I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 4 weeks ago. Doctor has put me on 50mg of levothyroxine. I’ve had no periods for over a year (thought this was due to coming off the injection) but 3 weeks on medication and I got a period! After reading all the posts on here I just keep getting confused .... should I be taking additional supplements as it seems most on here do! I want to get this sorted ASAP as I would like to start trying for a baby! But 2 weeks after period I now have another one!!!!
Results were
TSH 37.93 (0.1 -5)
FSH 6.1 (0-12)
LH 7.3 (0-12)
T4 9 (8-19)
Sodium 138 (133-146)
Potassium 3.9 (3.5. -5.3)
Urea 5.3 (2.5 7.8)
Creatin 81 (45-84)
Let me know if I should have posted other results (had lots)
Could just do with some advice don’t want to wait 3 months to be told something else and this delay me trying to conceive !!!!
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Jordan535
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Don't try for a baby until your thyroid replacement hormone is balanced. You need to get vitamin levels tested to find out if you need to supplement. Folate is very important for foetal development. Ask GP to test folate, ferritin, vitamin D and vitamin B12 and explain that you want to plan for a pregnancy. There are guidelines for TSH levels in preganant women and your GP should explain to you what these are. You need to know what TSH level you are aiming to achieve.
I have told the doctor (the only reason I found out is due to having her check my ovulation levels) so the results came as quite a shock! Altho looking back now I had every symptom of an underactive thyroid!!!
She has now said that she won’t do anything about my fertility until my next check (gutted)
Just want to know I’m doing everything I can to get my levels right and optimise the chance of getting pregnant
Nanaedake is right i.e. you have to get your thyroid hormones to optimum. Hypo can cause infertility and menstrual problems until you're on an optimum dose, and this is a list of clinical symptoms. As you will see there are quite a number and our whole body is affected from head to toe. This is a list of symptoms.
TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, free T3 and thyroid antibodies. GP may not do all but those not taken you can get privately if you wish. We have several private labs which do them.
Also request B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. The doctor should definitely do vits/minerals. Everything has to be optimal.
All blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting, (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. This method gives us the best results as the TSH drops throughout the day and may mean the doctor wont give you the rise you need.
We usually start on 50mcg and every six weeks get a 25mcg increase until TSH is 1 or lower. Not within the range as many doctors believe.
Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges. Ranges are important as labs differ and makes it easier for members to comment.
I'm afraid you are going to have to wait until your TSH is down near 1. A TSH of over 2.5 is associated with an increased chance of miscarriage. Unfortunately because Thyroxine takes 6-8 weeks to build up in your system your doctor can only increase your dose every 6-8 weeks after a blood test. You can speed things up a bit by getting appointments nearer 6 weeks than 8 - as soon as your doctor allows. You can also ask for Vit B12, Folate, Ferritin and Vit D to be tested because that will not only help your body to use the thyroid hormones but also improve your health and fertility. The levels of these nutrients need to be optimal, not just in the 'normal'range. Your periods should settle down once your thyroid dose is correct. At least they have come back!
It will take some time, maybe even months, for you to find the right dose of Levo to get your levels where they need to be for you to feel well and it be safe to try for a baby.
[Please do not try for a baby until your levels are perfect to do so. Have a read through this recent thread, you will see what happened to my daughter-in-law who was undiagnosed healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... ]
You will need retesting every 6 weeks now that you have started Levo, increase of 25mcg each time, until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo if that is where you feel well.
When booking thyroid tests, always book the very first appointment of the morning and fast overnight (water allowed) . This gives the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for a diagnosis, an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction. TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. It can also lower after eating and coffee also affects TSH. Also, take your Levo after the blood draw because if you take it before then your FT4 will reflect this and show higher than what is normally circulating. We usually advise 24 hours between last dose of Levo and blood draw so if you take your Levo in the morning then delay until after the test, or if you take it at night then delay that dose until after the test. These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.
Take your Levo on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, milk, etc, for an hour either side as absorption will be affected. Take any other medication and supplements 2 hours away from Levo, some need 4 hours.
If you've had thyroid antibodies tested, and Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin, please post the results with their reference ranges. Also, post any results that a flagged with ! or * which would mean they are out of range.
Can’t help feeling really overwhelmed and worried about it all!
Having waited a year for my periods to come back after the injection I felt really pleased my medication was working and my periods were back. But reading all the information it seems it might take forever to get my levels right and it could take much longer to actually conceive once this has been sorted let alone running the risk of miscarriage or learning difficulties - I 100% won’t be trying to conceive just yet (even tho it’s the one thing I want more than anything 😭)
Do u think that my dose would need to be upped from 50? I have read a lot of people seem to have a higher dose than me even tho their TSH Levels are much lower.
Having a higher dose brings down your tsh and should raise your t4 and t3 which is the aim. Good luck with it all and try not to worry. Stress isn’t the friend of thyroid patients. X
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