Alexandra

Um...I've given up bread altogether although I sometimes substitute spaghetti squash (a squash, not a pasta! for pastas). Potatoes? Rice? Personally I find it easier (and cheaper) just to eat stuff I enjoy that is naturally gluten-free rather than looking for gluten-free substitites...

Carissa, If you need medical help conceiving a healthy pregnancy -- and I don't know whether you do or not -- the type of doctor you want to see is a Reproductive Endocrinologist. An OB/GYN may be some help but many are not, and a celiac specialist isn't going to know about reproductive medicine (though is important, obviously, in terms of helping you...

Hi, and congratulations! I think the other posters have already given good advice. I would go ahead and get to a doctor. Increasingly, it is suggested than a basic thyroid screen be included as part of an early pregnancy checkup and I'd try to be sure this is included in what you get (i.e. ask your doctor). Thyroid problems are more common in celiacs...

I'm so sorry about your losses. I think your doctor can probably give you the best advice about how long to wait, but given that you may be pregnant now, you should probably see if you can talk to a nutritionist about what the safest way to eat for this (possible) pregnancy is, given that your intestines are presumably still damaged. It may be possible...

Stephanie, Oops -- I forgot to add above in my original response to your post what I meant to about the anti-thyroid antibodies. They are another thing that might be worth getting tested for (if you haven't already). These correlate with various kinds of fertility problems and are more common in celiacs than in the general population. New research...

Stephanie, I'm so sorry about your many losses. I'm not a diagnosed celiac (in fact my bloodwork came back negative), but I chose to go gluten free because I think I feel better when I do. I conceived through IVF shortly after going gluten-free, but to be honest I think it was not the gluten-free but rather getting my anti-thyroid antibodies (about...

Lisa, Another thing that might be worth getting tested for (if you haven't already) is anti-thyroid antibodies. These correlate with various kinds of fertility problems (including maybe high FSH) and are more common in celiacs than in the general population. New research is suggesting their negative impact on fertility and pregnancy may be treatable...

Julie, I got tested for cystic fibrosis before I started ttc, and that was just a blood test. However, I'm not sure if this is true of all genetic tests, or only some. I know some conditions can be passed along by either parent, while others require a gene from both parents. CF is "both," so once we'd learned that I didn't carry the gene my DH did...

You bet (unfortunately as you can see I've been at this ttc stuff far too long!). Good luck to you! Also, I love your "signature" (about the fast food), or whatever that's called! -- Alexandra

Berneses, Here's the deal... At the start of each menstrual cycle, the body releases FSH to start the antral follicles in the ovaries ripening eggs. Antral follicles are follicles that are ready to ripen. They are distinct from primordal follicles, which are our "latent" follicles -- the ones stored in our ovaries, waiting around to be used. ...

Oh phew -- that's good! Good luck to you! -- Alexandra

Berneses, Hate to have to say this, but at least two problems with the above. (1) To provide meaningful information about your fertility, an FSH reading needs to be taken on day 3 of your menstrual cycle (i.e. 3 days after your period starts), or therabouts, say day 2-4. So taking such a reading when you haven't had your period since January probably...

Some patients (I am one) with Hashi's seem to do better on Synthroid or Armour, enough to get their TSH not just into the high end of the normal range but to the low end of that range. I found a doctor willing to be aggressive about treatment and felt much better almost immediately (my TSH never got over 3.0 even pre-treatment). So maybe worth trying...

Ooh bummer (though Toronto is lovely!). Good luck...hope you can get the referral. -- Alexandra

Hi. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists in 2003 issued new guidelines saying TSH should be between 0.5 and 3.0 -- not as high as 5.0 (which used to be believed to be OK). Many doctors are not aware of this. Here is a link to the AACE press release: Open Original Shared Link and to their clinical guidelines: Open Original Shared Link...