T3 and t4 combination during pregnancy

[Ncoyne]

Hi

I'm looking to start a family, I'm on both t3 and t4, however endo has stated that I will have to come off t3 during pregnancy. Has anyone else had experienced something similar? Thanks in advance

[Clutter]

Ncoyne,

There don't appear to be any studies showing safety of taking T3 during pregnancy so the BTA doesn't support it and most UK doctors will advise pregnant women to take Levothyroxine only until after delivery. Your endo can advise you but can't insist that you come of T3.

[Ncoyne in reply to Clutter]

I should have added that I have had a total thyroid ectomy due to thyroid cancer back in 2014, however my tsh levels have been perfect and controlled now that I have been on combination, however I'm worried about going back to just thyroxine for pregnancy as I know how ill I was before just on t4.

[Clutter in reply to Ncoyne]

Ncoyne,

You can't be forced back onto Levothyroxine only but you will be pressured to do so.

[shaws Administrator]

I don't know why he suggests this as I am sure there are thousands of women on NDT which contains all of the hormones, i.e. T4, T3, T2, T2 and calcitonin and which used to be the only one prescribed before the tests and levothyroxine were introduced.

I had a combination (not pregnant) of T4 and T3. I would have refused wholeheartedly not to remove T3. I'd have preferred if they removed the T4 .

This is from hypothyroidmum and may be of interest.

hypothyroidmom.com/i-lost-m...

[radd]

Ncoyne,

Welcome to our forum.

Many need that little bit of additional T3 to make the medicated T4 work efficiently.

However, Barbara Lougheed (TiredThyroid) states that pregnancy only requires “extra” T4 for the baby’s brain development. NICE states a low-normal TSH range (0.4–2.0 mU/L) is required to prevent fatal loss, and psychomotor and IQ deficits.

If you are medicating T3, your TSH levels may be low anyway due to the pituitary gland recognising sufficient in the blood stream. Unfortunately your doctor may read a low TSH result as evidence of you already having sufficient thyroid hormone in your blood stream.

If this were me and I were medicating T4/T3 in the usual common ratios and my blood results were within range and I felt well, I would want to continue with my T4/T3 medication but add the extra required thyroid hormone as T4 only.

NICE states “Women with known thyroid dysfunction who are taking levothyroxine may need the dose increased by 30–50% from as early as 4–6 weeks gestation” .. [De Groom et al, 2012) … and FT4 concentration to be kept in the upper reference range.

Tell your consultant of your wishes and discuss how test results are to be interpreted in order to ensure to have enough thyroid hormone for your baby's healthy development.

.

tiredthyroid.com/blog/2013/...

.

cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...

[Zephyrbear]

Do women with normal thyroid function have to take something to reduce their levels of T3 in their blood? No, of course not!

[ljk1]

There is no evidence to suggest T3 is harmful in any way to foetus.

[HyHashi]

Dear Ncoyne, sorry this is coming so late, but perhaps it is useful: I am 3,5 months pregnant and on combination t3 (25) and t4 (125), and my endo has not told me to come off the t3 at all. He thinks it is totally safe.

[Maya_83 in reply to HyHashi]

Hi .. just wondering how you got in with the pregnancy and delivery of your child with the combination of t4/t3?

Will be very interested to find out more as I want to try for my 2nd child. X