Steroids (prednisolone) for ladies with thyroid antibodies. Any experience girls?

Hi you lovely lot. Hope each and everyone is having a good day🙏

After my second transfer failed i was diagnosed with high thyroid antibodies (so for you guys that know i have Hashimoto’s).

I have done alot of research into it and have read a study claiming that low dose prednisolone (steroids) of 5 mg doubled ivf outcomes in ladies with thyroid antibodies 😯

I dont think my clinic in the uk will prescribe it but read some of you are on some type of steroids. I could get them from my sister who has them for her lung disease.

Any success stories or any advice - please shoot 🙏🙏🙏

[Bibisbibi]

I have hashimoto's but I'm not on any steroids.im on levothyroxine and need to check my tsh and t4 levels every 4 weeks.currently 7 weeks pregnant.

[Hidden in reply to Bibisbibi]

Glad to hear everything is progressing well! I have a monthly test now as well and am on levo as well. Xx

[Raluca88]

Hey Mimisami, I am currently on 125 mcg of thyroxine, also started with 10mch prednisone (steroids) and from transfer day increased the dose to 25mcg. Currently 6+4 days pregnant. The clinic advised I should stay on the steroids up until 12 weeks and prescribed the steroids accordingly. This is a clinic in London; I really think it depends on the clinic... again, I strongly believe this is what made the difference for me. Also, I would say be careful if you get them from your sister as you need to have them probably until 9 or 12 weeks of pregnancy, I would push the clinic first..

Best of luck xxx

[Hidden in reply to Raluca88]

Thanks lovely.. and it gives alot of hope reading positive stories🙏.

Im on 100mg of levo but just read alot of horror stories around antibodies and miscarriages. I never had a bfp on my own and 2 bfp on ivf although both miscarried. I wonder if it is the antibodies. You are right re sourcing it. She is in europe and can get 30mg pills which initially i thought would last me a long time. But it will be a messy process indeed. I dont feel very comfortable with it anyway and am in the mean time pushing for it from my endo and will ask again my clinic. Hope you dont have any side effect i read abt and doing well 🤞🙏

[Raluca88 in reply to Hidden]

hey, i am really sorry to hear about your miscarriages... ☹️ i know exactly how you feel, this is how i feel everyday, and it makes me feel terrified. the only side effects i have from the steroids is insomnia... but i dont mind it, as long as everything else is fine 🤞 all the best to you lovely, i know you will get there xxx

[Cinderella5]

Hey, Im not sure if I have Hashimotos as it wasn't looked into properly however I am on levothyroxine for my thyroid as it was subclinical a few years ago (mum also has thyroid issues). Anyhoo I take steroids too, prednisolone. I have taken them and had a BFN so I cant say for sure but I do think that its helped me get my BFP and keep it along with huge doses of progesterone. Oh and I'll be on them until 12weeks so you would need a supply. Might be worth having a chat with your clinic to see if they would consider letting you try although its a bit of a long shot. You can also but these abroad over the counter in the pharmacy if you have anyone going abroad.xx

[Hidden in reply to Cinderella5]

Thank you hun. Only recently found out abt the antibodies and therfore know its autoimmune (hashimoto). Did you change your dosage after the last round? I only have fam in west europe and they dont sell it over the counter there. Hope all 3 of you are doing well🍼🍼

[Cinderella5 in reply to Hidden]

All good here at the moment thank you! My dosage of levothyroxine or prednisolone?xx

[Hidden in reply to Cinderella5]

Prednisolone sorry x

[Cinderella5 in reply to Hidden]

That's ok, didn't want to witter on about the wrong thing! So my clinic usually start me on 20mg of prednisolone around 5 days before transfer for 4 days then have me drop to 10mg then on in. However this cycle I started prednisolone on day 1 at 10mg and have stayed on that same dose.xx

[Hidden in reply to Cinderella5]

Thank you ever so much xxxxxx

[Cinderella5 in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome, anytime!!xx

[sazzle2680 in reply to Cinderella5]

Hi Cinderella

Can I ask whether you think being on them for the whole prep phase made a difference? I have Hashis and my clinic had me on them the whole time for my first two transfer cycles (I got a BFP first time then sadly miscarriage at 5+3) but subsequent cycles they’ve only given me them following transfer. Their reasoning for the change was that prednisolone apparently can make it more difficult to build lining (which I’ve struggled with loads)....I’m not sure if that’s correct.x

[Cinderella5 in reply to sazzle2680]

It made no difference to my lining and if anything my lining was the best it's ever been. I cant honestly say hand on heart whether it helped me get my BFP doing them thr whole cycle but I would have though that if they are being used to reduced inflammation then you need them in your system for at least a few days prior to transfer.xx

[sazzle2680 in reply to Cinderella5]

Thanks Cinderella, that was exactly my thinking. I genuinely don’t think it made even 0.1mm of a difference to my lining not having it during prep.

Congrats on the double trouble! Two and a puppy...you will have your work cut out for you, but totally worth giving up sleep for. I’m delighted for you. Sounds wonderful.xx

[Cinderella5 in reply to sazzle2680]

Not sure if you've tried rasp errey leaf tea and the tablets, that's what I did this time and my lining was good. Even the consultant said it was perfect and that's a big thing for him to say! Yes, a puppy and twins coming....oh well in for a penny in for a pound....I'm sure we'll manage and love every minute!!xxx

[sazzle2680 in reply to Cinderella5]

Yeah I gave them a go last cycle...alongside vit E, castor oil pack and pomegranate juice....I even had 4 infusions of GCSF...and I barely made it over 7mm. It’s sooo frustrating, nothing seems to work. I did read an article a couple days ago that said that too much T4 and not enough T3 can cause an issue. Looking at my last Thyroid bloods, my T4 was high in range and my T3 low. Apparently selenium (which I take) and zinc (that I now have added in) are needed to convert from the Levothyroxine T4 to the active T3 that our bodies need.

Totally right! Toilet training the pup surely will be good experience for when the bubs get here! Not to mention developing eyes on the back of your head....and the sixth sense that something naught is going on when there’s silence.....xx

[Orla9298]

Do you know what level your antibodies are? I’m on 20mg for this pregnancy (early days as you know). Previously I was on 10 but my last couple of pregnancies I was put on 20mg.

I used to have elevated antibodies but taking selenium and keeping my TSH below 1 (with my levo dose of 175) as well as staying totally gluten free has kept my antibodies below the range xx

[Hidden in reply to Orla9298]

Hi lovely i hope your doing great. Thanks for sharing your protocol. My antibodies were 100 [range <35] and ive read alot around gluten. Im on low gluten now for a week or so and added inisitol as well this month as i read it helps to reduce antibodies. I stopped the prenatal as i was adviced and started taking folate, b12,iron and vit d.

I will add aspirin as well this time. Hope that all does lower them 🤞🤞🤞

[Chel91]

My clinic gave me 7 days of Methylprednisolone 8mg a day. This will be taken the first 7 days to help during implantation, which they say is most important time, but they won't give me anymore after that.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet either. I've been prescribed steroids for allergies from the GP before, so I wonder if I could go down that route, but I wish my clinic would just be more helpful in the first place! It's so hard when we're just trying to do everything we can xx

[Hidden in reply to Chel91]

Hi Chel. Hope the cycle is going well! That is an interesting approach isnt it. You could try the gp and get it for your allergies. My gp would be reluctant and ask why my consultant doesn’t prescribe it i suppose. X hope all goes well ! 🤞 crossing everything for your ec x