Just diagnosed with PCOS and autoimmune thyroiditis today. I don't understand the connection between the two. My endo says they are unrelated and both increasingly common. Is that why there is a forum for hypothyroiders here at PCOS? Or is there a link??
Last edited by calmwaters; 12-21-2007 at 02:16 AM.
They are unrelated you can have one and not the other, however, a lot of women with PCOS have thyroiditis. Autoimmune thyroiditis is more commonly referred to as Hashimoto's.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Lynn 34, DH-Chris 42, DS-Cody 15, DSD-Brielle 10
Hypothyroid 5/06,
PCOS 9/07, Septated Uterus
88mcg Synthroid Clomid 50mg - CD 5-9 O'ed on CD20--woot! POAS 5/14/09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
There is a thread floating around here somewhere talking about a possible link between autoimmune thyroiditis and PCOS. Since both may be autoimmune, they may be related in that sense. Sorry don't remember where on the board that thread is, but it is a good read!
Problem having both Hashimotos and PCOS is that the driving factors are the same-hormones! So it is like a double-whammy. Nice, huh.
Good luck to you, hope your road to managing your disorders is a smooth one!
__________________ Meds:
2000mg Glumetza each evening-less side effects
150mcg Synthroid-each evening
Phentermine 37.5mg-starting 02/02/08 and taking for 5-6 months
Minocycline (antibiotic) for acne-starting 02/02/08 and taking for 3 months
OrthoNovum 1/150 BCP-starting after AF, taking until June 2008
Verapamil 120mg each evening (for prevention of migraines)
Zomig-for migraines as needed
Thanks! Well, this will be the third autoimmune problem for me then. I think my thyroiditis is not necessarily Hashimoto's, as my labs came back negative today. It is possibly related to the other thing I had about a year ago, Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Crazy rare orphan disease, I would love to meet someone here who also had it (well not really, but you know what I mean).
The other thing is after the doc diagnosed me ...the BW results came back negative. My TSH was 2.01 (well within normal) whereas my next most recent was 1.26 only 3 months ago. Free T4 (3 months ago) was 0.99, and FT3 wasn't checked. So, even given there are new normal limits parameters, both of my results are still WNL but my endo thinks symptomatically that my levels are not ideal for me. (What a progressive doc!) Now, wouldn't it be nice if every person were tested routinely for baseline levels of the most common tests at a healthy, young age of 18. We would have something to go off of! Well, of course, it could be my endo was wrong too!
(What a progressive doc!) Now, wouldn't it be nice if every person were tested routinely for baseline levels of the most common tests at a healthy, young age of 18. We would have something to go off of! Well, of course, it could be my endo was wrong too!
It sounds like you do have a progressive doctor, and that is a good thing! Too many doctors glance at the lab report that states "normal" and never think about it again. I have recently found out this myself, the hard way My TSH has slowly been rising, and as of my last check in 2006 was 3.81. This is not within the new normal ranges, but my lab marked it as normal anyway. The only reason I found out is that I have gotten a copy of my medical reports.
If your endocrinologist feels that it is something that needs treatment and further investigation, I would definitely see it through. A good deal of doctors would have sent you on your way without a diagnosis of anything at all.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Well, being that it's a long Thanksgiving weekend, I won't be hearing my endo's interp of my thyroid results. I want to know what you all think! They all came back normal, I suppose (but of course learning here that may not be normal after all, as I suspect is what my endo will eventually have to say about it).
TSH = 2.01 (was 1.26 three months ago)
Free T4 = 0.99 (3 months ago, was not retested this time round)
Thyroglobulin antibodies = 20 (lab says anything under 40 is WNL)
Antithyroid Peroxidase antibodies = 10 (lab says anything under 35 is WNL)
I can't find much info on the web about the antibodies testing... My presumption is that any positive antibodies is not a good thing and not normal (despite what the lab lists as normal). Whatcha think? TIA! AND Happyturkey day. I am thankful for all of you cysters out there.
Well, being that it's a long Thanksgiving weekend, I won't be hearing my endo's interp of my thyroid results. I want to know what you all think! They all came back normal, I suppose (but of course learning here that may not be normal after all, as I suspect is what my endo will eventually have to say about it).
TSH = 2.01 (was 1.26 three months ago)
Free T4 = 0.99 (3 months ago, was not retested this time round)
Thyroglobulin antibodies = 20 (lab says anything under 40 is WNL)
Antithyroid Peroxidase antibodies = 10 (lab says anything under 35 is WNL)
I can't find much info on the web about the antibodies testing... My presumption is that any positive antibodies is not a good thing and not normal (despite what the lab lists as normal). Whatcha think? TIA! AND Happyturkey day. I am thankful for all of you cysters out there.
Wow, your labs are just fine! I don't know why your doctor thinks you have a thyroid problem. Your antibodies are just fine and do not indicate Hashimoto's. Your TSH is just fine, as is your Free T4. I'm curious what your doctor has to say. IMO, you should not be treated based on your lab results. Keep us posted!
ETA: Just re-read another post further up here from you and your doctor dx'ed you because your TSH went from 1.26 (or something) to 2.01 in a matter of months? So now I'm really curious...I don't think he should really dx you until he's checked your levels a couple times more.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Lynn 34, DH-Chris 42, DS-Cody 15, DSD-Brielle 10
Hypothyroid 5/06,
PCOS 9/07, Septated Uterus
88mcg Synthroid Clomid 50mg - CD 5-9 O'ed on CD20--woot! POAS 5/14/09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I know, I thought they were fine too! But then, I was concerned that perhaps any positive antibodies is not good, even if WNL. She Dx'd me due to palpating my thyroid and finding it has an enlarged right lobe, and also the sensation of choking (AKA Globus Hystericus) which haunted me badly several months ago. She also looked at my hair and that's what started her asking thyroid questions.
__________________ Me 30, DH 29, married since 2003.
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Survivor
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Forever converted menstrul cup user!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I hadn't heard frm my endo until today so I thought what we concluded above probably concurred with her. Today I got a letter indicating that though my TSH was WNL, based on her exam (goiter), my symptoms, and the rising TSH compared to previous, she is starting me on Levoxyl 25mcg and to recheck my TSH in 6 wk.
__________________ Me 30, DH 29, married since 2003.
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Survivor
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Forever converted menstrul cup user!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I know, I thought they were fine too! But then, I was concerned that perhaps any positive antibodies is not good, even if WNL. She Dx'd me due to palpating my thyroid and finding it has an enlarged right lobe, and also the sensation of choking (AKA Globus Hystericus) which haunted me badly several months ago. She also looked at my hair and that's what started her asking thyroid questions.
Well, I dont know if you'll take this into account - but when my first endo decided to treat me for hashimotos one of my antibodies was super high (dont have the test results with me right now but it was like, if the normal range is 1-200, mine were like 1200). I also had symptoms such as being extremely tired, sleepy, achy etc. Then I had to move cross-atlantic, and the new endo I saw argued that a lot of people have antibodies in their blood and that it was no problem. He said that so many people do not even know that they have high antibodies and that by itself does not mean anything. So I dont know, he told me not to take medication but since the medication improved my symptoms so drastically, I am continuing to take it. I just wanted to put what he said to me here, cause it seems to contradict what you said, that "any antibodies are bad".
I was recently diagnosed with pcos and hypothyroidism. My new doctor said that he has yet to treat a pcos patient that doesn't have some issue with their thyroid as well.
both? 
My TSH has slowly been rising, and as of my last check in 2006 was 3.81. This is not within the new normal ranges, but my lab marked it as normal anyway. The only reason I found out is that I have gotten a copy of my medical reports. 
