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Lyme and thyroid?

M

Maria1

Silence speaks volumes
Messages
139
Location
UK
Hi there

Is there research to link thyroid problems to Lyme infection? I ask because my 10 year old son has raised TSH (5.1). Auto bodies not yet tested.

I was diagnosed CFS/ME in UK 3 years ago, negative ELISA. Have had tick bites in family. Not sure if my son did.

My son was referred for investigation because of blood in stool (infrequent over years). He has had weight gain over last year. Sometimes gets nauseous which we have put down to lactose intolerance as he vomits after too much dairy.

I don't want to go down blind alleys, but trying to weigh up evidence and manage diagnostic process as NHS just not joined up. I asked for the TSH to be tested.

Many thanks
 
D

duncan

Senior Member
Messages
2,240
Sorry, don't mean to overstep, but why do you think he might have Lyme, @Maria1 ? Not sure I can deduce that from your post above.
 
M

Maria1

Silence speaks volumes
Messages
139
Location
UK
You're not overstepping. I'm not good at explaining stuff with brain fog.

I don't think he has Lyme. I think there is a possibility I may have it. My memory is shocking. I remember myself and my daughter having tick bites. My son had stomach flu at the same time as my daughter got a tick bite. I don't think that means he has Lyme.

I have a niggling doubt that we could ALL have Lyme but I don't want to pursue any possibility unless there's some evidence to indicate an increased possibility. Hence the question, any link between thyroid problems and Lyme.

Does that make any more sense?
 
D

duncan

Senior Member
Messages
2,240
Borrelia can invade just about any organ or tissue. That doesn't mean it does or will.

I have Lyme and I have thyroid issues. I do not believe the two are related in my case. I treat them independent of each other.

If you are at all concerned about your son having Lyme, get him tested.

Since I was a child many years ago, I literally have had hundreds of embedded ticks, representing at least three different tick species. The vast majority of those bites were harmless.
 
M

Maria1

Silence speaks volumes
Messages
139
Location
UK
Thanks @duncan

I think I have enough concern to request a Lyme test when he goes back for monitoring bloods in 6 months. It's the standard ELISA but that's all we can get on NHS. I can't afford private testing.

Out of all of us he gets rashes but again I'm not saying that means he has Lyme. He has had what looks like ringworm on and off since a baby. Ringworm looks a lot like Erythra migrans (spelling wrong sorry). I always thought it weird that none of us ever caught this from him. I never worried about it though.

The problem in dealing with all this unproven, conflicting science is that you can put a set of symptoms together and come up with a few different things, or nothing at all. At the end of the day it's just classification. And the question then is whether it's a necessary classification to merit any sort of treatment, especially with children.
 
maryb

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
I do believe there is a link with thyroid and Lyme. My recent test showed TSH of 5.4.. I cant take thyroxine as it gives me heart palps, armour makes me ill. Last year after IV abx for Lyme my thyroid was within normal range. I'm much worse now than then. If you do have the TA (thyroid antibodies) test and they are high they will come down if you eliminate gluten from his diet,
 
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digital dog

Senior Member
Messages
646
Maryb,
What do you do about your thyroid antibodies now? Do you simply eliminate gluten? I have been gluten free for three months now. After one month my thyroid antibodies halved. I have another test in two weeks.
How long did it take for your antibodies to go down on a gluten free diet?
Are you celiac?
Many thanks
DD
 
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