Guest guest Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Do all autoimmune diseases tend to elevate the SED rate? The reason I'm curious is because I take thyroid hormone to help manage nodules that tend to come and go in my thyroid gland. Even though my thyroid levels are normal and supposedly always have been, I've actually developed goiter two different times which went away after I started taking the synthroid. The last time it happened was last year at the same time that I first developed arthritis symptoms. (A very odd coincidence, if you ask me.) My GP thinks I may have hashimoto's (thyroid autoimmune disease) although I haven't been tested for it yet. I'm just wondering if my sed rate could be influenced by that as well as the arthritis. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Lab answer here. Sed rates are a non specific test that goes up with any type of inflammation. Any type of autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, would cause it to go up. So would serious infections, heart attacks, some eye diseases and pregnancy, among other things. It is used in RA, because increased sed rate levels tend to indicate greater inflammation, or more serious flares. Noreen Lab tech [ ] Question about SED rate Do all autoimmune diseases tend to elevate the SED rate? The reason I'm curious is because I take thyroid hormone to help manage nodules that tend to come and go in my thyroid gland. Even though my thyroid levels are normal and supposedly always have been, I've actually developed goiter two different times which went away after I started taking the synthroid. The last time it happened was last year at the same time that I first developed arthritis symptoms. (A very odd coincidence, if you ask me.) My GP thinks I may have hashimoto's (thyroid autoimmune disease) although I haven't been tested for it yet. I'm just wondering if my sed rate could be influenced by that as well as the arthritis. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 , Noreen gave you a very good answer regarding the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). It's important to keep in mind that it is not specific to any one condition. Also, even if you have an inflammatory condition, the sed rate may not be elevated. The first article listed below is probably the best I've seen on the sed rate. There are many types of thyroid disease, some of which are more closely associated with the elevation of the ESR. The resources below should help you understand the possibilities. Are you working with an endocrinologist? ******************** An excellent article on ESR: American Family Physician " Clinical Utility of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate " : http://www.aafp.org/afp/991001ap/1443.html ******************** American Family Physician " Thyroiditis: Differential Diagnosis and Management " : http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000215/1047.html ******************** If you really want some in-depth thyroid disease information, please see this site: Thyroid Disease Manager: http://www.thyroidmanager.org/ ******************** I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Question about SED rate > Do all autoimmune diseases tend to elevate the SED rate? The reason > I'm curious is because I take thyroid hormone to help manage nodules > that tend to come and go in my thyroid gland. Even though my thyroid > levels are normal and supposedly always have been, I've actually > developed goiter two different times which went away after I started > taking the synthroid. The last time it happened was last year at the > same time that I first developed arthritis symptoms. (A very odd > coincidence, if you ask me.) My GP thinks I may have hashimoto's > (thyroid autoimmune disease) although I haven't been tested for it > yet. I'm just wondering if my sed rate could be influenced by that > as well as the arthritis. > > Thanks, > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Thanks so much, . I have not been to an endocrinologist. My GP seems to think that the thyroid nodules and possible hashi's are not a problem since my tsh level is normal and I don't have symptoms of hypothyroidism (I do have fatigue, of course, but have lots of other things I could attribute that to.) When I told my gynecologist about the ra and thyroid problems, she also asked if I were going to an endo since they're both endocrine problems. Plus, I haven't had any menopause symptoms I recognize, but at 49, it's right around the corner and could easily be part of the whole mix. I'm thinking about asking my GP for a referral. > , Noreen gave you a very good answer regarding the erythrocyte > sedimentation rate (ESR). It's important to keep in mind that it is not > specific to any one condition. Also, even if you have an inflammatory > condition, the sed rate may not be elevated. The first article listed > below is probably the best I've seen on the sed rate. > > There are many types of thyroid disease, some of which are more closely > associated with the elevation of the ESR. The resources below should > help you understand the possibilities. > > Are you working with an endocrinologist? > > > > ******************** > > An excellent article on ESR: > > American Family Physician > " Clinical Utility of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate " : > http://www.aafp.org/afp/991001ap/1443.html > > > ******************** > > American Family Physician > " Thyroiditis: Differential Diagnosis and Management " : > http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000215/1047.html > > > ******************** > > If you really want some in-depth thyroid disease information, please see > this site: > > Thyroid Disease Manager: > http://www.thyroidmanager.org/ > > > ******************** > > > > > > I'll tell you where to go! > > Mayo Clinic in Rochester > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester > > s Hopkins Medicine > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org > > > [ ] Question about SED rate > > > > Do all autoimmune diseases tend to elevate the SED rate? The reason > > I'm curious is because I take thyroid hormone to help manage nodules > > that tend to come and go in my thyroid gland. Even though my thyroid > > levels are normal and supposedly always have been, I've actually > > developed goiter two different times which went away after I started > > taking the synthroid. The last time it happened was last year at the > > same time that I first developed arthritis symptoms. (A very odd > > coincidence, if you ask me.) My GP thinks I may have hashimoto's > > (thyroid autoimmune disease) although I haven't been tested for it > > yet. I'm just wondering if my sed rate could be influenced by that > > as well as the arthritis. > > > > Thanks, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 , Have you read about iodine deficiencies causing goiter? When thyroid levels are normal, iodine deficiency or iodine not being used properly by the body can also cause goiter. Commercial table salt has been fortified with iodine since the 1920¹s to prevent deficiency so deficiencies in this country are uncommon but still do occur. From the Merck Manual Thyroid disorders http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section2/chapter8/8b.jsp Causes of Goiter from the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=C536E64D-94D2-4027-8A03FD52317 8A27E & dsection=3 a > Do all autoimmune diseases tend to elevate the SED rate? The reason > I'm curious is because I take thyroid hormone to help manage nodules > that tend to come and go in my thyroid gland. Even though my thyroid > levels are normal and supposedly always have been, I've actually > developed goiter two different times which went away after I started > taking the synthroid. The last time it happened was last year at the > same time that I first developed arthritis symptoms. (A very odd > coincidence, if you ask me.) My GP thinks I may have hashimoto's > (thyroid autoimmune disease) although I haven't been tested for it > yet. I'm just wondering if my sed rate could be influenced by that > as well as the arthritis. > > Thanks, > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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