TTC and subclinical hypothyroidism

Hi all, Happy New Year and I hope everyone had a good festive holiday and is doing well. Sorry for the radio silence from me, I was away and off grid, think I have managed to unwind which feels good.

@Owl86 the swing in tsh is frustrating, hopefully the endocrinologist will be able to adjust the dosage ever so delicately this time. I've just had my results back and I've reached a tsh of 2, waiting to hear my next dosage instructions but hoping it'll be quite a cautious adjustment. That's interesting on the prolactin, I wouldn't see it as bad news though as all info is empowering and I think that's one they can quite readily do something about...definitely mention it to our endocrinologist as I think it's also part of same field.

I saw an endocrinologist and GP for my hyperthyroidism and to be honest the GP was just as useful and much cheaper..

Thanks @Songbird50 - I hadn't seen that Tommy's story before and it's definitely a bit reassuring 🙂

@CTMcG great to hear all is going well, that your TSH is good, and how the monitoring continues .

@nellyinthegarden congratulations . I'm only at the start of this journey so can only imagine how you are feeling, but it sounds very understandable. Even where I'm at I'm trying to protect myself from all of the emotional highs and lows. I don't know whether you've ever seen this family's story: www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support/baby-loss-stories/recurrent-miscarriage-and-autoimmune-disorders I came across it a few weeks ago and it reassured me we're doing all the right things.

Thanks @CTMcG. When my levels were last tested (about 8 weeks ago) TSH was 2.36 and FT4 was 15.6 after a couple of months on a low dose of thyroxine (antibodies were about the same). I should be able to get the results of yesterday's blood tests in the middle of next week, so will have a better sense of how things are going then.

Because of the two previous losses I have been referred to a consultant at the early pregnancy unit for a 'reassurance' scan, so if we make it to 6/7 weeks this time I'm hoping they can also advise on thyroid issues and/or refer me on to an endocrinologist. Although I still have the details of the endo @Owl86 recommended months ago in case I need them!

@nellyinthegarden congratulations!! I am sure this is a very scary, stressful time for you. I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you and little bean!!

How is your levels currently? When I fell pregnant, my TSH level was 3.85, levothyroxine was upped by 25mg and since then my level has stayed between 1 and 2 xx

Hi @CTMcG

According to the tests I've had FT4 should be between 12 and 22, but 12-17 is optimal (that's not specific for pregnancy though). So sounds like your numbers are great! Hope things are going OK other than that.

Update from me - I found out earlier this week that I'm pregnant for the third time this year (currently 4+4). Both previous pregnancies have ended at 6-7 weeks, so I think the next two to three weeks are going to be pretty horrible. Trying to reassure myself since this is the first pregnancy I'm on thyroxine, so at least something is different. Really hope it's enough, since I'm certainly not feeling any joy or excitement yet. And what's making it worse is that today would have been the due date for the first miscarriage, so my feelings are all over the place 😖

Went for some GP blood tests yesterday, and going to have another private postal test in about 3 weeks time so I can adjust my thyroxine dose if needed (my GP is totally useless on that front).

Hope everyone else is doing ok and is less stressed than I currently feel! X

Hi all!

How is everyone doing? - just checking in, its been a while! My thyroid levels are being checked every 6 weeks and I am now 17+5 today. TSH level is still good - 1.73. My T4 is 16.3, is this a normal range figure for T4? I know the TSH level is good but unsure of T4 xx

www.tomakeamommy.com/coq10-for-fertility-how-coenzyme-q10-improves-egg-quality-in-age-related-infertility/#

Doh! Forgot the link...

I'm taking 1 Solgar Ubiquinol 200mg softgel a day at the moment, the label says take 1-2. I really like this article as an easy read that explains the research and dosages :)

Is there a particular dosage with ubiquinol? Any brands that people have researched and recommend? Pretty sure my period will arrive bang on queue tomorrow, and there was me feeling a tiny bit hopeful!

@Owl86 I think we can all totally identify with how you're feeling. Luckily it comes and goes but I need to be in the right mood to cope with friend's announcements and trips out with their little ones, and not to just put on a brave face :)

I've decided that lots of distractions and other things to look fwd to will stop me getting blinkered (which I'm prone to do) and keep me in the best headspace. As I'm almost 40 I was having a look at the stats. It's mainly the % of good quality eggs that seems to reduce with age so it takes more months to happen upon a viable egg, but when that egg does come up there's no reason we shouldn't stand as good a chance as we did in our 20s! And it's thought the eggs keep perfectly well in the reserve, it's during the 3 months maturation before ovulation that we need protect them from 'aging'. I agree with @FlyingGiraffe , I'm taking the ubiquinol for egg quality, proceive omega 3, and preconception vitamins. Plus now my daily Brazil nut! Just wish the ubiquinol wasn't so expensive, sigh. Trying to eat healthily, but I haven't given up coffee or gluten yet...I will if I have to but they are currently keeping me sane. I might eventually do the latter to see if it brings down my thyroid antibodies....

I've got one of Emma Cannon's books to start reading so I'll pass on any tips, and I might get It Starts with the Egg.

In Thyroid news, I just got my blood results, 3.85, so getting there...need to speak to the endocrinologist and my GP. It sounds like your T4 is stabilising nicely and the tsh will follow via the feed back loop. I do feel much better you know, even though I never thought I had symptoms, and this month I had my most 'normal' cycle yet since stopping the pill. Perfect temps and length etc, I'm sure the levothyroxine is helping.

@Owl86 sorry you're feeling down. It's so hard isnt it. I understand how you're feeling - a few of our friends are pregnant or have given birth recently, and I've found it really tough. I guess the plus of turning 35 is you can now go to the gp?! It might be worth trying to get on the wait list. Have you had day 21 tests etc? I've been on the waiting list since March after having the basic blood tests and they still dont know when I'll be seen. I am in Wales though! I think England is likely a lot faster from what I've read on here. I'm glad weve gone for private tests in our case as it doesnt sound like we'll be seen anytime soon and time isnt on our side. In the meantime I'm trying all sorts! Ubiquinol, vitamin c & e, a hot water bottle to keep the feet warm! Anything is worth a try now 😂 fingers crossed your tsh comes up with the new dose. Hope you're ok anyway and feel a bit better this evening xx

Hi @Everythingcrossed2021 😊
That does seem odd it's not moved more. I think it's great that you've managed to get a GP appointment to discuss it. Fingers crossed they can increase the dose. It is good it's coming down to almost within range though. Maybe another 25mcg will shift it? Let us know what they say on Tuesday! 🙂

@Charro86 welcome 👋 your tsh isn't too far out of range so they may not medicate you yet, but may suggest re-testing again in 3 months like my GP initially did. Mine came down naturally a little bit, but I was still above 4.3 so the endocrinologist decided it was worth trying. I've been on levothyroxine since June or July now and I'm still not pregnant so i haven't found it to be a miracle worker! There is something about Iodine helping with thyroid levels so it might be worth trying Pregnacare conception as they have 100% of the recommended daily allowance in. Just be warned that some people find they changed their cycle lengths!

I'm in the tww but have had some pink spotting first thing already (nothing since but that's usual) I decided not to use opk's this month so I have no idea when I ovulated, but I'd guess I'm only 3 or 4dpo. I think I'll use them again like you @everythingcrossed2021 next month. I have zero hope either now. Our consultation to discuss my results is next week so hopefully we find out what's going on and where we go from here 🤞

Hope everyone else is ok and having a lovely weekend xx

Hey everyone! Hope you’re all doing okay. Welcome to some of the newbies that have joined the gang too. I’ve found this thread particularly helpful, so I hope you do too! @FlyingGiraffe glad to hear that your scan went well and your partners results were all good too - one less thing to worry about! Update from me. I had my bloods done earlier this week after 6/7weeks on a double dose of 50mg. Not that impressed with the results:
TSH - 2.7 (2.9 before)
T4 a 14.9 (15.6 before)

Slightly confused as to why it’s not reduced more with such a significant increase in dosage so I’ve booked in a consultation with my GP on Tuesday. But at least that TSH is still coming down in the right direction! I’m about 9 DPO and not feeling very hopeful, but that’s a coping mechanism now after all the months of trying! Self preservation I think. The next thing to try for us is really reducing our alcohol in take to see if that makes a difference, and I think I’ll do OPKs again next cycle after a good few months not doing any measuring etc. Fingers crossed for you all for your next cycles! X

Check out Mary Shomon's writing for the best advice on managing hyperthyroidism. I used her articles on pregnancy to guide me, and I am so glad I did.

@TTCThyroid2021 - thank you so much for your advice. It’s always nice to hear someone having a good experience with a GP! And that’s great news that your TSH has come down . Have you done anything / taken anything to get this to come down or is this natural?

I am not sure if I have any symptoms. I do feel the cold and always have cold hands / feet and my BBT temps are on the low end, but I’ve always been like that and looking back through past blood test results my TSH has always been below 2. Maybe a little bit of exaggeration with the symptoms might help when I go in for my appointment!

Hi charro86!
Sorry to hear you’re struggling too.
I’ve been quite persistent with my GP and during my 1st appointment she wrote to our hospitals endocrinologist for advice. The advice came back that TSH should be under 2 and when I get pregnant to be referred back to them. That was 12 weeks ago now and my levels have come down from 8 to 3.9 so still a little way to go.
I would definitely push your doctor to get you referred , it helped that I had symptoms (feeling the cold, tiredness, struggling to lose weightm) and the doc did say she wouldn’t have referred me if I didn’t have symptoms,
Hope that helps and you get the answers you’re looking for :)

Hi All,

I hope you don’t mind me joining this group. @Owl86 - very kindly sent me through the link following a question I posted about slightly elevated TSH levels. I spent the weekend reading through the chat and it was so reassuring to read everyone’s stories and not feel so alone on this point.

A bit of history on me. I’m 33, came off the pill in April and had three normalish cycles, although periods were lighter than what I remembered from my last pre-pill patch. Since July my periods have been out of whack with my cycle around 33-38 days. I decided to do a home hormone blood test after my GP was super unhelpful and basically just told me to come next April and it highlighted a slightly raised TSH of 2.59 which google told me was too high for conception. After then obsessively trawling the internet for everything and anything there is on TSH and it’s link to fertility I decided to bite the bullet and pay for another thyroid test at home which just came back this afternoon and hasn’t helped matters at all 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway, feel a bit despondent now. My dad is a dr and keeps telling me the 2.5level is not important and that FT4 is the only result you really need to be looking, but then why do all the fertility guidelines state 2.5?. I have a GP appointment in December and I am going to ask for a private referral to an endocrinologist, but wish I’d never started digging so deeply into this as it’s not helping my stress levels on TTC.

How has everyone else found broaching this with their GP and even with endocrinologists?

xx