Latest blood test results... 12 weeks pregnant...

[Rubiales]

Hello everyone,

As you may see from my previous posts, I had my underactive thyroid condition picked up on, unusually perhaps, by a gynaecologist I'd been referred to for infertility. 25 mcg. GP agreed to up it to 50 mcg. Gynae referred me to an endo, who wouldn't increase it any further as I apparently not a "normal hypothyroid patient" - I guess she means my TSH was never over 10 so I wouldn't have ordinarily been prescribed Levo.

Initially, Levo seemed to mess my cycles around, bleeding every 15 days or so, and then what I thought was a very minimal / non-existent period. Turned out to be implantation bleeding and I was in fact pregnant on the first month that my thyroid levels were finally being treated after over a year of trying to conceive and one miscarriage. A coincidence ? I think not...

So now I am 12 weeks pregnant, and these are my last two sets of results inc % through ranges using the thyroid.dopiaza.org/ calculator:

I can see that although my TSH is "in range" I still have very low levels of T3 and T4... how do I argue my case for an increase in dose? I'm hopefully going to be seen by some sort of specialist as part of my ante-natal care but as my last post shows, my visit to an endo wasn't very enlightening or productive...

Grateful for anyone's input as always, many thanks for taking the time to read this.

[jimh111]

Your TSH and fT3, fT4 are not in an at risk range but given your history if I were in your shoes I wouldn’t want to take any risk no matter how small. The best I can suggest is to give them your history and blood test results and say it’s a once in a lifetime event I don’t want to take any reckless risks. (Include the word ‘reckless’ because it carries legal weight and if the xxxxxxxx think they could be sued they will respond better).

[Rubiales in reply to jimh111]

thanks jimh111 that's a good phrase to use, thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

important to test vitamin D, folate ferritin and B12 levels too

ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you have high thyroid antibodies?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

[Hj101]

Congratulations! NHS guidelines for pregnancy state that Levo should be increased when you find out you’re pregnant, no blood test required, then monitor bloods after 6-8 weeks (I think this is the timeframe). Worth googling as the guidelines are easily found. Foetus doesn’t produce its own thyroid hormones in the first trimester so as they grow demand on your thyroid levels grows, therefore it’s important to up your dose in preparation for this (this is how I would explain it to the GP). Midwife will likely check your thyroid at your booking appointment too, and they can be great advocates if needed with the GP.

[Hj101 in reply to Hj101]

Sorry, just saw that you’re 12 weeks.

Here are reference ranges for pregnancy (taken from West Lothian NHS guidelines but every one I’ve found has been similar)

TSH mU/L FT4 pmol/L FT3 pmol/L

First trimester

TSH 0.09 – 2.8 FT4 10 – 18 FT3 3.2 – 5.6

Second Trimester

TSH 0.20 – 2.8 FT4 9 - 16 FT3 3.1 – 5.2

Third Trimester

TSH 0.30 – 2.9 FT4 8 - 14 FT3 3.0 – 5.1

You might find your levels recover a bit as you reach 13 weeks and baby’s thyroid takes over (anecdotally this is what I found) and then take another dip in the 3rd trimester because you’re working harder.

[Rubiales in reply to Hj101]

thanks so much for these references, very useful. I've been really struggling energy level wise up until now but hopefully I'll feel a bit better moving into 2nd trimester.. I will look for the reference re increase of dose when pregnant, I remember reading that in the past. Thanks for your reply!