Levothyroxine to increase fertility?

[Unimaginativename]

Hello 👋🏼

My husband and I have been trying for a baby for 5.5 years. We miscarried twins in Sept ‘16 as a missed miscarriage and then an early miscarriage in July ‘17

We were diagnosed with unexplained infertility by the consultant at the fertility clinic in December ‘18 and I was told I was hypothyroid with a TSH of 2.99, so not massively so, but I was prescribed Levothyroxine 25mcg.

I’ve been on it for 3 weeks now and probably feel worse than I did before with a lot of nausea and being sick and extreme tiredness.

But what I’m wondering is if anyone has had any success in getting pregnant and having a successful pregnancy when taking Levothyroxine?

Thank you so much ☺️

[forMoira]

Hello, I have an underactive thyroid and have been taking Levothyroxine for over ten years. I am now seven months pregnant so, yes, it is possible to get pregnant with an underactive thyroid and taking Levothyroxine.

Having an underactive thyroid does make it more difficult to conceive though so it is important to make sure you are taking enough Levothyroxine and your levels are tested regularly and appropriate for getting pregnant.

If you get pregnant you may have to take more Levothyroxine, though I had increased my dose a bit when trying to get pregnant to keep my levels low as indicated by my IVF consultant and so I haven't increased the dose during pregnancy.

I hope that helps. I can't be more specific on levels as I don't have the info with me at the moment and I don't come on here very often any more I'm afraid, but if you would like me to tell you the levels that the consultant suggested to me, send me a PM and I will respond when I pick it up.

Good luck.

[ChloeL934 in reply to forMoira]

Hi,

Sorry to jump on post, but is it true that levothyroxine can make you go into premenopause? X

[Unimaginativename in reply to ChloeL934]

Not that I was aware of. And I hope not 😬 x

[misswinky34]

Hi I had my son after 6 years unexplained infertility TSH was around 3.5 started on Levo and started ovulating again fast forward two years and I’ve got a son nursing as we speak. I know how you feel about feeling rough at the start, it does take a lot of adjustment and you’re Only slightly hypo with them

Readings. Hope your feeling well soon. It’s all worth it in the end x

[Saya85]

Hi

I have underactive thyroid too and had to get thyroid levels down during IVF

As I am also autoimmune thyroid as many of us are I had steroids during this cycle and blood thinners and we got our first bfp

Sadly we miscarried soon after but there were other issues.

What brand of levo are you on? Sometimes people don't tolerate the Teva brand.

If you are on 25mcg the wockhardt brand is probably the best with the least fillers.

However you can feel a bit rough to begin with until dose is settled.

[misswinky34 in reply to Saya85]

Hi saya, I never knew that about the brand fillers?? Really interesting and I’ve been on various brands, whatever they send me from the chemist. I might keep an eye on how I’m feeling depending on the brand.. 👍

[Saya85 in reply to misswinky34]

Yes definitely don't keep changing brands. I would say just avoid Teva for now unless you are lactose intolerant.

Sometimes 25mcg isn't enough to really control symptoms but can trigger a few symptoms too. It might be you feel better if you go up to 50mcg

With regards to TSH levels if your doctor can try and get you down to 1.0 or below you will probably feel better through IVF and better handle during pregnancy too.

Do make sure they check your free t4 levels as well as TSH.

Your baby uses your t4 (levothyroxine)

Also.... If you are deficient in vitamins - esp vit D, iron, folate, ferritin, b12 then by adding lots of t4 to your system won't help and may make you feel worse because you need good virmain levels to convert the T4 into T3.

That may also be while you feel rough

All those vitamins are also crucial for conception and healthy pregnancy too so if you haven't been tested now would be the time to optimise them all x

[Saya85 in reply to Saya85]

Oh sorry I just realised you weren't the original poster misswinky but advice applies all the same for general health anyway 🙂

As thyroid function often changes post partum and many women become more hypothyroid

[Hidden in reply to Saya85]

Yes sorry for hijacking! Thanks for the advice, even for an old hat like me 😂

[Saya85 in reply to Hidden]

Lol np. We're all here to learn from each other. Would definitely advise any of us hypos to go onto the thyroid UK forum on health unlocked

A huge wealth of resources and great advice. I now fully understand my condition and have managed to restore my health and fertility in a year compared to 6 years of floundering with no answers from doctors

[Unimaginativename in reply to Saya85]

Thank you to both of you! So much useful information!

[Revver18]

Hi there, on waiting list for IVF in NI and have been prescribed Levo due to borderline underactive thyroid by consultant. I had tests a couple of years ago but it was never suggested before. On 50mg for 2 weeks now and will have bloods checked at end the end of the month. IVF consultant wants TSH <2.5 .

Hope this helps! X

[Unimaginativename in reply to Revver18]

I’m hoping to be put up to 50mcg soon as it sounds like that is when I’ll start to feel better. Thank you and good luck with everything x

[Revver18 in reply to Unimaginativename]

I was prescribed 50 from the get go...which the leaflet States is usually starting point. May end up between 100-200.

Also my sister in law became pregnant after first month of using it when trying for over a year...there's still hope! X

[Unimaginativename in reply to Revver18]

Ooh that’s promising! Thank you x

[Kiedy84]

I have been on Levothyroxine for 8 weeks now, hoping for a miracle in January now the TSH has gone down from 5.20 to 1.8 🤗🤗

Have you been referred to endocrinologist? The problem with GPs is they can't really tell exactly what dosage is correct! 25 is really low. My GP put me on 50 and told to measure pulse and watch for heart palpitations...

[Unimaginativename in reply to Kiedy84]

No, I’ve not had an endo referral. I don’t like to be critical too much but if I’m honest, I haven’t had any help from my GP in terms of this at all except to be told yesterday that “in the real world” my TSH level is fine! I’m hoping after my blood tests in a few weeks it will be increased by the consultant at the fertility clinic

Good luck to you!

[Kiedy84 in reply to Unimaginativename]

I have had exactly the same experience unfortunately. What made my expert worse it was actually my fertility clinic who totally ignored my elevated TSH and refused to do T3,T4 and antibodies! They said they don't routinely do it. I literally had to quote NICE guidance and other recent research back the consultant!

Don't give up, thyroid is extremely important xx

[Unimaginativename in reply to Kiedy84]

It’s nuts and so frustrating! I felt so happy when the consultant at the hospital gave us hope with this medication and diagnosis so I’m just going to try and remember that

So maybe 2019 will be both our years xx

[Sibbo84]

Hi

I am just over 18 weeks pregnant from ICSI (IVF) and have had an underactive thyroid for around 6 years. When we started treatment they upped my meds and now that I am pregnant, they monitor me ever 6 months or so as little man takes some of the levothyroxine.

They are really good with me and keep on top of check ups and thyroid levels.

Good luck!

[Unimaginativename in reply to Sibbo84]

Congratulations!! Glad to hear they monitor you closely. Wishing you a healthy, happy pregnancy x

[misswinky34]

It’s unlikely you will get a referral to an endo until you are actually pregnant. I changed GPS because I thought mine just wasn’t educated enough and the next GP was the same!! I remember one of them making a remark that it costs 84 pounds per endo consultation which infuriated me because we had been trying to get pregnant for so long and it had finally happened the last thing I wanted was to be fobbed off. In the end I had to get a letter from the fertility consultant basically telling the GP I needed one. It shouldn’t be such a fight for a simple fix.

[Unimaginativename in reply to misswinky34]

It does seem to be such a fight sometimes. It shouldn’t be this hard!

[Cinderella5]

I got lotw of heartburn when i started on levothyroxine. I was just alughtly high qt 4.69 and am now on 50mg. All has settled down now but I don't feel as tired as I did before. Has the clinic said when they'll test your levels again....probably need to make sure it hasn't pushed you the other way. My clinic wanted me under 2 for conceiving. Good luck.xx

[Unimaginativename in reply to Cinderella5]

Yep, I’m being tested after being on them for 6 weeks and then hopefully it’ll be put up to 50mcg.

I’ve had savage heartburn!

Good luck to you too xx