questions on hoshimotos disease
 

Hi everyone, I have been dx with hypothroydism for over seven years. My meds have been adjusted down and up accordingly. Recently I was given a perixade antibody test along with many others including ANA panel, well my antibodys test came back over 1200 when normal is 60 or less suggesting hoshimotos disease. My thyroid meds needed to be raised quite a lot also, from 75 t0 125 So I am on my way to a endonconalgist in a week. Now also let me tell you that I have UCTD with features of lupus, and scleroderma, Raynauds, photosenstive, microscopic colitis, mytosis, perhieal neuropathy, to name a few lol, so I have quite a list of autioammune stuff going on.
My question is this, what other tests do they do to dx you with hoshimotos. My rhuemy took one look at the numbers ot he antibody test and said you most certainly do have hoshitmotos, look at then numbers, so I wonder why I have to go to a specialist. Also do they treat you diff then the synthroid when you have hoshimotos disease? Everything I read on it tells me that the treatment is the same also.
Thank you in advance for any help.
susie

Hey, Bobthebuilder (Yes We Can! ;)

Just saw this. I wish this site had higher traffic; I guess it doesn't because people like me realize it doesn't have high traffic and don't come back......which is a bummer! Because it's an important topic.

Anyway...... like I said in your other thread.......I have Hashimoto's, too. The treatment is to fix the *hypo* state of your thyroid hormone.. in other words, to increase your T4 (which converts to T3, the active form of the hormone). So you're right in the sense that it doesn't matter the *cause* of the hypothyroidism for treatment. However, it's helpful to be aware that you have an autoimmune disease for exactly what you discovered.....that you're at higher risk for having other autoantibodies and, therefore, other health complications. Like you, I have had positive ANA, SSb (for Sjogren's), anticardiolipin....

Having said that.......I haven't been treated "differently" because I have the autoantibodies. However, as I said in your other thread, both high dose steroids given to me in the hospital and tapered down over the course of the following month, and cortef given to me for a diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency, have BOTH helped resolve or stave off neurological problems. So my doctors are now wondering if the cortef has actually helped with unidentified autoimmune problems (something that's been messing my brain). This is a story that is "to be continued" because I don't yet know the answer to this, or how they "collectively" will deal with me on this. So keep posting and sharing, cuz I'm still learning too!

Hashimoto's Disease
 

I also have Hashimoto's and have had it for almost 25 years. My treatment has always been synthroid or levothyroxine (generic). Over the years they seem to put the meds up a little and down a little (currently down the lowest ever) due to cholesterol #s and bone density. It all seems like a balancing act and we are at the pinnacle, with us watching out for ourselves.

Anyone with Hashi's should NOT be on synthyroid or any synthetic thyroid medication. You should be taking a natural desicatted thyroid (NDT) medication. Mainly, but not exclusively, because the synthetic version contains gluten and Hashi's folks will have a reaction to gluten (period).

I have been diagnosed wot Hashimotos Encephalopathy or HE. I may have had it for years with. Neurological and cognitive issues. Then the eye Nystagmus set in. My nuerologist saw the sky high thyroid antibodies and took anlong series or scans and rests determined the diagnossis. It was being treated with a tapered course of 60mg prednosone down to ten. Got my eyesight back but I can barely do a thing without being exhausted. Next is the ivig treatments. After.so may years of living with ajar I am so grateful and a little scared of the treatments..

Repeated HE symptoms
 

hi vasilea,
How are you now? is it now cured? One of my family member is also having the same disease and she is repeated getting Neurological and cognitive issue. He is also taking steroid and immunosuppresssion drugs. But we haven't seen any improvement.

Hi Bob,

I do not have personal experience with Hashimoto's but I have two family members (by marriage) with it. (Different blood line.)

From my understanding, it is hereditary. The biggest symptom with my family members is fatigue. Neither of them have any neurological symptoms.

Both see an endocrinologist and have better managed their condition since under the care of the specialist.

While general practitioners are capable of managing many diseases, personally I think a specialist in a particular field and illness may provide better care.

If one has a heart condition, wouldn't a cardiologist be better equipped to aid the patient than a GP?

If one has a kidney condition, wouldn't a nephrologist be better equipped to aid the patient?

That is just my opinion from someone that has a general practitioner and 7 specialists to manage my various conditions.

A GP is a good coordinator but does not have the time to know all about everything. If they did, there would be no need for specialists.

Wishing you the best.

Here is excellent info on Hashi's. I finally got help after 10 yrs of conventional testing and being told I was "normal". After that 10 yr mark, I went to quite a few other MD's and finally thru a phone call to my osteopath MD who I saw for back issues -- he called in for Armour script, no labs nothing. The 10 yrs of depression lifted in 2002 once on Armour.

I've since then gone on selenium daily and iodine also. I've been involved with a few thyroid groups over the years and have found STTM group and information to be the best. And I do work to cut out gluten as best I can without driving myself nuts.

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hashimotos/