Anyone with hashimotos / underactive thyroid found out they are pregnant during lockdown?

[5678sar]

I’m delighted to find out that I’m pregnant after my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage last July. I am however very paranoid because before I miscarried last year my TSH wasn’t monitored properly therefore I had a private blood test which showed that it had risen to over 9 (I was trying to keep it below 2.5) I feel like I can’t trust my doctors anymore and the added coronavirus complication probably means they will be less helpful than last time. Does anyone have any advice? It’s difficult at the moment to get a private blood test (I can’t do the finger prick ones). Has anyone managed to get a blood test through their GP recently or are they emergency only? Thank you for any advice!

[Catlady101]

Hi 5678sar,

I’m not pregnant but I did have my usual blood test to check my TSH at the GP last week. I have to say there were good precautions in place to keep people as safe as possible. Have you phoned to see if they’ll test you?

Good luck x

[5678sar in reply to Catlady101]

Thank you for your message. I will try calling my Gp tomorrow. I only found out yesterday. Thank you for the congratulations too, you are the first person to say it to me this pregnancy!

[Catlady101 in reply to 5678sar]

Awwwh well that’s lovely. Such happy news in these strange times. Hopefully your GP will realise the importance and it’ll put your mind at ease x

[Catlady101]

Oh and congratulations of course 🙂 x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Congratulations on your pregnancy

How much levothyroxine are you currently on?

Have you increased dose by 25mcg now pregnant?

Pregnancy guidelines

See pages 7&8

btf-thyroid.org/Handlers/Do...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

gp-update.co.uk/files/docs/...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/guidel...

[5678sar in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you! I am currently on 125mg Levo which keeps me at the lower level of normal TSH - I wanted to keep it low because of trying to conceive. My GP wanted to decrease my levo to 100 but I convinced him otherwise by using the NICE guidelines. I am only a few weeks pregnant so I’m thinking of trying to push for a blood test this week and if I can’t get one then I’ll increase my levo to 150 per day anyway. Does that sound sensible?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to 5678sar]

Do you know what your last Ft4 and Ft3 were?

Suggest you get blood test done regularly...privately if necessary

medichecks.com/products/thy...

The first link in my first reply Suggests increasing levothyroxine by 25mcg

Do you regularly test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin?

[5678sar in reply to SlowDragon]

I will dig out my last test results. I can’t get a private test at the moment because of covid but I am getting a call back from my gp so hopefully they will be able to help.

I have read the first link but other people say it’s best to first get a blood test before increasing. I will increase by 25 if I am not able to get a blood test this week. Thank you for all your help.

It was at least a year since I got my vitamins etc tested and so I will try that too but doubt my docs will allow it.

Medichecks are only doing finger pricks and I’ve tried before and I just can’t get enough blood from them.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Make sure to get thyroid tested as early as possible in morning ideally before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Important to get folate, B12 , iron, ferritin and vitamin D tested

[AnnaSo]

Hi there! I am not currently pregnant but I was not long ago with my first, bub is 8 months old now - healthy pregnancy and healthy baby 🙂.

Due to Hashimotos we decided run the pregnancy with a private obstetrician. He said that monitoring thyroid levels was very important in the first months as things can go haywire - I was checked every two months throughout. I never needed to raise medication as my TSH remained suppressed but I’m on NDT. I heard that on Levo you need to increase almost immediately.

I’m shocked to hear you were not monitored properly in your previous pregnancy - is there any chance you could change a GP?

I had to order a prescription just a week or so back and whilst phoning up their recorded message said that any patients that needs to see a doctor to make that visit and not deter due to virus. Definitely give them a ring!

[5678sar in reply to AnnaSo]

Thank you for your message! This is my second GP’s....I moved from one where they knew very little about thyroid issues to one that turned out to be the same. I even paid privately to see an endocrinologist a year ago and even he wasn’t much help. I am starting to think that being as knowledgeable as possible and doing lots of research is my only chance!! I have actually found a young doctor at the GP’s I’m currently at, who if I go in with something like NICE guidelines, and tell him what I need, he just agrees with me!! I am going to hopefully keep seeing him!!

[mistydog in reply to 5678sar]

Good luck with your pregnancy and be your best advocate

[5678sar]

Thank you for the advice everyone, my GP called back but I couldn’t get a blood test til 2nd June so I increased my levo by 25mg per day but unfortunately I miscarried yesterday. Gutted.

[Wetsuiter]

i am so sorry (((sending hugs)))

[Fionathoms]

I am so sorry.