so confused

tashdownunder

I am yet to be diagnosed so please excuse this rambling post. I am due to see my endocrinologist in mid-May and in the meantime I have been doing a lot of reading about thyroid conditions but I'm not quite sure where I fit in. Hoping that somebody will be able to give me a steer on whether from what I describe below it looks like I have Hashimoto's, or what. Seven months ago (4 months after my daughter was born) I was diagnosed with post-partum thyroiditis. I was hyperthyroid at the time. My endocrinologist prescribed medication to regulate my thyroid but I did not take it, on the advice of my family doctor, because my thryoid hormone levels appeared to be levelling out and blood tests showed that my thyroid was no longer hyper - well, at least my T3 and T4 levels were coming back to normal. At that time my doctor did not even order tests of thyroid antibodies. Around this time I started to stack on weight - 8 kgs in 3 months despite no change in eating or exercise (after losing weight very rapidly following the birth of my daughter). I have not been able to lose this weight despite regular exercise and calorie control. Now, several months down the track, my thryoid antibodies (thryroglobulin antibodies) are 185 IU/ml, and my peroxidase is 43. My TSH has jumped to 4.80 m'u/L but my free T3 and T4 levels are within the normal range (12.2 and 4.4).

I am wondering ow whether it is most likely that I have an autoimmune disorder, rather than a post-partum thryoid condition that will fix itself? And how do I know whether this conditions is more likely to be Hashimoto's, or Graves Disease? Also, is it likely that I will have caused permanent damage to my thyroid through leaving the condition untreated for this long? I am so upset with myself that I didn't take the advice of my endocrinologist in the first place. I have an appointment with the endocrinologist again in mid-May, but I am just wanting to find out all I can before the appointment. Last time I went, she recommended I have a radioactive scan, I think to check for Graves, which I also didn't have at the time. Would it still be important for me to have this scan in advance of my appointment?

fiberartist219

Why didn't you have the scan?

I honestly don't know anything about post partum thyroiditis and I don't know much about being hyperthyroid either.

I hope you find relief soon!

tecallahan

Peroxidase -- my documentation says 0-34 is normal -- if you are 43, that is high,
Antithyroglobulin- my documentation says 0-40 is normal -- if you are 185, that seems very high.

Did he give you a copy of the labs so you could see what range they consider normal? Sometimes it's measured differently in different countries??

I have Hashi -- my Perxoidase is 138, but my Antithyroglobulin is only 20.

tashdownunder

Peroxidase -- my documentation says 0-34 is normal -- if you are 43, that is high,
Antithyroglobulin- my documentation says 0-40 is normal -- if you are 185, that seems very high.

Did he give you a copy of the labs so you could see what range they consider normal? Sometimes it's measured differently in different countries??

I have Hashi -- my Perxoidase is 138, but my Antithyroglobulin is only 20.

Yep, the ranges are the same where I live. So my Antithyroglobulin is very high. I think it points to either Hashimoto's or Graves, probably Hashimoto's considering my thyroid is borderline hypo now. So it looks as if my post partum thyroiditis has developed into an anti-immune condition, which apparently happens in about a third of women who get pp thyroiditis. I'm so bummed. Feeling overwhelmed by the thought that I will have to cope with this condition permanently, and that in all likelihood I'll always have to be super vigilant about my weight. It's a very daunting prospect for someone who LOVES food

tashdownunder

Why didn't you have the scan?

I honestly don't know anything about post partum thyroiditis and I don't know much about being hyperthyroid either.

I hope you find relief soon!

I didn't have the scan because I followed the advice of my family doctor who thought I didn't need it because she thought my thyroid was returning to normal given my T3 and T4 numbers had gone right down. It is now obvious to me after having done some research that what was happening was a pattern that is usual when p/p thyroiditis begins to turn into hypothyroidism - it initially goes hyper, and then goes into a hypo phase.

lmelangley

I come from a family where thyroid issues are rampant. After I had my second daughter, I became hyperthyroid, too. But, like you, my levels evened off after a while. I didn't have big weight gain right away, but within a couple of years, I was literally asleep at the wheel. My TSH was over 5- can't remember the exact number as that was about 10 years ago. My doctor told me that this is very common - if the thyroid goes into overdrive after giving birth, it often swings the other way shortly thereafter. Sounds to me like you definitely have thyroiditis, but I'm not sure about the Hashimotos. If your endocrinologist doesn't want to put you on meds, I think you should talk to her about why and what the numbers would need to be for you to be put on meds. Good luck!

robynrae_1

I would talk to your endocrinologist before you get the scan. You might not need it now, unless your thyroid gland is currently enlarged.

IAmABetterMe

I have hashi's... I was hyper for YEARS but never diagnosed... they thought I was anerexic instead.... stupid doctors... anyway You can be HYPER for years before you go hypo. I have never had a scan so I really have no advice there... but I would check out Mary Shomon before making any descision... she has a site on about.com

JIMO

tashdownunder

I would talk to your endocrinologist before you get the scan. You might not need it now, unless your thyroid gland is currently enlarged.

Yes that's my feeling too. I think she wanted me to get the scan to see if it was Graves or not. Also I don't have that scratchy, hoarse throat that I had when the gland was enlarged so my feeling is that it's not enlarged.