Hashimotos and Trying to Conceive

[Mvpoho]

I was diagnosed with hashimotos a few years ago and have been trying to get my thyroid levels adequate for pregnancy. I’m otherwise a healthy 30 yo female who only got my thyroid checked due to my mothers thyroid cancer. Really no symptoms other than feeling cold (like most women). My TSH was 3 when my doctor prescribed 25 mcg of Synthroid. After only 2 weeks I felt rapid HR/feeling faint. I then started 25 mcg Levo, same symptoms, felt terrible. My TSH was then 6. The doctor said that was pretty much the only drug available, so I sought second opinion. My new dr prescribed 1gr NP thyroid and 300 mcg selenium. I feel fine on this combination. This doctor however, only tests free T3 to determine thyroid function. Said TSH is not necessarily correlated to active hormone. My fT3 went from 3.0 pg/mL to 3.3 after 8 weeks of NP thyroid. I’m unsure of TSH level on this medication. Any suggestions if this is adequate ? I’m really just trying to conceive and stay pregnant. No other symptoms, all my other hormones check out normal.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg, starting on too low a dose often causes issues

On NDT which contains both Ft4 and Ft3, the most important results is Ft3. Often Ft4 is low on NDT

Obviously you need good vitamin levels before TTC

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask Doctor to test vitamin levels

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

If/when on NDT make sure to take last half or third of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Add vitamin results and ranges if you have any

Or come back with new post once you get results

[Mvpoho in reply to SlowDragon]

8 weeks ago Vitamin D was 13 ng/mL and since have improved to 64 ng/mL. I have been taking 50,000IU once weekly. Also taking standard prenatal vitamin once daily.

[greygoose in reply to Mvpoho]

Sorry to say this, but your standard prenatal vitamin - presumably a multi-vit? - may be contraindicated by your hypothyroidism. What are the ingredients?

[Mvpoho in reply to greygoose]

Garden of Life- Vitamin Code. Raw Prenatal

[greygoose in reply to Mvpoho]

Yes, as I thought. It contains iron, so that will block the abosorption of all the vitamins. Iron should be taken four hours away from thyroid hormone, and at least two hours away from eveything else, except vit C.

And, it contians 100% RDA iodine. Which, as a hypo, you really shouldn't be taking without first testing to see if you need it - and then only taken under the supervision of an experienced practitioner.

You will already be getting iodine from your food and from your levo - 25 mcg contains about 13.25 mcg iodine. So, you risk over-dosing on iodine, and that could make your hypo worse.

Multis are almost never a good idea. Far better to take your supplements individually.

[Mvpoho in reply to greygoose]

I have been taking thyroid medicine in morning and prenatal vitamins at night if that helps?

[greygoose in reply to Mvpoho]

No, not at all. You're still getting too much iodine whatever time you take it.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

One problem with iodine is that many "thyroid glandulars" (said to be hormone-free but to support normal thyroid function) contain high doses of iodine (often 100% or more of RDA), along with things like tyrosine...iodine is said to be necessary for normal thyroid function. I agree with what you say about iodine, especially in Hashi patients...it should not be supplemented unless diagnosed deficiency (which I understand is pretty rare in our part of the world). But iodine is often touted by many as some sort of panacea when it comes to the treatment of thyroid disease...US MD Amy Myers, for instance, author of "The thyroid connection", recommends on her website that Hashi patients eat seaweed daily to support thyroid function...I was really surprised when I saw that as I have always believed iodine should be avoided in Hashi patients.

[shaws Administrator]

I believe the doctor you consulted gave sensible information as the majority of doctors only look at a TSH result. The fact, too, that he is more interested in the level of T3 also an excellent sign that he is more intelligent than others who only refer to the TSH to adjust dose of hormones.

The following is from Thyroiduk.org.uk (the organisation behind this forum).

thyroiduk.org/having-a-baby-2/

hypothyroidmom.com/hypothyr...