Please help! TSH/infertility

[vfunk]

I am just so frustrated right now… We've been trying for over a year and I've never gotten pregnant.

A little history: OB-GYN did a TSH test back in Jan. My level was 3.03. I had read that in 2002/2003 endocrinologists were saying that people with a TSH level as low as 3.09 should be treated. Fast forward to July….my new RE said he wasn’t concerned about my TSH level. I’m assuming it’s because I ovulate. My prolaction levels were normal and my FSH is a 4.

Well I wasn’t satisfied with that and I had my general practitioner test me again towards the end of July. She did a full panel and my TSH this time was 5.09 – I was told the rest of my panel was “normal.” So, my RE finally said he would treat me and he sent me for bloodwork. I gave more blood on August 22. I get a message on Saturday saying that all my tests were normal. I called for the actual numbers.

TSH: 3.14
T4 free – 1.07
Antibodies – less than 20/should be less than 40
TP – less than 10/should be less than 35

I am still mildly high on the TSH and I’m so frustrated right now. Should I be treated? My RE isn’t going to do it and everything else came back perfectly normal. By the way: my husband’s most recent semen analysis showed morph problems and he has to get tested again and I just had surgery to fix a uterine septum so we may have other infertility problems.

At this point, I don’t know what to do. Do I trust my RE? Why did my TSH fluctuate like that? Do I seek out a specialist? I am going to look into acupuncture. Do you think I can bring that TSH number down with that?

In the back of my mind I keep thinking about how for optimal fertility a woman should be between a 1 and 2. I’m sure women have gotten pregnant with a higher TSH level than that but of course I want everything to be in place “healthwise.”

[jojo246]

I work in a lab-our normal TSH value is 0.47-5.00 so in the lab I work at your value is completely normal.  The values can varie because of how the machines are calibrated or by different methods used in the lab,

[SDScientist]

I concur with jojo246 about the varying values.  I too used to work in a lab and different methods/machines will cause some variation.  Even tech to tech will cause some variation. The standard normal range is 0.5 to 5.  But can be at low as 0.4 and as high as 5.5.    Also, TSH levels can naturally fluctuate from month to month.  From what I know anout TSH is affects your ovulation, but if you are ovulating then your thyroid issue may not be the cause of infertility.  It is however important to get TSH regulated before you get pregnant or your body will evetually try to use what your baby makes and he/she can be born with thyroid issues.  This was the case for my mom and sister.  

[vfunk]

Thanks girls! I'm going to go out on a limb and ask for the reasons why my RE isn't trying to bring my TSH levels down.

[lovemychris]

I've always heard the your TSH should be around for 1.0 for conception (best chances anyway).  I have hypothyroidism and take Synthroid daily.  When I was dx'ed my TSH was at 6.43...now it's 1.75.

In my opinion (I'm no doctor), you should be treated for subclinical hypothyroidism with a dosage of Synthroid at about 50 mcg daily and re-test levels in 6-8 weeks.  More and more doctors are looking at treating TSH levels 3.3 and higher.  Can you see an endocrinologist?  They specialize in this.

Also, what were your antibody levels?  Higher than normal levels indicate Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism which is an auto-immune disorder.  If you have elevated antibodies, it's only a matter of time before you are treated for hypothyroidism because your TSH will continue to climb.  The antibodies attack the thyroid gland.  I became aware of my thyroid problem when I started losing massive amounts of hair!  Best wishes to you...please try to find a doctor who will treat you before your TSH levels climb too high.  Take your most current lab results with you.