TSH 3.1 and starting thyroid medication

[Foodie23]

I randomly saw a post about TSH levels on here and started to worry a little about my 2.7 level from April. Neither my doctor nor IVF consultant said anything about it. The poster shared a link about a new study suggesting potential affects on pregnancy and fertility with levels above 2.5. I called my GP and they recommended another test since it has been a while.

Long story short, I went to a private endocrinologist who took my concerns seriously and prescribed a medication to bring the levels down in preparation for my first IVF cycle at the end of next month.

Now I just need to relax and surrender to the process. No more worrying or googling allowed. Haha. 🤦‍♀️

[Hidden]

Good luck xx

[Foodie23 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Camillage!

[Kari55]

You definitely needed to get tsh level down so well done for going to endocrinologist. THS should not be higher than 2 especially for those who are trying to get pregnant. Good luck x

[Foodie23 in reply to Kari55]

Thank you!

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Foodie23. Well done for see the endocrinologist. You should get the correct support there. Once stabilised on the correct dose of medication, it then needs to be checked every 12 months to ensure you are on the correct dosage. It is a hormone when all said and done, and should be stabilised just the same as all the others. Hope all goes well for you.Diane

[Foodie23 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane!

[Cinderella5]

It wasnt until I went to my clinic abroad that they suggested I be put on medication (they wanted my levels under 2) and thankfully my GP was supportive with this. I feel a million times better after being on meds, not so tired and have way more energy!! Well done for being proactive!xx

[Foodie23 in reply to Cinderella5]

I’m hoping I get a bit of a boost in energy too. I’ve known I was a bit low energy, but I just thought I was bored since I left my job.

[Cinderella5 in reply to Foodie23]

Yep totally get that....I thought I was just a tired person! Don't get me wrong, still enjoy a good sleep but not so lethargic. Hope it's the same for you!!xx

[HealthyEmski]

My TSH levels have been up and down during my IVF journey ( got diagnosed with Hashimotos based on very helpful advice here). One thing I would recommend is once you get a TSH below 2.5 is to start your IVF as soon as you can ( I've found my TSH goes up and down).

Another thing was I didn't know I was entitled to be referred to a NHS endocrinologist as I was trying to conceive ( NICE guidelines) and had to fight for it with my GP. ( A funding issue). The consultations haven't been great but they 've been useful for getting regular blood tests. Good luck!

[Foodie23]

That's really helpful, thank you. We're supposed to start at the end of next month. The endocrinologist was pretty confident it wouldn't be affected since I was starting medication right away. I'll be going back to see her in a few weeks to adjust medication as needed.

I'm so frustrated with my GP. They never told me I had a right to speak to an endocrinologist. In fact, they made it sound like I could only speak to them and they would talk to the endocrinologist on staff. When the nurse called with my results, she said a TSH of 3.1 was normal and I therefore likely wouldn't be able to receive any treatment. When I asked to speak to the endocrinologist directly, she said I had to speak to the GP, who had already told me that wasn't possible.

The private endocrinologist said I needed new blood tests in a couple weeks and wrote me a letter to bring to my GP in case they gave me any trouble. The receptionist booked the bloods appointment for me and I asked her to leave the note for the GP. A couple days later I received a call from another staff member informing me that since I had seen a private doctor, I could no longer receive any treatment or tests for my condition through my GP.

So, they told me I couldn't get treatment because my levels were normal, I couldn't speak to their expert and after I was forced to consult my own expert who confirmed I needed treatment, they refused to provide me with that treatment.