I am put forward for iVF however before i start, my thyroid level needs to be below 2.5. I had mine tested about 6 weeks ago initially which came out at 4.6- so i was given medication (cant remember the name) to lower this and assumed it would take months! I just had my second blood test last week after a month of being on the medication and its now 1.9! So technically can inform my clinic and start IVF.
I was wonderinf if this seems to be a fluke!? Reading online etc i assumed it would take 3 months minimum . Has anyone else experienced similar?
Thank you
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Mlove12
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Firstly, what time was your blood draw? Was it before 9am, fasting and drinking only water? Because TSH fluctuates throughout the day. I would suggest that you have another blood test at the three months period as per above, because although it has come down, it's likely to raise as your body craves more T4. And ideally your TSH should be under 1, although NICE guidelines are higher.
The risk of miscarriage is very high, so it's worth being patient a little longer.
The levothyroxine you have been given will be a starter dose. And it replaces your natural hormones, so do a little research here and learn about the thyroid, how it works, because it will help you long term.
Good morning, thank you for replying. Its IVF through NHS so they dont check all of the other things unfortunately. This test was 11:45am but i hadnt eaten that morning and i havent been on the medication now for 2-3 weeks.Would you suggest i still hold off ivf untill i have another blood test done?
MLove the tablets you were given for your thyroid problems are not a cure. It doesn't bring your TSH down and that is it. The thyroid tablets are a hormone to replace the hormone that your thyroid is not making. You therefore need to take the tablets each day every day otherwise your TSH level will rise again.
Please take the time to read about hypothyroidism on this site and on the Thyroid UK website. We each need to educate ourselves so we can get the treatment we need tailored to our own circumstances.
Explain you didn’t realise you were supposed to be taking levothyroxine continuously
Request they test vitamin levels now
Thyroid test should always be early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
Are you currently taking a pre natal vitamin supplement?
REMEMBER.....very important....stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results - eg vitamin B complex
I stopped taking it due to personally circumstances and my doctor cancelled my repeat prescription (long story).
My doctor said that my thyroid level is satisfactory and i will only be on this medication whilst im going through fertility treatment.
I have been told this by two different doctors that my thyroid level is fine/satisfactory but clinic wants it under 2.5, so im confused as to why there is panic regarding my levels as it doesnt seem that high to health professionals?
I dont have any symptoms of thyroid issues.
Im being re prescribed my meds this week or next week now my blood test is done, but its been made clear this isnt a ‘for life’ medication.
I am taking pre natal vitamins yes, folic, vid d, multi vit, iron etc
I was aware i needed to take it continuously throughout the ivf process, stopped due to other reasons with stuff going on and i’d only been on it a month. I was prescribed 25mcg. I usually took it first thing when i woke up.
Am i able to ask my doctors for vitamin tests then? They always ask for evidence from clinic that i need tests done?
“According to the current TSH reference interval, hypothyroidism was not diagnosed in about 50% of the cases in the afternoon.”
“Further analysis demonstrated inadequate compensation of hypothyroidism, which was defined in 45.5% of the morning samples and in 9% of the afternoon samples”
If delaying taking levothyroxine until after blood test, you likely want to not eat or drink anything apart from water before taking levothyroxine
It may (or may not) make a difference to TSH if fasting ….opinions differ
Clinic said that these levels are ok and no need to test again despite the time of day it was taken. Im so confused (but grateful!) after reading all your advice! Clinic just wants LH tested again and FHS before booking in treatment. My first test was tested at 8:45am, so on time really.
I take all my vitamins of an evening and my thyroid meds in the morning.
I shall look into private blood test for vitamins, what levels/what exactly am i looking for with those tests just so im aware?
There is a lag is there a reason you stopped the meds? Mine was overactive but did go in range relatively quick too so within around 2 months since starting meds. However there is this lag so with med changes you don't see the result until some weeks later so if you stopped meds I'd be concerned the level would rise up again on the next test.
I thought thyroid meds were more longer term than a few weeks!
Sorry I just read more comments - yes that makes sense but as IVF is a long process you would still need to make sure the level is right, so stay on meds to minimise miscarry risk...so by the time you get the IVF it may have risen back up by then! I hope it settles down for you
I had Levo when trying to conceive under IVF. Coincidence maybe, but I had 5 round of IVF and it worked when this was spotted and tackled. Good luck to you in your journey xx
Definitely keep taking the levothyroxine dose you've been prescribed!
I have been TTC since Jan 2016, started IVF in 2018 (too old to qualify for NHS funding though!) and since 2012 (possibly even longer) my TSH was above 2.5. By Oct 2020 it was nearly 7!
My fertility clinic paid absolutely no regard to appropriate thyroid levels for fertility purposes, and sadly so much time, money and energy was wasted. I had 2 spontaneous pregnancies, resulting in early miscarriage. Failed IVF 2018, failed again 2019, delayed 3 times in 2020 because of Covid, then again when I kicked off about the thyroid levels. Only at this point did they stop and listen and agreed that TSH needed to be below 2.5!
Our third and final round of IVF took place in July 2021, when my TSH was finally below 2.5, and I fell pregnant, first time pregnant via IVF. Unfortunately at 7 week scan, 'inconclusive', so I had to return at 8 weeks, when no heartbeat detected and missed miscarriage diagnosed. Medical intervention at 9 weeks. So awfully traumatic, and I wouldn't wish a repeat of that on anyone.
I've been on levothyroxine since Nov 2020, currently on 100mcg/day which seems to be fairly stable for me at the moment.
I've found this forum the most useful source of information and guidance, because GPs, fertility professionals and a lot of endocrinologists simply do not understand the complexities of the thyroid, particularly when factoring in TTC.
If you're lucky enough to have caught your thyroid problem early enough, with appropriate vitamin/mineral/lifestyle support, you may be able to reverse some of the damage being done to your thyroid. Sadly for me, and a lot of other sufferers, it's picked up too late, and we're lumbered with having to take medication for the rest of our lives, and also with clinicians who don't really understand the condition messing about with doses which actually can cause us harm.
I'm now seeking fertility treatment abroad as I've been so let down by the clinic we used in the UK. Abroad is also a lot cheaper and you get treated as an individual patient, which is a refreshing change from the 'sheep/cattle' mentality of some NHS care (and I WORK in the NHS!)
This may sound harsh but if you don't get your TSH under control along with vits and other as advised before conception and during pregnancy then you are extremely likely to miscarry. Please please take the advice given to save yourself heartbreak later on
Yes i fully intent to continue meds, hence the post! My doctors refused to repeat prescription as my levels were ‘down to what they need to be’, so myself and my clinic have been having a battle with them to get my meds prescribed! What a nightmare. I will need to continue them during ivf but have been told i wont need to be on them after that
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