throats, flu type

symptoms, abdominal pains, (had gastroscopy , all clear).. I dread to think how

much worse things are going to get. My mum had auto immune problems, both my

daughters are hypothyroid, and I am sure I have an undiagnosed uncle... Anyone

got any advice for me..?? Many thanks. Marilyn.

[Guest guest]

Hi there auto-antibodies do change with time . when you are having an attack then they are sometimes high,but not always as if the attack is just one of manythe amount may not be as high. the TPOab is the usual one to do if they are prescent , let us say about between 20 and 60 , the doctor will often say youare negative or nothing to worry about or even that you do not have hashi`s . this is wrong . my first attack was a miscarrage and second , third the same.then one or two years down the line i had a sore , dry throat. then while pregnant with my son i had pre-eclampsia- they must have been quite high then. well over 120)but after testing in 2006 i found with correct treatment and taking selenium they were down to 15.5 which is in the reference interval. ( note i said

reference interval)and not normal range. so they can change from time to time. angel.