Progress has begun for me on the recurrent miscarriage trials. I had a call a couple of weeks ago to say that my blood test results were back from the University Hospital in Coventry. They had all come back ok except for the TSH test that measures thyroid function. Normal function is seen in the UK as about 0.38 to 4.0 mu/L and I was tested back in February and had a normal result of 1.9. Now it is around 4.2 – just over the level for normal – meaning I am currently suffering from subclinical hypothyroidism. A mildly deficient underactive thyroid basically, which can be linked to miscarriage if not treated.

To give me the best chance, Professor Quenby has given me a low dose of thyroxine to try and address it, and I’ll get another test locally in a few weeks to see what the level is then.

There’s a lot of debate currently around what normal levels are as it varies greatly across the world. In the US, the normal range is much lower and even here the upper range was recently dropped from around 6.

My blood test results meant that I was now able to take part in the SiM trial as inherited thrombophila had been ruled out.

Because I was at the right point in my cycle the week I received my blood test results to have the endometrial scratch (7-10 days post ovulation), I rushed up to Coventry on Bank Holiday Friday to have the procedure.

I filled out the consent form and was randomised by a computer so I don’t know whether I am in the control group or the group that receives the proper procedure.

Then I was taken down to have the ‘procedure’, which was a bit like having a smear test although for me it was pretty painful and I had to have gas and air. The last time I had it was during my awful labour with my son when I was already drugged up to the eyeballs and ended up randomly shouting out ‘he has grey hair, just like his father’ after having a vision about Blake Carrington from Dynasty – yes no idea what that was about either.

Luckily no repeat of that, although I did struggle to get my legs in the stirrups, which led to the nurse trying to adjust one of the leg rests and watching in horror as the bolt fell off and rolled across the floor, whilst I tried my best to keep my dignity covered and hold my left leg in the air as we all tried to work out how it fitted back on.

I drove back afterwards feeling a bit bruised but elated that I was helping. Now the trying begins.

To find out more about the SiM trial and other research, click here.

Image from Pixabay