Thyroid results pre IVF

[GB844]

Hi everyone,

I have had some routine blood tests done ahead of IVF including TFTs.

Results: TSH 0.29miu/L, free T4 16.pmol/L and TPO 225iu/ml.

I know the antibodies are high which I am very surprised about as I have no symptoms and no history personally or within the family of thyroid issues. TSH is also on the low side but within limits that the clinic likes it to be (>0.2).

I have been taking 400xRDA of biotin for the last 3 months included in my prenatal vitamin. I have read this can affect results and give high TPO and low TSH reading, just wondering if anyone knows this to be the case? My B12 and vitamin D were both also high due to supplementation.

i have a meeting with consultant tomorrow, just curious whether I should mention the biotin or whether this in unlikely to have had an impact.

Thanks everyone

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Yes

You would need to retest a week after stopping biotin supplements

What were folate, ferritin, vitamin D, B12 results and ranges

Please add range on Ft4 result

Presumably Ft3 wasn’t tested ?

Are you currently taking any replacement thyroid hormones?

[GB844 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for the reply. sorry I don’t have access to the ferritin and folate numbers. The T4 was 16(10-20), Vitamin D was 123 (50-100) and B12 was 1054 (211-911). I am not on any replacement thyroid hormones.

Thank you again

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to GB844]

was test done early morning

you do need to know iron and ferritin levels

How low were Vitamin D and B12 low before supplementing

Ever had folate levels tested

Are you currently taking any folate or folic acid or vitamin B complex

What’s your diet like

Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Or gluten intolerant or dairy intolerant?

[GB844 in reply to SlowDragon]

test was done before lunch. Iron and ferritin were tested and were in normal range I just didn’t note them down. My last ferritin was 43 (a month ago). Folate was also normal. I am taking folic acid and vitamin B complex pre IVF. I have a very varied diet but I eat a lot of green leafy veg and eggs intentionally pre IVF. Im not veggie or vegan and I have no food intolerances.

Vitamin D and B12 were in normal range before supplementation.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to GB844]

Ferritin is too low

Request full iron panel test for anaemia or test privately

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Low ferritin, low thyroid levels and miscarriage 

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

Low iron and hypothyroid 

endocrineweb.com/news/thyro...

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

Also See page 7 on here 

rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-co...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

Obviously no liver allowed these days once pregnant

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin 

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron 

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[GB844]

thank you so much for helpful link. I have just checked again and ferritin was 60 this week. Is this still low?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to GB844]

That’s better then ……….Improving

[janeroar]

does your pregnancy vitamin contain iodine? That might be causing you an issue if your body doesn’t need it.

[GB844]

Hi, yes there is iodine in the supplement as well. Do you think this could be affecting the result?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to GB844]

could be

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You could test

Genova Diagnostics for iodine test

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

Click on "Read the list of available tests" and on page 3 of the pdf you'll see

Urine Iodine Test:

Specimen requirements: Urine

Cost: £71.00

Order Code: END25

Turnaround time: 5 - 10 days

Iodine is an essential trace element, vital for healthy thyroid function. Adequate levels are required to enable the production of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, whilst also being required in other areas of health.

Deficiencies can lead to impaired heat and energy production, mental function and slow metabolism. Urine iodine is one of the best measures of iodine status. This test is not performed as a loading test, but can be used to establish existing levels or to monitor iodine supplementation.