Hashimoto's and Thyroxine

[Florencenightingale]

Hi ladies, I hope everyone is doing well.

I havent posted for a while but keep lurking (commenting where I can) and watching everyones journeys hoping for lots of BFP's 🌈🌈

I've got hashimoto's and was started on 25mcg levo by my fertility doc 4 years ago, managed to get a natural BFP 2 years ago that sadly needed in MC. 2 years later got BFP with IVF and currently 32+ weeks. Levo was upped to 50mcg and all been fine.

The thing I'm worrying about is my endocrine doc wants to stop my levo 6 weeks post partum because 'I wont need it'. My argument is that I'd like to have another baby soon after this little lady (hopefully not wishful thinking 🤣) and dont want to stop the meds and restart (as who will even Px me this) and then get all of the awful side effects (which are non existent now) again and wait for it to get into my system, putting my fertility at risk, age 34.

My question really is....is anyone or has anyone been in the same position? I was originally told I was started on levo to regulate my periods, which it did (hence me stopping it in pregnancy last time and likely cause of MC) but wondered if hashimoto's should be constantly treated? As I have been told that I will eventually develop hypothyroidism, the same as my sister.

Got a clinic appt tomorrow so will obviously ask the doc this, but want to be armed with some info/other ppls experience before I go and have to beg for them to keep me on it. Despite being a nurse I go into full patient mode when the tables have turned and just nid and agree 🤣

If you're still reading then thanks for listening 💞 xx

[Snee0]

I'm similar, my thyroid was overactive and now under active so been on 50mg thyroxine since. I've been told that i would definitely need to remain on. It throughout pregnancy, unless aby blood results show otherwise and then regular tests after pregnancy to determine if i need to remain on it still then...and that it's more likely to be a long term medication rather than just pregnancy, which i think is right...

[Hidden]

hi if you've been diagnosed with hashimotos rather than sub clinical, you will be on the levo for life. if you were sub clinical, that can sometimes be corrected, but if your hashi, then that's not going to. did you have raised antibodies?

you might need a med reduction after pregnancy, but certainly not stop. that won't help your fertility.

have a good talk about this with the endo. amd when your discharged, you can contact your GP. you should also have regular bloods after to check your levels, they will speak for themselves.

all the best x x

[HopeOfYou]

After giving birth, ask your GP to have your TSH level tested, but I'd say to keep with levothyroxine: I was subclinical before my pregnancy, now I'm confirmed Hashimoto, and after pregnancy I has a TSH test which came up at 25 despite taking levothyroxine 50 (normal levels are below 4!). I'm now at levothyroxine 125 o_O and confirmed Hashimoto's syndrome.

Good luck!

[Hidden]

Hi, Hashimoto's should definitely be treated for life and especially if you intend to get pregnant again. It's actually an autoimmune condition where the immune system will attack the thyroid sometimes causing swings in symptoms from hypo to hyper as the attack can go from restricing T4 to dumping large amounts of hormones into your system. I've done a lot of research into this over the last few years and unfortunately some endo's don't seem to be on the same page about fertility and the need ideally to keep TSH below 2.5 and not just in the 'normal' range if you want to get pregnant. Sometimes after prenancy the hormones can go screwy too so I absolutely don't understand why he thinks you should come off it so soon postpartum. Low thyroid can lower milk supply for breastfeeding too if you were intending to do that. An amazing resource is 'Stopthethyroidmadness.com' There's a huge amount of really useful info on it so maybe a scan through it would put your mind at ease.

[Florencenightingale]

So basically what she said is she aims to stop levo after delivery and recheck at 6 weeks. She explained the reasons why she didnt recommend to treat with levo when I am not trying to conceive (which I completely understand) as every other result other than thyroid peroxidase was normal/optimal and has been throughout the 4 years since the first blood test. She stated that only 3% of hashimoto's actually needs to be treated (not sure if that's UK figures).

She recommended that when trying to conceive again that my GP refer me to the pre pregnancy clinic where they will again check levels and start levo as per results, which i was happy with.

Thanks to everyone for their information, you've all been great 💞 xx