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Nixon - I'd say you have what I have... Hashimotos Thyroiditis..is the formal name...often referred to as Hashis or Hashimotos. Basically your immune system is attacking your thyroid - hence it not working properly and needing supplementary Thyroxine..
Hope this helps.
Jen805: I hear you! We are going around in circles and its so frustrating to have this stress on top of TTC stress. We just have to do whatever we can so that we feel more at ease that our thyroid is somewhat under control and to a point where it should'nt be impeding on our TTC......don't know if that will ever happen or if just one day we will each get lucky.......
I just aim to be as informed as possible and consult as many professionals as i need until i feel i am being treated adequately. Then i know im doing the best i can and thats all i can do.
:hello:Hi Nixon - welcome to here! :hello:
As MsPink says antibodies are the things that damage the thyroid tissue. Also called Hypothyroid (underactive thyroid) with Hashimotos (antithyroid antibodies - ATAs). Hashimoto was the japanese scientist who first identified them. You can be underactive without ATAs but I think less common. Euthyroid means the levels ar "normal", either now diease or now treated Just call me Dictionary!
There is such a thing as temporary underactive thyroid, such as for short time after pregnancy, but for most of us it is permanent. I was very shocked and dismayed at the prospect of taking a pill every day for rest of my life, but have got used to it now. Every one has something they have to contend with, at some point and underactive thyroid is not too bad in the scheme of things, eg diabetes, heart disease, etc etc
I now put my thyroid pills (thyroxine is the name of the hormone, there are other brand names,mine is Oroxine) in a days of the week pill box and take vitamins with them too, helps remember. (very nannaish,I know!)
Anyway hope that helps.
cheers
sam
Jen - here are two ranges from 2 different labs in melbourne. What do you take for the overactive, I have been assuming you were taking a version of thyroxine.:
2009 Melb Path Dorovitch
TSH 0.3 - 3.5 0.5 - 4.00
Free T4 9.0 - 19.0 10.0 - 19.0
Free T3 3.8 - 6.0 3.5 - 6.5
Thyroid Peroxidase AB < 6 0 - 34
Antithroglobulin AB < 6 0 - 40
cheers
sam
Jen, Could that T4 be bound and not free? I know they measure it in a different way and the ranges look different. If that number was against our normal ranges you'd be dead!
Changing the subject very slightly here, because i know this is ttc with thyroid issues, but i thought to lighten it up in between we could talk about our plans more generally (re: the babies i mean!). I bought fabric to make my ring sling yesterday. I can't wait to get sewing, the fabric is a beautiful fine irish linen in a rich red. I think it's wide enough to make 2 slings too, though i only have one set of rings - i'll need to order another set from my dad, who handmade them for me :)
I also bought a bunch of fabric for an infinity dress i found a pattern for. I have a wedding coming up and want to try the pattern before i spend on expensive fabrics.
I have so many plans for knitting and such of baby things, gives me something to do/work towards while i'm waiting to ttc and ttcing...
Bx
hoobley--According to the nurse, they checked my TSH-0.58, and free T4 0.81. Found a few more sites:
Key Thyroid Function Test -- Values and Interpretation - Thyroid Disease According to this one, I'm normal. But what's confusing to me is the range of numbers! For instance, 0.4-6 was what USED to be considered normal.... I would think that me being 0.58 would put me at the higher end of what USED to be normal. But now they say normal is 0.3-3.0 So isn't that saying the same thing? That me being 0.58 is right in the middle of what's NOW considered normal? :help: I'm so lost!!! Am I just a retard for not getting this? Is it right in front of my face and I'm just not seeing it, or what? My DF thinks I'm crazy.... saying my numbers are normal according to the new standards... but if you just LOOK at what USED to be normal, then it makes my levels look too high--as least as far as TTC and sustaining a pg'cy go!! :( Why am I the only one seeing this????? :angry: :wall: Are any of you on the same page as me? If not... if you understand and can somehow explain it to me so that I can understand... I'd be eternally grateful!
Then I also read that "women do not normalize unless TSH is between 1-2... and I'm like, huh? :confused: And what are the levels it should be if you're TTC? I can't seem to find those numbers again... anyhow, have to run. Sorry for the vent, but many thanks because I know you all understand how frustrating it is! :grouphug:
Jen805: Your TSH seems fine! As per the research i've done and a recommendation from a reproductive endo in QLD, AU ideally between 1-2 is whats best to conceive, but 0.58 seems so darn close!
0.3 is the lowest you should go otherwise you may start being hyper and getting such associated symptoms.
How often are you going to have TSH tested?
You should ask as many questions as you want/need until you feel comfortable with your condition and whats going on. Don't apologise this is what this forum is for! :clap:
hey Jen, managed to quickly get onto the site at work. My GP here in Brisbane told me the normal levels should be between 0.3 - 5.0 whereas my doc in Cairns told me normal levels were between 0.4 - 4.00. however to have a successful pregnancy you must be below 2.00. He told me the other levels ie my T3 and T4 were not important. TSH was the one to watch and monitor. though both of mine are in the normal ranges.
Do you think you should maybe go see another doc? and get it tested again? 0.58 is in the normal ranges so there must be something else going on. My endocrinologist in Sydney said that if my pg fails again after my TSH levels are in the normal ranges to come and see him again for more blood tests, he mentioned he would do the NK Cells test on both of us. By the way I still haven't gotten my parenatale karotype results back yet from my GP and neither has my hubby so will be interesting to see those results. I'll let you know on our general thread we use.
My suggestion is just keep pressing them for answers.
Hey Jen - The TSH is in the nromal range, but if you don't feel well then keep asking. Go with what you reckon. You could probably be closer to 1-2 and feel better with a small dose adjustment. if that is what you want to do?
Thanks, girls, for your support and recommendations! :grouphug: This is going to sound like a terribly dumb question, but Sam, if I were to make a small dose adjustment, it would be a small decrease in my dose, correct? I know you're not a dr... etc... etc... so will f/u with my dr, as well... but you seem to know so much, so I'm just curious what you think. Yesterday I took only 1/2 my usual dose... don't seem to be as jittery, but don't really know if I notice a difference--of course, after only 1 day it's pretty impossible to notice a difference already! :rofl: Patience is not one of my virtues! Will keep you all posted on how things go. I have an appt. for a pap on Mar. 6th ( my b-day :rolleyes: ) so am planning on also speaking with him about it further then. Also want to talk to him about possible blocked tubes... found some interesting info in re: to potential causes of blocked tubes. One being history of ruptured appendix (which I had when pg with DS1), and also leftover tissue after a m/c without D&C... (out of 4 m/c's, I only had 1 D&C, and that was after my 1st m/c, in '95, which was a blighted ovum). Obviously, it wouldn't answer my thyroid problems, but it could answer my infertility probs!
mummawannabe--I usually have my thyroid checked about every 6 mo's.
Thanks again, everyone! And, Sam, thanks again for this thread! :hug:
Jen, on the whole your TSH looks ok, but it is definitely on the low end of the scale - and it's a WIDE scale.... You might want to try a very slight reduction in your doseage to try and drop your T4 (and increase TSH) a little to see if that makes a difference. ESpecially if you're having hyperthyroid symptoms - like shaking, trouble sleeping, palpatations.... It takes at least 2 weeks for a change in doseage to have a full effect on your blood levels - My specialist waits 6 weeks before testing to check the new levels. What dose are you on now? Just tread very lightly if you change doseages. And get a follow-up test around a month later.
For eg, I'm on 100mcg. My T4 was a little high, so I tried skipping one pill a week - lowering my weekly dose from 700mcg to 600mcg. My T4 dropped a fair bit so I ended up going back to 100mcg per day cause it was a bit of a hassle. I think I'm quite sensitive to it as I have a very low dose (for total replacement) and small changes in dose have a big effect.
Hope the sling goes well Hoobly - I was thinking of buying one for the next baby. Never occurred to me to make one. I spose they're pretty simple things, though. Where do you get the ring?
Hey everyone,
Got my D20 Prog and TSH results back -
TSH 1.3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:dance:
Progesterone: 94.5 :dance:
I am over the moon with both results - especially the TSH. This is the first time i have managed a result within the 1-2 window. Now just got to keep it there....am expecting it to get lower before it will come up a little and stablise, but time will tell.
Anyone know how to read into the Progesterone reading? Last time i was pregnant my D21 progesterone was 101 - but this ended in miscarriage 2 weeks later....I've heard that high progesterone can indicate a future miscarriage or multiple pregnancy. (Am so wanting to do a preg test early but going to try and make myself wait until day 28 like i normally do.)
MWB - well done for gettting TSh in range, yeahhh. I was wrapt when got mine to .9 and feel great generally. As someone was saying maybe you, it will probably fluctuate a bit around that number.
Jen - "if I were to make a small dose adjustment, it would be a small decrease in my dose, correct?" - yes
If you are buzzing then probably you are taking slightly too much thyroxine. a level of .58 would explain that. Most of the recommendations we hear for TTC have been to be between 1-2, and my endo says around 1.
What Marcellus says is quite right. half a tablet difference per day is probably too much of a drop (eg if your are taking 100mg, then dropping to 50mg a day would be too big a change, you would want to try a 10-20% change first) As she explained that could be achieve by missing one tablet a week, or half a tablet 2 times a week.
Thyroxine has a half life of a week so any changes do take a week or 2 to feel. Let doc know you are buzzing and see what suggests.
mummawannabe--Congrats on your results! :clap:
Sam--Feeling a lot better since I've only been taking 1/2 dose, but I hear what you're saying that it could end up being too big a change. So yesterday and today I went back to full pill, think I'll try the 1/2 dose twice a week to see how that goes. My cycle seems a bit off this month... so far no coverline at 16DPO, and I always O on CD12... do you think this could have something to do with my thyroid?
Thanks so much to all of you for your advice and concern! :grouphug:
Hey girls, just popping in to say that at my last BT my T4 was 12, up from 9 (PathWest range is 10 - 25) and my TSH is 3.1, down from 5.9 (PathWest range is 0.40 - 4.00) so my endo is very happy with that and I don't have to go on thyroxine! I do have a repeat BT in 6 weeks but it looks like the postpartum thyroiditis sorted itself out of its own accord.
She said I do have positive antibodies and will need a once a year BT in case I turn hypo. Fairly likely as my Mum has Hashi's.
Good news Shoegal! How are you feeling - alright at those levels? Hope it stays away!
Jen - From my personal experience being hyper tends to throw out cycles (and stops ovulation) more than hypo, so a small decrease in your meds might help. Good luck with your adjustments (and second Sam's suggestion that you let doc know about buzzing..)
MWB - congrats and well done! Sorry, don't know about prog levels. I find that TSH does tend to lag changes in T4 a bit, so may well drop a little more before levelling out.
Thanks marcellus! Feeling great actually, am weighing less than when I fell pregnant and walking lots. We've actually decided to postpone TTC#2 for now, netball season starts soon and we're about to move into our new house. I feel like I want to enjoy my life 'right now' IYKWIM??
Hey Shoegal - that is great! excellent work. If you do end up with it, is isn't so bad, just a little pill and you get on with life!
Jen - good thinking. then after 4-5 weeks get a blood test and see what level you are at. then if you feel good you can say to doc, I feel good when am at TSH = 1 for example and aim to medicate to there. docs are no good with how you feel, generally, but they have scientific minds usually and can relate to trying to achieve a certain testable level.