Help with blood results please! 32 years old trying to conceive

[Heldee]

Diagnosed jan 2013. On Levo 75mcg daily since April 2013. November 2013 results:

TSH 5.16 (0.3-5.5)

fT4 18.7 (10-20)

January 2014:

TSH 5.17 (0.3-5.5)

fT4 19.2 (10-20)

In 2009 at the beginning of my symptoms my TSH was 3.3 - I found this out by requesting my notes.

Doc won't increase my Levo as T4 too high but as I'm trying to conceive I thought my TSH was too high? Is this right?

Could it be I'm not converting to T3 efficiently?? I've not had any vit b or iron tests done - should I request them?!

I just don't feel like I'm at optimum health for conceiving but doc says my results are 'perfect'.

Any help/suggestions would be amazing.

Helen

[Moggie]

Yes your TSH is to high and yes you should be requesting VitD, B12, Ferritin, Iron and Folates to tested.

I did a bit of research on here the other day and found that a TSH of 2 is ideal when trying for a baby. If I can find the piece again I will share it with you.

It's a shame your GP did not do a FT3 test for you as you would have a clearer picture as to what is going on if this had been tested and as for his remark of "perfect" words fail me.

Moggie x

[Moggie]

Try having a read of this.

pregnancy.com.au/resources/...

Moggie x

[Heldee in reply to Moggie]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond - i will try and see another doctor and request the bloods you suggested. Also reading that article my tsh does look way to high. I guess with a high ish T4 I'll be unlikely to persuade my doc to increase Levo yet.

Thank you again

[Moggie in reply to Heldee]

But if you are low in any of the vitamins I mentioned this will be having a negative impact on how your thyroid meds are working. I had very low iron levels and since they have been corrected I have had to DROP my thyroid medication twice as I kept going over medicated. So your TSH could come down without more thyroid medication if you are found to have low vitamins and then get these corrected.

Moggie x

[Marz in reply to Heldee]

...the higher the TSH - the more the thyroid is struggling/working to produce T4. Optimal levels of T4 and T3 are required for a healthy foetus. If the Mum is low in thyroid hormones - the foetus will detect this and produce it's own growth hormone - and a big baby will be born.

I had two at 9lbs and over ! Dr Peatfield in his book - The Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy discusses this point - think it's page 83 - from memory !

Also the tests mentioned by Moggie are also vitally important.

T4 is a storage hormone and only used when required - so how can you have too much or be too high. It's the over range FT3 that can sometime cause a problem and make you HYPER. Do insist on the FT3 test - as that is the ACTIVE thyroid hormone and maybe you are not converting from T4 into T3. The T3 test can be a little unreliable - either up or down a few percent - but all the results I have seen are at the lowest part of the range.

All blood tests are just a snapshot of what is going on at that particular moment. It is a Guide - and doctors must take into consideration the problem you are dealing with....so be polite but FIRM !

I'm not medically qualified - just a fellow sufferer with Hashimotos - and getting better all the time.....

[Ansteynomad]

Try this:

cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...

You might need to print and show to your GP.

[Clutter]

RCP recommend hypo women are referred to endos for the duration of the pregnancy. TFTs should be every 4 weeks and Levothyroxine increased by 50mcg to ensure good foetal development and avoid post-partum thyroiditis.

This link is informative re conception & pregnancy. Scroll down to near the end and youll find the links hypothyroidmom.com

[Littlemisstired]

Tell them you want all the tests done as you don't feel right, that's vit d, free t3/t4, kidney, liver, thyroid,glucose I think. My results kept coming back normal but just had a vit d test and very low at 14.5 so you never know you could be the same. I don't know all the terminology yet, but ask for those tests.