Thyroid

[hopefulmum2014]

I have been TTC for 2.5 years and now after seeing a fertility specialist I am having my thyroid treated, as it is 4.8 and they want it to be 2.5. I just wondered if anyone has got their Thyroid sorted and managed to conceive or knows anything about it? xxx

 

[JD.Deedee]

I haven't myself but I do know thyroid problems can interfere with conceiving and give a range of other issues hope you conceive quickly when it's sorted x

 

[Syd43]

I have under active thyroid but it's under control with medication, I've conceived twice in the last six months but lost both. The losses were almost certainly due to egg quality and age and not thyroid. Once it's under control it shouldn't be a problem although you will need to keep a close eye on levels once you get pregnant. It could take a few months to level out. I've seen lots of people on here and another forum have healthy babies with thyroid problems (all had it under control) so you should be fine once its sorted. Best of luck.

 

[Clementine]

Hi Hopeful I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in my early 20's and it has been treated since by taking Eltroxin daily. When trying to get pregnant my Endocrinologist kept my TSH around 1 to 1.5 and his aim was to keep it around 2 when pregnant (pregnancy hormone hcg can effect TSH in 1st trimester, it can make your TSH appear lower than it actually is so they should also test your FreeT4 & FreeT3 as this indicates how much Eltroxin is in your blood)
They should also check if you have Thyroid Antibodies - this is when you have Antibodies in your blood that attack and destroy your thyroid, in my case I was antibody positive - I am now 45 and at my last scan my thyroid was pretty much gone completely.
I only started TTC at 40 so my egg quality was a big factor, I have been pregnant 3 times but unfortunately I have 2mmc's and 1mc. If your thyroid is managed and monitored it should not stop you getting pregnant.
An underactive thyroid that is not managed can cause infertility/ MC and also other things like hair loss, weight gain/weight loss, feeling of fatigue.
Your consultant will look after you and I hope you get pregnant very soon xx

 

[dolly26]

Hi hopefulmum I am in the same boat at I have been ttc over a year and a month ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I am coming to the end of my first cycle on meds and I have found that all my ovulation signs are back to when I was ttc my daughter (took 2.5 years) just waiting on my blood results from my latest thyroid check.

If you have any questions just shout xx

 

[hopefulmum2014]

Hey dolly thank you. I have very regular periods. They haven't diagnosed me with anything I went to see specialist 1st December she didn't say she thought my thyroid was the problem and 4.8 is fine by normal doctors but fertility would need it to be under 2, she gave me tablets 25g, just had my blood test and I am still 4.8 so that have increased dosage to 50g. I am now starting to think maybe thyroid is the problem as everything else has come back clear the only thing I am waiting for is HSG results, I am expecting to have blocked tubes or something but if not it really is a mystery. My partner has had 3 sperm tests all been really good plus he has 2 kids. I have had internal scan, ultrasound scan, blood tests and all fine. I am 34 & was pregnant when I was 17 which due to personal circumstances I couldn't go through with. Reading on net they don't medically say thyroid level stops you conceiving though do they? What's your situation? How come it took 2 years with your first, did you go see a specialist? Nice to hear you did conceive after the 2 years xxxxx

 

[hopefulmum2014]

Thank you syd34 how do you know what your egg quality is like? I am 34 xxx

 

[snowbee]

Hi hopeful. My thyroid tests have always come back as within the normal range (about 2.2-2.6 ish) but they say for conception and pregnancy it is best to be under 2. My level was close enough that noone seemed concerned but I'm not sure if I should have pushed to get it lower sooner in our ttc journey.

I do have high levels of thyroid antibodies, which is not something they can treat at the moment and they are investigating links with it and difficulty conceiving and sustaining a pregnancy. I signed up to a medical trial and while I do not know if I got the actual medication or the placebo I do know my thyroid level is now down to 1.2-1.5 for the last year and I'm now 25 weeks pregnant. I have a range of other issues though (pcos), so whether this trial medication is helping or not I really don't know.

I certainly think it is worth getting your level lower and seeing what happens.

 

[hopefulmum2014]

Hi hopeful. My thyroid tests have always come back as within the normal range (about 2.2-2.6 ish) but they say for conception and pregnancy it is best to be under 2. My level was close enough that noone seemed concerned but I'm not sure if I should have pushed to get it lower sooner in our ttc journey.

I do have high levels of thyroid antibodies, which is not something they can treat at the moment and they are investigating links with it and difficulty conceiving and sustaining a pregnancy. I signed up to a medical trial and while I do not know if I got the actual medication or the placebo I do know my thyroid level is now down to 1.2-1.5 for the last year and I'm now 25 weeks pregnant. I have a range of other issues though (pcos), so whether this trial medication is helping or not I really don't know.

I certainly think it is worth getting your level lower and seeing what happens.

Thank you xxx How did you get your Thyroid level that low? xxx

 

[Clementine]

Hi hopeful. My thyroid tests have always come back as within the normal range (about 2.2-2.6 ish) but they say for conception and pregnancy it is best to be under 2. My level was close enough that noone seemed concerned but I'm not sure if I should have pushed to get it lower sooner in our ttc journey.

I do have high levels of thyroid antibodies, which is not something they can treat at the moment and they are investigating links with it and difficulty conceiving and sustaining a pregnancy. I signed up to a medical trial and while I do not know if I got the actual medication or the placebo I do know my thyroid level is now down to 1.2-1.5 for the last year and I'm now 25 weeks pregnant. I have a range of other issues though (pcos), so whether this trial medication is helping or not I really don't know.

I certainly think it is worth getting your level lower and seeing what happens.

Totally agree Snowbee, I have read up so much on underactive thyroid and pregnancy and it would seem there is a link to MC / difficultly in getting pregnant if your Thyroid is underactive and also if you have thyroid antibodies. As I'm older my thyroid Antibodies have pretty much destroyed my thyroid but once I take my Eltroxin daily all should now be ok. As your TSH has decreased it sounds like they are giving you Eltroxin as part of the trial which is great.

 

[dolly26]

It took me 2.5 years to conceive my first as I have severe endometriosis, I was very lucky as I worked with an endo specialist and if it wasn't for his surgical skill I wouldn't have my daughter. It was after returning to work i felt tired all the time so I got some bloods done by my gp who weren't concerned of a thyroid level of 5.3 but my consultant hit the roof and got me on thyroid meds and has now referred me to a gynae/endocrine clinic but hoping that I can get my levels down before my first appt with them.

There is most definitely a link with the thyroid and conception and pregnancy. I definitely put my thyroid to root of the problem this time conceiving as my periods are regular and my endo isn't giving me my usual trouble. X

 

[Syd43]

Thank you syd34 how do you know what your egg quality is like? I am 34 xxx

You can't check egg quality sadly but I'm 44, at that age 90% of eggs are chromosonally abnormal.

 

[hopefulmum2014]

Does anyone know if 4.8 is under active or over active? xx

 

[Syd43]

Under I believe. Your doctor should tell you.

 

[Clementine]

TSH of 4.8 is Underactive it can also be called Hypothyroid.

They should also test your Free T4, Free T3 & Thyroid Antibodies to have a full picture of your thyroid health.

 

[dafig]

thank you

 

[Flora79]

Hi everyone, first time posting....

I've had my blood results back today and have a TSH of 4.42 with free t4 normal at 1.24.

I have been prescribed euthyrox for under active thyroid but all my research shows that it is normal/borderline. I am worried about taking medication that I will have to take for life. Do I have to continue with medication for life? Can you just stop taking it if/when you have a baby?

Thanks....

 

[Syd43]

Hi Flora. I'm afraid that's a question for your doctor, certainly nobody on here is going to be able to tell you if it's safe to stop taking your medication. Is there anything specific worrying you about taking it for life? I'm on thyroxine for underactive thyroid and have no problems. If you're asking are people ever able to come off the medication then I believe the answer is yes, I think there have been cases where medication is no longer required but generally it is something you take for life. I have heard of people deciding to come off the medication and treat it through natural methods but not without speaking to their doctor first.

For sure if you are trying to get pregnant and they have prescribed it then you need to take it, as you will have seen from further up this thread there is a lot of evidence to show thyroid problems can cause problems getting and staying pregnant, you need to get your levels steady.

Best of luck.

 

[Oneday x]

Hi lovely ladies,
I've been ttc for 18months now and have only just signed up to these forums having seen this post. I was diagnosed with under active thyroid years ago and never realised that this would have such an impact on fertility. All fertility tests have come back normal so this is the only thing I can think of that will be causing me problems.
I take medication every day to keep my levels under control and my endo has ensured they are at the right level now ahead of my first IVF cycle which starts towards the end of this year. What I didn't realise until very recently is that the standard tests that they do don't test for antibodies, and I think this is because there is no treatment for them. Turns out my thyroid antibodies are very high - my endo suggested that by having IVF this shouldn't matter but I am so scared that the antibodies may be attacking other things in my body and am worried it may reduce my chances of a successful cycle.
Does anyone know of any way to naturally reduce the antibodies? I read that going gluten free can help so have been for the last 3 months and plan to keep this up.
Has anyone successfully conceived with high antibodies?

Feeling very emotional today and looking for a bit of reassurance xx

 

[Syd43]

I'm really sorry but I know nothing about antibodies, I didn't want to read and run. I'm sure I've seen it mentioned in other posts so hopefully someone will be along that has some experience.

Best of luck.