low thyroid in first trimester

[lem31]

Hi
Just panicking slightly so need advice please! Am 8 weeks pregnant and have had underactive thyroid for about 10 years. When I got pg doc said he would keep an eye on my thyroid but didn't do anything. When I saw him again and mentioned it he said the midwife would test me at 8 weeks. She finally called to say she didn't want to see me until 10 weeks so I took matters into my own hands and booked in for a blood test. In the last 8 weeks my tsh has gone from 0.5 to 14.8! My t4 levels are just about in normal range at 13, but that's only just in normal. My gp has upped my dose of thyroxine only slightly and I should be hearing from my midwife this week to book in with an endocrinologist some time in the future. I have been feeling dreadful and cold and so tired, but I put it down to pregnancy as this is my first so not sure what to expect.

Now I don't know when I will see anyone else, I don't think my dose is enough to go up although I guess it will help. Just scared that by the time they sort it I'll be in the second trimester and any damage will be done. Does anyone know what the likely damage could be of my being that low or will the baby take what it needs from me? I think I will see if my midwife calls and when I get an appointment and if it isn't soon enough go back to the gp. Anyone else had anything similar? Did it turn out ok?
Thanks for any advice.

Thankyou. In theory she is calling me to do just that, it's just whether she knows how urgent it is seeing as how she said I wouldn't need a blood test yet! I will have to stamp my feet I think. If I haven't heard by mid afternoon on Monday I will call - just feels so wrong questioning medical professionals but I am so frustrated and worried. There is a good chance I'll cry anyway which may help my cause-doesn't take much these days lol! Thankyou for reassurance and giving me confidence to get heard- I didn't do that enough before and look where it got me!

If I don't get myself heard it will have to be-this baby is too wanted to take risks.
Thanks again x

I'd suggest going private too, I did when I found out I was PG as the NHS didn't want to see me til 10 weeks despite my protests! How much have they increased your dose by? It cost £195 to see a private endocrinologist. TBH tho if my TSH was 14.5 I'd increase my dose by 25mcg now, it takes a week or 2 for levels to raise after a dose increase. Probably shouldn't say that tho! Maybe you could speak to an endocrinologist over the phone about your situation?

I was in the same situation and my Endo in Australia said that upon diagnosis of pregnancy I should double my dose immediately. When I moved to the UK and got pregnant I did just that and my consultant later confirmed it was the right course of action.

Like kissyfur said, I would increase slightly now, as it takes a couple of weeks to actually raise. But this is just my opinion and I'm not a HCP.

I would also try to get a quick private consultation.

Congratulations and best of luck OP.

Thankyou. I will take action first thing on Monday and see where I get to. Hopefully I can get it sorted. X

As others have said, increase asap. My copy of 'understanding your thyroid' suggests a 25mg increase as soon as pregnant, followed by bloods, and an overall increase of 50 as the average increase needed

As others have said, increase asap. My copy of 'understanding your thyroid' suggests a 25mg increase as soon as pregnant, followed by bloods, and an overall increase of 50 as the average increase needed

Thanks everyone. By pure chance my midwife called to put back my booking in appointment so I explained it to her and she has now booked me in and got me an appointment with a consultant tomorrow for further care and my meds have been increased to 150 so hopefully I will finally be getting what I need! I did look at going private but would need a referral from my gp apparently to do that.... Hopefully now I have my midwife on side I wont need to go down that route anyway.
Thanks again for all your advice.

That's good news lem, make sure they keep monitoring it throughout the pregnancy - mine went up and down a fair bit, but to be fair they were very diligent with testing.