Anyone else got Graves Disease (over active thyroid) and pregnant?

[dot1]

Bit of a complicated one, this one! I had Graves disease, but had radio-active iodine and am now under active.

Just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) but have to go to an ante natal endocrine clinic, because although I'm under active, I may still have Graves disease antibodies which could be passed to baby and make it over active.

Has anyone else experienced this - I'm wondering what they'll do to treat me/baby?!

If not, this is going to be a lonely old thread...

Me! My GP had a fit when I went to see her for my booking visit, only seen her once since, been dealt with by consultant for all but 1 appointment so far. My GP seems to panic at the slightest thing, I last saw her at 30 weeks, and when she measured me, my fundal height was 28cm, she was worried that the baby was small and not growing properly because of the Graves disease, she rang the hospital there and then and had me booked in for a scan the next day, everyone there - the sonographer and the doctor were amazed that she'd referred me, before the sonographer took any measurements she said that the baby wasn't small, the consultant said the same after she looked at the scan results, if anything it's looking like another 9 pounder! It turned out that my GP had plotted my measurements in the wrong place on my chart!

Anyway back to your question, the consultant at my endocrine clinic has put me on 20mg Carbimazole, my levels are now near normal but he's keeping me on the same dose, I'm now just coming up to 35 weeks so not long to go. I've got a 'normal' antenatal clinic appointment tomorrow, so hopefully I'll find out what sort of birth they'll let me have.

Not sure if I count! I developed an underactive thyroid when my daughter was 10 months, as a result, so my GP told me, of having had a baby (apparently it throws your hormonal system completely, and quite a lot of woment develop it after childbirth). Have been on Thyroxine for the last 18 months and have been feeling fine.

Am now pregnant with no 2 (due Feb 2004) and am due to see endocrine consultant next week. Am a little concerned, as the volunteer who mans the British Thyroid Association helpline told me that you need to up your medication in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and I won't be seeing him until I am 12 weeks, but I've had 2 blood tests since becoming pregnant and the levels are apparently 'normal'.

My midwife has said I'll have to take increased medication as the pregnancy progresses.

I'm feeling much worse symptoms wise this pregnancy. Last time I wasn't sick or queasy at all (very fortunate!), but this time I feel dreadful - queasy (though not actually sick), tired, and generally much more hormonal. This may be due to having tantrumy 2.5 year old though....!

Not sure if this helps, but it's good to know someone else out there is going through something similar.

Utka - it is not a given that you will need to up your levels - I didn't have to during pregnancy.

I've been pg twice while having an underactive thyroid and my medication didn't need changing once. In fact, I've been on the same dose for nearly 20yrs. HTH

ooh thanks everyone - it is good to know other people are going through the same thing and doing OK! I'm so nervous about it all..... I'm going to see my GP next week, and I'll only be 6 weeks pregnant, so hopefully time to do blood tests etc.

If they put me on Carbimazole, won't I feel really tired, etc. ('cos I'm already underactive)? I'm worried I'm going to grind to a halt over the next 8 months...!

Thanks willow2 and suedonim. It's really reassuring to know that my current levels of medication may well be fine. My GP is great, and I don't like to feel I'm contradicting him, but the helpline had got me worried!

Thanks again