Thyroid S, 18 Weeks Pregnant

[LJW1992]

Okay I really am in need of some help. I take Thyroid S. Been on the same dosage for about 2 months and am 18 weeks pregnant.

Had to go to A and E yesterday due to palpitations and irregular breathing and got sent home saying my TSH is less than 0.01, but me and baby is fine and I need to see the doctor this morning.

Went to my GP today; she was absolutely horrible saying that I should come off of all my thyroid medication because I'm too high. I asked about cutting it down and she said no come off completely. She is referring me to an endochronogist but was so horrible saying that she doesn't know what damage I have done to my baby. We've been to scans and she is fine and they wouldn't have let me go home from a and e if there was a risk to me or baby. So now I'm panicking, I'm going to end up hypo again and she's made me think I've hurt my baby.

(By the way I have had multiple blood tests since being pregnant, my midwife and normal Gp was aware of what I was taking and that even though I've had blood tests no one thought to check my thyroid).

Am at my wits end. My bloods are attached 😔

[Clutter]

LJW1992,

Flipping 'eck your GP should have gone into drama not medicine! I can't read your FT3 result but I see it is over range. Can you type it and did you take NDT before your blood test?

[LJW1992 in reply to Clutter]

Yeah I took my meds and then got palpitations so went to a and e and they are using those blood tests. I had some routine fasting ones earlier yesterday about 8am so surely they will be more accurate? I feel like a terrible person xx

[Clutter in reply to LJW1992]

LJW1992,

T3 can peak in the blood for up to six hours after taking NDT so you probably aren't over medicated at all. See what the new results are before you make any adjustment to your dose.

UK doctors aren't trained in anything other than Levothyroxine so they tend to freak out when TSH is suppressed and FT3 high.

You aren't a terrible person. The rational thing to do if you are over medicated is to reduce dose, not stop taking medication. Having TSH >3.0 increases the risk of miscarriage. Your doctor is a hysterical fool and obviously didn't stop to think that hyperthyroid women (high FT4 &/or FT3 with suppressed TSH) have healthy pregnancies and babies.

[LJW1992]

Sorry TSH is 0.01, T3 is 8.7 and T4 is 11.1

Baring in mind these tests were done in a and e a few hours after taking my medication xx

[humanbean]

Bear in mind that before levothyroxine became the drug of choice for thyroid treatment as far as doctors are concerned, that NDT was the only treatment available from its first development in the 1890s up until the 1970s. Women weren't having deformed babies as a result of NDT.

I don't understand why doctors go to such ludicrous extremes when they see thyroid results they don't like. What logical reason can there possibly be for telling a patient to come off all thyroid meds? I would have thought that was likely to cause problems just by itself!

Stand your ground. A healthy woman who feels good is far more likely to have a healthy child than a sick, under-medicated woman.

[Juliatom]

Have you increased NDT dose after pregnancy test?. TSH can be suppressed during first trimester for normal women . Retest FT3 blood tests.

[LJW1992 in reply to Juliatom]

Do you think I should completely come off my medication like my doctor has asked? Bare in mind she is going my blood tests results about 2 hours (max) after I had taken my medication. I'm really worried about it all xx

[LJW1992 in reply to LJW1992]

And sorry no I haven't increased at all since being pregnant xx

[humanbean in reply to LJW1992]

No, you shouldn't stop taking your thyroid meds. That will just make you feel ill.

[Juliatom]

FT3 blood test results will tell whether to increase or reduce NDT . If levo doesn't suit you,cannot come off NDT during pregnancy.Levo and NDT works differently.