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Lonicera
member
intro, and ? about thyroid
Lonicera
member
Hi ladies, I'm Caroline 
DH and I are 28 and on cycle 8 TTC our first. I have learned so much from lurking here, so thanks for your wealth of knowledge and experience!
I had my gyn annual back in Jan. and talked about TTC at that time. But even though we haven't been TTC for a year yet, I was able to go in for a more comprehensive preconception appt and some lab work this past Monday. The doc was knowledgeable about and supportive of charing (yay!) and could tell from my charts that I'm clearly O'ing and that FSH and LH levels were probably fine.
However, she called yesterday with lab results and said that my thyroid levels are borderline. My TSH was 3.7, which in most labs is considered within the normal range, but they like women TTC to be below 2.5, or as low as possible. It looks like some newer guidelines say that anything above a 3 indicates hypothyroidism. The doc put me on Synthroid to get my #s down, and I'll go back in to be re-checked in 6 wks.
My pre-O temps do tend to be in the high 96's, which according to TCOYF can be a sign of hypothyroid. But I was still surprised, since I eat well, exercise, and am not overweight. Perhaps it's a misconception that most people with hypothyroid are overweight?
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has experience with hypothyroid, and if meds helped regulate it? I started the pills yesterday (CD 10), so hopefully they'll kick in in time to help this cycle! I don't know how long it takes to start making a difference, though. DH went in for a SA yesterday, but I'm hoping it's just my thyroid keeping me from getting KU, and that it will be under control soon.
Anyway, best of luck this cycle everyone!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: intro, and ? about thyroid
It generally takes about 2 weeks to tell a visit. You will probably notice symptoms going away that you didn't realize you even had. They should be checking you again in 6 weeks to make sure your TSH has gone down.
I reccomend doing as much research as you can. That's what I did when I was diagnosed. In my research, I learned that the best levels for fertility are around 1.0 and a little other. I know that I personally feel best when my levels are around .9
Hi! I'm a TTGP grad as you can see from my pregnancy ticker, but I'm also hypothyroid. It took us 8 cycles to conceive our sticky baby (had a chem. pregnancy the cycle prior), so maybe 8 will be your lucky number too
I had my TSH levels checked just a few weeks before I found out I was pg, and they were below 1 - something like .7 or lower. My endo thought that was a good place to be, and you are correct in that while a level below 3 or 4 is considered within normal "range" by some doctors, for women TTC they prefer a lot lower - anything above a 4, it can be difficult to get pg or maintain a pregnancy that would otherwise be healthy. I am not overweight, but it is somewhat difficult for me to lose that odd 5lbs so I have to work a little harder to keep the weight off, if that makes sense. Anyway, hopefully you will respond to the medication quickly, and don't be upset or frustrated if you need to have your dosage adjusted several times before your doctor and your body finds your right dose. And I would encourage you to do your own research of course, but I was recommended to only go on brand synthroid, not generic synthroid - this was by my doctor and was validated by several other resources.
When you do get pg, you'll just need to have your bloodwork done a few times each trimester to make sure your levels are still in normal range, and have your medication adjusted. I've had mine changed once already. As long as you are seeing a doctor and are on top of the situation, there is very low risk to your condition posing a threat to the development of your baby. They measured the baby's thyroid at my 20w anatomy scan, and I'm going in for a bonus u/s at 28w so they can measure again and make sure it's where it should be.
BFP 1/18/11, EDD 10/1/11. Born at 37w5d on 9/15/11.
***BFP Chart***
"There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.
Same here. I was diagnosed when I was 21 (29 now).
Hi Caroline :-)
My DH & I are 28 also and TTC baby #4. I've been on thyroid medicine for several years now & am not overweight or anything and we've had no problems conceiving any of our first 3 children. I don't know all there is to know about how thyroid issues affect conception but just wanted to offer some encouragement. :-) Good luck!!
Blessings,
Emily
Hi Caroline! I was dx with hypothyroidism about a month ago. I am on meds, and will get blood drawn mid-June to re-check and maybe re-adjust my meds. I am on generic synthroid....I haven't heard anything negative about it, like PP said, but should maybe look into it more.
I am not overweight either - it can happen to anyone I guess!
Good luck!
Thanks so much for the warm welcome all the great info! I've started to do some research into this, but it's so helpful to hear your experiences. Now I have an idea what to expect in terms of how soon the meds might kick in, what TSH range we're shooting for, how often I might get checked, etc.
It's also really nice to hear some success stories! After looking into this a bit, I was getting worried about miscarriage and potential problems during pregnancy for when I do get KU. But it sounds like with good monitoring and management, I should be able to have a perfectly healthy pregnancy (some day!!)
It will be interesting to see if I notice any changes with the Synthroid (my doc didn't say anything bad about the generic but did specify to get the brand name...) I am sometimes really fatigued after work and have trouble moving or getting off the couch; it's kinda nice to know that it might be something other than just laziness! I feel like my doctor is knowledgeable about this and seems on top of it, but I'll keep in mind that switching to an endocrinologist might be good if things get more complicated.
HappyAardvark, best wishes for your pregnancy, and I hope everyone else gets a BFP very soon! Thanks again!!
I was diagnosed with hypothyroid almost 2 years ago. I have to say that the medication has been a lot better for my energy levels. Sadly, I feel like I'm still losing a lot of hair and often wonder how I will have enough energy to get through a pregnancy and caring for a LO. Many people associate hypo with being overweight because it slows down your metabolism.
I don't anticipate any problems with my thyroid through a pregnancy, but I will have to keep an eye on anemia due to another medical condition.