TTC and hypothyroidism

[MumNWLondon]

There is an activethread running on the pregnancy board at the moment, so I thought I would post here because its very relevant to TTC as well.

I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid when I was TTC. I had pretty much self diagnosed before I went to GP to ask for blood tests - standard symptoms are:

• low waking BBT
• cold hands and feet
• lethargy
• heavy periods shorter cycles

My bloods came back and indicated hypothyroidism, my TSH was around 5. I have later found out that the NHS considers "normal" up to 4.5 (so I was lucky that might results when just outside the normal range) but that if you are TTC the optimum is around 1, definately should be under 2. Additionally those with an unactive thyroid are likely to need an increased dose during pregnancy.

I would urge anyone who is TTC and has these symptoms (I didn't have the heavy periods as I have pcos as well and had no periods at the time) to go to GP and ask for a blood test (TSH and T4) - and here is important bit make an appointment to discuss results - DO NOT let receptionist tell you its normal. If your TSH is above 2 and you have symptoms then insist either on being referred to a specialist or that the GP treats you.

Here is some NHS guidance that might be useful:

www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/ourservices/diabetes/documents/007b_Thyroid%20Function% 20Testing%20in%20Primary%20Care%20Pregnancy%20Guidance%2017.10.08.pdf

Good idea to repost this- people certainly shouldn't be fobbed iff by their GPs telling them their results are "normal" when actually their GP may have a fairly limited understanding of hypothyroidism. As my endocrine obstetrician said as she prescribed thyroxine for me during my pregnancy "If you're symptomatic then it's not subclinical hypothryoid, no matter what the test results say." Thyroid issues seem to be fairly poorly understood by non-specialists, and especially the effect on ttc. So please, please, if you have the symptoms of low thyroid, get yourself referred by hook or by crook to someone who knows what they are talking about. I didn't start to feel myself again until my TSH was around 2 (which would still be considered high for pregnancy).

ps: it took me 6 years to get my daughter. If I'd been bolshier with my arse of a GP, she might have been born years ago.

Oh my Duchesse - 6 years of untreated hypothyroidism, that doesn't sound like fun.

I was lucky that I have private medical insurance from work so managed to see a consultant within a week of the elevated TSH test... and the lethargy stopped within 2 days of starting the medication.

The GP had started me on treatment but she had started just on 25mcg, specialist had more confidence to move me straight away to higher dose.

In terms of being bolshy - yes if GP will not agree to getting TSH to under 2 when need to see someone else!

It was crap, Mum.

i am 28 and was diagnosed with hypothyriodism when i was 6, so when my thyroid levels are low i can recognised the signs straight away, i have gone from gp to gp over the past 7 years and no-one seems to know what they are talking about, they will say i am fine but then my skin will flake my hair will fall out. so i am quite clearly not ok. when my husband and i tried for our son 3 years ago, i fell pregnant in our month trying so no problems there, i was refered to a specialist and my thyroid levels were great throughout pregnancy. straight after i went back to the battle with my gp. my husband and i started ttc again 6 months ago and im now starting to think maybe i should be asked to be refered to that specialist again. i think that if you know you have an thyroid problem you should be under a specialist when your trying

Pinchme - I guess it depends on the severity... when I am not pregnant my thyroid levels are very stable on 100mcg of thyroxine - I have a blood test every 6 months and TSH generally around 1 with T4 around 16-18. I always ask.

Also had a blood test just before TTC to check it was ok, and I guess if it hadn't happened within 3-4 months might have gone back for another test. I saw specialist when diagnosed and I email him during pregnancy and afterwards but for me not really necessary for me to see specialist when TTC.

Slightly concerned about you being diagnosed when you were 6 - I have a strong family history of throid disease as does DH so wondering whether I should get DD tested - specialist thought no point in her being tested until she was 18.

mumnw apparently its quite rare for someone so young to be diagnosed but my mum saw something wrong and shes quite persistant. i have been told time and time agian that there is very little evidence that this can be passed down to your children. we have recently moved and our new gp is great fingers crossed, she has said that in the past she has looked at family history and sometimes there is a thyroid problem there, sounds a bit vague to me and i suppose if you dig deep enough something is bound to surface. the way i see it is i know my ds best and if he showed signs of thyroidism id be persistant like my mum

in my family my maternal grandma, my mum, me and my sister all have hashimoto's (autoimmune), so don't really believe that it can't be passed down! the mad thing is that my mum had symptoms for years (long heavy periods and gynae couldn't find anything wrong, she didn't even think of testing for thyroid probs even though my grandma has this.

but you are right i am very aware of symptoms so would know if something was up with my children.

back to original post - def worth going back to GP and getting blood tests done to be sure all is ok - you can ask to go back to specialist if blood tests shows up anything worrying (like slightly raised TSH or too low T4)

in my experience, or at least in my family, thyroid issues certainly are passed down. my grandfather, mother, maternal aunt all have graves (hyper). myself & my cousin have hypo. because of my mother's condition, i was tested annually. At the age of 11 I was diagionsed with hashimoto (hypo). Been on thyroid repalcement ever since.