Enter your name and email to receive a FREE Graves' Disease
Work Book to help you with your disease:
You'll be automatically subscribed
to my newsletter "Keep your thyroid Healthy" to receive the latest
news, methods and recipies to cure Graves' Disease. Of course I'll
never share your information with anyone and you can unsubscribe at
anytime.
TSH,
FT3 and FT4 Test Results for Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism
Thyroid Antibody
Tests
The body normally produces antibodies
to foreign substances such as bacteria; however, some people are found
to have antibodies against their own thyroid tissue.
A condition known
as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is associated with a high level of these
thyroid antibodies in the blood. Whether the antibodies cause the
disease or whether the disease causes the antibodies is not known;
however, the finding of a high level of thyroid antibodies is strong
evidence of this disease. Occasionally, low levels of thyroid antibodies
are found with other types of thyroid disease. When Hashimoto's
thyroiditis presents as a thyroid nodule rather than a diffuse goiter,
the thyroid antibodies may not be present.
The immune system of the body
normally protects us from foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses
by destroying these invaders with substances called antibodies produced
by blood cells known as lymphocytes. In many patients with
hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, lymphocytes make antibodies against
their thyroid that either stimulate or damage the gland.
Two common
antibodies that cause thyroid problems are directed against thyroid cell
proteins: thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin. Measuring levels of
thyroid antibodies may help diagnose the cause of the thyroid problems.
For example, positive anti-thyroid peroxidase and/or anti-thyroglobulin
antibodies in a patient with hypothyroidism make a diagnosis of
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. If the antibodies are positive in a
hyperthyroid patient, the most likely diagnosis is autoimmune thyroid
disease.
Insist
on having antibodies testing, and if you have been tested and show
positive, find a doctor willing to treat you for high antibodies. Do not
accept from a doctor that high antibodies has nothing to do with your
symptoms, because there are doctors who believe this is not the case and
will treat you, and many people find relief in treatment!
When patient has symptoms suggesting hypothyroidism; when
doctor is considering starting a patient on a drug therapy, such
as lithium, that has associated risks of developing
hypothyroidism when TPOAb are present
Has been associated with reproductive difficulties, such
as miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, premature delivery, and in-vitro
fertilization failure
Thyroglobulin antibody
TgAb
Thyroid
cancer; Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Whenever a thyroglobulin test is performed to see if the
antibody is present and likely to be interfering with the test
results; since the thyroglobulin test will be ordered at regular
intervals after thyroid cancer treatment, TgAb will also be
ordered at regular intervals;
Thyroid
stimulating hormone receptor antibody
TRAb
Graves’
disease
When patient has symptoms of hyperthyroidism to monitor
effectiveness of anti-thyroid therapy
If a
pregnant woman has a known autoimmune thyroid disease (such as
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease) or has another autoimmune
disorder and thyroid involvement is suspected, then one or more of the
thyroid antibodies may be ordered early in the pregnancy and then again
near the end.
These tests are used to help the doctor determine whether
the baby may be at risk of thyroid dysfunction since thyroid antibodies
can cross the placenta and cause hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism in
the fetus or newborn.
Thyroid
antibody testing may also be ordered when a patient with another
autoimmune disorder has symptoms of thyroid dysfunction and/or when she
has reproductive difficulties that the doctor suspects may be associated
with auto antibodies.
Mild to moderately elevated levels of
thyroid antibodies may be found in a variety of thyroid and autoimmune
disorders, such as thyroid cancer, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid
arthritis, pernicious anemia, and autoimmune collagen vascular diseases.
Significantly increased concentrations most frequently indicate thyroid
autoimmune diseases
such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.
About the author: Svetla Bankova is an author of "Life Manual for
Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism"- a book, based not only on
her experience as a former Graves' Disease patient but
also her research as a psychologist. This is only book that
explains step by step how and why
Graves' Disease came to
your life, the cause and specific steps for alternative treatment of
Graves' disease.
...She avoided an eye
surgery and saw improvement in just 2 1/2 weeks!
Hi Svetla,
I just wanted to let you
know that I have been taking the flax seed oil and using my eye
drops for about 2 1/2 weeks now and I can already tell a difference
-I do not have
all of the pain in my eyes that I was having and I can tell by touch
that my eyes are not protruding as much.
I am going to the eye
doctor next week. I am anxious to see how much my
measurements have improved, because I know they have. I just
wanted to say thanks for your information, because I was not looking
forward to that horrible sounding eye surgery.
"I
don't have any questions yet, but I just wanted to say, "THANK YOU".
I
feel such relief and great joy as I skim through your books. I really am
crying. I know you know what I mean when I say that I have felt all
alone and misunderstood for years.
Your site, and now the books, have lifted my spirits and will to new
heights. Thank you."
