TABLET trial - anyone taken part?

LJ9982

Lara44 wrote: »

Hello LJ9982

I too had the blood test after a miscarriage in the summer. While the results were coming in I had a good think about possible next steps. I had provisionally decided to participate if my sample had antibodies. In the end, the sample had few antibodies, so we didn't need to go any further.

It might be good to make another appointment with the trial midwife to ask these questions. Mine was super friendly and really encouraged me to get in touch with questions. I would have thought she would be more informed than a GP. Maybe she can pass on some of the research, or direct you to further resources? I am sure you are also concerned about your health in general, as well as possible impacts on future pregnancy.

I just want to send you super massive hugs, it's such a sad loss and I hope you're doing okay xxx

Thanks hun - yes, i think that's what i will do. will give her a call after work and have a further discussion. TBH, I haven't had the chance to think ahead to what i wanted to do if i had the antibodies.... i only had the blood test yesterday!

As you say, i am just concerned ref my future health - not necessarily worried ref my previous miscarriage

peachyprice

LJ9982 wrote: »

Am just concerned that my body is producing these antibodies and wondering if this is something i can go to the doctor with and get them to investigate outside of everything else

Not really no. It's a research project and trial drugs, until the research and trial are complete and give a conclusive results that these antibodies contribute to miscarriage your doctor cannot follow that lead, until then it's just a theory a team has come up with.

It's entirely possible that once the research and trial are complete the team could come to the conclusion that there is absolutely no link whatsoever. Even if they do find a link it will still be a number of years before it becomes something doctors will be able to test for.

fluffnutter

LJ9982 wrote: »

I meant outside of everything else as in outside of the miscarriage. What i am trying to say is that i know miscarriage is common and my miscarriage might not have even been caused by this. what i am trying to say is that worrying about my general health and having these antibodies, i was wondering if going to see my gp and mentioning the bloods results, whether they might do anything about this..... i am just thinking of my future health!

Lots of people's blood is full of all sorts of antibodies. That doesn't mean there's an underlying pathology (disease) - it's just how your immune system works. They're only of significance during pregnancy (because they can cause problems for the baby). They won't cause problems for you which is why it would be pointless to investigate generally.

Lara44

Oh goodness, mine took 3 weeks to come through!

From my previous limited research at the time, I came to understand that it's not always the case that a high antibody result is benign. It can be an indicator of current thyroid disease or future disease as this link explains. However, I think the best person to chat about it next is definitely the study midwife. I am sure these more general questions come up all the time for study participants.

I hope you get some more information LJ9982.

LJ9982

Lara44 wrote: »

Oh goodness, mine took 3 weeks to come through!

From my previous limited research at the time, I came to understand that it's not always the case that a high antibody result is benign. It can be an indicator of current thyroid disease or future disease as this link explains. However, I think the best person to chat about it next is definitely the study midwife. I am sure these more general questions come up all the time for study participants.

I hope you get some more information LJ9982.

This is what i mean - it isn't necessarily the pregnancy aspect i am looking at. This is a subject i know nothing about and i just need to know whether these antibodies should be there/could affect my general health in the future...... are the antibodies trying to fight some underlying other problem....

fluffnutter

LJ9982 wrote: »

This is what i mean - it isn't necessarily the pregnancy aspect i am looking at. This is a subject i know nothing about and i just need to know whether these antibodies should be there/could affect my general health in the future...... are the antibodies trying to fight some underlying other problem....

Google it, lovey. I don't think you need to be concerned.

LJ9982

fluffnutter wrote: »

Google it, lovey. I don't think you need to be concerned.

I have - and i am not currently worried but the antibodies may cause me future problems with my thyroid it seems.....

Link: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/antibody.htm


February 1998 -- If your doctor has told you that you have tested positive for "thyroid antibodies" but you have a normal TSH, what does that mean? Usually, it indicates that your thyroid is in the process of autoimmune failure. Not failed yet, and not failed enough to register in the standard TSH thyroid test, but in the process of failing.

Many doctors believe that antibodies alone are NOT reason to treat someone with thyroid hormone. This is despite the fact that the presence of antibodies alone can cause thyroid-related symptoms, and have been shown to affect fertility or the ability to maintain a pregnancy. (An article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, August 1997 states, "the risk of miscarriage is twice as high in women who have antithyroid antibodies than in those who do not..." and Obstetrics and Gynecology 1997 Volume 90:364-369, states "the risk of miscarriage is higher when a woman is positive for antithyroid microsomal antibody...")

There are, however, some endocrinologists, as well as holistic MDs, osteopaths and other practitioners who believe that the presence of thyroid antibodies alone is enough to warrant treatment with small amounts of thyroid hormone. If you've tested positive for antibodies, and have a TSH in the "normal range," but still don't feel well, you may with to consult with a practitioner who has this philosophy.

One such practitioner is Dr. Elizabeth Vliet, an MD who runs Her Place, a women's health clinic at All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth, and author of Screaming to be Heard: Hormonal Connections Women Suspect...and Doctors Ignore. Dr. Vliet does not believe that TSH tests are the almightly indicator of a woman's thyroid health. Dr. Vliet says that symptoms, along with elevated thyroid antibodies and normal TSH, may be a reason for treatment with thyroid hormone. Here's a quote from her book:

"The problem I have found is that too often women are told their thyroid is normal without having the complete thyroid tests done. Of course, what most people, and many physicians, don't realize is that...a 'normal range' on a laboratory report is just that: a range. A given person may require higher or lower levels to feel well and to function optimally. I think we must look at the lab results along with the clinical picture described by the patient...I have a series of more than a hundred patients, all but two are women, who had a normal TSH and turned out to have significantly elevated thyroid antibodies that meant they needed thyroid medication in order to feel normal. This type of oversight is particularly common with a type of thyroid disease called thyroiditis, which is about 25 times more common in females than males...a woman may experience the symptoms of disease months to years before TSH goes up..."

The other issue is the TSH level itself. While at many labs, "normal" range is .5 to 5.5 (with over 5.5 being hypothyroid), my endocrinologist (a 40 year old woman) believes FIRMLY that most women do not normalize unless TSH is between 1 and 2 (considered low by some docs) and that a woman with evidence of thyroid disease will find it hard to get and/or maintain a pregnancy at higher TSH's than 1-2. (I didn't get pregnant at a TSH of 4, a level considered totally NORMAL at my lab, but got pregnant in one month at TSH of 1.2 and just had my baby on Dec 31).(See my Pregnancy Guide.

If you haven't had your antibodies tested, and suspect you may be hypothyroid despite a so- called "normal" TSH test, I suggest you read the following article at my site for more ideas on how to proceed. HELP! My TSH Is "Normal" But I Think I'm Hypothyroid, which offers a look at your next steps -- including defining the "normal" range with your doc, antibody testing, TRH testing, and drugs beyond T4 therapy -- and where to find a doctor to help.

fluffnutter

Aah yes. Googling stuff can be bad too.

LJ9982

fluffnutter wrote: »

Aah yes. Googling stuff can be bad too.

Indeed - i am not worrying unnecessarily and have left a message for the midwife doing the trial to call me and see if i can see the consultant and just get some reassurance/answers

Lara44

It's definitely a good idea to push for a referral LJ9982. I'd also try to get access to the clinical studies that the Internet articles refer to. It's good to get a clear idea of the study results that are out there, and even skimming them might trigger a list of questions for the specialist. (((((Huge hugs))))) for dealing with all of this.