Positive thyroid antibodies and conceiving?

[babychops]

I wrote a post on here a while ago about how I developed hyperthyroidism after having a baby. Then I switched to hypothyroidism. Anyway my levels are normal now but I recently spoke to a consultant who said that I have positive antibodies (that I had before pregnancy) which means that my thyroid can go back to being high or low at anytime and I'll have it forever. Well I'm wondering if having positive antibodies has an effect on conceiving? As a lot of people on here know I struggle to get pregnant and I'm wondering if this has a part in why?

 

[pure]

I wrote a post on here a while ago about how I developed hyperthyroidism after having a baby. Then I switched to hypothyroidism. Anyway my levels are normal now but I recently spoke to a consultant who said that I have positive antibodies (that I had before pregnancy) which means that my thyroid can go back to being high or low at anytime and I'll have it forever. Well I'm wondering if having positive antibodies has an effect on conceiving? As a lot of people on here know I struggle to get pregnant and I'm wondering if this has a part in why?

Having thyroid antibodies usually means Hashimotos which can go hyper or hypo. Like you I had postpartum thyroiditis which is an autoimmune condition. Mine has never gone hyper since I was diagnosed 12 years ago.

I think the key to falling pregnant is going to be ensuring your thyroid levels are well controlled. Maybe if you're trying to conceive let your GP know so you can monitor your levels with regular blood tests. Being hypothyroid can definitely make conceiving more difficult though.

 

[JayM]

I have had half my thyroid removed due to a tumour on my thyroid. I have hashimotos which is autoimmune and I've been so ill. I was reading a article on how gut health is important for the thyroid. Which is interesting because just before my thyroid got really ill I had a parasite in my gut...after hat the tumour grew from the size of a small egg to large orange in weeks x

 

[pure]

There's a fantastic group on FB for information and support if all things to do with the thyroid. It's called FTPO - UK/Europe and well worth a look.

 

[babychops]

There's a fantastic group on FB for information and support if all things to do with the thyroid. It's called FTPO - UK/Europe and well worth a look.

Thank you, Iv just requested to join x

 

[Bexnorm]

Thank you, Iv just requested to join x

Hi Sorry as from previous convo with you about ttc and your pregnancy tests I didn't realise you had hyperthyroidism! I was diagnosed with Graves' disease in November last year after blood test showed I had hyperactive thyroid and fell pregnant (unexpectedly!) in December. My endocrinologist and ob/gyn have said I have positive antibodies too (led to the diagnosis of Graves' disease). Have they put you on any meds? If your hyperactive thyroid I'd assume they've put you on ptu if you're ttc? Once your thyroid levels start to level out they can take you off your meds so you won't be on them forever. You are able to go into remission so you won't always be hyperactive. But they may want to test you for other autoimmune diseases. I'm on 2 at the moment with possible 4!

 

[babychops]

Hi Sorry as from previous convo with you about ttc and your pregnancy tests I didn't realise you had hyperthyroidism! I was diagnosed with Graves' disease in November last year after blood test showed I had hyperactive thyroid and fell pregnant (unexpectedly!) in December. My endocrinologist and ob/gyn have said I have positive antibodies too (led to the diagnosis of Graves' disease). Have they put you on any meds? If your hyperactive thyroid I'd assume they've put you on ptu if you're ttc? Once your thyroid levels start to level out they can take you off your meds so you won't be on them forever. You are able to go into remission so you won't always be hyperactive. But they may want to test you for other autoimmune diseases. I'm on 2 at the moment with possible 4!

I'm not on any medication atm as the consultant said my levels are normal. That's all they said. I just need to have blood tests every 6 months. I don't really understand any of it and not sure if I need to let the doctor know I'm ttc again, I'm by sure if I need to be on any medication for it as I'm ttc? X

 

[babychops]

Iv just been reading normal levels of tpo are less than 35iu/L and my level is 265iu/L. So quite high! [emoji33]

 

[Bexnorm]

I'll dig my last blood test results out as they normally measure tsh t3 and t4 levels. Mine were apparently slightly high originally and was put on carbimazole straight away then as soon as found out I was pregnant I changed meds. Only just been taken off them now as pregnancy made my levels normal apparently but I have to go back every 6 weeks or so. Even before pregnancy I had to have tests every month. Did you see an endocrinologist?

 

[Bexnorm]

Iv just been reading normal levels of tpo are less than 35iu/L and my level is 265iu/L. So quite high! [emoji33]

That was my last levels of my thyroid. The endocrinologist said they were slightly high still but my obgyn who's also endocrinologist said they're normal. But just so you have comparison?

 

[babychops]

The first time the doctor got my results of my blood test he called me at night and kept asking if I was ok. He said my levels were very high and my heart was working too hard and I was at risk of a heart attack! I had to go on a high dose of carbimazole and beta blockers. Then because I was on a high dose it sent me hypo!
Just looked and my free t4 results were 45.9 and my tsh was suppressed, not sure what that means.
I will be having a chat with my doctor tomorrow about my high levels of tpo as after researching this could be causing my anxiety and infertility. I'm hoping something can be done about it x

 

[Bexnorm]

Ah ok. Normally they start you off on the smallest doses, monitor you and increase the dose if needed. I was on 5mg carbimazole. If it's too high then yeah that would definitely send you hypo from hyper.I'm not sure what tpo is as they've never mentioned that to me? I get major anxiety when I go hyper. Only know now that I was hyper in the past because of the bouts of anxiety/depression and major weight loss. How long have you been trying if you don't mind me asking? I'm part of a Graves fb support group and part of Graves is we all are either hypo or hyper and there are so many successful pregnancy stories on there. If you have positive antibodies did they say what it was for? Like Graves, hashimotos or something? Don't worry too much. You'll find the stress is probably affecting things more. My friend was desperate to get pregnant and was ttc for 6 years. As soon as they got an ivf appt to check everything out she relaxed and found out she was pregnant a couple of days before the appt! She now has a gorgeous daughter. Everything will be absolutely fine, there are ways to keep it in check and managed. It's always the way that as soon as you stop "trying" you fall pregnant! X

 

[babychops]

Ah ok. Normally they start you off on the smallest doses, monitor you and increase the dose if needed. I was on 5mg carbimazole. If it's too high then yeah that would definitely send you hypo from hyper.I'm not sure what tpo is as they've never mentioned that to me? I get major anxiety when I go hyper. Only know now that I was hyper in the past because of the bouts of anxiety/depression and major weight loss. How long have you been trying if you don't mind me asking? I'm part of a Graves fb support group and part of Graves is we all are either hypo or hyper and there are so many successful pregnancy stories on there. If you have positive antibodies did they say what it was for? Like Graves, hashimotos or something? Don't worry too much. You'll find the stress is probably affecting things more. My friend was desperate to get pregnant and was ttc for 6 years. As soon as they got an ivf appt to check everything out she relaxed and found out she was pregnant a couple of days before the appt! She now has a gorgeous daughter. Everything will be absolutely fine, there are ways to keep it in check and managed. It's always the way that as soon as you stop "trying" you fall pregnant! X

They started me on 60mg of carbimazole! Tpo is thyroid peroxidase level, mine is higher than normal. I'm not sure if my doctor will just dismiss me though as my other levels are normal. No one has mentioned graves or hashimotos to me at all, does this mean I do have it or something?
We've only been trying for 4 months so far but I have a feeling it's going to take a long time again. It took 2 years with the first. I first found out about these antibodies when I was having fertility tests done, I didn't get the results until I was pregnant and they told me I could miscarry. I was in a panic over it! X

 

[Bexnorm]

Wow! As far as I know antibodies point to an autoimmune disorder/disease. That's what they've always told me when they diagnose me with something new! It's always oh you've got these antibodies so you've got blah blah disease. 60mg is high apparently you can ask to switch drs if you're not happy. I already complained about my previous endo as he told me carbimazole was absolutely safe during pregnancy, then I found out it's got a high chance of causing at least 1 birth defect so pushed to switch. Your dr should in no way dismiss you. 4months isn't too long you never know you may get that positive next month! With my first I got so stressed out by it I bought this stuff called preseed, we'd been trying for about 7months then as soon as I used that I fell pregnant with my first. I've been told I'm very high risk with this one so am constantly in and out of the hospital seeing drs and having tests. Very paranoid about losing this one.

I really hope that your drs tomorrow gives you more info and listens to your concerns. Ttc is always so stressful! I'll have to see what my tpo is when I speak to dr next. Let me know what they say! X

 

[babychops]

I am going to try and get a phone appointment with him today and see what he says. As I still get symptoms of being hyper but my thyroid levels come back normal so it could be symptoms of the antibodies.

I know 4 months isn't long at all so I'm not too worried, but I just want to see if these antibodies can be effecting my fertility and anxiety and if there's anything he can do.
I have preseed in my cupboard but it doesn't work for me. I tried everything you can think of but it still just takes me ages to conceive x

 

[Bexnorm]

Fingers crossed. As far as I'm aware they can't do anything about the antibodies themselves as that's your body's response. The carbimazole, I was told, tries to lower the trigger causing the antibodies but it can also affect the white blood cell count leading to immunity issues. Which is why they can't do strong measures of action against them. Try to find out if you have hashimotos or Graves' disease as reading up on the tpo levels it's common for hashimotos but also affects 65% of those with Graves. Knowing which disease you have makes all the difference in knowing how best to handle it. For instance I know that on the graves group I'm in we share research findings into how diet can affect etc. You may even find you have another auto immune disease. I found out I was coeliac purely because I have Graves and they tested for it. Coeliac surprisingly had a high rate of causing infertility and fertility issues if undiagnosed which I did not know about. Not saying you I definitely do have another, but it may not be your thyroid leading to the time it takes you to fall pregnant. There are so many other factors that to think about it can cause so much stress you may not realise. If you do find out which disease you have, I really recommend joining a Facebook support site. It really really helps! X

 

[babychops]

I spoke to the doctor and he just said the antibodies mean my thyroid can switch from hyper to hypo at any time and something about it attacking my thyroid. Didn't say anything about graves etc. He said it won't effect my fertility as long as my levels are normal but it could be causing my anxiety so gas prescribed me beta blockers again. So I still don't know about graves etc! X

 

[babychops]

I know this is an old post but thought I would update, I had private blood tests done and it shows I have hashimotos! X

 

[Bexnorm]

I know this is an old post but thought I would update, I had private blood tests done and it shows I have hashimotos! X

If you haven't already look up the hasimotos support group page on Facebook. They're all really helpful and can help with questions you either forget to ask dr or if you're feeling a bit down with it, they're great for support from those who know exactly what it's like. Hope your pregnancy is going well at the moment! Xx

 

[babychops]

So Iv seen a specialist about having hashimotos and he didn't seem to know what the hell that was and he wasn't helpful at all! He didn't answer any of my questions and dismissed all of my symptoms! I'm not sure what type of doctor I need to see that knows more about hashimotos? X