hypothyroidism and getting pregnant

[angelbaby84]

Hi,

I found out that I was pegnant in Oct 2012 and while doing blood work I was diagnosised with hypothyroidism. On thanks giving day I started bleeding and it lead to a D&C at the end of Nov. I didn't start taking any meds till 2 weeks before for the hypothyroidism. It is possible that I had a Miscarriage because of the thryoids.?

Now I"ve been taking meds 25 mg of levo.. and I'm trying to get pregnant.. I just finish. my 3rd cycle since my mc so I'm hoping I would get pregnant soon as the first time we got pregnant the 2mth of trying. 

My question is how long did it take you to get pregnant with hypothroidsm.

[toothfairy2be]

Hypothyroidism can affect your chances of pregnancy and increase chance of miscarriage. It is possible that is what led to your loss but it is also possible it was just unexplained. We just experienced a loss at the end of February even while taking multiple precautions to treat my thyroid, clotting, & endometriosis. Sometimes these things just happen (not a good reason but it was the best they could give me). 

I don't have an answer to how long it will take to get pregnant again but am hopeful for you that you good luck with achieving pregnancy quickly the first time combined with your new treatment of your thyroid will produce a healthy pregnancy in the hear future.

Good Luck!

[MichellyAqua12]

Yes, as the PP said, hypothyroidism affects fertility and can increase your chance of miscarriage, as well as birth defects. But that doesn't mean your hypothyroidism is definitely responsible. Something like 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage because of an abnormality with the fetus.

Are you seeing an endocrinologist who has experience with thyroid patients? You really want someone who knows what they're doing monitoring you frequently. For TTC, your TSH should be between 1 and 2 -- ideally, as close to 1 as possible. I assume that is because you don't want it above 2.5 when pregnant, and TSH can spike very quickly when you become pregnant (you'll want to notify your doctor as soon as you get a positive test so your dose can be increased). Whether or not you hold off on TTC until your TSH is in the right range is up to you and what your doctor recommends.

Many people feel more even on the brand name medication Synthroid rather than the generic, so you may want to look into switching. I opted for the brand in my case just to be safe. The issue with the generic is that the pharmacy can give you a different one every time, and the different fillers can affect how the medication is absorbed. I don't worry about generics for other medications, but thyroid hormone is prescribed in such small doses (mcg rather than mg) that I feel consistent/proper absorption is extra important.

I have been trying for over two years, but I didn't know about my hypothyroidism until a year and a half in, I'm not stable yet, and we have other issues too. I've seen women who are stable get pregnant very quickly. But keep in mind it is normal for it take up to a year, even without any issues.

[glionna]

my obgyn always recommends me to take my thyroid meds in an empty stomach before i get out of bed every morning, this makes a faster absortion in ur body. ive been slacking for a yr and my blood test came out with a 5. my doc increased to 150 mg. i went back to wake up with water bottle and med every morning, and im starting clomid in bout 3days, lets see.

[MichellyAqua12]

Originally Posted by glionna 

my obgyn always recommends me to take my thyroid meds in an empty stomach before i get out of bed every morning, this makes a faster absortion in ur body. ive been slacking for a yr and my blood test came out with a 5. my doc increased to 150 mg. i went back to wake up with water bottle and med every morning, and im starting clomid in bout 3days, lets see.

Yes, you should always take your thyroid pill first thing in the morning, with a full glass of water, and wait at least 30 minutes to an hour before eating breakfast. Certain vitamins can affect absorption too (for example, you are supposed to wait 4 hours before taking anything with iron or calcium), so to be safe, I take my vitamin D at lunch and my prenatal at dinner.

[devilish]

The important thing is to take the medication on an empty. I always found that taking Synthroid first thing in the morning led to insomnia at night and I couldn't sleep until 3 - 4 in the morning. I spoke to a pharmacist before making the change, and she said as long as you've waited 3 - 4 hours after a meal and you are hungry when you take it, wait at least 30 - hour before eating again I should be good to go. So now, I take it right before bed. I don't eat past 7.30 - 8, I take it around 11.30 - midnight and I go to bed.

Also, it took 6 months for me to get pregnant with my first child naturally, with no outside help. After giving birth I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. And it took 15 months and 2 cycles of clomid to become pregnant with my second. So, while it does make it harder, it isn't impossible and is something that can be overcome. I wish you all the luck in the world.

[granolamommie]

I have hoshimotos hypothyroiditis.  I am on meds for the rest of my life.  I am pretty sure I developed my disease mid pregnancy with #2.  I had one mc after her and got pregnant with my son before diagnosis. I was diagnosed after he was 1 yo.  I am now preg with #4. It can be done.  Monitor your levels.