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Underactive thyroid - Part 7

144K views 1K replies 94 participants last post by  agate 
#1 ·
new home ladies!  happy chatting!
 
#2 ·

 
#3 ·
Hi all just bookmarking......

and going slightly crazy on 2WW......it's amzing how your mind can play tricks on you, I think I've got every symptom going ;-)  Happily had no side effects (as yet) to pred and clex......

I've got a question - how long after IVF should I get my thyroid checked?  I remember the result was messed up after last one, but I can't remember how long after TX that was?

Thanks

Jx
 
#6 ·
I wasn't adviced that there was a need for extra folic acid whilst on steriods but I had told Dr G that I was taking folic acid 400 tablet and then in my pregnacare tablet there was the same amount so was on 800 anyway.  Best of luck  ^reiki^ x

My thyroid results were ok with my endo today I'm putting tiredness down to not sleeping and being so far gone with twins now anyway and not presuming it'll get any better til they are here or months/years later  ;D - next test in 4wks.

Lots of postiive stories of ladies getting pregnant, having good pregnancies and giving birth recently on this thread - good luck to all  ^reiki^ ^pray^
 
#7 ·
When should we start taking extra folic  like prudunce say  now or during treatment when taking steroids
Becky7 xx
 
#8 ·
Hi guys

My clinic advise 5mg of folic acid with the clex and pred, I get mine on prescription from my GP (was advised to take ti from way back due to likely poor absorption from my crohns) but I am sure the clinic can prescribe too if need be.

Jx
 
#10 ·
Hi
I need urgent help please - I'm going nuts!
Had been hypothyroid for about 4 years, dose of thyroxine gradually going up over time. In Dec 2010, TSH was 0.61 and T4 21 so all good on 100mcg. Started first cycle of IVF end of April but wasn't advised to recheck TFTs. Saw a thread on here and had them rechecked at GP 2 weeks ago - TSH 7.4 and T4 19. Dose put up to 125mcg.
Rechecked them again today - TSH now 12.78 and T4 16.6 despite dose increase.
Had ET 2 days ago and so depressed that it doesn't stand a chance of working.

Any advice please?

looby

PS And the endoc I was referred to is away for the next 2 weeks.......
 
#11 ·
Hi everyone,
Jules - I hadn't realised that you were on your 2ww! - good luck - I've not had much chance to read properly recently and somehow this news escaped me - fingers crossed and try not to drive yourself mad...

Prudence - I've just started my fertility treatment - a flare protocol for poor responders or older women (how did that happen?) - I'm on norethisterone for 10 days and then have a bleed and then start injections. My plan is to have steroids and clexane from a week before egg collection (clinic said day from after ec but I thought that was a bit late ) - anyway they were keen for me to start folic acid 5mg a good month before egg collection so 'it got into my system' - it sounds like clinics all have different views but they said it was to counteract any increase in cleft palate incidence caused by the steroids. 5mg is prescription only - my GP was happy to prescribe it as it's cheap - you could make it up with 0.4mg (400mcg) tabs if you can't get any 5mg.

Loobyjazz - I'm sure I've seen people like Dippy say that thyroid results such as free t4 and TSH are meaningless if taken during fertility treatment as the drugs knock the levels out anyway - I'm sure someone knowledgeable will reply to you soon so don't panic.

All the best to everyone,
Coriander x
 
#12 ·
Hi prud  for what i add up i think it 12 tablet of 400mg of foilic  which sound hell alot to take unless someone tell you otherwise lol
Becky7 xx
 
#13 ·
jeeeeeeezzzzzz,x12 tabs?? I think i best look out for higher strengh tabs then, or contact my GP!!!

Can you buy higher strengh FA without a px??
Thanks Becs
 
#14 ·
I have no idea  as i say i maybe wrong as i really think 12 is wayyyyy too many to take lol  and i cant find higher dose for you  maybe it safer to ask your GP  as i didnt realise we need to dose our folic if we are doing steroids eh  not long to go for you eh 
Becky7 xx
 
#15 ·
For 5mg FA I am pretty sure you need a script.  I have only ever taken an extra 400ug of FA daily, on top of the 400ug that is in my pregnancy multi-vit.  You can get FA from food sources too - eg, fortified cereals, wheatgerm, etc.

Loobyjazz - as Coriander says, testing your thyroid during a treatment cycle will not give you an accurate result.  High levels of oestrogen in particular (which occurs during stimms) will skew your levels.
 
#16 ·
Hi all,

I'm on 5mg folic acid as I have MTHFR homozygous and was advised to take it 3 months before tx.  I'm seeing Dr G in London though and he might have different advice to other Docs.

I have a quick question I phoned through to get new thyroid results today they are:

TSH 1.78
T4 10.4
TPA 35  anit thyroid antibodies.

Do these look good enough or should I be upping my dose slightly of Thyroxine.  My T4 has only gone up fro 9 - 11 in 2 months.  I'm on the smallest dose of 25mcg.  Can anyone help? 

Many thanks CKAY xxxx
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the reassurance Coriander and co - 2ww hard enough without extra stress!
Do any of you know where I can access guidance on when steroids are used (ie indications, doses, duration of treatment) for future reference please?

looby xx
 
#18 ·
Hi Looby

Have a look on Agate's FAQ http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=242395.0

The thing is, if you go to a clinic specialising in immunes then the levels you take will probably be more bespoke to you. My clinic isn't a specialist and so I seem to be on the bog standard doses and I only started after EC...whereas some girls start during stimms. That's the clex and pred, the 5mg Folic Acid i think they recommend for 3 months before.

What I am saying is that there is no one right answer here....hope that helps. Also Dr Beer's book "Is your body baby friendly" is a great intro to the subject (and if you like that sort of thing, full of case studies).

Best of luck with the 2WW ^fairydust^. Hope you are staying sane, I am feeling ^idiot^

Jx
 
#19 ·
Sorry Coriander - meant to say, your T4 is quite low in my view.  Dippy Girl is the expert (but I think she's away just now) but if I were you I would be asking the question. 

Jx
 
#20 ·
Hi C-Kay - I agree with Jules, ( I think you meant C kay and not me  :)  ),  ideally your TSH should be nearer 1 than 2 and your free T4 seems on the low side so it wiould be worth asking if you can increase it to say 50mcg daily and monitor it again in just over a month.

Coriander x
 
#21 ·
Hi Guys - just wondering if anyone can offer a bit of advice.    I am on 100 mcg thyroxine and am now 17 weeks pregnant.  I have my bloods done 4 weeks ago and results were 

TSH    0.54
FT4    16.3

Just had another set of bloods done last week and results were

TSH  0.33
FT4  16.4


My endo has advised me to drop from 100 mcg to 75mg daily.    This will be the first alteration in my dose of thyroxine in this pregnancy and indeed in the four years since I started taking thyroxine.  I am really nervous about lowering the dose.  I am taking 200 ug selenium daily and wondering if this is the reason for my TSH falling.    In fact since getting pregnatn the highest my TSH has been is 0.94.  I was advised to lower it then too but didn't because I was only early on in the pregnancy and was afraid my levels would rise further.    Now  I am further along I know the baby makes it's own thyroxine now so I am wondering would you reduce your thyroxine if you were me?

Lots of luck and ^fairydust^ to all you ladies on the 2ww

Thanks xx
 
#22 ·
Hey,

Hope u ladies dont mind me posting on this thread. I just thought I would share some information my consultant told me yesterday. I have an underactive thyroid gland and take 50mcg of levothyroxine for this. He told me that there is new research into underactive thyroid glands and IVF success rates. He told me that when I start my cycle I should double my thyroxine dose only on a Sat and Sun and keep taking my normal dose. He said this has been shown to improve success rate.
 
#23 ·
Hi Heavenli - thanks for your post.  The advice re; increasing your dosage should depend on what your levels are.  If your TSH is already sitting around 1 and your FT4 at the high end of the normal range (12-22) before you start your cycle, I wouldn't be adjusting my dose.  Obviously if you get a BFP then you should be re-tested asap and it's common for hypothyroid women to need to up their Thyroxine dose by 25-50% during pg to maintain optimum TSH / FT4 levels.

Do you have any more info on the new research - eg, a link to where it is published?

CKay - I agree with the others - a small increase in dose should help improve your FT4.  You might only need to take the extra 2-3 days a week.  Do you have a f/up booked with Dr G to go through your results?  Or, could you email Jessica to ask her to ask him re; your dosage?  Either way, I would re-test again in four weeks.

Mattsmama - welcome back  :)  How are you feeling, symptom-wise?  My TSH has been as low as 0.22 during pg but my endoc has never adjusted my dosage.  Perhaps you could take your endoc's advice but reduce the dose only 1-2 days a week and see how you feel on it - ie, if hypo symptoms return then revert to your original dosage.  I'd re-test in four weeks.

Hope this helps
xoxo
 
#24 ·
Thanks KDB - I was thinking along the same lines.    My Endo has said to re-test in 8 weeks but I must admit I also thought no later than four weeks.  They seem so "slack" at this hospital which isn't the same hopsital I had my son at ( we moved address since then).  However I have checked and I have requested a transfer of care to my previous hospital (I just don't feel at ease with this current hospital).  In light of my history of miscarriage and the nightmare I had last year my current hospital just make me feel uneasy (if you now what I mean).

Symptom wise I am not too bad thanks.    The swelling in my face from the steroids has subsided a little (I think!) and nausea is subsiding.  Bit emotional sometimes (up and down) but I think I was lucky as I have had no real bad side effects at all really when weaning off the steroids.  I had symphysis pubis dysfunction (now called pelvic girdle pain apparently) with my first pregnancy and unfortunately it has started with this pregnancy (somewhat earlier this time as well).  I will just have to deal with that one day at a time and see how I go.  As long as the baby is well and okay that is all I am bothered about.

How are you feeling - hope your feeling really well and thanks for your reply - I appreciate it  :)

It's worrying how when you actually deal with hospitals and certain Consultants regarding thyroid problems - how narrow their margin of knowledge about thyroid problems is!    I haven't mentioned to the Endo I am taking selenium ( my London Consultant knows and said it was fine).  I mentioned to the Endo about how I was concerned about high thyroid antibodies and the connection with stillbirths and miscarriage.  His response was "well there is not a lot we can really do about that, apart from keeping a close eye on your TSH levels".    Very reassuring - NOT  :eek:

Anyway - I am really sorrying for waffling!  It just galls me somewhat that there are women out there who won't have a clue really and I am losing faith in some doctors.  The fact I have to question a Consultant's advice explains it all really. :-\

xxxx

 
#25 ·
Thank god for FF is all I can say!!!  Without the knowledge I've gained from girls on this site I can honestly say with 100% conviction that we would not have gotten a BFP!

My a/n hospital said they only test thyroid once per trimester (!) but I presume that if levels weren't looking good then they would re-test more frequently.

With any dosage adjustment it's best to re-test after four weeks - esp as you're only looking for a very slight movement in your levels.

Can you get a referral to a physio or osteopath for your PGP?

Keep up the Selenium - it is good for lots of things, not just ATAs.

p.s. Thanks sweetpea, am feeling *great* and hoping the next seven weeks don't go too quickly as I love being pregnant  :)

xoxo
 
#26 ·
Thanks Coriander, jules and kdb - My GP did the tests for me I've got a follow up telephone consult with her tomorrow.  I thought that too about the T4 it's only gone up a small fraction.  Big thanks for your help.  CKay xxx
 
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