Topic of the Week
Dual Diagnosis of both Graves and Hashimoto’s is Extremely Rare
Topic of the Week!
Dual Diagnosis of both Graves and Hashimoto’s is Extremely Rare
It’s completely possible to keep your thyroid if you have dual diagnosis. But, odds are you do NOT have both Graves and Hashi. I don’t care what your uneducated doctor or those other groups have told you, read more and I’ll explain why.
When a person has Graves, Hashimotos can not be diagnosed just on TPO and/or TGab antibodies alone. In most Gravesters high TPO and TGab just indicates autoimmune inflammation. To diagnose Hashi when Graves is present you ALSO must have been hyPO without being on any anti thyroid meds AND must show destruction of the thyroid on ultrasound. Graves and Hashi are not just polar opposites, they’re entirely different in how they manifest. Graves causes a miscommunication problem between the pituitary and the thyroid. It causes inflammation of the thyroid but this is completely reversible. Hashi thyroid damage is not reversible.
TSH Receptor Antibodies (TRab) (Graves antibodies) attach to the TSH receptors on your thyroid and when your pituitary is trying to tell your thyroid to stop making hormone because the body has too much it sends out a low TSH number (TSH is a pituitary hormone not a thyroid hormone). The TRab actually flip this number and your thyroid thinks it’s being told to make more hormone. With proper management we can reduce the Graves antibodies and stop that miscommunication and go into full antibody remission. Things like goiter, nodules, inflammation and heterogeneous vascularity return to normal and our thyroids heal completely. Only Gravesters can achieve full antibody remission and reversal of all thyroid damage. Hashimotos will not go into remission and the thyroid can’t be healed because Hashi antibodies are actually attacking and destroying the thyroid. This destruction is progressive and eventually the thyroid can no longer produce hormone and that’s why they must take replacement hormone.
So, with all that being said, do not assume you have Hashi too just because you have TPO and TGab. Most of us Gravesters do. Now, there is often a hyper phase with Hashimotos just before full blown destruction begins BUT if you have Graves antibodies then you have Graves. We can diagnose Graves by antibodies alone but you cannot diagnose Hashi by antibodies alone when Graves is present.
Make sense? Or clear as mud? 
your with accurate and valid information!
