Autoimmune disease Hashimotos and miscarriage

[projectbaby]

Hello again Dr....thank you so much for your previous response.  Here is my question.  I have been dx with Hashimotos 8 years ago... I am currently being treated with synthroid 75....I get my levels checked every four weeks because I am undergoing fertility treatment.  I have diffiuclty getting pregnant and then when I do get pregnant, the levels never double and are low.  I am currently reading a book by Dr. Alan E. Beer called "Is your Body Baby Friendly?"  It mentioned that people with thyroid antibodies have difficulty with pregancy and miscarriage....could my antibodies be preventing me from getting pregnant and then killing the embryo???
Here are my current levels:
TSH - 1.23
T3 - 1.5
thyroglobulin antibodies AB: 75

Is my thyroid preventing me from getting pregnant and staying pregnant??? What would you do with a patient like me??? any suggestions on where to go next??? I am lost and don't know what to do next.......Thank you so much for your help...Happy Holidays....
Jacquie

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Positive antibodies are associated with miscarriages - keeping the TSH around 1 (as it is now) is the key.  Levothyroxine treatment (like synthroid) has been shown to help with miscarriage rate even in women with normal TSH before starting levothyroxine.  Good Luck

[megaloo]

Hi I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for your difficulties and your miscarriages. I have also been trying to get pregnant for 8 months and found out 3 months ago I had Hashimoto's (TSH was 11). I am now on Synthroid .1 and have a TSH of 1.84 which is optimal for TTC. I, too, am worry about M/C when I do get pregnant. Good luck I wish you all the best.

[projectbaby]

Thank you megaloo and I wish you all the best too....it has been a long road and I pray that you do not have to go through what I did.    Have you been charting your temp, using ovulation kits, etc????  We did that the first year.... I think my body is a little out of control....I do have something that you should try...acupuncture.... I had this done with my IVF treatment and it was sooooo relaxing...you can do this for fertility.....  good luck to you!!! Jacquie

[megaloo]

Hi! Yes, I am currently doing acupuncture. Not sure yet whether it's working (I'm not pg yet) but my cycles have definitely gotten better and my thyroid is all normal now (with my Synthroid) so I am cautiously optimistic. I am charting, but not using OPK's as my cycles are pretty regular.

Have you looked into the link between selenium and antibodies? I don't want to play doctor, but I read in "Living Well with Hypo" by Mary Shomon that Selenium supplements can lower your antibody levels significantly. My holistic MD has recommended a daily vitamin supplement for me that includes 200 mcg (or mg, can't remember) daily of selenium. Maybe it's worth a try?

I pray that you will have the baby you want. I know how much I want one so I can only imagine what you are going through.

[Spyder9]

Your post caught my eye because I have currently been diagnosed with thyroiditis 6 months after giving birth to my son.  I believe I've always had hypothyroidism because when i was charting for ovulation purposes I always had low basal body temps (95, 96), even though I always tested normal for thyroid problems.  I suffered 3 miscarriages in 8 months.  After seeing a fertility specialist he found I had a slight antibodies problem so i was put on an anticoagulant. But because i am advanced maternal age (35) I had to see a genetic counselor and a blood specialist who both were shocked to see I had been on a blood thinner since my antibodies levels were only slightly high.  This of course made me mad, all the confusion, etc.  Long story short...I had my baby and you will have yours.  Now that I've done my research I truly believe my miscarriages were due to my thyroid, which is also related to blood clotting.  www.babycenter.com is a great place to go to find more information.  They have tons of different forums - check out the ones listed under Grief and Lost.  Good luck to you.  Don't give up.  I know you will have a baby in your arms soon.

[EspritLibre]

Hi and BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!  I have a question if anyone can answer.  (Detailed in the menopause forum too), but I was diagnosed as early menopause at the same time that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  I am 42 yrs old. Last period was 10/5/05 & on new years day woke up with what I believe(d) to be a period.  Just now, after 8 mos on Synthroid, is my levels to where they should be, & I was wondering if this could be a reversal in the menopausal thing......maybe not full reversal, but hormone shift due to thyroid????  I am due to get an ultrasound to be sure, but I didn't know if anyone out there has had a similar problem.  I worry about cancer because they say that any bleeding after 1 yr is abnormal. I have always had good PAP smears, mammograms, healthy eating habits, etc.  Oh, I did quit smoking 6 mos ago, & read that actually smoking can throw estrogen levels at bay.....menopause....so any help is really deeply appreciated.  AGAIN, I PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE HEALTHY FULL TERM BABIES!!!

[retiredesol]

I've had Hashimoto's for many years. I never realized until recently that my difficulties conceiving and carrying to term might have been related ot the Hashimoto's. I've had 6 pregnancies and lost 4 babies (one pregnancy was with twins). But keep with it. Go to a specialist. Do whatever needs to be done to be successful. I now have 3 grown children (one also with Hashimoto's) and 1.6 grandchildren. My Hashimoto's daughter is pregnant now and taking really high doses of synthroid. I can only pray that she will be able to carry to term. And remember, when I had my kids, they didn't have the type of knowledge and treatment they have now. I wish you all the best. You will eventually succeed in having your baby. I really believe that.

[Eileen C]

I have a 2 1/2 year old son, and have had 4 miscarriages since him.  The first three were early on and the third one ended at 18 weeks and with me hemoraging.  The doctors finally diagnosed me with Hashimotos, and I have been on Levoxyl since January.  The doctors gave me the all clear to ry again and we are now again pregnant.   I have called all of my doctors and they have checked my levels and will be doing ultarsounds and checking me more often than usual.  My husband and I are excited and scared... we hope that the thryoid medication keeps us safe... although we will not breathe a sigh of relief until the baby is born.  

I am sure that things will work out for you, it seems that the doctors are trying to figure things out, and if not there are many people out here to help and give support.

Best of Luck.