# Trying to Get Pregnant and Possible Thyroid - Help please



## Micheletk1 (Jan 13, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I just found this board while trying to figure out my lab numbers I have. I am 40 years old and my husband and I are trying to conceive and doctor mentioned to get thyroid checked out. Here are my labs and ultrasound results:

4/9/10 bloodwork:
T3 Uptake - 32
T4 - 7
Free T4 Index - 2.2
TSH, 3rd Generation - 0.31

7/30/10 Bloodwork:

TSH, 3rd Generation - 0.92

8/3/10 Ultrasound Results:

Diagnosis of Enlarged Thyroid. The thyroid is upper limits of normal to borderline prominent in size with the right lobe measuring 4.6 x 1.9 x 2 cm and the left lobe measuring 4.7 x 2 x 1.9 cm. The isthmus is within normal limits at 3.4 mm. There is a relatively normal symmetric pattern to the thyroid parenchyma. There is a cystic nodule in the midpole region of the left lobe measuring 1.7 x 1.1 x 1 cm. No other discrete cystic or solid thyroid or intrathyroidal calcification. This probably represents a benign entity but ultrasound cannot accurately differentiate benign from malignant lesions.

12/11/10 -

T3 Uptake - 33
T4 - 6
Free T4 Index - 2.0
TSH, 3rd Generation - 0.51

What does this all mean? Do I have hyper or hypo and are these numbers and results a serious cause of concern? Can these numbers affect infertility. Thanks in advance for all your help and I look forward to your results.

Michele


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Did anyone suggest a fine needle aspiration of that nodule? A solitary nodule of that size is considered suspicious and should have a biopsy just to be sure.
In addition, you should have a radioactive uptake scan of the thyroid to give more detail on the nodule--some of them produce thyroid hormone on their own, and this test will also measure whether your thyroid is functioning normally.

You really should have antibodies tests run. Most of your tests are outdated, with the exception of the TSH. You should have a free T4, free T3 and full antibodies tests--thyroid peroxidase, thyroid stimulating, and thryoglobulin.

See:

thyroid panel: http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_panel/glance.html

Antibodies testing: http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_antibodies/glance.html

While your borderline goiter and low normal TSH may indicate potential hyperthyroidism, the only way to know for sure is to run the free T4 and T3 and the thyroid stimulating antibodies.

A little bit about thyroid levels and fertility: http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa050199.htm

Generally it is thought that women with higher TSH levels will suffer more from infertility, however women who are hyperthyroid suffer menstrual irregularities also.

You definitely need some more in-depth testing.


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## Micheletk1 (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks Lainey for the detailed post. That information is extremely helpful. I have an appointment next Thursday with my husband's endo and will bring all this in, so he can order antibody test, etc. What kind of treatment do they normally do for this and how long before the thyroid is under control so I can hopefully conceive this baby! My cycles all my life have been irregular and I have never been told why, so it was a pleasant surprise to read it could be because of my thyroid. My mom has had hyperthyroidism and just had a nodule removed in the last year, so maybe this problem is genetical?


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Unfortunately, thyroid issues do take some time to resolve. I was diagnosed with Graves hyperthyroid in April, had surgery in August, and am just starting to feel fully functional now. Everyone is different, and I was really sick from the Graves. If you are not feeling sick, it may not take as long for you. Just remember you will get through this.

I think it will be much easier for you to get pregnant and carry the baby to term once you are eurothyroid, meaning not low (hypothyroid) or high (hyperthyroid).

It's hard for me to tell what is going on with your labs since you did not post the ranges. Every lab has different ranges.

I hope things go well with the endo. I would recommend you have TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and antibody tests-TSI, Thyroglobulin and TPO run. RAI will give you a better idea of what is going on with those nodules, and FNA may be helpful as well.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Micheletk1 said:


> Thanks Lainey for the detailed post. That information is extremely helpful. I have an appointment next Thursday with my husband's endo and will bring all this in, so he can order antibody test, etc. What kind of treatment do they normally do for this and how long before the thyroid is under control so I can hopefully conceive this baby! My cycles all my life have been irregular and I have never been told why, so it was a pleasant surprise to read it could be because of my thyroid. My mom has had hyperthyroidism and just had a nodule removed in the last year, so maybe this problem is genetical?


Treatment, if any, is really going determined by the outcome of the testing. There are really too many variables--hyperthyroidism is generally treated with medication, radio-active iodine or surgery. The characteristics of the nodule factor into this too.

If you are diagnosed with a problem, you will have a few decisions to make considering your desire to become pregnant quickly, because some treatment options are more compatible with that than others.

Most thyroid problems in the western world are auto-immune, and for this family history is significant. Be sure to mention your mother's history to the endo also.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Micheletk1 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I just found this board while trying to figure out my lab numbers I have. I am 40 years old and my husband and I are trying to conceive and doctor mentioned to get thyroid checked out. Here are my labs and ultrasound results:
> 
> ...


Hi Michele and welcome!! First of all, the pathology report is "suggesting" that either RAIU (radioactive uptake) or FNA (fine needle aspriration) or both be done. They are saying they cannot tell if it is cancer or not. So, the prudent doctor would insist on the above and if not, you should.

Can't tell much from your labs (it would only be a guess which is not a good thing) because different labs do have different ranges.

Have you had any of the antibodies' tests listed below? Also, Free T3 is essential.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html

If you have any TSI; that means hyperthyroid. It is true that your TSH is rather low but labs can be skewed if antibodies' are afoot.

TSI

Results and Values
What do the test results mean?
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism. 
http://www.medicineonline.com/topics/t/2/Thyroid-Stimulating-Immunoglobulin/TSI.html

If your thyroid is not right, conceiving can be difficult and carrying to term even more so not to mention that familial thyroid disease can be passed to your children.


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