Thyroid

[cleowasmycat]

Hi, my Doc has written to me to say my thyroid antibodies are high and I'm highly likely to develop an under active thyroid and to go in and discuss. I had checks as in family history and have been feeling constantly tired. Does this mean I require medication now or will do at some point?

Welcome to the club,

It means you will definitely need medication at some point and, depending on your results, that point may be now.

Yes, you probably will need medication at some point. But don't worry too much. Although it can take some time to get your medication to the ideal dose, hypothyroidism can usually be managed very successfully. It's just a daily tablet with minimal side effects (it's just replacing what you would normally produce) and an annual blood test. Looking after your general health (good diet, sufficient sleep and exercise) will help too.

My question is now that I already feel quite poo hence why I went to Doc. I have high antibodies but bloods normal. Will I start thyroxine straight away?

It depends what "fine" is. You need to ask what your blood results were. It's v good they checked antibodies. They may monitor for now but if your tsh was say around 3.5/4 or a bit higher they might consider medicating a little given your symptoms. They tend to medicate at around 10 but you will feel awful at that level.

It's also hard to tell what's going on - sometimes your thyroid tries to respond to the antibodies by growing (goitre) which can cause up and down symptoms.

Did they test other things? Thyroids/ thyroid hormones need iodine, selenium and iron to work well. Did they test your ferritin (iron)? And vitamin d? Iodine easily got from dairy and white fish but you could take a multivitamin with it in plus selenium to help.

I very much recommend the British Thyroid Foundation- you can ring volunteers. Joining is best as you can send qs in which endos will answer.

Also the BMA book thyroid disorders, just to help you understand the ins and outs of it all.

Unfortunately things with thyroids can take a while to sort out due to long half lives of drugs and how the body responds to the antibodies and the medication as well as how it recovers. The quick help guides the BTF do can be really handy to show relatives/ partners and perhaps mention it to work too.

You will feel better eventually though when all is sorted out.

www.amazon.co.uk/Thyroid-Disorders-Understanding-Family-Doctor/dp/1903474191

Book.

Did they test for coeliac disease too? The two can occur together. Pernicious anemia is the other one, which would show as very low b12. All three are auto immune diseases.

I was told the same thing by my GP 8 years ago and despite my antibody level being anywhere between 500-800 ( I get them checked yearly) my TSH level remains at the normal level and despite feeling tired, feeling cold, struggling to lose weight, hair loss etc they won't medicate me until the TSH level indicates an underactive thyroid. It's so bloody frustrating.