Guest guest Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Can anyone offer any advice. I have suffered with an underactive thyroid for 5 years, i have been on various doses of Eltroxin and had a number of problems. Before i was diagnosed i had a baby daughter, i have since tried for a second child with no success. i have been on various fertility hormone treatments and have currently finished a 3rd cycle of IVF. The doctors say it's not caused by my thyroid, but i'm sure that it is! I have heard that thyroxin causes infertility purely by taking the drug, but it's catch 22, if you dont take it there are risks involved. Is anyone in the same boat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Hello (what should we call you??) There is much evidence to support the fact that being hypothyroid causes infertility problems Here are some links that will help you understand the connection between fertility/infertility etc and thyroid disease. Hope these help. http://www.drlowe.com/QandA/askdrlowe/pregnancy.htm http://www.thyroidbreakthrough.com/release/pressrelease.htm Can you get your last thyroid function tests from your doctor, together with the reference ranges for each test and post them here. Can you also tell us what dose of thyroxine you are taking right now and when was your last increase? Also, is it possibly you can change your GP for somebody who understands that being hypothyroid can severely affect your chances of becoming pregnant. Your present GP is doing you no favours by telling you there is no connection. luv - Sheila Can anyone offer any advice. I have suffered with an underactive thyroid for 5 years, i have been on various doses of Eltroxin and had a number of problems. Before i was diagnosed i had a baby daughter, i have since tried for a second child with no success. i have been on various fertility hormone treatments and have currently finished a 3rd cycle of IVF. The doctors say it's not caused by my thyroid, but i'm sure that it is! I have heard that thyroxin causes infertility purely by taking the drug, but it's catch 22, if you dont take it there are risks involved.Is anyone in the same boat? Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.6/1192 - Release Date: 21/12/07 13:17 No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.6/1403 - Release Date: 29/04/2008 07:26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Hi, I have had problems since being diagnosed hypo, but slightly different as I did get pregnant (after 9 or so months whereas I had fallen pregnant very quickly with previous 4 children) but then had 2 miscarriages in 3 months (after no problems ever before). I feel strongly that there is a connection with my thyroid although medically all test results look fine. I would recommend looking at the foresight website http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/. I have recently seen a I.O.N nutritionist (who specialises in hormone health & fertility) & have changed my diet from being low fat to plenty of good fats but very low sugar & no caffeine. I was told that my low fat diet was about the worst thing that I could be doing for my thyroid as it needs all the good oils for hormone balance etc etc She also recommended that I avoid goitregens(like peanuts soya etc) & take Mega EPA (Biocare) & Fertility Plus (NHP). This may not be of any help at all but I do really hope things will work out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Thanks for your reply my name is Lucy. Are you on armour? Im looking to go to an alternative specialist maybe someone who is willing to prescribe armour. My GP wont entertain it! Do you have any suggestions? i have been to see dr peatfield who prescribed Adrenal support along with other Nutri products but still no luck. Look forward to your reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2008 Report Share Posted May 4, 2008 HI Lucy Yes, I do use Armour. I also am one of the lucky one's who has a very wise and understanding endocrinologist who recommended Armour for me, and I also have a GP who is happy to listen to my endocrinologist and he prescribes it. I have been taking Armour for almost 5 years and I am VERY well on it. Many GP's won't 'entertain it' simply because it remains unlicensed, and they have been given misleading and incorrect information by the British Thyroid Association. Armour isn't licensed because it has never required a license. Natural desiccated thyroid extract has been used safely and effectively for over 100 years. Can you tell me what area of the UK you live and I can then check to see if there is an 'Armour friendly doctor' anywhere near you. I sent a response to the BTA Statement on Armour thyroid that they have on their website and which some endocrinologists and GP's give to their patients when they ask for a trial of Armour. They are giving out misleading, and in places, incorrect information. I have attached my response and this has been sent to all endocrinologists and many other organisations, associations and individuals. You could ask your GP to give you the specific reasons why he will not entertain Armour, and perhaps show him the facts. luv - Sheila Thanks for your reply my name is Lucy. Are you on armour? Im looking to go to an alternative specialist maybe someone who is willing to prescribe armour. My GP wont entertain it!Do you have any suggestions? i have been to see dr peatfield who prescribed Adrenal support along with other Nutri products but still no luck.Look forward to your reply. No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.8/1413 - Release Date: 03/05/2008 11:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 As hypothyroidism can cause miscarriages it is even more essential not to spend money on IVF until the thyroid is sorted. Better initially to spend money on proper thyroid treatment, then see what happens. I know of three people (one a personal friend and one who is or used to be a member here) who fell pregnant after being treated for hypothyroidism. My friend thought she could not get pregnant, her doctor told her that her thyroid tests were normal, she went to see Dr.S who prescribed Armour and hey presto a lovely baby. Lilian The thyroxin itself will not cause infertility, but undermedicationwill. Docs tend to undermedicate as they treat to the test ( anything inrange will do) rather than the patients symptoms. Before you spend any moremoney on IVF get TSH free T4 and free T3 tests done- the latter should bothbe in the top quarter of their range- especially if the free T3is lower thanit should be this can cause problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 hi jenny I have asked for these results, and have asked if my conversions are ok. The doctors start talking medical talk, and i end up walking out with my tail between my legs! What sort of results should i be looking for? Thank you Lucy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 HI LucyTo stop your doctor talking medical lingo, telephone your surgery today and tell the receptionist you will be coming in to collect a copy of your latest blood test results. You want the results of your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and check to see whether any tests were done to see if you have antibodies to your thyroid. You MUST also ask for the reference range for each of these tests. Your doctor MUST give you your results - see the information in this link http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A1181657 which tells you how to access your medical records. You can then pick up these results and post them on the forum.I have sent you a list of doctors privately.luv - Sheila Re: Fertility Problemshi jennyI have asked for these results, and have asked if my conversions are ok. The doctors start talking medical talk, and i end up walking out with my tail between my legs!What sort of results should i be looking for?Thank youLucy No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.15/1426 - Release Date: 10/05/2008 11:12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi Lucy, It may be true that your first baby took a lot of your trace elements, and that itself, may have depleted your zinc and/or copper levels. Zinc is one of the trace elements needed for proper thyroid function, so it may also be affecting your fertility via it's impact on thyroid function. Low zinc can cause fertility (low hormones) problems in both men and women. It can also have a damaging effect on mental health if the other enzymes that need zinc (about 200) are affected by this low zinc status. If you ask your doctor to carry out a zinc, copper and selenium test, that can easily be justified in view of the IVF costs (to you). Zinc status is critical and may be one of the major causes of post- natal depression. Very few doctors have an appreciation of the importance of trace elements in medical practice. One of the reasons is that they are needed in such small amounts that the 'old teaching' was that a 'good diet' was sufficient to provide all the 'nutrition' you need.....ehem. It was Prof Bryce- (Reading University about 1970s) put paid to that argument when he discovered that lead was being absorbed in large amounts, displacing an already depleted level of zinc in the body. The zinc was depleted because of the phosphate 'fertilisers' used in agriculture.......the paradox is easy to spot here! I think, perhaps, you need to concentrate of getting your zinc status mended, whatever else is needed. See:- The Zinc Solution, D. Bryce- and Liz Hogdkinson ~ for the zinc taste test. US RDA for zinc was set at 15mg/day (over 11y) US RDA for zinc was set at 20mg/day (pregnant) US RDA for zinc was set at 25mg/day (lactating) and I wouldn't mind betting that the figures for pregnant women also apply to 'pre-pregnant men' (partners/spouses) ... low zinc in boys causes developmental delay and in men, it also causes lowered fertility. I can see no logical reason that the same does not apply to girls and women. vegetarians, crash dieters, smokers, heavy drinkers, users of the contraceptive pill, consumers of large amounts of wheat bran or soya products, persons recovering from surgical operations and those with very demanding life-styles will all suffer the effects of low zinc.... from our own recent (last ten-fifteen years) experiences, cortisol also appears to lower the zinc status....this latter is critical for anyone needing added support for the adrenals, particularly if that includes any amount of cortisol; the more cortisol ( hydrocortisone ) is used, the more important that zinc is supplemented along with sufficient copper (about 1-2mg) to avoid depletion of copper through excess zinc, ~ though Boots don't add copper to their own-brand zinc supplement (yet). I notice they (Boots) very soon brought out a zinc supplement some decades ago when I asked about the use of zinc oxide ( dissolved in citric acid to be used as a zinc supplement ) ~ known as customer driven product development! ~ but, by the same token it also includes telling them to take a mis-labelled product (a selenium supplement shown as containing 100mg !! of selenium ) ~ it's OK they went back to being a private company after that one; no-one, but no-one had spotted the error which had crept into the website description as well...... I call it crass incompetence......don't sell products mis-labelled by a factor of x1000.... sorry for the rant.....notice they were bought out using funny money that has just 'gone wrong'...if indeed the deal went through?? wonder if they mis-valued the company by a factor of x1000 ?? best wishes Bob (not an investor in Boots) > > Can anyone offer any advice. I have suffered with an underactive > thyroid for 5 years, i have been on various doses of Eltroxin and had a > number of problems. Before i was diagnosed i had a baby daughter, i > have since tried for a second child with no success. i have been on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi Lucy I bet anything the reason the doc is talking in circles is cos he doesnt understand how to treat thyroid so he talks a lot of rubbish, which is why it doesnt make any sense to you. Post the results of your blood test together with (ranges) and one of the clever mavens here will explain and guide in a way that you can understand. jenny freeman > > I have asked for these results, and have asked if my conversions are > ok. The doctors start talking medical talk, > > > Thank you > > > Lucy > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 > in error, " but, by the same token it also includes telling them to take off the shelves, a mis-labelled product (a selenium supplement shown as containing 100mg !! of selenium ) " > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi, To be optimum thyroid results tend to be TSH around 1.0 range usually around 0.5 to 5.5 free T4 and free T3 in the top quarter of the range. The ranges alter from lab to lab. The big problem comes if you can't convert the inert T4 into the active T4. So you need the right doc who knows about these things. Who is willing to prescribe more than thyroxine. You also need to read up on this website and others until you do know all about it so you can understand and argue if necessary, that's why we're here to support you. Subject: Re: Fertility Problems hi jenny I have asked for these results, and have asked if my conversions are ok. The doctors start talking medical talk, and i end up walking out with my tail between my legs! What sort of results should i be looking for? Thank you Lucy ------------------------------------ Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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