Oh no, just found im PG with shock 3rd and underactive thyroid

[quickchat]

Im shaking whilst typing this im so shocked.

Not only do I have a dodgy underactive thyroid - expand on that later - I have never drank so much alcohol since I was in my twenties.

The whole month of december (I think im only 4/5 weeks) I have taken to a red wine habbit of 3/4 nights a week, 2 glasses sometimes more. I have also had two big nights out with mega drinking which I haven't done since having the kids. Im so worried about that.

Also I ended up with an underactive thyroid after my 2nd 2 years ago and although Im on Thyroxine I haven't been well and my levels haven't been steady at all. They can't seem to get me well.

For the first time in 2 years this month Ive felt amazing. Ive finally felt like my old self. Full of energy! Obviously I now know it's because im robbing my poor fetus of the hormone I need and have also read that causes low IQ in the child later on .

Has anyone had a baby with this condition? What does it mean and is it dangerous? I had an emergency C section with my first and obviously in hospital for a week and was injected with blood thinners everyday as you are if your in hospital lying around. Ive read on my thyroxine you can't have any blood thiiners - so what happens there?

Im terrified as I had 2 very high risk PG and had an great aunt who died of a blood clot after giving birth to her third . I know im being paranoid but the blood thinning medication not being allowed scares me.

Oh God, im such (we are such) idiots. I barley coped having two 2.5 years apart and im going to have exactly the same gap again . I have also moved miles away from my parents and any support near by which I had lots of with my other two.

BTW I have a 4.5 yr old boy and a just turned 2 yr old girl - what a greedy bitch !

ALSO..I have that strange metallic taste in my mouth I had with my boy and not my girl - does that mean it's another boy - oh feck, I can't do anymore Bob the builder

(Sternly..) Stop being so awful to yourself! It is Christmas and I'm sure you wouldn't speak to anyone else that way. I have had 2 more children since being diagnosed with underactive thyroid and they are absolutely fine. I wasn't very well postnatally, but I knew that would be the case. You don't elaborate on why your other pregnancies were high risk, but many conditions can be managed. I wouldn't give another minute's thought to the alcohol either, you didn't know you were pregnant and it's done now. Any further worry about that is pointless and the chances are you are so early on that it won't make a great deal of difference.

Congratulations

thanks name change. How long were you unwell for?

About 5-6 months. I had a lot of trembling and palpitations, the only thing that really worked was to do the absolute bare minimum. The more I tried to push myself the worse my symptoms became, but it was worth it and I'm pregnant again! I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of scaling back your activities though, whatever you do with your children to entertain them needs to be as non-physical as possible. I know it's not practical in the long term but early pregnancy and the postnatal period is notoriously exhausting and the last thing you need is to aggravate your symptoms further. Try to prioritise eating and resting well.

Oh no. I've been so ill at times with this and getting a taster of being well again has been such a relief. Im going to totally struggle with 2 kids, this condition and of course, both of my babies were early and had severe reflux.....im going to lie down in a dark room!

2 kids and a baby I mean - gulp

There might be less chance of your baby being early now that you've been diagnosed. Also, you can't breastfeed because thyroid drugs are toxic, so that may mean that you get more sleep. Go for that lie down. Your body has earned it. You can do it!

Quick, just wanted to say Congratulations, try not to give the alcohol another though huge amount of babies created due to wine.

No practical advice re medical side of it. Book yourself in to MW and try and get some reassurance.

Deep breaths.

Lots of people get pregnant with an underactive thyroid and the babies are fine. The main thing is that you'll need to have the levels increased and they'll need to monitor your levels closely.

Phone gp tomorrow and insist on appointment asap. When I've been pregnatn they've increased it by 25mcg right away and then tested.

And congratulations btw!

You can breastfeed on thyroxine.

Besom - there must be different medications or guidelines. I was told I couldn't breastfeed. I will speak to my midwife. Thanks

I was diagnosed with an underactive at the appointment where I told the GP that I was pregnant. It was absolutely fine.

I had more blood tests throughout the pregnancy to check that my levels were ok and dosage was adjusted accordingly.

My birth was better than my first. I had a haemorage (sp?) again but my body handled it better than the first time and I had no awful after effects.

I breast fed for a year with no problems. Thyroxine only replaces what your body would have made, so is not toxic, or wasn't in 2004.

Ds is not of low IQ - infact he is brighter than average - although I wouldn't have loved him any less if he had been.

Obviously, like you, I was about 4 or 5 weeks before they started me on thyroxine.

Make sure you are checked on quicker than you would normally be at this stage in pregnancy and are checked on regularly. Otherwise you will be fine.

(I know nothing about the blood thinning issues but I do know there is no way the hospital staff will let you be at risk during delivery. Make sure they know you are taking the drugs and your concerns. The worst they would do is make you stop just before birth.)

I take 125mcg per day if that gives you an idea of my levels.

There will be LOADS of mums on mumsnet who have had babies while taking underactive thyroid meds. It is an incredibly common condition and no big deal at all.

CONGRATULATIONS ENJOY!

namechange - Yes, check that out again before making a decision. Levothyroxine is definitely considered safe, don't know about other things. See Kellymom here.

Hi, I've had underactive thyroid for years and it doesn't affect pregnancy at all. You keep taking the recommended dose and you will be monitored in cas eit needs to be increased, eg mine increased from 100mg to 125. There are no risks of this (levothyroxine) and it doesn't affect childbirth or the baby. I saw a specialist (endocrinologist) regularly until about 22 weeks, after which they don't bother because the baby has its own thyroid by then.

HTH

Thanks Besom. I wonder if I would benefit from more support from an endocrinologist as even when my levels are fine I still have quite severe symptoms. I'm so glad it isn't like that for everyone

namechange how supportive is your GP? Mine told me that there are levels that they consider ok but not everyone feels good on those levels. Some people need more to feel good. They obviously can't give you too much as the problems of an overactive thyroid are dangerous rather than just unpleasant to live with.

I don't think anyone who takes Levothyroxine ever feels 100% again, but they do feel better than they did without it.

Go back to your GP or see another one for a second opinion and see if they can adjust your dosage. I feel for you.

Thanks parsnip .

Sorry for hijacking too, but at least you know that not everyone's experience has been like mine.

Namechange, I fed my DD on Levothyroxine and was told it was fine. It's funny how advice can differ though.

Roastparsnip - I agree, I don't think people seem to go back to 100% on thyroxine either. As I've said, this is the first time I've felt normal since diagnosed which makes me feel a bit gutted TBH.

Ive had mild anxiety, sleep problems, stomach problems and general exhaustion since. I begged my Doc t take me from 50mg to 100 instead of the 75mg he wanted to put me on and I ended up slightly overactive which btw is EVEN worse. I didn't sleep at all and felt awful.

Im on 75mg now and up until a month ago I just felt a bit better but now Im running, doing spin classes at 8.30pm and I feel like the fog has lifted from my brain - damn, back to sitting my fat ass on the sofa then!

Thanks for the advice and congrats to everyone else who is expecting again. Im just in shock right now. I will cheer up I promise. I love my kids so much and im sure I will feel the same about my next LO soon enough.