no ranges were listed for those by the way.

Yes, both of the Thyroglobulin tests show you positive for Hashi's. I wish there was the ranges to go with these...

Get the TPOab too as well.

{{{hugs}}} :-)

Really? This was all at the beginning of my journey and was NEVER addressed... only mentioned once or twice by my last endo... ARGH. So, it's possible or accordingly to my labs from then... I have had Hashi's and Graves this WHOLE time but was only treated for GRAVES since those symptoms were the ones showing??? Am I getting this right? or am I confused?

Yes. You were (are) currently being treated for the GD because the antibodies for it was more active.

You might want to also run the TRAb test to see about the blocking and stimulating antibodies, which one is more active for you.

{{{hugs}}} :-)

Okay, so now I'm more confused MORE than ever. How can one have both Hashi's and Graves? I've heard it many many times.... but how is it treated? Is it better to have my thyroid removed or RAI? I just want this to go away... I don't wanna bounce between the two diseases..... Do you have any information on both that I could look at?

How about if you ask Elaine Moore this? She will explain this much better than I can. It's hard to explain about the antibodies - it took me a long time before I finally 'got-it'. There are times that I sit here and have to think about the antibodies. I study them all the times.

You can also do a search at thyroidmanager.org to get ideas.

Let me see what I can pull up in my bookmarks.

Oh, also try stopthethyroidmadness.com as well.

These two places you can start and see what answers you seek.

I just want you to be aware that if you get an RAI, some of your antibodies will rise and take forever to settle down.

Even if one gets a TT done, some of the antibodies are still there and if it were me, I'd research all options carefully.

If both of the Hashi's and GD act up or go hand-in-hand, I'd be likely wanting to do the Block and Replace therapy.

{{{hugs}}} :-)

P.S. Thyroid disease is complicated no matter which way one goes with it...

Thank you. I have posted to Elaine.... I have been reading over stopthemadness.com all day.... I will continue to read more.... This is all so confusing. Up to this point, RAI has absolutely been out of the question for me..... I was very stern with putting my foot down and staying on the PTU to achieve remission. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if I should have gone that route. I am exploring the option of a TT and will be seeing a surgeon this Friday who specializes in Thyroidectomies... I'm keeping my option open while trying to stay as sane as possible and not fall apart at the seams in the process. This is all so overwhelming. Right now, I just want to feel "almost" normal, whatever that may be. I can't deal with the chest pains, cramps, headaches, and dizzy bursts.... I welcome the weight gain since I lost 30 pounds so sudden with the storm and Graves... but everything else can go away already. It's so frustrating. I don't know what I would do without this support forum.... THANK YOU SO MUCH for always always being here and reaching out to those who need it.... to EVERYONE who has reached out to me.... Thank you.

I keep flip floping between HypER and HypO is that what you are doing? I seriously feel like Im going CRAZY!! Do you have a diagnosis yet? Im still waiting. Good Luck to you :-)

First of all don't panic. Having both is not that hard to deal with. Usually you have one more active than the other...you've been dealing with the Graves part. It appears your going into remission and you could stay that way for some time or you could start to go hypo...like I have and need T4 replacements. With my antibody tests..they all showed negative except the Thyroglobulin...but I didnt get tested until I was on meds for over a year and my antibodies could have stabilized..so they were not a true picture of where I was at in the beginning.

I am on 62.5 mg of T4 replacement because my thyroid is slowing down. I have my labs done each month and if my labs go down to mid range I add another 25mg of Synthroid. I do this so I dont get to hypo. If my labs go as high as 18...they havnt done that yet...I will reduce my Synthroid by 25mgs so I dont go to hyper. Its pretty much the same as what we do with the ATD's only its opposite. So, it is manageable.

Your quite young so it may be something you have to watch especially if you are planning a family. When people your age has Hash..it can swing back and forth as mmz said but it could be years before it does that. You are very informed with your symptoms so I think you will do very well at managing your levels. I personally would not ablate because of this but that is me. I do understand your reservations though. Big Hugs...Kathy

I wrote Elaine about Hashi's and Graves and asked what she thought based on my labs at the beginning of this whole ordeal and out of sheer panic yesterday and this is what she said:

"There's some confusion about this because the thyroid antibodies characteristic of Hashimoto's (thyroglobulin and TPO antibodies) are also seen in Graves' disease. Graves' disease causes hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's causes hypothyroidism so you can't actually have both disorders at the same time. You can move from one disorder to another however. Usually, though, patients with Graves' disease who become hypothyroid develop autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis related to blocking TSH receptor antibodies. Your initial labs show an elevated thyroglobulin, which is typical in hyperthyroidism, and low or normal thyroglobulin antibodies, which is common in Graves' disease. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroglobulin antibodies would be very high, usually well over 400."

This gave my mind some peace but doesn't answer as to why I feel so darn TERRIBLE now. I don't get it. I worked so hard (as I type in tears) to try to achieve remission with Graves, changed my lifestyle, rested, quit working, and adjusted everything around me to accomodate this darn disease and with alot of persistance and Prayer, I possibly have achieved remission only to be welcomed by "HYPO HELL" that I heard so much about.... assuming that is what is wrong with me. My endo hasn't returned my call from yesterday regarding these dizzy bursts I keep having.... Now today, I feel disoriented... I have this feeling that I'm drugged on lorazepam and I can't function cuz I can't focus... IS THIS HYPO? Is this something I should be worried about? I feel absolutely SO needy now and I hate this. Any ideas what this is? If this is remission, send me back to hyper, if this is hypo, then get me out of hell! ARGH. How long does it take to pass? What can I do?

Bleg- I have been hyper with Graves for almost a year now after having a thyroid storm a year ago (you can read on this in my journal). I'm just now being welcomed by the "Hypo monster" from Hypo hell, I assume.

Dairy- Out of all my frustration, I meant to answer to your last post- I won't bearing any more children unless it's by adoption. My last endo advised against any more kids stating that it would cause a flare up so the hubby had a permanent fix. I have two daughters (8 years apart) so I've already been blessed with that at the least. Question for you Dairy- When you first "tested" remission, how did you feel? How were those first months when your numbers fluctuated?

You may want to see if Lorazepam is the culprit here. The side effects I've just read could apply to some of the symptoms you've mentioned. Symptoms include dizziness, chest pains, etc. Here's a link:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000560

{{{hugs}}}

I'm not on any lorazepam... i haven't taken any since maybe March. That's just how I feel.... I feel like I am drugged so I feel disoriented. I'm not on any meds now....

Oh sorry.

I would definitely think that you are too hypO for your body needs. I remembered the feelings I had when I became too hypO. I felt disoriented and not there. I was a walking zombie and felt like I was drugged. I hardly talked and just sat in my lazyboy chair and not moved. My chest hurt, I had severe muscle cramps all over, etc. It took a long time for me to overcome the hypO-hell I was in. It was during that time period that I lost the ability to walk and could never fully straightened up. I had to begin using canes and a scooter/wheelchair to get around.

{{{hugs}}}

YES YES YES MMZ... I feel exactly as you described. Except I can walk still (thank God).... but my ankles hurt when I first get going.... like arthritis kind of like.... or stiffness... In addition to the zombie, drug like feeling, I have no appetite, I have no interest in anything, and I'm tired but my anxiety is elevated so i have severe insomnia right now and do what I can to stay awake during the day (such as searching the internet)... I also have headaches and I also have palpitations every now and then and hear my heart beating loudly in my ears and feel like anyone around me can hear it too but they can't... I'm also extemely forgetful... I forget what I was going to do when I get up and walk around to the kitchen, bathroom, etc... How does one get out of here faster than just sitting and waiting without my PTU or will I get worse before I get better? My endo said it was a bad idea to take synthroid right now as it would send me hyper too fast... so any ideas?