Levothyroxine & irregular periods/fertility

Hi there,

I feel for anyone struggling to get pregnant.  I struggled for two years, and had a miscarriage as well, but then I was able to concieve my son, so don't give up.  

My suggestions, from months and months of research and reading everyone's stories on forums, is this:

1) Take B6.  Even if it's the only thing you do, take B6.  Ideally, take a strong b-complex, because they all work together, but B6 is known to regulate cycles, help with breast tenderness and even lower breast cancer risk.  B6 is required to make estrogen and controls it's ebb and flow.   B6 is required to mop up excesses of hormones as well.  Luteal phase defects, high prolactin levels, low estrogen, high estrogen.... you name it, and B6 will help with it.   Start with 25mg a day.  It also helped me with morning sickness when I did get pregnant.

2) Make sure you get some iodine from somewhere.   I finally got pregnant after I had a scan of my ovaries.  I had read on forums all these women who finally got pregnant after a scan where they search for tube blockages.   It was a mystery but it seemed to be a trend.  So I asked for the scan.  They do it right after your period ends.  And I did get pregnant the very same month!   Now, years later, after issues with my thyroid and reading about the body's requirements for iodine, I think it was the iodine contrast from the scan that helps with conceiving.   Most prenatal vitamins have iodine in them.  Some endocrinologists tell you to avoid iodine if you have a thyroid issue, but this is a problem I think.  The body needs iodine for lots of things.  So I'd start with 500mcg and then a maintenance dose of 150mcg a day.

3) Plan a trip, go bungee jumping, or get a new pet. So many people I know got pregnant after they did something new and exciting.   Then I was reading about the science behind it, and there is something real happening there.  New and exciting things give you a surge of dopamine, which affects other hormones in the body.   It might be why you hear of moms getting pregnant after they give up and adopt.  Or after they divorce and get a boyfriend!!!   The new excitment causes hormonal shifts, and then she gets pregnant.   It's hard to plan something new when you are TTC because you think you might be pregnant next month and don't want to take a trip, but try it.   

My second son was conceived after I got a dog, and had the scan.  I can't remember now if I was taking B6 yet or not, but I started soon because I was trying to avoid morning sickness.  They had me on 25mg twice a day.  

Hi Hkl

I too am eager to start a family, age 27 married for almost 2 years.

Just wondering how long did it take for your cycles to return to normal and begin to ovulate again.

I was diagnosed with sub clinical hypothyroidism in June (3 months ago) with a tsh of 9.55 after almost 9 months of ttc with no luck.

I had normal periods every 24-28 days and was had at least 6 months of positive opks and all the usual symptoms with ewcm etc.

Since starting levothyroxine on a dose of 50mg and later increased to 75mg I have not ovulated for the past 3 months- have had light periods since.

I never had any symptoms of hypothyroidism until my tsh began to reduce. Frustrated that levothyroxine seems to be causing me more problems and delaying the ttc process.

Be good to hear from someone in a similar situation!!

Hello Everyone,

I am glad I found many that could help me.

I am a 29 Female. I got hypo-thyroid roughly 5 months ago. I noticed it because I started losing a lot my hair. 

I have been under levothyroxine medication (25mg) just for last 2 months. I started seeing delay in my periods. I got it in 31 days in 1st month. I am still waiting in 2nd month, so far it is 38 days. For many years, my period never delayed. I got it in 26-28 days. 

I am seriously planning for kids. I am concerned that this may impact my plans for family. Can someone please take a look at my conerns?

1) I strongly belive that delay of periods is due to levothyroxine. Will delay of periods or usage of levothyroxine cause any problem for getting pregnancy? 

2) Because of periods delay, I am not sure when to make love with my partner. Do I need to use ovulation kit all the time?

3) Because of thyroid, I lost almost 75% of my hair in 4-5 months. Hair loss is controlled when I started using levothyroxine but I still lose some. Is there any chances for regrowth? Do you recommend any special hair oil, e tc. 

I know some of my questions were already answered. But I can see mixed answers all over the Internet. 

Thank you !!

I have a son and my fiancee had hypothyroidism I did say had she now doesn't have any thyroid problems and while she was hypothyroidic she conceived our baby boy he is now 17 months old and full of life!

anything that is wrong with you you must first see a doctor then you need to work out what to do I in the case of the thyroid know that if you eat foods with lots of protien this can cure the thyroid, I do have a sister whom was a medic.

my fiancee visited her doctor and she was put on medication for her hypothyroidism and the last few visits I was there with her and told her doctor I would fix it, well the second of last visit I did fix it the doctor couldn't believe what happened because he was sending her for a biopsy after she give birth but that was not needed.

she was over weight and her periods are once still once every 2 months but as she told me they have always been that way, I do think that she has had thyroid problems for a very long time she is 40 years old and has lost over 12 kg and is at her best weight ever and very health.

All I did was put her on a high protien diet and told her not to eat cabbage carrots cauliflower brocili and turnip try this diet for 4 weeks and see if this helps you! 

Hi there - 

Did you every get it all worked out?  I am 50, showed no signs of menopause and after being diagnosed with inactive thyroid, have been taken Levo. 3 months now and like you my periods were like clockwork after first month period was 10 days late, 2nd period on time and this month 14 days late and all SUPER HEAVY.  My periods prior lasted 4 days 2nd day the heaviest, but now I just bleed and bleed.  I also started sweating at night, so I believe now it's forcing me into menopause.  My mother did not start meno until 56 and her mother 58.  Please let me know if you were able to get some sanity.

Well first I would say to you anything wrong with your periods go see your doctor explain to him and ask all the questions you can about what is going on? And say this if this was you what would you do? You see this will make the doctor feel like your really appreciate them, and they should say well if it was me then I would do this or that! If they say anything else go see another doctor, I would ask friends family about which doctor they go to and ask them if he/she is a good doctor!

The second thing is this my fiancee had hypothyroidism and she became pregnant she had irregular periods sometimes would miss for 5-8 months she was over weight and when I got the results of her bloods I told her I would cure this for her because I have worked with curing illnesses with food for around 15 years and have had some success with this diet my fiancee has recovered lost all the weight!

The diet is simple you eat foods high in protein, you see in most cases it's the immune system that is attacking the thyroid and the protein feeds the cells of your body just like the thyroid would feed the cells of your body with the protein that you eat so with the immune system attacking the thyroid you must not eat the foods that are boosting the immune system these foods are as follows - 

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower 

Broccoli 

Turnip 

You will be able to eat these foods after your body returns to "normal" this will only take around 4-5 weeks! 

My fiancee has now been off any tablets for this for the last 18 months and she feels fine she has just recently had 2 periods in a row and she cont remember the last time this happened!

She worked for a doctor and he has said if you have regular periods it means your healthy! 

Best Regards,

James.

Hi i am 31 Years .I have same situation as yours .Just dignosed with underactive thyroid and statrted levothyroxin 2 yeaks ago .I am having my menses delayed .

Soon we are planing to start a family .I got scared reading others review.Just want to ask you with time is everything fine now at your end ?

Hi i am 31 Years .I have same situation as yours .Just dignosed with underactive thyroid and statrted levothyroxin 2 weeks ago .I am having my menses delayed .

Soon we are planing to start a family .I got scared reading others review.Just want to ask you with time is everything fine now at your end ?

Hi now Im freaking out, about a year ago I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid and had been taking the medication. However, I noticed very light periods usually never fills the pad. Could that be pre-menopause? Im only 24.

Hello I know this is an old post but I do believe you about the levothyroxine tablets. I have been taking the tablets for 2 and a half years. My periods started coming every 3 to 4 months. My endocrinologist told me that Hypothyroidism had nothing to do with your menstrual cycle. After seeing 3 others doctor's I knew my body was not right and I was being told that my body was forcing it's self into early menopause, I am 37 with 2 healthy children. I was told that I was depressed and needed to have a mental evaluation. Long story short 3 months ago I started taking myself off of the medicine. Instead of 7 days a week I went to 3 days a week for a couple weeks and had my labs checked. My TSH was rising without the medicine. I stopped the drug completely a month ago and I had s regular menstrual cycle 2 weeks ago. So yes I do believe that levothyroxine causes more issues instead of fixing the issue.

Hi Hkl,

I can totally understand your problem, even I am going through the same phase. I was eagerly looking for the answers and found your post. My story is, My husband and I wanted to have complete checkup before start trying for baby. By the way, I am 31 now. So that's why went to see the doctor and yes she did some blood test and said my thyroid is bit under active. it was 4.7 that time and range suppose to be between 2.0 to 4.2. I was put on 25 mg levothyroxine and was asked not to try to conceive for next 3 months. I started it in Nov 2016 and had rechecked TSH in Feb 2017. Fair enough. In Feb it became 2.3 but I got period 7 days late. I thought this might be just for a month. My cycle was perfect 27 days actually. We started trying for baby in March 2017 and I noticed, there is no egg white cervical mucus anymore. I saw it in Feb as I remember but suddenly in March no sign of it and felt completely dry. It never happened before. Well for that month, got negative result and period come 4 days late. I was devastated. Now, I started tracking ovulation then by OPK. Even my ovulation got late. I started seeing 2 dark lines 5 days late then usual day cycle and still no egg white CM. I did not understand whats going on. I was completely freaked out. I was so frustrated after 6 month of unsuccessful try. I decided to go to my home country and had complete infertility test. I had tested for everything like endometriosis, POCS, fallopian tube blockage test, all necessary blood test. All test result came normal except my TSH, which became 0.005. Seriously? from 4.7 to 0.005. I was completely shocked because by that time I was on levothyroxine. My Indian doctor asked me to stop any medicine of thyroid if you are taking right away and from now it will take 3 more month to settle down so forget about baby for next 3 months. It was September 2017. She mentioned, you have to come again for thyroid checkup but I had to come back to US. So couldn't go for checkup there but In US only I asked my doctor to retest thyroid because she never asked me to retest since FEB 2017. I retested it in OCt and it became 2.4 again and you won't believe, my cycle became shorter. Till August it was 33 days cycle and irregular. Since Sep till now (Nov 2017) my cycles were 28, 27 and 26 but still no stretchy CM and was having sore breast immediately after ovulation from last 3 months . Again went to see the Doctor in US and showed all my test result from India. She said everything seems normal and she was surprised when she saw my TSH was 0.005 in Sep but she said it can't be possible, consider that lab in India was different that might affect the test result as well and asked me if you want to start your thyroid medicine again. I also mentioned her since I stopped taking that medicine my cycle became almost normal then before then she said its upto you. If you don't want thyroid medicine, its completely fine. Well bottom line is, It has been 10 months now and I am not pregnant yet. I am completely in dilemma what to do now. I am also fedup and seeing no hope for baby. My sister is blessed with Baby girl in Nov only and she is 35. I am 31 and going through early menopause mentally. . Now on I am not seeking for any help but I just wanted to speak about it. Thanks to this forum where we can share what we feel.