Chinese Accupuncture

[Juniperjules]

For some reason I can't edit my last post to add this.. But this is the site where I read some really interesting & informative stuff.. Especially in the section where other people are responding & telling their own stories

https://hypothyroidmom.com/about-dana-trentini/

 

[Briss]

I totally believe your doctor knows her stuff etc. and you should follow her advice if you trust her. after all she examined you so she must have found evidence of under active thyroid, I do not think it was just your TSH levels alone. and you are right if your body is not producing enough thyroid hormone for both you and your baby in the first 3 months it may lead to a mc. but also getting on hormone replacement is for life and your thyroid will get lazier and will start producing less and less once you get on the hormone. I just wouldn't want to mess with my hormones. also I find it hard to understand how you can be put straight on hormone without knowing your actual T3/T4 levels? (my doc said that though my TSh goes a bit up sometimes I still have very solid T3/T4 levels; it's high TSH in combination with very low T3/T4 levels which is an issue) TSH on its own does not mean a lot. you really need to see the entire thyroid profile and repeat your tests in a few weeks/months to understand what's happening. I know in the UK they are very conservative you won't put you on hormone replacement unless you are above 5 which is probably too high. I had my levels fluctuate between 3.8 and 2 within a month. thyroid is very sensitive to what's going on in your life like stress levels can seriously affect your TSH levels but they will then go back down.

antibodies are important but if you have them it's a different issue more related to your immune system.

thanks for bringing it up though, I may actually go back to seek a second opinion. thanks for the link i will check it out.

While thyroid function is very important in pregnancy, (have read 3 books on this since my mc) vast majority of early mc are due to sporadic chromosomal errors mainly due to egg quality due to age. quite depressing but it's back to egg quality. apparently sperm quality is not as bigger issue as the egg.

 

[Juniperjules]

Thanks for all that info Briss, it's real food for thought. It's why these forums are fantastic- being able to share info & get opinions that can help u work through decisions.. I'm getting the additional tests done on Tuesday, so will be useful to see wot those results are. i don't want to be taking thyroxine long term either, so it's definitely something I'm going to be following up on... That's the problem with all of this TTC- getting so much info & trying to decided what is an isn't right for you.. It's exhausting!

Thanks again! Ur a wealth of information!

 

[Briss]

Juniperjules, I read the info you posted. very interesting. My mum actually got under active thyroid after either my brother or one of her mc. although I do not quite agree that "TSH is the gold standard for measuring thyroid function", TSH is just the first thing you measure to check if there might be a problem and if it's elevated then you need all other thyroid tests and preferably a scan. My mum was extremely poorly and no one could understand the reason and by the time someone suggested to check thyroid her TSH was 40 and T4 was 0. This experience has affected our entire family so i have always been aware of thyroid and had regular scans and bloods because I tend to feel tired and my body temp is lower. the risk of developing under active thyroid is there but it's just a risk I may never get it (my mum has under active thyroid but her mother actually had the opposite Hyperactive thyroid) and I do not want to push my body into that whole hormone replacement situation just out of fear. but thyroid is always at the back of my mind because my TSH levels are borderline.

What I'd really want to know is what levels you need to have in order to mc. I was actually asked to do bloods including thyroid profile when I registered my pregnancy so I need to ask for results (although by the time I did the tests the embryo's development stopped or slowed so not sure if the results are going to be helpful)

I asked a lot of doctors if there is anything i could do to help my thyroid since we know i'm at risk but the answer is always the same, nothing you can do you either going to develop under active thyroid or not and if you do you are going to have to take the hormone. that's it! the only thing I know for sure is that your thyroid will be very grateful if you manage your stress levels.

also, be very careful about iodine and any supplements that contain iodine because it can either be your thyroid's friend or enemy and it's really hard to tell which one. I was told to stay well clear of iodine rich products except for prenatal vitamins. I also know this because my mum's thyroid action was blocked by iodine supplements because she was wrongly advised by the doctors who thought iodine was good for thyroid. It is generally thought that iodine is good for thyroid but it can be quite the opposite. My mum also met a woman who ruined her thyroid because she ate seaweed every day for over 10 years. i mean obviously seaweed is a great product but it turns out there can be too much of a good thing because eating too much iodine can be harmful. That was another lesson for me, never eat/drink too much of one thing however healthy/beneficial it is unless you have a recognised deficiency.

 

[Vonn]

Juniper--I'm sorry to read you're having trouble with your thyroid. I knew nothing about it for most of my life and it has been a very serious issue for me the past several years. No doubt interfering with my TTC. You have found a good resource in hypothyroidmom, she's a fantastic advocate. (And when she says that TSH is the gold standard, she means that most drs see it that way...she doesn't.) Another good one is Mary Shomon. The information I learned from them was a revelation.

You definitely need to have the free T4, free T3, both antibodies, and if you can get it, a reverse T3 done, in addition to the TSH. It doesn't shock me that a dr would only do a TSH and immediately put you on T4 meds. They put way too much weight on that one test. Some more progressive drs say that 2.5 is actually too high and that people who are more optimal tend to not have a TSH that is more around 1.5.

As you've already started to learn, there's a lot of controversy with what tests to run. I had an endocrinologist tell me flat out that she doesn't test T3 because "almost no one has trouble with T3." She's a specialist! I never went back to her.

There's also controversy about what meds are given. Many drs will only prescribe T4 meds. Some patients do better on meds that have both T4 and T3 in them. Watch closely how your med works and advocate for yourself.

As for what can help besides medicine, there's of course controversy about that, too. Iodine can indeed be tricky, so be careful unless there's a deficiency. Some people (me included) have trouble converting T4 to T3. Selenium can help with that. Eat brazil nuts! The adaptogenic herb ashgawanda can help too, as can a few other herbs. These are definitely more mild than any medication. Also, since a lot of T4 to T3 conversion takes place in the liver, it's important to have a liver that is running well and not sluggish. Good gut health is also important for good thyroid health. As is managing stress (because of the adrenal-thyroid connection). These may seem tangential and not that related, but I assure you they impact one another in MAJOR ways. It is a tangled web to unweave, let me tell you. But I don't want to project my situation onto anyone else. Good luck to you!

 

[Vonn]

Briss--Glad to see you popping back in. Of course you are doing it to help someone else, you're such a sweetie! How are you doing? Update if you feel like it. Otherwise, know I am following your chart.

Nobump, alison, blythe--Any updates from you ladies? I hope each of you is well!

AFM--I start clomid tomorrow & will do an IUI this cycle. Happy to get going with it all. Still not quite sorted with the thyroid meds, but don't want to put things off another cycle. I also fell off the anti-candida bandwagon. I cannot keep that diet up. It's the no sugar that gets me, the cravings just don't go away.

I got my AMH result from last month (which they had never given me, that drives me bonkers) and it was .3 (US). I realize this is not good. A couple months earlier it was .165, which is really horrendous. That's a pretty significant increase, about which I am pretty pleased! I know AMH is not supposed to fluctuate much like FSH does, so I'm taking it as a good sign. Does anyone have any insight about this?

 

[Briss]

Vonn, thank you very much for your input on the thyroid discussion I was hoping you'd join cos you know so much more about it.

I am sorry AF got you and so early as well. Did you do anything last cycle to extend your LP?

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for your IUI/clomid cycle!

I was never able to do no sugar diet for long, I personally do not think it's sustainable. the only thing that helped with sugar cravings were nuts actually and heavy protein intake but it did not do much for my waistline. Are there any types of sugar that are allowed? like fruit maybe?

re AMH, every doctor told me that AMH does not fluctuate and yet it does and sometimes by a lot. When I tried confronting doctors about it they just say it happens but cannot give any explanation. I personally do not trust AMH alone because mine was good but nevertheless I have lower egg reserved which was proved by stimulating my ovaries. so it's always AMH + FSH + AFC+ age together that can give a true picture of your reserve.

Nobump, how are you? has your bleeding got better?

afm, had a rather depressing Easter break, I could not make myself do anything at all, was just sitting on my sofa the entire weekend watching Netflix, one thing after another. TV is like some kind of tranquilizer for me, I need a distraction I cant be left alone with my mind it will drive me crazy with dark thoughts. Could not do my diet either but will try to do two fasting days today and tomorrow. I have also ordered a new juicer, a really good one that can press wheatgrass and other leafy greens. Am back at work this morning and somehow I feel so much better and have energy to and motivation to diet and plan my TTC. I am beginning to feel grateful I have a job because I think I'd probably never leave the house if I did not have to go to work. On top of that my herpes is back – what a curse!

 

[alison29]

Hi ladies,
Sugar diet is so super hard! I would like to just give up chocolate, cookies, cakes, etc agg that's not going well. Sorry about the outbreak Briss..I am going to read up on wheat grass was reading an infertility book and the woman talked about it being helpful. I don't have much to add to thyroid discussion, but i did have an acupunturist recommend kelp suplements to me everyday (i took them through a bottles worth).
Afm, I think I am in anovulatory cycle. I was traveling at my mom's around the pre o time (stressful). I surged then dried up then had ewcm 4 days later. I think my body was trying ovulate but then failed. No post o symptoms at all. Oh well on to next month. Dh was having a horrid time doing the deed so unlikely would have caught any egg anyway. Stress is a sex life killer for sure ;(

 

[AugustBride6]

Hey ladies! I just found this thread, care if I join the party

 

[alison29]

Hi August! Please join the thread. Welcome

 

[nobump]

Hi.
Sorry been quiet. No new news. Still bleeding. Doc trying to regulate it currently on break from northisterone to try and have a normal bleed. On mefenamic and transenamic acid to help reduce bleed during period. Hoping bleeding will have stopped before we go on our weekend break for my 40th.

My acu guy has suggested I stop my sessions as there is no improvement and I am not wanting to take herbs as I am not sure what has caused my to bleed almost every day since mid February �� .

Have been reading everyone's updates thinking of you all.

Xx

 

[Blythe]

nobump - hi

im so sorry to read that you are still bleeding after all this time. It is the first time i have read of a acu practioner saying they would stop treatments although i am impressed that he has done that - maybe he does not have the experience or knowledge that another practitioner may have. I wonder if any other form of natural medicine might help.

i remember taking dong quai many years ago - i cannot remember why i was taking it but it caused me to bleed irregularly and very heavily.

it is a difficult journey thats for sure. I really hope that the bleeding does let up in time for your 40th. Im getting ready for my 43rd so 40 is young to me.

 

[alison29]

Blythe and no bump dong quai caused me heavy bleed too. No bump I am so sorry u still going thru this still.

 

[Blythe]

Hi Ladies

I have been reading up on blood group diets....for weight loss rather than fertility and my blood group, which is O + is known for issues with thyroid. i was checking the reviews on amazon for blood group diet books and for some it has changed their lives....although i am sure i could find same reviews for most diets. Still possibly something to think about. i also found out O+ types tend to have issues re infertility - no shit!

here is list of recommended foods and foods to avoid which includes things i eat alot of...avocados being one of them:

Vegetables
Vegetables are an important part of any food plan. But since Type Os tend to have low levels of thyroid hormone, vegetables that have a negative effect on thyroid hormone function such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower should be avoided. Eat nutrient-packed vegetables that build the immune system such as broccoli, kale, Romaine lettuce, onions, parsnips, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, Spinach and Swiss chard.

Fruits
The blood type diet recommends to Type O individuals fruits with an alkalizing effect that helps balance your body's pH level, making it less acidic. Most fruits work well with Type O metabolism, but the most beneficial fruits for Type Os, according to Dr. D'Adamo, include bananas, blueberries, black cherries and black cherry juice, figs, guavas, mangoes, pineapple juice, plums, prunes and prune juice. D'Adamo also recommends avoiding apple juice, avocados, blackberries, cantaloupe, coconut, honeydew, oranges and orange juice, strawberries, and tangerines.

Salt Water Fish and Kelp
Type O's tend to have low levels of thyroid hormone and low levels of iodine, which can affect your body's hormone regulation. The result is weight gain, fluid retention and fatigue. Dr. D'Adamo suggests a diet rich in saltwater fish, such as cod, tuna, salmon, tilapia, halibut and red snapper, and kelp, a form of seaweed, to help regulate the thyroid gland.

Lean Meats
Type Os are able to easily digest and metabolize lean meats because of the acidity in their muscle tissue, according to Dr. D'Adamo. But this same acidity level tends to make Os more susceptible to ulcers than other blood types. Protein is very important for maintaining the health of Type Os. Choose skinless chicken breasts and lean cuts of red meat such as top round, top sirloin or flank steak. In addition to lean meats, protein-rich foods such as egg whites and nuts are recommended.

 

[alison29]

thanks blythe i should check out what the b+ one says. I never ever would have thought avocado could be "bad" no matter what. I recently bought amazing greens super food. Maybe i will try out the diet. IT couldn't hurt :0 I read on Dr wheat grass's website that when you take that wheatgrass supp he suggests holding it in your mouth for 2-3 minutes to let the stuff absorb better before it gets destroyed by stomach acid. I want to just stick to a diet. I would feel so proud and better.

 

[alison29]

These are ones that says to avoid that a do a lot of: peanuts, seltzer water, nuts and seeds. It says lots of dairy is ok. I love dairy but it hates me the lactose doesn't digest well. I can avoid chicken that is for sure and says beef is good we are getting a portion of a cow soon so happy that is on list.

Peanut butter is just easy and low sugar that is why i eat it but i have to admit it doesn't make me feel tops. Whereas green tea does (highly recommended and peppermint tea).

 

[Vonn]

nobump--I am so sorry to hear that you are still having bleeding problems. That sounds terrible! Make sure you are advocating for yourself, they need to be aggressively trying to get to the bottom of why this is happening. GL

Blythe--I am O+, too, and of course have thyroid and infertility problems. The diet sounds intriguing. I'll be curious to hear from you if it works. This all gets so confusing because a bunch of these foods conflict with what is good to eat on an anti-candida diet!

Alison--I have no idea how one would hold wheat grass in one's mouth for any amount of time. I cannot handle that stuff at all. The only way I can get it down is if it's in a smoothie and I can't taste it.

Briss--How is the coughing and the pulled muscle? I hope that has healed up. Spring has finally arrived here, I hope it has in London, too, and the warm sun has helped your spirits.

AFM--Just had my CD10 scan. Only one measurable follicle 20 x 17. Lining was thinner than they want, I think she said 9-something. (I had a hard time understanding the tech.) I am super bummed. In November and December I had scans to follow unmedicated cycles and I produced a good-sized follicle and had a great lining both times. So all the stupid clomid did was thin my lining. No help stimulating eggs whatsoever. I started tearing up and really had to work to keep it together.

I keep telling myself that I didn't have super high hopes for this cycle since my damn thyroid medication is still not sorted out. I also keep telling myself that only one egg is needed, that I'm not "out" yet...we haven't even inseminated yet, so I can't give up already. I have to go back in tomorrow morning for another scan to see if the lining has thickened enough. I just have to keep my head up. Sorry for the negative post, ladies.

 

[nobump]

Vonn - when I went through IVF my lining had been thin then jumped to thick within a few days, think chocolate, raspberry leaf tea and the odd 'O' will help the lining.

I had bloods done this morning, and a follow-up with the doc tomorrow, I lost loads of blood overnight Thursday into Friday so went to the docs... I think I will be looking for a private referral if I don't get much joy tomorrow. This is making no sense, spotted Saturday, then Sunday walk over a mile to the football and then bleed heavy for several hours on afterwards. but been spotting since.. I just don't know what is happening! Something must have changed since my hystoscopy in 2013.

 

[Blythe]

Vonn - if she said 9mm then that is actually quite good at this stage. They may have said 'triple layer' afterwards...if they did then this is even better. Its all a gamble but you have a nice fat egg about to be released and you will have sperm right up there waiting so this could be the cycle! I really hope it is

you are right about foods conflicting - i have been eating brazil nuts and avocados for fertility but they are both very bad of O+ types. I am giving it a go though as my weight wont shift and im wondering if this will help.

NoBump - hoping you get some answers from these tests - you must feel wrecked having lost all this blood and over such a long period of time.

 

[alison29]

Vonn,
It maybe be only one egg but doesn't the clomid make for a stronger ovulation and luteal phase? Fingers crossed for you. Clomid is just terrible for moods it's a rough medication. Plus like Blythe said you will have helped the sperm get right where it needs to ber.