[MeganMomof5]

Yesterday I posted that my OB's office said my TSH was low.

Well I just talked to a nurse at my thyroid doctor's office...my Thyroid doctor said my thyroid levels are actually high...So I asked her about that and he said that since he's the specialist and the other doctor's office is not, that he reads the labs differently, and they usually do it based on a healthy thyroid, and since I don't have a thyroid they are different (if that makes sense)...I asked the nurse if the high thyroid could be affecting my fertility and she said yes, that the doctor talked about it with her, and he wants to see me so we can discuss this...He's so full that i can't get in to see him till Feb 25th ugh...I had a feeling that something is going on with my thyroid, and I wonder if my OB talked to him about what's going on with me...So I guess if I don't get pregnant before then, that i'll go see him and find out what's going on....i hate having to wait that long.

[Celena]

I'm sorry Megan that you might have to wait so long to get this taken care of, is there a cancellation list they can put you on to get you in earlier?

[mafiamom]

if your TSH is low it would stand to reason that your actual thyroid levels themselves are high, right? tsh is the hormone that makes the thryoid produce, so if the thyroid stimulating hormone is low it must be sensing there is too much thyroid in your system. if you dont have a thyroid, does that mean you are taking too high a dose of meds?

i am glad people are on top of this. i bet if they get your levels fixed, you will find yourself pregnant in no time!

i am on 50 mcg's of synthroid and am holding pretty steady so far.

i hope they are able to get your level corrected!! GL

[.:Shortcake:.]

Hugs! I know it sucks having to wait but I'm glad that they found an issue and it's fixable.

[lindsey2000k]

Im sorry Megan
My thyroid was one of the things they tested after my last loss.

[MeganMomof5]

Colleen, that makes sense, but i'm not sure...It might be different since I actually have no thyroid?...I just had an ultrasound in October and they said everything was fine...Since i've had my thyroid removed i've been on all sorts of different mcg of levothyroxine...I was up to 200mcg and now i'm on 175mcg...I think if he thought the meds would make a difference he would lower it, but he must have a reason he's keeping me on 175...I've been on that mcg for a long time now....I just saw him this summer, I think it was right after my last miscarriage...He knows the struggles i'm having since my thyroid cancer...I might call and ask if they can put me on a cancelation list...I was just talking to a friend the other day at the grocery store, and she sees the same doctor (he's the only specialist in town) and she said she had to wait a couple months for an appointment with him...Seems like since he wants to see me, they should of found me an appointment sooner.

[ohnicole]

I would call and demand an earlier appt... them not fixing this problem is putting your health, and the health of a bean you might conceive in the meantime, at risk. I can't believe they would let someone go a month and a half with abnormal thyroid levels without doing anything to remedy the situation. I think its absolutely ridiculous!

Can you call around to other endocrinologists or even reproductive endocrinologists to get an earlier appt? I would be livid, Megan!

ETA: What were your numbers?

[MeganMomof5]

Nicole, there is no other one here, he's the only endo in town, and we don't have any RE's here...closest RE is seattle, which is around 2 hours away...They didn't tell me my numbers...I was going to ask, but she sent me over to someone else to make an appointment...I figured I could ask when I see the doctor, didn't think it would be almost 2 months!!! I will probably call back and tell them I can't wait to see him till the end of Feb...I know they can fit people in because when I found out i had to have a biopsy, and with all my cancer stuff they were always able to get me appointments right away.

[asunflower]

Good luck. I know it is hard to wait but at least it sounds hopeful!

[AliciaF]

If you're on sythetic thyroid then you're dose is too high. I am hyperthyroid and my TSH levels are extremely low because like a pp mentioned, your body senses you have too much thyroid hormone in your system and stops producing TSH. The synthetic thyroid is no different than the hormones your body produces so just because you don't have a thyroid doesn't really mean much.

Now it's pretty common for high thyroid to cause fertitlity issues including recurrent miscarriage. It's not been my experience but it is supposed to be common. The good news is that since you're normally hypothyroid due to not having a thyroid and your hyperthyroidism is being caused by medication issues it should be a fairly simple thing to fix.

[StaceygirlPa]

Megan, I don't know if you remember but with the last m/c my ob actually said my thryoid level was to low and he thought that have caused a problem with the baby. My regular doctor and my endo doctor both said my levels were fine. I talked to another endo over Christmas and he said the following Your thyroid hormone level (T4) is too HIGH. When that hormone is high, it makes the pituitary hormone, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), become low--that is the test that's low. I was taking 200 mcg levothyroxine. He lowered me to 175 mcg and to retest in two months.

Also did you see that there has been a new study and now they are saying we should take our medince in the evening instead of in the mornings.

[MeganMomof5]

I didn't know that about the meds Stacy...I used to take mine at night, and switched to the mornings...weird!!!

I called back and told them that I can't wait till the end of Feb...She talked to the nurse and the nurse said to get me in sooner...So they fit me in on Jan 24th! i'm glad I called back...It was just eating at me.

[MeganMomof5]

oh and I forgot to add that I was told my thyroid was NOT the cause of my miscarriages by my Endo and my OB...They followed my thyroid levels pretty closely especially since I lost Ella so soon after my thyroid was removed (she passed away about a week after)...There's got to be something he can do to control my thyroid...I am starting to feel like not enough is being done...I do my part, i'm always really good about my ultrasounds, blood draws (except in the last month, I was late), and I take my pill at the same time every day...I don't know what else to do!!!

[ohnicole]

Yay, Megan! I'm so glad you got in earlier!

[SillyKitty]

Megan, are you on brand medication? It is very important to be on brand thyroid medication for thyroid hormone stability.

[MeganMomof5]

no i'm on generic because the name brand is so expensive...I'm taking levothyroxine, which I think a lot of people take.

[ohnicole]

Megan, my RE also said that he likes to have all his fertility patients on brand name. I don't know how important it is

[Servilia]

Megan, you didn't mention that you take the med on an empty stomach. I just started taking synthroid yesterday (scripted by my RE) and it was emphasized that I should take it on an empty stomach and not eat or even drink anything (other than water with the med) for at least 30 minutes - 1 hour after the medicine. Food interferes with the absorption of the medicine, and especially iron and calcium (and another couple of minerals). This is very important. I know you're taking the generic brand, but I think the rules would be the same. Double check. If you're taking it in the evenings make sure you haven't eaten or drank or even taken vitamins for a while before taking the medicine. Double check with your doctor. I was told to take mine in the morning.

[MeganMomof5]

Yes I take mine first thing in the morning...I don't usually eat breakfast, so it's on an empty stomach...I also don't take my vitamins till around 8-9pm at night...I used to take my thyroid meds with my prenatal and then read you shouldn't...I asked my doctor and he said it really didn't matter, but I no longer take them together.

[zkat]

I am glad they got you in sooner. You might want to check into taking Name Brand RX, especially since you are having trouble regulating your levels. When you use generic, it is not always filled from the same manufactorer and there can be differences in the amount of medicine in the batch. It is usually only a small change, but it is enough to throw your levels out of whack.

The pp posters are correct, if the TSH is low, then your med dose is too high and should be lowered. The free T3 and T4 should be measured in addition to TSH. My TSH usually is around .3 -.5 (the very end of normal) but my endo keeps it there because that is what my med dose needs to be at in order for my T3 and T4 to be within range.

My endo also said that in order to be the cause of a miscarriage, your levels have to be way far off, not just slightly off. She did say that slightly off will impact your ability to get pregnant and ovulate.

I know it is frustrating. As soon as my levels evened out, I got pregnant and had 3 dose changes during my pregnancy, so I feel like they are never going to be stable!

Kat.