High Thyroid Antibodies

[allthesharks]

I've had some bloods done and have the following thyroid results:

TSH: 1.15mIU/L (Normal Range 0.27-4.20)
Free T4: 12.0 pmol/L (NR 11.0-21.2)
Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs. 625 U/ml (NR

It looks like you have hashimotos. I have it too. Luckily your tsh and t4 doesn't look affected yet which means your thyroid tissue isn't badly damaged from the antibodies yet. I would highly recommend isabella wentzs book hashimotos protocol.

Thank you for your reply. I had read about Hashimotos but given my thyroid function tests are within the normal range I didn't know if it could be that. I can't find any information about high thyroid antibodies and normal thyroid function from a reliable source (NHS, NICE etc). From what I can see, thyroid antibodies aren't usually tested unless there's a problem with thyroid function tests, at least in the UK.

Presumably they'd want to treat it before the thyroid tissue is damaged then? Or would they only do anything if the TSH dropped out of range?

Autoimmune thyroiditis aka Hashimoto's Disease and your FT4 is already too low.

Do you have symptoms?

Following OP - I don’t have any advice but have had blood tests recently with TPO antibodies at 399 and 367, with subclinical underactive thyroid. Currently awaiting a referral to an endocrinologist.

According to the paperwork I was given, the FT4 is still within the normal range (it was normal above 11.0).

In terms of symptoms - the reason I had the bloods done was actually on admission to a mental health mother and baby unit as my depression was worse than it had ever been and I was suicidal (thankfully much better than I was) and I know that depression is a symptom. I'm constantly tired but I have three kids so of course I am. I have scalp psoriasis, which I have had for years but this is the worst it has been and I am losing some hair, but that could be down to the psoriasis rather than anything else. I've also gained weight and I'm struggling to lose it, but again that could be down to lockdown, struggling to shift the pregnancy weight and one of my antidepressants has weight gain as a side effect. So yes, I do have some symptoms but they could also be attributed to something else.

I have had similar results to yours for years (although my Tsh is also higher - not high enough to be treated!) and an endocrinologist told me that because it's anti TGAB not TPO antibodies, that's not necessarily Hashimoto's, it can also indicate some other autoimmune issues. In my case, pernicious anaemia which I already knew I had.
As you say you are always tired, it's probably worth having more blood tests to see if there's anything else underlying.

I had high thyroid antibodies was tested when having fertility treatment I thought it meant your thyroid would pack in at some point so needed to keep an eye on it. My other thyroid measures have all been within limits. Can't remember which antibody it was I think there are two.

My first post doesn't seem to be displaying properly on the app for some reason so just to clarify, both my Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibodies and my Anti-TPO Antibodies are high (626 and 136 respectively).

It doesn't matter that your thyroid hormones might be OK. They will soon get worse due to the autoimmune attack. The depression stuff happened to me after my baby too, this is when hashimotos hits a lot of women. You can go on levothyroxine but it won't solve the autoimmune issue, that's why I recommended izabella wentz

Thanks for the Izabella Wentz recommendation. I hadn't heard of her before.

As your TSH tend toward the low side, it could be graves disease. Saying that it's possible to have high antibodies as a one off. I did about 6 years ago, was monitored after 3 and then 6 months and it went back to normal and has been so for years now without treatment.

@allthesharks i’m in a similar situation to you now (although thyroglobulin lower) and was wondering how you were getting on? I’m hopefully going to speak to my GP tomorrow

Autoimmune thyroid problems aren’t thyroid problems, they’re immune system problems.

Find a good nutritionist who works with gut health to fix the autoimmune issue at the root otherwise you’ll always be putting a plaster on a fault line.

I've had irregular vaginal bleeding since December and, as one of the checks, my GP wanted to check my thyroid. My thyroid function is still fine but my antibodies are still high. The GP felt my thyroid and could feel some swelling so I had an ultrasound on my thyroid on Friday. I should get the results next Friday.

I've also been referred to gynaecology under the 2 week referral as I've been bleeding for over 2 weeks now and, when this GP examined me (a different one to before) she could see abnormalities on the cervix. I have that appointment this Friday.

The two things could be completely unrelated but they've been investigated alongside each other.

Fingers crossed for you OP!

Has anybody any tips to reduce antibodies? Have been cutting back on gluten and taking selenium supplements for the past 3 months as well as other vitamins, however antibodies still over 200. Current pregnant, TSH in range, 1.9. prior to that it was high so my dosage inccreased. The last few times I've gotten bloods taken I didn't take my thyroid medication that morning so I'm not sure if I'm getting a true reading- is it lower due my dose increase of nit taking meds that morning? Feeling very worried and stressed over my antibodies esp after a miscarriage last year.

Where you are in the range matters and your T4 is on the floor, you are two digits away from below range. You want to aim for optimal results with T4 in upper part of the range. Your FT3 has not been tested and unlikely to be on NHS. Get private testing if possible. Pregnancy and hormonal fluctuations as well as iron and ferritin depletion from blood loss puts strain on the HPA axis and any underlying thyroid illness tends to accelerate during and after child birth.

I went through truly awful exhaustion and depression after my pregnancies and just felt I had severe PND. I never really got rid of the exhaustion and I now know from medical notes, I was hypothyroid and yet as long as I was just within the range it was completely dismissed.

You should take blood tests for Ferritin, iron, Vitamin D, B12, and magnesium.

Isabella Wentz is a great suggestion.

Antibodies fluctuate and can drop low then high, but once they have been over-range by a significant margin, even if they drop low again you still have autoimmune thyroid illness. Of course if you can get them low and keep them low that's better

My son had antibodies in one test then none in consecutive tests - he had no symptoms it was a test for something else.

OP I have had an underactive Thyroid for a long time. If my T4 is not above 16 I put on weight. If it was 12 I would be putting on about 2lb a month. Over time the weight builds up even if you diet. I'd ask GP to treat the 12 with Levothyroxine.