just diagnosed with Hashimoto's/ still have hives!

[Guest guest]

HI all,

Thanks so much for the responses last time I posted. It really feels

great when people can empathize with you. It can get pretty lonely

when you are going to doctors that aren't helpful if not outright

dismissive!

Well, I was wanting to get my latest blood tests before posting. My

TSH went down a little, it was 5.25, now 5.14. BUt the doctor ordered

anti-bodies tests instead of just a standard TSH like the first

doctor. Mine were pretty darned high... the Anti-thyroid peroxidase

was 667 (range <35); the anti-thyroglob >3000 (range <20).

Also, had anti-nuclear ab's, not crazy high but out of the range.

Doctor would like me to consider a skin biopsy of the hives.

YUCKY!!! I am gonna hold off on that, perhaps indefinitely. I

understand that with hashimoto's you can have the 'ANA' also.

I also understand that with the thyroid replacement the hives may

subside (if they are due to hashimoto's) but my doctor was not sure

about that at today's visit.

The doctor has me on 50 (mg?) of Levoxryl (Sp??) and I go back in 2

mths for more blood tests!

THe dr. said I might not notice any change with the pills, because she

thought my thyroid was keeping up pretty well even with the high

antibodies... doesn't feel like that to me, so I am hoping i feel alot

more energetic and that my hair stops falling out and starts looking

better (not as brittle and dull) soon. AND I hope these &*(@#$%

hives go away!!

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

you also want to drink lots of water and eat a clean diet mostly of fruits, veggies, organic meats, some grains and nuts.jstpotter wrote: HI all, Thanks so much for the responses last time I posted. It really feels great when people can empathize with you. It can get pretty lonely when you are going to doctors that aren't helpful if not outright dismissive!Well, I was wanting to get my latest blood tests before posting. My TSH went down a little, it was 5.25, now 5.14. BUt

the doctor ordered anti-bodies tests instead of just a standard TSH like the first doctor. Mine were pretty darned high... the Anti-thyroid peroxidase was 667 (range <35); the anti-thyroglob >3000 (range <20).Also, had anti-nuclear ab's, not crazy high but out of the range. Doctor would like me to consider a skin biopsy of the hives. YUCKY!!! I am gonna hold off on that, perhaps indefinitely. I understand that with hashimoto's you can have the 'ANA' also.I also understand that with the thyroid replacement the hives may subside (if they are due to hashimoto's) but my doctor was not sure about that at today's visit. The doctor has me on 50 (mg?) of Levoxryl (Sp??) and I go back in 2 mths for more blood tests! THe dr. said I might not notice any change with the pills, because she thought my thyroid was keeping up pretty well even with the high antibodies... doesn't feel like that to me,

so I am hoping i feel alot more energetic and that my hair stops falling out and starts looking better (not as brittle and dull) soon. AND I hope these & *(@#$% hives go away!!Thanks,

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[Guest guest]

Your thyroid shouldn't have to keep up with Hashimoto's, your thyroid needs

to be put to rest and not work on it's own at all. Otherwise, all the

symptoms you are describing simply get worse from even more rising

antibodies to the working thyroid. This is a distinct feature of

Hashimoto's, and it seems to me that, from what your doc said about it

" keeping up " , he doesn't understand this at all. You need someone who

understands what Hashi's is all about. Evidently, he doesn't. Well, heck,

I need a doc who understands it and don't know one close by, only some far

away, that I can't reasonably access.

just diagnosed with Hashimoto's/ still

have hives!

> HI all,

>

> Thanks so much for the responses last time I posted. It really feels

> great when people can empathize with you. It can get pretty lonely

> when you are going to doctors that aren't helpful if not outright

> dismissive!

>

> Well, I was wanting to get my latest blood tests before posting. My

> TSH went down a little, it was 5.25, now 5.14. BUt the doctor ordered

> anti-bodies tests instead of just a standard TSH like the first

> doctor. Mine were pretty darned high... the Anti-thyroid peroxidase

> was 667 (range <35); the anti-thyroglob >3000 (range <20).

>

> Also, had anti-nuclear ab's, not crazy high but out of the range.

> Doctor would like me to consider a skin biopsy of the hives.

> YUCKY!!! I am gonna hold off on that, perhaps indefinitely. I

> understand that with hashimoto's you can have the 'ANA' also.

>

> I also understand that with the thyroid replacement the hives may

> subside (if they are due to hashimoto's) but my doctor was not sure

> about that at today's visit.

>

> The doctor has me on 50 (mg?) of Levoxryl (Sp??) and I go back in 2

> mths for more blood tests!

>

> THe dr. said I might not notice any change with the pills, because she

> thought my thyroid was keeping up pretty well even with the high

> antibodies... doesn't feel like that to me, so I am hoping i feel alot

> more energetic and that my hair stops falling out and starts looking

> better (not as brittle and dull) soon. AND I hope these &*(@#$%

> hives go away!!

>

> Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I have to admit I am confused by your comments a little. Wouldn't I

just be potentially over-medicated if I take more of the synthetic

thyroid hormone, since my thyroid is also producing thyroid. My TSH

is borderline high... >5, <6. On the other hand, are you saying

that my thyroid would stop producing thyroid , ie 'rest' if 'all' of

my bodies needs were supplied via supplement?

On kind of a seperate note, does my immune system also attack the

synthetic thyroid?

> Your thyroid shouldn't have to keep up with Hashimoto's, your

thyroid needs

> to be put to rest and not work on it's own at all. Otherwise, all

the

> symptoms you are describing simply get worse from even more rising

> antibodies to the working thyroid. This is a distinct feature of

> Hashimoto's, and it seems to me that, from what your doc said

about it

> " keeping up " , he doesn't understand this at all. You need someone

who

> understands what Hashi's is all about. Evidently, he doesn't.

Well, heck,

> I need a doc who understands it and don't know one close by, only

some far

> away, that I can't reasonably access.

>

>

>

> just diagnosed with

Hashimoto's/ still

> have hives!

> > The doctor has me on 50 (mg?) of Levoxryl (Sp??) and I go back

in 2

> > mths for more blood tests!

> >

> > THe dr. said I might not notice any change with the pills,

because she

> > thought my thyroid was keeping up pretty well even with the high

> > antibodies... doesn't feel like that to me, so I am hoping i

feel alot

> > more energetic and that my hair stops falling out and starts

looking

> > better (not as brittle and dull) soon. AND I hope these &*(@#$%

> > hives go away!!

> >

> > Thanks,

>

[Guest guest]

Why is this confusing, as the thyroid's production goes down when more is

given from outside. The higher the TSH (pituitary hormone, not thyroid

hormone), the more the thyroid itself is spurred to produce it's own

hormone. In Hashi's, the more thyroid hormone it produces, the more

scarred, sick, etc... it becomes, the faster the destruction of it, and the

worse you feel. No the autoantibodies do not attack the hormone outside of

the thyroid, they work directly at the site of the thyroid, but they also

work at the cellular receptors. The less of them there are, the better.

Not saying that don't still have a chronic disease, that's what Hashi's is,

just saying that it is, again, detrimental to your health for a Hashi's

gland to work on it's own. A lot of docs who know this do advise to keep

the TSH below about a 1. This is just to keep the thyroid from being

constantly aggravated. It is really, however, your thyroid hormones

themselves that count the most. In thyroid disease, hypo, the feedback loop

is permanently lost, as that was the connection between TWO healthy glands,

but that connection does not exist when the thyroid is permanently hypo or

is getting that way. It is Hashi's that it is so important to keep that TSH

below 1. To assume that a person is hypo or hyper only on acct of the TSH

is playing Russian Roulette.

Re: just diagnosed with Hashimoto's/

still have hives!

> Hi ,

>

> I have to admit I am confused by your comments a little. Wouldn't I

> just be potentially over-medicated if I take more of the synthetic

> thyroid hormone, since my thyroid is also producing thyroid. My TSH

> is borderline high... >5, <6. On the other hand, are you saying

> that my thyroid would stop producing thyroid , ie 'rest' if 'all' of

> my bodies needs were supplied via supplement?

>

> On kind of a seperate note, does my immune system also attack the

> synthetic thyroid?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>> Your thyroid shouldn't have to keep up with Hashimoto's, your

> thyroid needs

>> to be put to rest and not work on it's own at all. Otherwise, all

> the

>> symptoms you are describing simply get worse from even more rising

>> antibodies to the working thyroid. This is a distinct feature of

>> Hashimoto's, and it seems to me that, from what your doc said

> about it

>> " keeping up " , he doesn't understand this at all. You need someone

> who

>> understands what Hashi's is all about. Evidently, he doesn't.

> Well, heck,

>> I need a doc who understands it and don't know one close by, only

> some far

>> away, that I can't reasonably access.

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi ,

>

> I have to admit I am confused by your comments a little. Wouldn't

I

> just be potentially over-medicated if I take more of the synthetic

> thyroid hormone, since my thyroid is also producing thyroid. My TSH

> is borderline high... >5, <6. On the other hand, are you saying

> that my thyroid would stop producing thyroid , ie 'rest' if 'all'

of

> my bodies needs were supplied via supplement?

>

> On kind of a seperate note, does my immune system also attack the

> synthetic thyroid?

>

>

TSH..thyroid stimulating hormone..not a thyroid hormone but a hormone

from the pituary gland.. the pituary gland receives a signal from the

thymus which says more hormone or less hormone needed..this works on

a feed back loop system..

The TSH range is also a bit misleading..the median average for TSH is

1.25. You can do a search on TSH and find the range is actually

questionable as the range used both those hypo and those with out

thyroid conditions to inflate the range. Anything over 2 should be

looked at and anything above 2.5-3 should be considered hypothyroid.

T4 and T3 are thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The

thyroid produces mainly T4 and some T3.

T4 is considered the storage hormone, T3 is the active

hormone..mainly the liver but also other parts of the body convert T4

to T3 on a as needed basis.

Nothing magical to T4 , T3 etc.. T4 is a thyroid hormone with 4

iodine molecules( this is where iodine plays a role) , the body

strips off a iodine molecule and you get T3, one more and T2..

Synthroid is a synthetic T4 replacement hormone,generally speaking

the body does not recognize the difference between naturally produced

T4 and synthetic T4..once on T4 replacement the body recognizes the

T4 and slowly sends the signal that it does not need as much hormone

as it has been screaming for.. the signal goes through and the TSH

signal is lowered.. this whole process takes 6 weeks, it is similair

to taking 3 steps forward and 1 step back as the body balances itself

out at that dose..

Standard treatment for Hashimoto's is to keep the TSH supressed below

1 in order to slow the antibodies.

Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

Thank you that really explains alot. I like the analogy of 3 steps

forward, 1 step back. If feels like that... though I think I am

starting to lose my mind, wondering *if* I am starting to feel

better! ;-)

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I have to admit I am confused by your comments a little.

Wouldn't

> I

> > just be potentially over-medicated if I take more of the

synthetic

> > thyroid hormone, since my thyroid is also producing thyroid. My

TSH

> > is borderline high... >5, <6. On the other hand, are you saying

> > that my thyroid would stop producing thyroid , ie 'rest'

if 'all'

> of

> > my bodies needs were supplied via supplement?

> >

> > On kind of a seperate note, does my immune system also attack

the

> > synthetic thyroid?

> >

> >

>

> TSH..thyroid stimulating hormone..not a thyroid hormone but a

hormone

> from the pituary gland.. the pituary gland receives a signal from

the

> thymus which says more hormone or less hormone needed..this works

on

> a feed back loop system..

>

> The TSH range is also a bit misleading..the median average for TSH

is

> 1.25. You can do a search on TSH and find the range is actually

> questionable as the range used both those hypo and those with out

> thyroid conditions to inflate the range. Anything over 2 should be

> looked at and anything above 2.5-3 should be considered

hypothyroid.

>

> T4 and T3 are thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The

> thyroid produces mainly T4 and some T3.

> T4 is considered the storage hormone, T3 is the active

> hormone..mainly the liver but also other parts of the body convert

T4

> to T3 on a as needed basis.

> Nothing magical to T4 , T3 etc.. T4 is a thyroid hormone with 4

> iodine molecules( this is where iodine plays a role) , the body

> strips off a iodine molecule and you get T3, one more and T2..

>

> Synthroid is a synthetic T4 replacement hormone,generally speaking

> the body does not recognize the difference between naturally

produced

> T4 and synthetic T4..once on T4 replacement the body recognizes

the

> T4 and slowly sends the signal that it does not need as much

hormone

> as it has been screaming for.. the signal goes through and the TSH

> signal is lowered.. this whole process takes 6 weeks, it is

similair

> to taking 3 steps forward and 1 step back as the body balances

itself

> out at that dose..

>

> Standard treatment for Hashimoto's is to keep the TSH supressed

below

> 1 in order to slow the antibodies.

>

> Kats3boys

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your reply, I don't know that much about this stuff yet.

I just got diagnosed after suspecting this and I have a lot to

learn. The only tests I have had are the TSH and the antibodies

tests. My antibodies were extremely elevated, eventhough my TSH

were in the 5's.

I am just earnestly trying to understand better so I can feel

better. In someways I think I might be a 'test' patient for my

doctor, but she is smart and very nice/attentive, and maybe the

doctor and I will learn together.

>

> Why is this confusing, as the thyroid's production goes down when

more is

> given from outside. The higher the TSH (pituitary hormone, not

thyroid

> hormone), the more the thyroid itself is spurred to produce it's

own

> hormone. In Hashi's, the more thyroid hormone it produces, the

more

> scarred, sick, etc... it becomes, the faster the destruction of

it, and the

> worse you feel. No the autoantibodies do not attack the hormone

outside of

> the thyroid, they work directly at the site of the thyroid, but

they also

> work at the cellular receptors. The less of them there are, the

better.

> Not saying that don't still have a chronic disease, that's what

Hashi's is,

> just saying that it is, again, detrimental to your health for a

Hashi's

> gland to work on it's own. A lot of docs who know this do advise

to keep

> the TSH below about a 1. This is just to keep the thyroid from

being

> constantly aggravated. It is really, however, your thyroid

hormones

> themselves that count the most. In thyroid disease, hypo, the

feedback loop

> is permanently lost, as that was the connection between TWO

healthy glands,

> but that connection does not exist when the thyroid is permanently

hypo or

> is getting that way. It is Hashi's that it is so important to

keep that TSH

> below 1. To assume that a person is hypo or hyper only on acct of

the TSH

> is playing Russian Roulette.

>

>

>

> Re: just diagnosed with

Hashimoto's/

> still have hives!

>

>

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I have to admit I am confused by your comments a little.

Wouldn't I

> > just be potentially over-medicated if I take more of the

synthetic

> > thyroid hormone, since my thyroid is also producing thyroid. My

TSH

> > is borderline high... >5, <6. On the other hand, are you saying

> > that my thyroid would stop producing thyroid , ie 'rest'

if 'all' of

> > my bodies needs were supplied via supplement?

> >

> > On kind of a seperate note, does my immune system also attack the

> > synthetic thyroid?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >> Your thyroid shouldn't have to keep up with Hashimoto's, your

> > thyroid needs

> >> to be put to rest and not work on it's own at all. Otherwise,

all

> > the

> >> symptoms you are describing simply get worse from even more

rising

> >> antibodies to the working thyroid. This is a distinct feature

of

> >> Hashimoto's, and it seems to me that, from what your doc said

> > about it

> >> " keeping up " , he doesn't understand this at all. You need

someone

> > who

> >> understands what Hashi's is all about. Evidently, he doesn't.

> > Well, heck,

> >> I need a doc who understands it and don't know one close by,

only

> > some far

> >> away, that I can't reasonably access.

> >>

> >>

>