blood results, levothy dosage and not getting pregnant :(

[plymouthrocks]

Hello everyone, hope someone can advise. I have vitiligo in addition to a clapped-out thyroid, but I live in the SouthEast of the UK and my GP obviously has no time for the vagaries of thyroid disease. It's hard enough to get an appointment at all, let alone make him take this a bit seriously when I do manage to see him. Anyway, I was being treated for something else, two weeks ago, when my blood tests revealed that:

TSH: (range: 0.27 to 4.2) 4.58

T4: (range: 12 to 22) 19

Nothing 'off the scale', but still a bit of a worry, as previously, my TSH was down to something like 2. Now it's more than 4-and-a-half! I've been taking levothyroxine at 100mcgm for at least six months, although perhaps not leaving enough time between the dosage and a light, fast bit of breakfast. Does it sound as though I should be on a higher dosage of Levo? As I already have an autoimmune disorder (vitiligo) I am prone to others. I'm beginning to feel despondent, as I had thought the dosage was correct. Clearly it isn't. Also, I am hoping to get pregnant, but at 40 and with these lab ranges, it feels as though this will never now happen.

Any advice or even opinion would be gratefully received. I don't feel too bad in myself (especially relative to the way I felt when I wasn't taking any Levo at all), but I do tire quickly and I have to be extremely vigilant in not gaining weight, in spite of being very active and eating well.

In a nutshell, a TSH count of 4.58 is too high, isn't it?

[shaws]

Yes, in a nutshell, a TSH of 4.58 for someone on medication is too high. You need an increase in medication. You have to leave sufficient time between medication and breakfast some leave 1/2 hour but probably 1 hour is better. Some people take their medication when they go to bed, having eaten last two hours before as they find that easier. Always take a glass of water with levo so it goes straight into your stomach.

When you have a thyroid gland blood test, do not take your medication till afterwards as it can skew results. Also have it as early as possible. If you take the dose at night, miss this and take after blood test. Also ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be tested if you haven't done so.

This is the role of vitamins in hypothyroidism:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Dr Toft who was President of the BTA says that:-

The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range – 0.2-0.5mU/l.

[plymouthrocks]

Reallyfedup123 - I took my levo about five hours before the blood test. I must remember that it does skew the result. I'm going to go back and be more stroppy, as I too am very fed up.

Administrator - thanks for confirming that 4.58, when on medication, is too high. I don't know about all my vitamin results, but I know that B12 and iron are okay.

OUt of interest, taking levo not-that-long before a blood test can skew the result in which direction? Or is it different for everyone? I'm wondering whether my TSH of 4.58 would have been even higher, had I remembered to pause the meds, or if it would have been slightly lower?

[Duchy82]

You want your tsh below 2if ttc also have yourself referred to a subfertility after 6mnths of trying for a baby so any problems can be looked into and quickly.

Maybe try taking your levo at night if you cant wait to have breakfast in the morning i never looked back after changing from morning to evening.

[Heloise]

After listening to this functional medicine doctor I'm revising my thoughts about Hashimoto

I think he is correct in many ways. This is one of his 5-minute videos pertaining to fertility.

He discusses 21 other reasons as well.

youtube.com/watch?v=U15Pcov...(Not working as expected?)

[mrsb05]

I struggled to get pregnant after thyroid removal, you need to seek fertility help as quick as possible as time is not on your side. I used fertility treatment, acupuncture and supplements which may have helped. My thoughts are the more things you try the greater the chance of success especially with thyroid issues. Beware after pregnancy as your auto immune system can go crazy, so make sure you keep all appointments, I ended up with arthritis type effects and nerve issues after, but my kids are worth it.

[NicoleK]

hi I think low thyroid can lead to low progesterone which affects fertility - I had all the classic signs of low progesterone (due to low thyroid I think) and was prescribed synthetic progesterone which did absolutely nothing for me. I then found natural progesterone - google Natpro - and that sorted out my periods and pms etc. I wish I had read about it earlier as I think it would have helped with the two miscarriages I had ( though I also had two successful pregnancies) I also saw on here somewhere a video by Dr Tom on gluten and that seems to affect fertility and women who had given up gluten went on to have successful pregnancies after years of trying when they gave up gluten - just a thought but given limited time I would try everything - it took me a year to get pregnant - don't give up! and good luck