Treating Anti-thyroid Peroxidase AB's

[NixC]

I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and am taking Diotroxin.  My Anti-thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies results have been >1300 H U/ml (normal range: 0 -60 H U/ml) for the last 3 blood tests done over a period of 5 months.

Needless to say, these results are off-the-charts and no-one knows exactly what the actual H U/ml is.  My question is, is there a way to inhibit anti-thyroid Peroxidase AB's?  It seems that Endocrinology is a very vague science and most doctors treatment ends at prescribing synthetic T3 & T4 replacement, whereas the problem essentially lies with the mass-production of antibodies which are destroying the thyroid, etc.  I also have vitiligo which seems to have accelerated since the Hashimoto's symptoms started.

Any ideas on treating antibodies?

[goolarra]

That's a strong positive for TPOab, so it looks like you could have Hashi's, too.  

Your TSH is elevated, too.  Did your doctor test FREE T3 and FREE T4?  If so, please post those with reference ranges from your own lab report.  

Your vitamin D level is also way too low.  D has to be well up in the range because thyroid hormones need it.

How do you feel?  Do you have hypo symptoms?

Is your doctor suggesting treatment?

[kavita1968]

hi ,i have vitiligoand celiac disease> now on testing my Vit D levels are low about 20.64nmol/l as well as have TSH is 5.65uIu/ml and Anti TPO Serum >1300U/ml
So i am very worried as already have two auto immune disorders and what next

Kavita

[goolarra]

As far as I know, there's nothing new in the treatment of antibodies in since I wrote the previous comment (nearly two years ago).

TSH is a pituitary hormone that in and of itself doesn't cause any symptoms.  Once you have a diagnosed thyroid disease, it should never be used alone to manage meds.  Does your doctor test FREE T3 and FREE T4 as well?  If so, please post those with reference ranges (ranges vary lab to lab so have to come from your own lab report).  Out of curiosity, what's your TSH?  How much levo do you take?

My guess is that either or both your FT3 and FT4 levels are too low and you are slightly hypo.  I've never had a problem with hives, but I know that a number of people post questions about them all the time.  So, it might not be one of the top ten symptoms, but it is one we see quite frequently.

[PineLea]

Curious to know what you've learned since your post a couple of years ago.  My ab Thyroperox numbers are nearly 1000.  

I take a low dose of levothyroxine and have for several years.  My TSH levels are normal.  

I was having a nasty case of hives that kept shifting locations that went on for 3 months.  The doctors attribute it to my high numbers.  Did you have any similar problems?

[goolarra]

"H U/ml" means "highunits per milliliter".  

Your results really aren't "off-the-charts".  We see antibody counts in the hundreds and even thousands all the time.  Just to give you some perspective, on dianosis of Hashi's, my TPOab was 900+, and my TGab was 3000+.  Antibody results are basically positive or negative and raw numbers don't mean a lot, i.e. someone with an antibody count of 200 can feel worse that someone in the thousands.  Once you have been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease, repeat antibody tests are redundant since their only value is in diagnosis.

There are several theories out there on how to treat antibodies, none of which has been demonstrated to be effective in any large-scale study of a heterogeneous population.  Replacing T3 and/or T4 is the treatment.

If you'd like to do some reading, two popular theories on antibody control are treatment with selenium and dietary changes, which include, but are not limited to a gluten-free diet.