I had already ruled out hashimotos by blood test but I have all the symptoms and after just doing 23andme test it revealed I have a gene that suggest a have an increased risk of hashimotos.
Are there any tests besides just tsh to test for it?
I know this is a really dumb question but could i try to get doc to just give me synthroid to see if it would help even without positive test?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I would not rely on one thyroid test. Typical thyroid tests can be a bit out to lunch, especially considering those with lyme.
And also know that lyme in always involved in thyroid stress. It's hard to separate the "dancers" to see just which is most responsible for being out of step.
A good LL doctor is your best bet. They will know how lyme and thyroid interact and how not just to interpret that one thyroid test but how to order others - and "read" what they see before their eyes, too.
A good LL ND (naturopathic doctor) can help with thyroid SUPPORT and also prescribe a natural thyroid T3 / T 4 based upon a range of assessments, not just one test, but a collection.
Still, don't assume that the symptoms of HT means it's necessary haywire. It's a bit more complicated that just "Is it or Isn't it?"
Lyme, itself, can cause all the symptoms. It takes a skilled LL doctor to sort it all out.
In addition to addressing infection(s) head on with a thorough protocol: -----------
This author discusses the importance of addressing hormonal imbalance in chronic Lyme disease
- by Connie Strasheim - Townsend Letter - July, 2010
be sure to scroll down past a section of ads that looks like the end of the article. This is a four-page article. -
Posted by emla999/Lyme (Member # 12606) on :
If you suspect that you may have Hashimoto's Disease or hypothyroidism then I would suggest that you read Paul Robinson's book, "Recovering with T3". Paul had Hashimoto's Disease and hypothyroidism.
Also, I am not sure if there is a test that is a 100% accurate at detecting the early stages of Hashimoto's Disease.
But usually, a medical doctor will perform a TPO and Tg autoantibodies blood test to help determine whether or not you have Hashimoto's Disease. A doctor may also use other diagnostic methods such as taking an ultrasound of your thyroid gland.
And since Hashimoto's Disease can cause hypothyroidism a doctor will also usually check your TSH blood levels.
And some doctors will also go ahead and check your Free T3, Free T4, TT3, TT4 and RT3 (Reverse T3) blood levels when they check your TSH. Those blood tests can be helpful in determining whether or not you have hypothyroidism.
Though, no blood test is a 100% accurate for diagnosing hypothyroidism. So, if your thyroid hormone blood test panel comes back "normal" that does not necessarily mean that you do not have hypothyroidism.
Going by your symptoms may be a better way to determine whether or not you have hypothyroidism.
And for some people, the only way that they seem to able to determine whether or not they have hypothyroidism and to see if their symptoms will improve by taking thyroid medication is to do a trial of thyroid medication such as Cytomel (T3)or possibly Armour.
And if you do have hypothyroidism then taking Synthroid (synthetic T4) may or may not help you to feel better. Actually, some peope with hypothyroidism can feel worse when they take a T4 containg medication such as Synthroid or Armour because their body can't seem to convert T4 into T3.
The active thyroid hormone that your body needs is T3. Most people's body seems to be able to convert T4 into T3. But since some people seem to have difficulty in converting T4 into T3, some people must take Cytomel (T3) or something similar.
Furthermore, with the exception of the bull's eye rash and possibly fever, hypothyroidism can cause nearly all of the same symptoms that Lyme Disease can. And in my opinion, most medical doctors (and that's including LLMD's) do not know how to properly diagnose and treat hypothyroidism.
Long and Pathetic List of Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
The test numbers that are considered normal now by most of the medical establishment are not, and a lot of people who need treatment don't get it. You have to find a doc who will experiment, or better still, one of the handful of docs who know the old way of determining low thyroid function (symptoms).
Hashimotos and hypothyroidism are not always found together. That is, you can have low thyroid function and not the autoimmune part. As you may know, lyme does cause some autoimmune markers to appear. People who successfully treat lyme have these go away.
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
I agree---IMO all gladular diseases are caused by the stealth of spirochetal infections knowing 80% of the pop.s are infected...
The gland can grow due to disease to produce a goiter or the infections can completely destroy the gland...
Treating the Lyme should halt the disease progression.
Posted by docluddite (Member # 36032) on :
A normal TSH rules out nothing.
Posted by docluddite (Member # 36032) on :
A normal TSH rules out nothing.
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
Which tests have you had done?
It is important to have the Free T3, Free T4 (besides the T3 and T4) and thyroid antibodies tested. Positive antiboidies indicates Hashimoto's.
As I have posted before, I had hypothyroid symptoms for years and years. I was repeatedly told my test results were normal and nothing needed to be done. Finally, a doctor ran the antibody tests. Normal range was something like 0-30 and my result was over 2000! This showed that I have Hashimoto's. Some people with Hashimoto's have other results in the normal range, but treatment is warranted.
Also there is a lot of room to work in the "normal range." For me personally, I feel best when the Free Ts are in the upper one-third of the range.
I don't think I have had the antibody test. I will look into getting it. Does anybody know if you can do this test yourself from an online lab like directlabs?
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
I don't know. I have always had it done via a doctor.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Gigimac, one thing you could do while you sort this out would be to look into coconut oil. Coconut oil does something with the thyroid that increases metabolism.
I found this out firsthand when I ate two or three ounces of coconut cream concentrate daily. Over a period of two months, I lost ten pounds without doing anything else.
I did not exercise (I have chronic fatigue) and I ate everything I usually do. I chose coconut cream concentrate from Tropical Traditions company rather than plain coconut oil, because it tasted better and was easier to eat than plain oil.
I think I may have Wilson's Syndrome, as my body temperature is low. My TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone, tested in the "normal" range, so my doc wouldn't consider treatment. I have great difficulty losing weight.
There was a downside to taking coconut. In the process of burning fat for energy, the kidneys work harder and produce more urine. This wasn't a problem when I was awake, but I woke up every hour or two with a bursting full bladder, and I suffered from sleep deprivation.
You can google for thyroid, coconut oil, to find lots of information.
Posted by emla999/Lyme (Member # 12606) on :
Gigimac,
Yes, you can use an online lab service to test your thyroid function.
.
Posted by n.northernlights (Member # 17934) on :
what ddi your test say, what was your TSH? Note that some labs have a way too wide reference range for TSH.
Also, tests must be done first thing in the morning, as already after 10 the TSH number is half the morning number.
One can raise the TSH number by staying awake all night before the test first thing in the morning.
Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :
GigiM, the Hashimoto's test tests for antibodies against your thyroid tissue. TSH tests only your pituitary's ability to make Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. You will need a full panel, TSH, T4 T3 to see how you thyroid and pituitary are functioning. It will not tell you about Hashimoto's disease.You need a pituitary endocrinologist to help test for thyroid disease. If you have a teaching hospital in your area, call the patient registration office and ask if they have a discount program for those unable to afford medical care. This is for people who are not eligible for medicaid/medicare who have too much money. With that, you could get tests, but you don't have to rely on them for your lyme treatment.