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Cherry010

Get your Thyroid TSH 2.0 or below. Don't take no for answer!

I've been TTC for 15mths. 6 months in I went to my GP who wasn't concerned and told me to come back after a year! At 39 this didn't seem reasonable. I persisted though and got some tests done. All were ok except my thyroid function came in a little high at 4.5 but GP just said keep an eye on it. I went away and did a lot of research and found that for conception, TSH (thyroid stimulating hormones) really needs to be 2.0 or lower. Armed with some quality info from reputable sites such as thyroid uk and the thyroid association I skipped into the gp's again only to be told I was talking nonsense and should keep off the internet. I wasn't happy about that so checked in with another GP a few weeks later, and this time I had the NICE guidelines with me, with relevant bits highlighted. This GP was even more dismissive and told me I'd misinterpreted the guidelines ( though she wouldn't even look at them) I tried arguing but was made to feel like a hysterical time waster, and left before I started crying out of sheer frustration. After I pulled myself together and rechecked my info ( which was definitely correct) I booked in with a 3rd GP and resolved to not take no for an answer. This had gone on for 9 months by now and my TSH varied between 2.6 and 8.1, though antibodies were ok. I went in prepared for a fight but this GP referred me straight away to an endocrinologist, who agreed with me!
This still wasn't easy though as when the endo checked my TSH again, it had gone down to 2.5, so he wanted to wait before commencing thyroxine. In the meantime I had been booked in for a laparoscopy because my fertility consultant thought it was unlikely that the thyroid was my problem. I didn't want this op but felt I had no choice. I had one more thyroid test which I just got done because I felt like it.... And it came in at 2.0. Two days before my op, I got my BFP!!!!!!

I'm now under an antenatal specialist who has put me on thyroxine because my levels have returned to 4.5. It's very early days, I'm only 7 weeks, but my story goes to show that doctors overlook things and get stuck in their own ways. If you are struggling to conceive, please get your thyroid checked out and insist on seeing a consultant if your levels are not around 2.0.

Good luck! X

4 Replies • 10 years ago

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