Levothyroxine

[LW678]

Wasn’t sure where to post this thread but my TSH levels are 9.1, so borderline… T4 is normal and antibodies are 114. I’ve been prescribed 50mcg of Levothyroxine, currently trying to get pregnant. Will this affect my T4 levels?

Your TSH needs to be two or under for successful conception (advice given to me by an endocrinologist which worked for me) 9.1 seems very high if you are TTC. What do you mean about your T4 levels? With your anti-bodies so high it sounds like you have Hashimotos?

T4 levels are normal, not sure on what they actually are, have only been told they are normal

I’m curious as to whether the Levothyroxine will increase T4 levels? Which I don’t want as they are normal

50mg is not enough for your TSH results. I would go 100mg and retest in 2 months.

What are your t3/t4 levels? THS of 9 is high.

yes agree with @OolongTeaDrinker you need to have tsh under two before trying to conceive. To get that you’ll need to get the thyroxine replacement correct.. (I suspect you’ll need more than 50mcgbut they will need to titrate upwards to find the right level for you).
tsh under two is written into the nice guidelines. Find it and print them off… do not be fobbed off. Ime gps are not super knowledgable about this condition and ttc.

I’m having a blood test in 2 months to check levels again after starting levothyroxine

Ask your GP's surgery for a printout of your results (you're entitled to it, so they shouldn't pull any faces). Then come back with your T4 level to check whether it's actually normal or not. I have hypothyroidism and it's quickly become clear to me that people often need to learn for themselves selves what levels should be, and if necessary be willing to advocate for treatment. Not all GPs seem to take this seriously.

I think you need to get your TSH under control before worrying about your T4 results hypothetically being affected - I don’t think with your current levels that 50mcg of thyroxine is going to tip your thyroid into over active as as @Sdpbody says you will probably need to up your dose to see any kind of result anyway..

Thanks all!

'Normal' in doctor speak simply means within the reference range. It mist certainly does not mean optimal.

With. TSH of 9, it is likely that your FT4, and consequently FT3, are low in range.

Please get this properly treated before trying to conceive. You may just be setting yourself up for heartbreak if you try too soon.

It's all a funny feed back loop and it's possible that your thyroid is being stimulated by your tsh to grow to accommodate the t4 needs - but ultimately it's not a great situation and isn't ideal for pregnancy. A healthy thyroid grows a little during pregnancy to accommodate the first half of the pregnancy, after which baby starts to produce their own hormones. So it's important to get the right levels both preconception and early on in pregnancy.

It takes a while for thyroxine to build up in the body as it has a long half life. Around 8 weeks minimum, ideally 3 months to assess symptoms, but a test at 8 weeks will be fine.

The btf have excellent support and advice; it's worth joining them if you have thyroid issues.

www.btf-thyroid.org/pregnancy-and-thyroid-disorders-guidance-for-patients

More info here

www.btf-thyroid.org/listing/category/thyroid-disorders-pregnancy