Steroid treatment during ivf

[Saya85]

Hi ladies,

Just wanted to get peoples experience on taking steroids through ivf if they are hypothyroid.

Any significant side effects ? Was the thyroid affected ?

Any positive stories from taking it ? Did it help?

I’ve read that steroids can affect the thyroid and yet the steroids could also dampen the thyroid immune attack too- we opted not to have it this cycle but I’m wondering if I should change my mind ?

TIA

Saya

[Cinderella5]

I have specifically asked to try this on my next FET as we havent had any BFP's to date, diagnosed last year with subclinical. Cant give any stories yet but its the only thing that we havent tried yet and having read of a few success stories I kind of thought what have I got to lose. Good luck with your decision.xx

[Saya85 in reply to Cinderella5]

Thanks Cinderella

We are taking blood thinners and progesterone injections this time round as haven’t tried before and im sure I have a progesterone issue.

However I was worried about the effect of the steroids on the thyroid (although blood thinners also apparently have an effect)

Oestrogen therapy and steroids can all reduce thyroid function so We would need to monitor it more closely and possibly adjust our thyroid dose during treatment.

It’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Which way do we go 😐

[Cinderella5 in reply to Saya85]

Yeah it is hard to know what to do, I had blood thinners on last round and keeping them for this time but just adding this in. Like you say between a rock and a hard place but Im willing to give anything a go so I can say Ive tried everything else......!xx

[Ruthie82 in reply to Cinderella5]

Hi may I ask how it went using the steroids? I’m about to start a FET after 3 failed attempts and also trying the steroids for the first time this time round

[Cinderella5 in reply to Ruthie82]

Of course, you can ask me anything at all! Can you be a bit more specific in what it is you want to know about the steroids?xx

[Music1 in reply to Saya85]

I'm on 20mg of predinisolon or something like that. They're in 5mg tablets and I have 4 altogether for breakfast. I do have/ had high antibodies though for thyroid and Hashi as you know. x

[Saya85 in reply to Music1]

No side effects music1?

I feel like if I add too much I don’t know what is an isn’t working. Maybe give steroids a go next time if this doesn’t work. But then part of me thinks shall I just throw everything at it?

Difficult to know if it will

Make it worse (!) doesn’t help when the professionals have no answers

[Music1 in reply to Saya85]

I'm talking with you on pm at the mo, but I don't think so. I take them in the morning before 10am and the Levo at 11pm at night. You're much better than this than me though x

[Suzannah1985]

Hi Saya,

I have Hashi’s and am on 40mg blood thinners and 20mg Prednisolone, currently in the 2WW for this cycle, so no news yet.

I had the same protocol on last cycle, lower dose of blood thinners though, and got a positive test, but later miscarried. The drugs definitely helped me, although the result wasn’t a happy ending.

I am not sure on Thyroid impact from the drugs, when I fell pregnant my TSH increased, but from 1.9 to 2.6 which the docs were adamant wouldn’t have caused the loss. Going into this round my TSH WAS 0.33, so borderline hyper, but clinic and endo were both comfortable with this. If I get a BFP I will be straight to GP for a blood test and increase of thyroid meds.

I would suggest trying it, as the thyroid can be managed, but you have to be comfortable with it.

Good luck whatever you chose to do xx

[Saya85 in reply to Suzannah1985]

Thanks Suzanna... yes that’s a good way of looking at it.m- the thyroid can be managed.

I’ve already slightly increased my ownthyroid tabs as last cycle it went from 0.4 to 3.6! By the time of ET.

It’s definitely the oestrogen that’s throwing it out of whack atm.

Hmm ok- i think I’ll ask the clinic for the steroids and see what they say... 😕

[Suzannah1985 in reply to Saya85]

Wow, that is some increase! You must have felt awful you poor thing!!

That is a good point, my dose of oestrogen was increased this time so I should keep a closer eye on it.

See what the clinic say, the only downside to the steroids from my point of view is that I got a UTI last time and had no symptoms at all. But now I know that can happen I will be asking the GP to check if I get a BFP xx

[Saya85 in reply to Suzannah1985]

Awful is an understatement. I felt like death - from such a high to such a low.

This time round I seem to be coping much better but I don’t know if that’s because I’ve managed to disguise some symptoms.

I see the nurse on Thursday so will ask her about the steroids. I have a feeling they will fob me off and my consultant (who was brilliant) has left the clinic.

Don’t fancy the uphill battle but will give it a shot. Every time I think I have a urine infection it comes back negative - but will look out for that too. Thanks for heads up

[Hidden]

I can’t offer advice over the cycle treatment & thyroid as I haven’t experienced those myself. But I did take prednisone 5mg x 2 daily from my positive test till I was 12 weeks pregnant. I had no ill side effects. I had slightly raised nk cells so my fertility doctor agreed to let me take prednisone during the early weeks as well as progesterone pessaries to “safe guard “ my pregnancy. I felt like I was doing all I could to give the baby the best chance, might be the same for your embryo 😍 I can’t imagine the clinic would suggest using them if they thought there was any chance of it inferring with your thyroid meds.

All the best with whatever you decide to do. I hope this cycle is successful 😘✨❤️ xoxo

[Saya85 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you jess.

So happy your pregnancy is progressing well- I know it’s been a long uphill battle for you.

It appears the steroid doses given are wide ranging but I imagine a low dose would be best to start off with regardless.

I think I will def ask clinic and hope they actually are willing to listen

Thanks again

[Hidden in reply to Saya85]

Thank you. All the best with your next cycle, I hope the steroids make a difference 😍 xoxo