Pregnancy Graves' disease

[Youngandannoyed]

Is it hard to get pregnant with Graves' disease

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Youngandannoyed

I have read your previous post and you had RAI for Graves three years ago, so I reckon you would be hypothyroid now and that you are on levothyroxine. You do sound quite hypothyroid with your clinical symptoms.

I would have though that your doctor would have got you stable by. For some of us, mind you, it can be a long road and we have to read and learn for ourselves in order that we can return to good health, have healthy pregnancies as some people, unfortunately, miscarry. So you want to be in the best condition possible.

This what you have to do if you want to go forward:-

Ask the GP for a new blood test and it should be a Full Thyroid Blood Test, i.e. TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, and Free T3. Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. You can tell him/her that you've taken advice from Healthunlocked Thyroiduk.org.uk the NHS Choices for advice on thyroid hormone dysfunctions.

The test should be the very earliest possible, fastin,g and allow about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards.

Levothyroxine should be taken either when you get up in the morning with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating as food interferes with the uptake of levo.

You can take it at bedtime if you prefer, as long as you leave about 3 hours after eating . In that case you'd miss the night's dose if having a blood test next a.m. and take it afterwards . You can also take the night's dose as usual.

Get a print-out from the surgery with your results and make sure the ranges are stated (these figures are in brackets) and it makes it easier for members to comment upon them as labs differ in their machines so different ranges. Some surgeries charge a nominal sum for paper/ink.

Don't be nervous of your doctor as she probably knows less than you and it may not be her fault that they're not trained in the function of thyroid hormones nowadays and the whole emphasis is on the TSH result rather than on the patients clinical symptoms, which you still have. You have to be proactive in your health unfortunately, like the majority on this forum.

Post your results on a new post and members will comment. You can get well and have a safe pregnancy. Are you under the care of an Endocrinologist or were you just referred back to the GP for hypothyroid care?

[Youngandannoyed in reply to shaws]

I am under both and my primary, has no idea about Graves' disease at all I was referred back to my endocrinologist but I go see my primary Tuesday for blood work which I have to get every two months. I am hypo my last result my numbers was tsh numbers were 47 super high when I go Tuesday I will know if they have went down. I've learned to take the pill with lots of water soon as I wake up because it helps me not have as much stomach sickness. I don't plan on getting pregnant for 3 years I just want to be educated on the risk of having Graves' disease and trying to conceive because I was told I wouldn't be able to by others who have it. Thank you for all the advice to ask because I screen shot it so I can make sure to ask all these things at the doctor

[curly21]

Hi there, I had my first baby at 36 and devloped Graves then. Was told its virtually impossible to conceive when bloods not in range BUT then after a long long road, I went into remission at aged 41 and conceived 2nd baby at 43, I now have a healthy 24 month old and the thyroid remained in range through the pregnancy. BUT the graves came back even more aggressively when she was 6 months old and I'm now trying to handle that. So in short YES you can conceive once your bloods are in range etc and you keep a close eye on it. The other thing you need to check is that your prog and eostr are in range. Hope that helps

[nightingale-56]

I managed it twice. My first son was born normally. I then got Graves. My second son was born with Hypopituitarism with Septo-Optic Dysplasia and I then had to have a quick sub-total thyroidectomy while 14 weeks pregnant with my daughter. She was born normally. I was then not treated for Hypothyroidism for another 19 years.