Hashi's Hypo & PCOS with Infertility

Rainey · 06-27-2003, 07:13 PM

A big Hello to everyone...I am a newbie and a confused one at that. It seems over the last year I have gone from good health to what next?

DH and I have been TTC for 4 years now with no luck. About 2 years ago I went a whole year without a period and my OBGYN did tests and could not explain why. Last Summer, I went from not getting a period for a full year to having it all summer. Late August I was diagnosed Hashi's Hypo and placed on thyroid meds...Synthroid at the time. I am presently on Levoxyl 100 mcg and my TSH is at 1.22 as of 6/24/03. I am feeling better than I did all winter and I am just grateful that my feet hit the floor this morning if ya KWIM.

I just recently switched Endos and I am now presently seeing a Reproductive Endo who just diagnosed me with PCOS and is starting me on Metformin 500 mg daily. My question to you all is...Will this medication actually work for me and is it possible or more so likely for me being Hashi's Hypo and PCOS to ever conceive? I am 33 years old and feel like my biological clock is running out of batteries. Is there hope for me?

I would also like to add that I am currently following the Atkin's Plan and have lost 39 lbs. in the last 3 months...I am hoping this will also greaten my chances of conception.

Thank you for reading this as I ramble on and I look foward to getting to know you all.

~ Peace ~
Lorraine

shenacat · 06-27-2003, 09:41 PM

I'm hypo and have PCOS and w/2000mg metformin/glucophage, I conceived successfully in Feb. I however miscarried in march. But I'm trying again... sounds like you're on the right track with losing weight, having your TSH in a good place, etc. I'm sure as long as you don't have any other complications everything will be fine!

Rainey · 06-27-2003, 09:55 PM

Thank you for replying ShenaCat. I am so sorry about your miscarriage. I cant imagine how horrible it is to finally conceive and then to lose the baby. My heart goes out to you.

If you dont mind me asking, How long did it take you to conceive after starting the Metformin? and did you conceive on your own or was it assisted (any procedures?? not sure of the right terms yet, Im new to all of this.), but I mean like with IV or Artificial Insemination.

As far as my TSH, I just got that stabilized recently after an episode of over-medication back in February. I yo-yo'd from Hypo to Hyper to Hypo to Hyper and just recently got the fluctuations under control. I just feel like I have everything working against me here between being Hashi's, Hypo, and PCOS.

Thanks again for youre reply and good luck to you!

shenacat · 06-28-2003, 02:13 AM

I started taking the glucophage in June 2002 and conceived in Feb 2003. It took me three months after starting the glucophage to work up to full dosage and have a period on my own. Once I started having periods they came every month or so almost like normal. They say normal couples conceive within 6 months and of the "normal" periods I had, we conceived within 6 months so... that's good.

No, we didn't have any procedures, just the old fashioned way.

The dr. was still seeing how I would respond and was very happy that I was getting periods every month. She expected me to get them maybe 4x a year... because w/out the glucophage I didn't have any at all w/out provera or bcp.

I hope you respond better to thyroid meds than me. My thyroid still goes whacky whenever it wants to. I was hypo all my life but borderline so didn't know it... it wasn't until I quit bcp to start trying to conceive, in Dec. 2001 that my thyroid really rebelled and went nuts. It seems its overly sensitive to hormone fluctuations. Others here have reported the same effect. For instance while I was PG my TSH rose and I needed more meds, but I barely noticed this before I m/c'd and my TSH went seriously hyper. :o I had to cut back on meds until just recently when I had to raise them back up again. It's been about a month now and I've been feeling great... better than I have in the entire time since I've been diagnosed w/thyroid disease.

I'm hoping that I can get PG again soon.... I'm waiting until next week to take a PG test for this cycle as my period is late and I've had symptoms pointing to a possible PG. I ovulate late though so it's hard to tell when to test. The first time I tested after day 28, but it was neg. I tested again two weeks later and it was positive! So... I just have to wait until I start throwing up or something.

jannie_b · 06-28-2003, 09:39 AM

I was diagnosed with Hashi's in 1986 and put on replacement hormone (synthroid). I felt hugely better, but still coudn't conceive. I was about 20 pounds overweight at that point. I tried multiple cycles of clomid and other meds and started to feel really bad, partiularly from the dexamethasone.

I went to see another RE and she told me to get off all the meds (except for synthroid of course) and concentrate on losing weight. She said that even dropping 5 pounds can make a difference in fertility for some women. I had NO idea that overweight could affect my fertility....my first RE had not mentioned this to me once. I dropped those 20 pounds and my periods became regular. I got pregnant, miscarried at 8 weeks, and then got pregnant again 2 months later. That son is now 11 years old.

Three years later, my weight was back up again and I went to yet another RE after trying for a year. He suggested that since I was getting up in years (I was 34 at the time), that while I was working on losing the weight again, he'd try a cycle of injectibles (Humegon) since clomid hadn't worked for me the first time. I got pregnant on my first injectible cycle! That son is now 8.

The bottom line is: you definitely CAN get pregnant with PCOS and Hashi's....I did it long before metformin was an option. Losing weight will definitely improve your fertility, and may reduce your PCOS symptoms, as it did mine.

Best wishes to you.

Janet

Tinkiecat · 06-28-2003, 11:07 PM

I was dx with hashis when I was about 12 years old, I am now 32. i was dx with pcos in jan 2003 after ttc 4 yrs with my son who is now 3, and ttc 2 years now for #2. I used to be on synthroid for years, but eventually I still felt crummy even with good TSH and T4 levels so 2 years ago I went on armour thyroid to help with T3 and have felt somewhat better. I have been on glucophage since febuary of this year and so far no luck! I also have a blocked tube though to complicate things. I hope the hypothyroidism doesnt make this all harder, but maybe it does?my endo says as long as my levels are all good it shouldnt make a difference.
GOOD LUCK!!

bananasmom · 06-29-2003, 01:40 PM

Quote:

starting me on Metformin 500 mg daily.

Will your endo be upping your dosage? I *think* most of us take 1500-2000 daily.

Rainey · 06-29-2003, 04:15 PM

Oops! I meant 500 mg twice daily, so 1000 mg daily. I really am not sure if I will get the dosage increased. From what I read about Metformin is they usually start at a lower and increase it gradually (if needed). Did you all start at 1500-2000 mg daily or was it increased gradually? My doctor told me to continue taking my BBT and take it from there to see if I ovulate and to see her back again in 6 months unless I have problems sooner.

For now, I am just trying to educate myself as much as possible about PCOS and different treatments and options so I can understand my and possibly even make suggestions on how to treat this condition. I do hope that I have better luck with proper treatment of PCOS than I had with my thyroid disease. It seems I am more educated on thyroid disease and treatments of "today" than most of the Endo's out there, at least the ones I have come across.

Thank you all for sharing your stories and experiences with me. I find comfort in knowing that I am not alone and that there are good people out there offerring their personal experiences and support.

Lorraine

bananasmom · 06-29-2003, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Did you all start at 1500-2000 mg daily or was it increased gradually?

I took 500 mg/once a day for a week, 500 mg/twice a day for a week (1000mg), a 500 mg and a 1000 mg for a week, and finally 2000 mg a week. My doctor referred to that as the optimum doseage. I'm not sure if that was for me, based on my size, or if it's a goal.

BTW - I didn't share my story... We were so lucky to get pg with our dd on our honeymoon. 6 mo postpartem, I was dx with Hashimoto's. It took me 5 cycles to get pregnant (charting), so our secondary infertility was fairly short, and I feel quite fortunate. My PCOS is more of the insulin resistance/cysts, than troubles ovulating, I think the 5 cycles were while my Synthroid was being regulated.

SharonO · 07-11-2003, 03:26 PM

Hi Lorraine,

You sound just like me! Last summer I finally got in with a good RE who dx PCOS. I was 34 then and DH and I had been TTC for about 5 years. I had not had a period for about 6 months, and then bled for nearly two months straight, which finally let up after a round of Provera.

I started Met last July, working up from 500/mg to 2000/mg per day. Gradually, DH and I began to modify our lifestyle for the healthier, adding vitamins, low-carbing, exercise etc, and I lost aprrox 30 pounds during those first 6 months of Met.....finally after about 6 months, ovulation came back.

Also during this time, RE dx me with Hashi's, and got me started on Synthroid, .75/mcg per day beginning March 1. By late April we were PG. I believe it was a combination of treating the PCOS and the Hashi's, plus weight loss and lifestyle improvements which finally allowed us to concieve. We are now about 14 weeks along.

I did not want to go back to fertility Meds and treatments until I knew my health and hormones were in order....and suprise, once that was the case, we got PG all on our own.

Sounds like you are doing all you can to stay healthy and in good "baby-making" condition. Best of luck to you and your DH.