Thyroid disease in pregnancy - Terrified.

[SleepyCaz]

Hi

Just typed up a huge OP, then lost it.

Am 14 weeks pregnant, and have an underactive thyroid.

Today I have been told that my TSH is still above 5. The consultant wants it to be below 3. I have had my Levothyroxine increased from 50mcg per day, to 75, then 100, and today to 150mcg per day.

My consultant told me she needs to scan me every 4 weeks to monitor my baby's growth.

Have been Googling this evening (stupid) and now I'm terrified. All info seems to point to high TSH/hypothyroidism causing brain development problems in the foetus, and learning difficulties and mental disabilities in the baby. (I know these are incorrect terms and I apologise, but some of the websites referred to 'mental retardation, which is a horrible phrase, and I couldn't use it, but I'm ignorant of the correct phrases)

My DH says not to worry, and that the consultant would have mentioned this if it were a likely outcome. However i'm really scared that by 14 weeks my baby's brain id formed and it's too late.

Can anyone advise me, please?

Also posted this in health.

Can't advise (sorry) but you probably had a look at some American sites. 'Mental retardation' is still commonly used over there. I'm sure someone knowledgeable will be along soon

Hi there

Obviously everyone's different but just to say I have an under active thyroid due to radioactive iodine treatment for Graves disease many years ago and I got pregnant 8 years ago whilst underactive and on thyroxine. From hazy memory I had to be under consultant care and I think my dose was increased too, but I had a healthy ds who is bright as a noisy button

Good luck and maybe book an appointment with your gp if you're worried?

sleepycaz, please do not worry about this (stupid thing to say but I'll say it anyway!). I am hypothyroid and have had two perfectly normal pregnancies. It's the most treatable condition in the world - I've been hypo for nearly 6 years (found out in my first pg) and it hasn't really caused me any problems.

The risk is if you are very hypo and you are not treated. But you are being treated. With a TSH of 5 you are slightly above the normal range (which is up to 4 I think) but not outlandishly so and in any case it's not TSH itself that's the problem - it's the subsequent effect of the TSH on the other thyroid problems. You could have a TSH of 5 and still have ok T4 levels - it would just show that your thyroid is working very hard to get normal levels of T4 and could do with some support. I'm working from memory here but I think that's how it works (you can tell how much impact it's had on my life - I can barely remember the facts about it!). And your dose is not very high really - I've been up to 200mg and even now am on 150mg. So there's plenty of scope to up your dose to get things under control.

Hope someone can come along and confirm all this for you! I really remember the worry, but as long as you are being monitored, you are ok.