Can anyone advise me onTTC with an underactive thyroid?

[peasoup]

I have an underactive thyroid; it became that way after having DS 3 years ago. I've been on 75mcg a day thyroxine. My levels at the mo are 4.6.

I was told by another Mum with similar probs that to conceive the levels need to be between 1 and 2. When I asked my doctor last week they confirmed this and told me to up my dose to 100mcg a day. Wish they'd bloody said that when I asked them at my last appt 6 months ago! I asked back then if an underactive thyroid would cause any probs with conceiving, and they said "No, not as long as it's treated". Now I thought I WAS treated as I was taking the tablets, and they were telling me my levels were within the normal range. Why didn't they say 6 months ago that the optimum levels for conceiving are between 1 and 2?! I could've started upping my dose 6 months ago and would probably be at 1 or 2 now, instead I've got a good few months to wait now before the higher dose takes effect and my levels get to 1 or 2.

And I'm bloody ancient, so I haven't got all the time in the world to wait, GRRR!!!

Anyway, if anyone has any tips or advice I'd be very interested in hearing them as I'm surely not getting great advice off the doctors. One question of mine which they wouldn't answer was "Is it actually dangerous to TTC while my levels are at 4.6; should I wait till they're down to between 1 and 2 before trying?
Or is it just that it'd be DIFFICULT to concieve whilst at 4.6, but still worth trying?".

I just don't know whether or not to let DH near me!

I didn't know that the tyroid level had to be between 1 and 2!!

I have 2dc aged 5 and 3 was diagnosed in july '08 with under active thyroid and am now on 100mg.

Makes me now wonder as i have just had a cp in jan 09 - was tested just after i found out i was pregnant and my levels were at 4.2!! would be interested to find out what others think aswell as would definately like #3 sometime soon as time is ticking away

Sorry but what is a CP?

Chemical pregnancy - all the symptoms inc hormones, but for whatever reason the embryo fails to implant properly

Am now wondering about the thyroid! did ask at the time but they don;t do anything till you've had 3 miscarriages!
Personally i don;t really want to wait and see

Wow, I have NEVER heard of that.
Yes, definately ask about your thyroid- i have been discovering that they don't tell you ANYTHING unless you hear it from somewhere else (like here on Mumsnet) and go in and confront them with the information. I mean I DIRECTLY asked them 6 months ago if I was fine to conceive, and they said yes. then i go back last week and they agree I should get my levels down! GRRR!
There is a thyroid support group who've been helpful to me. i'll try and find their details.

Thanks would be useful

peasoup, i have the same problem, an underactive thyroid (hashimoto syndrome). I take 100mcg, and my last level was 0.7. The problem in discovering an underactive thyroid as an issue for TTC is that the range which is considered normal is far higher than what is recommended for TTC.

It is correct that your "ideal" level for TTC is 1.0 (around or below that level). However, having said that, the literature also says that when TTC any level below 2.5 is considered "normal".

In my own case I was at 4.5 when TTC last time, not treated yet. Once on medication and when the level was down below 2, i fell pregnant immediately. Same again now, I was above 2, increased the dose and fell pregnant the next cycle.

To answer your other question, no I have never heard that a high level is "dangerous" when TTC. BUT: keep in mind that an untreated hypothyrodism DURING pregnancy is dangerous for developmennt of the child and increased dose of levothyroxin is needed during pregnancy in order to get the the normal range. So you NEED to be in the normal range DURING the pregnancy.

Hope this helps!

im interested too!!! i had blood test 2 weeks ago, doc told me i am borderline, re-test in 3 weeks, i noticed my temps were very low, asked some questions on here and found out could be a sign of thyroid problems. doc said i have noticed this problem before i would start getting the symtoms. so maybe when i have my next blood test i may need treatment. i had a mmc at 10wks on new years eve and thought my thyroid could have been the reason. seems more and more that we have to take information to the gp rather than them offer it, do you think its down to money, dont seem to be offered any tests unless we ask.

Hi Italophil Thanks for that info. Glad you got pregnant easily when your levels were below 2. And glad to hear it isn't necessarily dangerous to TTC when you're above 2. Do you know how long it takes to move up levels once your dose is increased? I have been on 75 mcg and just been put up to 100mcg last week. They told me to get a blood test done at the doctors in two months time to check if it's below 2 yet, and if it isn't then to up the dose by another 25mcg a day. But I think I'll sneak along to the doctors earlier than two months as I'll be inmpatient! And because I'm geriatric I want to get going on baby number two!
Whilst your pregnant, is the normal level they want to maintain between 1 and 2? or would 4.6 be alright if I did get up the duff now?
Hi Bitch (doesn't seem right calling you that!) Yes I think you need to get yourself informed rather than rely on the doctors. If they say you are borderline then maybe you are 4.6 like me, whereas to conceive it seems you need to be between 1 and 2. The "normal" range is different if you're TTC I think.

Peasoup: I would personally not wait 2 months to check. My experience shows that it takes ca. 3 weeks until you fully adjust, so at the most I would wait 1 month for the next blood test. Doctors are sometimes much more relaxed than us when we are TTC, so just decided yourself to do the test in a month after changing dose.

During pregnancy you need to make sure to stay within the normal levels, ie I personally would aim at below 2.5.

I found these sites very useful:

www.endo-society.org/guidelines/final/upload/Clinical-Guideline-Management-of-Thyr oid-Dysfunction-during-Pregnancy-Postpartum.pdf

www.endocrineweb.com/pregnancy.html

Just to add to my recommendation to stay within normal levels in pregnancy: the first link is a copy of the official guidelines of the Endocrine Society, and there the recommendation is to increase by ca. 30-50% by week 4-6 gestation. The first chapter is most relevant, have a look if you are interested in more detailed backup by literature.

Thnks Ital I will go back to GP after a month to get levels checked.
Did you think it was ok to TTC whilst at 4.6 or should I wait till I'm below 2.5?

Italophil thanks for those links, really interesting.

Bitchyfanny ask them to check your thyroid antibodies as well as your T3 & T4 and ask them to compare those 3 levels.

I was diagnosed as hypothyroid before
Christmas and I'm currently on 50mg a day - and my periods have now come back at last!

Peasoup my GP is doing blood tests at 6 week intervals to check my levels - 2 months sounds just tooooo loooong to wait, definiately!

Good luck ladies!

thanks for that blondie, havent a clue what ill be asking for. i have an appointment at the recurrent mc clinic next monday, do you have any idea if these tests will be carried out there? i have to re-test on the friday, maybe the hospital will do all that instead.

No probs.

As you are seeing a proper clinic (not a GP) I'm sure they'll run lots of tests to try and give as thorough investigation as possible.

Having said that you could mention to the clinic that your GP has already done a thyroid blood test that came back borderline, and ask for the test to be repeated and for you thyroid antibodies to be tested too? They can then compare the thyroid test results against the other blood tests they run and hopefully give you some answers. Good luck.

If you are diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid your nurse/GP should then complete a special form for you so you get the prescriptions for the medication for free - it's a credit card sized thingy called something like an exemption certificate.