Graves' Disease Support Group
Graves-Basedow disease is a medical disorder that may manifest several different conditions including hyperthyroidism (over activity of thyroid hormone production), infiltrative exophthalmos (protruberance of one or both eyes and associated problems) and infiltrative dermopathy (a skin condition usually of the lower extremities). This disorder is the most common cause of...
Hello, I'm Becky. I was just dx with GD a few weeks ago, but I have had symptoms for about 9 months. I have started taking 10mg of methimazole daily, but I feel the exact same although my tremors have decreased.
Hubs and I want to start a family soon, but my DR adviced to avoid for the next few months. What would happen if we got pregnant? And why do we have to wait a few months? Also, what are the risks of d/c the medication and becoming pregnant. Would that turn into a thyroid storm?
Thank you,
Becks
I am sorry you have been diagnosed with Graves' Disease and not feeling as well. It does take 6 to 8 weeks to use up the extra stores of Iodine.
I assume you had the thyroid antibodies of the TSI and TRAb tested positive to determine GD? If so, these are the ones that would need to come down, especially the TSI before considering a pregnancy. The TSI antibodies can pass on to the fetus and the development of GD can happen for the baby.
Also the thyroid levels of the Free T3 and the Free T4 needs to come down and stay stabled for several months such as being near the upper third for the FT4 and the mid range for the FT3 to have the TSI and TRAb come down. One would want to get down to the lowest possible dose of the MMI or many doctors prefer the PTU to be taken by the patient trying for a pregnancy as they feel this ATD (antithyroid drug) is safer to take.
Getting labs to test the Free Ts every four to six weeks along with the TSH would help to find the lowest possible dose which is somewhere under 5 mg and less per day. Having either too high of the Free Ts or too low (such as over medicating can happen) can keep the TSI up.
So yes, needing to get the thyroid antibodies to come down and keeping the Free Ts stabled before a pregnancy is much better for the fetus.
If the TSI has been tested, how high is it?
Is the MMI (Methimazole) being taken once per day? It might be better to consider getting a pill cutter to divide the doses to at least twice a day every 12 hours or three times a day every 8 hours. I did not do well with once per day dosing and as the thyroid like consistent dosing, I did better with three times a day dosing for a long time. Do a google search on the Methimazole, as many pharmaceutical/medical websites talks about three times a day dosing, at least from the beginning when one first starts taking it.
Additional articles can be found at elaine-moore.com to help you. Elaine also has a forum that only she answers and has written books on GD and other related issues. I moderate at another forum and researching there at: http://www.livingwithgravesdisease.com/forums/forum/2-thyroid-101/
can also be of help.
{{{hugs}}}
I'm new to the group, but was diagnosed with graves after having my baby (my pregnancy set it off). As I understand it mothers produce the thyroid hormones for their developing fetus for the first trimester- any over or underproduction of those hormones during that time can affect fetal development. Also, if your body is already under stress, pregnancy, which is also stressful and demanding on your heart and lots of other systems, is not ideal until things have stabilized.
Its a really hard decision. We had been trying to get pregnant when I was first diagnosed and it was very dissappointing making the decision to wait.
I also believe thet Methimazole is not the preferred treatment during pregnancy, PTU is considered safer for pregnancy and breastfeeding (I know this because I was put on PTU so I could continue to nurse my daughter.)
I wish you luck!!
My thyroperixidase antibody was 177
T4 was 2.5
T3 was 340
And ESR was 30.
That's good to know about it taking a few months for thyroid levels to get back down to normal. I didn't know that.
My doctor said after 1 year we could see if I go into remission. Does this mean I should wait one year for pregnancy?
Thank you!
If you could add the lab reference ranges to go with each lab that was done would be helpful. The lab reference ranges can be different according to different lab companies used, one's geographical area, the patient's age, etc. Sorry if I didn't say this in my other post.
I see that only the TPOab was done. This is an inflammatory marker that is seen in thyroid disorders. Finding out what the TSI and TRAb is needed to know how high or low, especially for the TSI before trying for a pregnancy.
There is no way to predict when one goes into remission. What is ideal is to get the TSI down as low as possible before considering a pregnancy. It very well could take a year.
Please let us know how the MMI is being taken.
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TSI = Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins
TRAb = Thyroid Receptors antibodies
ESR - mine 30 - norm 0-20
Thyroperoxidase - mine 177 - norm <=5.5
T4 - mine 2.5 norm - 0.8-1.5
T3 - mine 340 norm - 58-159
TSH - mine <0.01 norm - 0.35-4.0
These are the only tests that were run other than the radioactive iodine uptake test, which is how i was diagnosed with GD as opposed to any other thyroid problem.
Should I ask my doctor about the TSI and TRAb tests? He never mentioned these.
I am due for follow up labs in August, but its only for TSH, T3, and T4.
I am taking Methimazole 10mg daily. I take the whole tablet every morning.
If I want to get pregnant I definitely would want to know my current TSI and TRAb antibodies are doing.
I am not sure where you are from, hopefully from the USA which would then be a bit easier in getting the TSI and TRAb tests done.
I would definitely suggest in dividing the MMI doses into twice a day every 12 hours. If you research at this site:
http://www.medicinenet.com/methimazole/article.htm
Where it suggests taking the MMI three times a day initially. I had to do this after two months of once per day because my thyroid levels wouldn't budge. It wouldn't budge at twice a day dosing either.
Anyway I think the T3 test that was done is not a Free T3. Free T3 ranges are something similar like 220 - 440 or 2.2 - 4.4 depending on which lab is used. T3 is affected by diet and hormones whereas the Free T3 is not.
Is your doctor putting you on any beta blockers to lower down the T3?
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Went back for my labs.
T4 is down to 1.7
T3 is down to 202
TSH is still low
The lab results show Free T4 and regular T3. I'll meet with my doctor next month and ask about the other tests.
My doctor has doubled my dose to 10 mg twice a day so I'm taking it in the AM and PM.
Runwildmoonchild10 - The medication will affect everyone a little differently, so far I don't have any problems with it. It's best to ask your doctor about it!
If it were me I would have left the ATD at taking 10 mg per day since the 1.7 is getting close to 1.5. Giving it another few weeks and rechecking labs, the FT4 would then likely be at mid range to the upper third.
Many doctors make the mistake of upping the ATD just to get the TSH to come up and instead make their patients very hypO (over medicated) with the Free Ts dropping too low.
The TSH cannot be used to see how one is doing when there are positive thyroid antibodies. The Free Ts have to be used to see how one is doing with adjusting of the meds.
I would be on the alert for any over medicating (hypO) symptoms since the ATD were upped.
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