Could a thyroid disorder display symptoms of both hypo and hyperthyroidism?

Answer 1

First, your thyroid is like an engine. It cannot - at the same moment - run both fast and slow. It can however, one minute be slow and the next minute be fast, and that can happen with both autoimmune thyroid diseases - Hashimoto's and Graves'.

The person who asked why her husband had hyper symptoms while testing hypO should read the following:

The symptoms of hypO and hypERthyroid conditions may appear to be the same in many people. The symptoms cross over and indicate there is a problem, but not necessarily which problem. In fact, it can be quite difficult to discern by symptoms alone if your thyroid has gone too high or too low until the situation is very serious. The best way to know your thyroid function is to test it, including TSH, Frees - Free T4 and Free T3 - and TPOabs. A few rare persons (myself included) lose weight when hypO (presumably because of malabsorption from an improperly working gut) and gain weight when hypER. Diarrhea can take the place of constipation as a result of gut inflammation caused by hypOthyroidism. Additionally, the symptoms of hypO and hypERthyroidism can often be virtually the same, which can be confusing to both patients and their physicians. This shows the importance of frequent lab testing.

Yes, it is possible for a single patient to have both Hashimoto's and Graves' at the same time. They are two different autoimmune diseases. It's like having the the flu and a cold at the same time. Both are autoimmune disorders in which the body's immune system is attacking itself. In Hashi's, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland itself, where Graves' is a disease of only the TSH receptor. This can create a confusing set of symptoms. Additionally, Graves' can both stimulate and block TSH receptors in the thyroid at the same time creating a confusing situation of rollercoastering highs and lows... and Hashi's patients can suffer a syndrome of thryoid dumping called Hashi's Toxicosis that causes a temporary hypER situation.

If the thyroid is very unstable, it will rollercoaster. The TSH test (sometimes the only test an unknowledgeable doctor uses) only tells you the average thyroid level over a period of about 6-8 weeks. Your Free T3 and Free T4 level must be off at the moment your blood is drawn for the test to reflect an abnormality. I