Thyroid levels and ivf: Hi all, My ivf... - Fertility Network UK

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Thyroid levels and ivf

LouBoo85 profile image
13 Replies

Hi all,

My ivf has been on hold for a while due to trying to get my thyroid levels right.

My levels were initially 12.8 so they tried me on 50mg of levothyroxine per day which brought me down to 4.6.

We then tried 75mg of levo which brought me down to 2.7

They put me on 100mg but my thyroid levels went too low (0.1)

So now i am taking 75 mg one day and 100mg the next. This was initially working well for me and my levels were 0.2 but i have just had more bloods done and I am 2.7 again.

I called the hospital and they said that 2 7 should be fine and I can request treatment tomorrow BUT I have always read that levels need to be below 2.5 so Im worried that I am not at the optimal level and I only have 1 embryo left in the freezer for me.

Does anyone know anything about this? Will 2.7 be ok?

Thanks!!

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LouBoo85
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13 Replies

Hi there! I can't tell you if that level is too high or not—but I'm also hypothyroid and I've worked for several years to get mine consistently below 2.5. I had to change dosages frequently, since it kept creeping up. I've been closer to stable now for the past six months, and am just starting IVF. My TSH is now below 1 though. I think it depends a lot on how YOU feel at your level. For me, I never felt good until my TSH fell below 1. Are you still having any symptoms?

LouBoo85 profile image
LouBoo85 in reply to

Yeah i felt loads better when I was at 0.2.

I feel really tired at the moment and I am putting on weight.

I don't see what more we can do to get it down though because 100mg makes me go overactive.

Cant win!

in reply to LouBoo85

That is rough!I know that rollercoaster so well. I would just say, talk to as many specialists as you can about whether it's the right level to be at for pregnancy. Not every doctor know what levels will be good, but a fertility doctor who's an endocrinologist should be able to advise!

in reply to

PS. I ended up with 125 being the right dose for me, even though just 50 initially brought me down to 0.3 or something. It then crept back up to 5 or 6, then I upped dosage to 75 which brought it down again, then it went up, etc. It would usually go a bit too low at first, and then go up again, until finally it stabilized. All in all that took about 2.5 years! Now 125 is the right number for me, but it was a real pain to find it.

LouBoo85 profile image
LouBoo85 in reply to

Oh god!

I've been doing ivf since 2016 and just dint have the time for this.

I am thinking maybe I should try 100mg again if you said that initially makes you a bit low then settles.

How regularly were you having blood tests?

Xx

in reply to LouBoo85

I was not having blood tests often enough, and would let it go like 5 months in between. One year it took me from October to March to go from 0.2 or so all the way up to 6.5, while on the same dosage. But everyone is different! Maybe a dose of 88? They wanted to try me on that at one point. But it's something to consider. And it's entirely possible that 2.7 is fine, just try to get some expert opinion. If they say it's okay, it likely is, just keep a very close eye on it!

Cinderella5 profile image
Cinderella5

My clinic prefer my levels to be under 2 but I think most places say 2.5 is ok. You're not too far off that so I think it will be ok, the only thing is estrogen can somethings interfere with levothyroxine (make it not to effective) and so can pregnancy so you may have to up your dose and I would have thought being a bit lower would err on the side of caution. Mine was 1.1 at last check and my clinic were pretty happy with that.xx

Chel91 profile image
Chel91

Hi, I also have issues with a hypothyroid. Are you doing a natural FET or will you be doing a cycle where you are taking estrogen? All I know is that estrogen will cause changes in your thyroid levels and you will probably need to monitor it closely and increase your dose during your cycle anyway. Has your doctor talked about this? As far as I'm aware 0.1 is better than above 2.5 during pregnancy, are they going to check your levels are stable at 2.7 and not rising further? Are you back on 100mg to get it down again? All I can suggest is demanding regular blood checks (at least every week) to monitor the levels closely. That's what I do during a cycle. I know the feeling of wanting to rush to get the embryo back asap, but it might be good to see the next level first. Either way, best of luck to you hun 🤞💕 xxxx

LouBoo85 profile image
LouBoo85 in reply to Chel91

Yeah i always have to have estrogen etc.

I am thinking that trying 100mg again might be for the best.

Im just with the nhs so they wouldnt let me have weekly bloods, they dragged their feet about doing every 4 weeks...they wanted to do every 6.

😏

Chel91 profile image
Chel91 in reply to LouBoo85

So frustrating for you! Maybe you could find a place that does private bloods for a reasonable price? Hopefully it all works out. Why can't our thyroids just behave lol xx

LouBoo85 profile image
LouBoo85 in reply to Chel91

Set back after set back 🙄

sazzle2680 profile image
sazzle2680

Hi LouBoo85,

TSH fluctuates daily and when you have your blood test will make a difference to your results, for example if you have your blood test to check TSH in the morning, after you’ve take your Levothyroxine your TSH will be lower because the dose of Levothyroxine in your body will be higher.

What I’ve always done is had my TSH checked first thing in the morning but I delay taking my Levothyroxine (and food, only drink water) until after I’ve had my bloods. The test will then mark the highest point your TSH gets to in a day rather than the lowest.

My clinic want my TSH under 1 and when I first started with IVF my TSH was 0.04. This was where I felt well. If I dropped my Levothyroxine, like you, my symptoms came back.

My GP discussed with me a few slight risks with running my TSH so low (mainly to do with bone density) but he was happy to leave me be, providing I didn’t start displaying any hyperthyroid symptoms, which I didn’t.

Doctors are supposed to treat by symptoms rather than with blood test numbers. TSH isn’t the whole story. The key other things are your T3 (which GPs never check) and T4 (which they sometimes check).

IVF meds impact your TSH so it’s worth remembering that as soon as your back on your IVF drugs you’re TSH will rise a bit.

Good luck x

FertileMind profile image
FertileMind

Hi Lou

Have you thought about trying to look after your thyroid naturally with a few drops of Lugols Iodine & a selenium supplement? Don’t take within an hour of vitamin C....

Or are you taking a kelp supplement to boost your iodine? Eating lots of seaweed?

A friend has come off her thyroid drugs after using lugols iodine & selenium, so perhaps do some research and see what you think? Best of luck xx

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