Do i have hyperthyroidism? please help

Hormones
1

Hello,

Ive had two different blood tests and two different times that has made me come to believe that I am most definitely suffering from graves. before I get started let me give you a little background on my health crisis.

since around the age of 7 (24 now Male)  I have always suffered from weight loss, heat intolerance, muscle wasting, spider veins, and general fatigue, insomnia and restlessness. anxiety depression, memory loss.

After finding out that my TSH was at the normal range of 1.00 (0.5- 4.5) I insisted to have a MRI. (these tests happened over the past couple of years)

After the MRI my thyroid results came back with: “ both glands are enlarged with several nodules and cysts, being that there is a normal TSH level no action is required”

I wasn’t happy with this so I went and saw a endo... the start of my journey...

When meeting her she pointed out the unusual part that my blood tests results consistently showed low platelets, low white blood cells. so she did decide to run a RAI uptake test.

WHAT A MISTAKE I MADE....

Up until five days before the test I was self medicating with iodine which at the time I did not know was suppressing my thyroid and could have a effect on the result of my test. After speaking with my endo on the phone I immediately discontinued and the ladys at the hospital were notified of the fact that I had been taking iodine.

THE RESULTS. said something along the lines of

“ Patient Mikal LONGOBARDI, has show a high uptake scan of 3.5 maximum 4.00 especially with the fact of recent oral ingestion of iodine”

This is were I stuffed up.. If I had never taken iodine I would have been certain that my uptake scan results would have been even higher and that a graves disease would have been diagnosed. unfortunatley my endo left me to continue my path of severe health issues with nothing but “ maybe go see a haematologist”

NOW

recently I have been taking iodine, and feeling so much better, I got some colour to my face I was gaining weight and people were commenting that I didn’t look so sick, so I went to the doctors and asked for a blood test result on the 26/08/17 and this is what iodine has done to my thyroid panels.

TSH 4.81(.0.5-4.5) T4 17.2. (11.0 -19.0) T3 5.3. normal range ( 3.2-6.4)

I was a little concerned about my TSH but I was feeling so much better that I thought hey ill just continue what im doing but maybe take less iodine? (and with such a suppressed thyroid how was my ft3 and ft4 still on the higher end)

Well this is were it gets interesting....

After taking less iodine my symptoms started coming back...

My TSH has slowly dropped down to 2.92 but my ft3 and ft4 have gone up 

FT3 5.8 )(3.2-6.4) and ft4 17.9 ( 11.0 -19.00) my anxiety and insomnia are returning!!!!

so ive concluded that if I discontinued taking iodine all together that my TSH will drop back down to possibly 1 again? and that most likely my FT3 & FT4 will be too high???

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IM NOT CRAZY 

I NEED SOMEONE SERIOUS HELP I FEEL AS THOUGH IM DYING. 

2

BTW I ALSO HAVE THYROID ANTIBODIES BUT THEY ARE NOT HIGH ENOUGH FOR A DIAGNOSIS (they technically are in the normal range)

3

Hi Mikal,  From the description of your thyroid condition, I suspect you have no GD because your antibody test result is in the normal range (assume it is TSI), but do suffer from hyperthyroidism symptoms... It sounds like a goiter problem since you felt better and condition turned improving while you were taking iodine medicine which is effective on goiter.  The more experienced members here can give some deeper comment I reckon.

4

Hi Mike,

Thank for your reply, I wondered that too. My thyroid Antibodys used to be a little higher then where they were but I was able to bring them down with diet. I have to say though through research I have come up with quiet a few articles that have had a fair chunk of patients with graves disease that have low or undectable antibodies

https://www.thyroid.org/patient-thyroid-information/ct-for-patients/vol-7-issue-2/vol-7-issue-2-p-4-5/

5

Hi mikal33819, supplementing Iodine is only necessary if you live in an Iodine deficient geographic area. In the UK animal feed is fortified with Iodine and most of the population gets enough Iodine by consuming dairy products. The second most important source of Iodine in the UK is fish and seafood. 

Suppressing the output of thyroid hormone with Iodine is only used when managing patients during a thyroid crisis. It requires large doses of Iodine (in excess of 1000 times the daily recommended allowance) and the suppressive effect is only temporary. 

How much Iodine is in the supplements you are taking (what is your daily dose)?

 

6

Interesting article Mikal. So how did you decide to take this cause (mutation) for treatment even though you had previous higher antibody? BTW, as you mentioned how did you tackle down antibody by diet? Also, are you taking iodine medicine to remedy the mutation? Oh, how much we can learn new and more from each other here!  Thanks and best wish, Mikal.

7

Good to know and thanks, Dan.

8

Hi Dan, I’m from Australia and naturally our country’s soil is deficient.  I started taking iodine after reading an article from Dr David Brownstein were he mentions that due to the amount of other things we ingest that iodine and 150mcg a day is just not enough. 

Interestingly I had some really good results with taking iodine but still feel as though it’s not tackling everything! I was taking 6mg a day which is much higher then the RDA as u can see it was definitely suppressing my TSH

9

Hi Mike,

Originally my TPO antibodies sat at 31 (<35) 

And I have now brang them down to 9 from what I’m most likely thinking is because I stopped eating gluten and dairy and started taking selenium and iodine together.

I followed DR David Brownsteins protocol.

He is a big believer that all of us are iodine deficient even if we are eating  fortified foods with iodine.

I think u might find a few of his articles really interesting

He evens has videos on YouTube  

10

6mg is 40 times of 150mcg.  Iodine can "suppress TSH"? Do you mean lower or bring down TSH? That will bring up T4, T3 and so hit hyper?  I am a bit lost.

11

I also was using liquid iodine for a while and i found out that it actually controlled my heart pals but only for a very short time, then they returned, Then I came across a video on youtube telling how a well know liquid iodine actually cause thyroid disease and I haven't taken any since. I would suggest you do your own research on this,

The last time i tested everything was normal.

12

Hi Mike theres a little bit of controversy on this topic basically they suggest that people with hyperthyroidism to do their own research on Iodine as it can potentially cause thyrotoxicosis.

But I found that iodine caused my thyroid to go up meaning my TSH levels went up from 1.00 to 4.82 sorry “suppressed" was probably the wrong word.

13

Hi Mae thanks for your reply

Iodine does a have a short life cycle in your body thats why you were probably feeling your symptoms return pretty quickly after supplementation.

interestingly they used to use iodine to treat graves way back in the day.. don’t know why they stopped

14

Hi Mikal, your daily dose of Iodine might be high enough to partially inhibit the organification of Iodine in the thyroid (hence a higher TSH at higher Iodine doses). 

The article you referenced explains that in some patients hyperthyroidism is not an autoimmune disorder but is caused by an inherent defect of the TSH receptors. Interestingly, patients can be tested for this specific mutation. 

Some Graves patients do not have any detectable antibodies while in remission. Two years back, after more than a year on anti-thyroid drugs, my TSH receptor antibody level was normal. In January this year, my thyroid hormone levels were high and I had to start another course of anti-thyroid medication. 

It would be good if your thyroid hormone levels were monitored. Hope you find out what works best and feel better soon.