Thyroid/Endo Connections?

mrskimmell

Alrighty then! Lets try that again! Have no clue how i went from a discussion on this board into the ttc board and posted there on accident… I am FAR from tech savvy! sorries!

Think I am spending too much time with Dr. Google! I started doing research to see if any one else thinks my Hashimoto's is connected to Endo, and turns out a lot of people are thinking the same thing. So should i bring it up to my doc? Which one my PMP my Thyroid doc or my RE? Do you think they have already made the link? If so why hasn't any one else brought it up? Or maybe I am just crazy and I am looking too hard? Can't seem to stop looking I am so impatient to find answers. Feels like all this fighting with doc going back and forth over the last 19 months and i have run out of trust in the "lets just wait and see" diagnoses… looking for a little "Nah your not crazy" i guess 

BethKate2

I haven't heard of that connection before, but I also have thyroid issues and endo. It might be worth it to ask your RE if he/she thinks there's a connection, but even if there is, I'm not sure it makes a difference with your treatment since I assume you're on meds to regulate your TSH levels.

mrskimmell

My thyroid doc refuses to put me on meds. He says he wants to wait till my thyroid stops working completely. Which sucks pretty badly because my blood tests numbers are jumping all over the place, and my RE is worried about "thyroid storm" I can't get a second opinion because the only other thyroid doc is out side my coverage area by quite a few hours.

BookishMomma

I don't know about any scientific connection, but my mom had thyroid issues as well as endo. 

I have a chocolate cyst on my left ovary, too. (I hate that terminology, BTW. Chocolate is supposed to be a GOOD thing). I don't have any thyroid issues currently, but I suspect I may develop them later on, based on the fact that both my mom and her mom have thyroid problems.

BethKate2

@mrskimmell, that's really strange that they didn't put you on meds. I don't see an endocrinologist for my hypothyroidism, but my RE put me on meds as soon as my TSH levels came back high. Maybe your RE would consider doing that? My RE wouldn't allow us to start a treatment cycle until my TSH level is under 3 since for pregnancy, it should ideally be around 2.  I would imagine that it would be dangerous to allow you to continue to go untreated, especially while TTC.

mrskimmell

BookishMomma said:

I don't know about any scientific connection, but my mom had thyroid issues as well as endo. 

I have a chocolate cyst on my left ovary, too. (I hate that terminology, BTW. Chocolate is supposed to be a GOOD thing). I don't have any thyroid issues currently, but I suspect I may develop them later on, based on the fact that both my mom and her mom have thyroid problems.

It runs in my family as well we have determined four generations so far. And my greate grand mother and my grandmother both had their removes after growths kept coming back and making it hard for them to eat or swallow. Which Is what I am having issues with too. They caught my moms pretty early when she was pregnant so she's been doing very well and hasn't had any issues. Lucky girl! ;P the little bit of research i did do says most of the time the choc cyst is on the left. And yes it is gross. Of course I did have to come home and google it and well I really don't think I will eat chocolate for a while

mrskimmell

@BethKate‌2 @laurensc927‌ honestly seeing three different doc and they all have something to say about it. Everyone is giving bits and pieces of their theory's. My reg doc says my numbers have just gone up again. He suspects that this could mean the thyroid is beginning to stop doing it's function and I would need to start medication. My RE agrees that my anti bodies are high (he is pulling the other records from my thyroid dr and PCP. My RE made comment about needing to start on something but my thyroid doc is refusing. He says it's fine. It's not bad enough yet he wants to wait till it's the worst it can get I guess at least that how he explained it. I go to get the growth biopsied and to make sure it hasn't grown any more in oct and I am thinking of talking to my RE and just going with him on this one. Maybe he would be willing to manage my care? I feel more comfortable and he was willing to sit down and explain things to me. Where are the thyroid doc was in and out in like ten minutes have a nice day.

mrskimmell

HoldingOutHope said:

OP, I'm also shocked that your doc won't put you on meds. Even my primary care doc wouldn't "clear" me to TTC until my TSH was stable at/around 1.5. Your doc should want it stable before a BFP so you have a baseline to work with at that point - because it will likely increase in pregnancy. I'd also see if your RE would be willing to prescribe and monitor.

As for the thyroid disease-endo connection, I do not claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I did, however, have a phone consult with Dr. Braverman (reproductive immunologist) and he says he has seen the connection over and over. Because of my thyroid issues, he recommended a lap for me to check for endo. My RE disagreed, so I have not had one done yet.

GL to you!

I would go with your gut. You can always get the vaginal ultrasound. That helped give my RE a more clear cut picture before he decided to go ahead with the lap. Don't rush into it though. Only reason I'm rushing is cuz they say it can suck pretty bad if this type of cysts ruptures since it got my left ovary pinned to my uterine wall. I hope you get your figured out too. Hey who know if there is a connection maybe they can come up with a pretty pink pill to help :]

mrskimmell

lemonliz said:

Do you remember what your levels have been the past couple of tests?  And they've tested for the antibodies and you definitely don't have Grave's'?  A thyroid "storm" happens when you're hypERthyroidic - typical of Grave's.  In that case, your TSH would be zero and your T4 would be very high and thyroid replacements are not needed.  I think that's what your doctor is trying to avoid by not supplementing.  I don't know much about Hashimotos, except that levels can fluctuate, but I did had Grave's.

They can give you medication to calm your thyroid gland down and reduce inflammation, and then treat for hypo afterward if necessary.  This medication is not to be used while TTC or pregnant, though. Your endocrinologist is probably trying to avoid putting you on it and waiting under observation until things have settled down and you regularly need levothyroxine.  I would talk to your RE about all of this and bring a copy of your bloodwork from the endocrinologist.  

Although it was a major pain in the a$$, it took them a year+ to get control of my thyroid issues and now I have none as long as I'm on the right dose.  Having said that, I'm easier to regulate because they wiped out total thyroid function via radiation, so all they have to do is give me a full replacement dose [I was younger when this happened, radiation is not recommended either while TTC - actually, I had to be on b/c for a year upon starting radiation].  I also have endo, for what it's worth, but like a PP mentioned, there's not much they can do about it even if there is a connection.  Endo was found long after the thyroid issues were addressed, which indicated to me that even if my thyroid is under control, the endo is still an issue.  

From what I have been told it's hashis I have tons if antibodies and they are attacking my joints. Along with all sites
Of other stuff. I do have the Number on my patient portal but I can't get to it on the phone. I won't be able to use the PC till Saturday =\ makes typing all of this a pain in the buns. But taking to my RE is EXACTLY what I'm gong to do. I see him next week for the pre opp and I have about two pages of questions to ask. Thank you so much this make me feel so much better about asking if they are connected. Even if they are and there nothing you can do about will make me feel like I got a lot less is going on. Oh goodness when I get to sit down with my therapist I'll have to book her back to back hahahah

Graberjc

Yes I have definitely seen this - I am a holistic dietitian and have worked with ladies with both thyroid issues and endometriosis. I'm actually putting a new program together for women ttc. I'd love to talk to you or other ladies on this thread about what you are struggling with for research for my program. Let me know if I can help!