Why and how????

[Jennifer1987]

I was just reading a very interesting post about antibodies and do they disappear after thyroid is gone/dead! And then a question jus popped into my head that I cant answer, I know its probably very easy but:

Why all of a sudden do the thyroid antibodies, be it anti TPO or Anti TGab attack the thyroid???? What causes the confusion??? I really dont understand this bit...

My last tests came back with elevated TGab, why?? I dont understand!

[goolarra]

I just had an endo appointment on Friday and got to ask him all my antibody questions!

He said that once your thyroid is completely nonfunctioning the antibodies go into remission  However, they don't usually test for antibodies after initial diagnosis since the information is of no clinical significance...just costs money.

You have to stop thinking about antibodies like they're a swarm of killer bees just waiting for something to rile them up so they can attack!!!  Antibody reactions are very passive.

Their job is to neutralize foreing substances.  The moment you build up antibodies, they float around in your body and attach themselves to the antigen (foreign substance, or, in the case of thyroid, perceived foreign substance) that they were designed to neutralize.  This is the exact same response that makes immunizations against disease possible.  However, antibodies are very specific.  The antibodies in your body that immunize you from polio don't stop you from getting smallpox.  That's why we have all those different shots.  Likewise, TPOab and TGab only target the thyroid.  They are not effective against any other substance because they are designed to attach and "fit" into only one substance.  You can kind of think of them as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle attaching to the piece that fits next to them.

Why do the antibodies appear in the first place and why is the thyroid suddenly perceived as a foreign substance?  No one knows.

I have Hashi's, and I'm both TPOab and TGab positive.  Some of us just have TPOab, some just TGab (very small percentage), and we, lucky ones!, have both.

[6hashi]

it may pass by inheritence  .

[thelma201]

Most people with hypothyroid have Hashi's. If they don't have it, then the hypothyroid might be temporary..an inflamation of the thyroid caused by something else. BUT, it's Hashi's that causes nearly all of hypothyroid..hypo/hashi's, same thing!

[Jennifer1987]

Thanks for your reply, Im still not sure what the TGab mean either, When I thought I had known all I could about hypothyroidism I get hash's too! Great!

[thelma201]

Try to think of it like an allergy of sorts. It may not be as sudden as you think either. I have Hashi's and I think things were happening long before I was Dx'd. It's a whaky immune thing, just like allergies, or any other autoimmune problem. The TGab I'm not sure about, maybe ask your Dr. this one......I don't think there's an answer to "what causes the confusion"..if the health care community could understand the cause for that we would probably have a cure!!