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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

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Original poster

TSH results

8 replies

Tallie121 · 22/08/2019 11:36

Hi I'm wondering if anyone had some advice please.

My TSH results are 4.16. Normal in my area is deemed up to 4.5. I have a family history of hypothyroidism (mother, aunts and grandma) and I currently have a lot of the symptoms.

My fertility nurse will not look into this any further as I'm in the normal range. I've read online that under 2.5 is better when ttc so I'm desperate for this to be looked at.

For info, I'm 27, normal BMI been ttc for 18months and no pregnancies, have mild tubal scarring which is all that has been found "to be wrong" so far.

OP posts:

physicskate · 22/08/2019 17:31

Mild tubal scarring can increase odds of ectopic! What are they suggesting?

Thyroid uk has some really useful info about tsh levels. Yours is too high for fertility. Have a search on here and the contraception forum - there are several threads that have links to the research in the last several years. Lots of fertility people aren't interested in thyroid, though I have no idea why!!

physicskate · 22/08/2019 17:32

Mild tubal scarring can increase odds of ectopic! What are they suggesting?

Original poster

Tallie121 · 22/08/2019 18:45

@physicskate I've seen that when googling the term online, my consultant didn't even mention it! She suggested a laparoscopy and dye test and if that doesn't work will have to be IVF.

Everything I've read says it's too high for conception but everytime I mention this to the nurse or consultant I get told "it's in the normal range we wont be looking into this further". Feel like crying with frustration. I just dont know how to get them to take it seriously.

OP posts:

physicskate · 22/08/2019 19:29

Show them the nice guidance?? I showed the gp that I needed to up my dose in pregnancy using the guidance available on thyroid uk.

Anaesthetist83 · 23/08/2019 12:41

My consultant wanted TSH below 2.5 (my original one was a bit high but repeat less)

79andnotout · 23/08/2019 13:50

I did these tests myself: www.medichecks.com/thyroid-function-tests/thyroid-check-plus

Have you ever had tests for thyroid immune issues? Both my younger sister and I are infertile and have hypothyroidism, and are otherwise completely healthy. I think immune issues are a big undiagnosed cause of infertility.

It's possible your thyroid is being attacked and your bloods have yet to get too out of range. The tests above should tell you, and then you can take that info to your fertility clinic. They would need to put you on prednisolone to suppress the immune response, and get your TSH under 2.5. My GP refused to do this until she was directed to do so by the fertility clinic, so be armed with the NICE guidelines as @physicskate says.

The mothers thyroid is really important for proper foetal development.

Doris19 · 23/08/2019 15:10

I had my tsh tested as part of my tests with my fertility clinic, and mine was 4.4, my consultant immediately started me on levo thyroxine to bring it below 2.5, which I believe is widely recognised as being the threshold for fertility. Mine was down at 1.5 within 6 weeks.

I would find all the online literature you have and take it with you.

Good luck!

MajorFaffington · 23/08/2019 22:19

My situation was different in that I have an already diagnosed thyroid problem. I was advised by my endocrinologist that my TSH needed to be under 2.5 before TTC and my medication was adjusted accordingly.

I think there seems to be a bit of a grey area when it comes to TSH that isn’t high enough for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism but is higher than the recommended level for conception/pregnancy. Even the Thyroid UK website says “ if you are on levothyroxine the TSH level should ideally be kept in the lower half of the reference range [under 2.5] before pregnancy”, which seems to suggest that this only applies to women who are already diagnosed with and being treated for hypothyroidism.

However, since PPs have said that they have been treated in order to lower TSH to assist conception, it seems like something some fertility clinics do pay attention to and some (like yours, unfortunately) don’t.

Given that you say you are experiencing symptoms, I would continue to press for treatment with levothyroxine- if clinic still aren’t interested then you could perhaps discuss with your GP and/or ask to be referred to an endocrinologist?

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