Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I'll preface this by saying that I am seeing an endocrinologist tomorrow, and of course I'm being monitored by my OB.

So, I've had two blood tests, including one to check my TSH levels--one at 11 weeks, and one at 14 weeks. My doctor's office called today to refer me to the endocrinologist because my TSH level is .006 when it should be at least 0.45. The doctor said it was almost certainly because of pregnancy hormones.

Apparently, the onset of hyperthyroidism is fairly common during pregnancy, especially when you are carrying multiples, but the potential complications if left untreated, or if you are unable to control it through medication are pretty scary. I've never had any issues with unexplained weight gain/loss, or any other symptoms until I got pregnant, so I'm going to assume for now that all of this is just caused by the high levels of hormones due to carrying twins.

I guess I just wanted to know if anyone else dealt with, or is dealing with this during their pregnancy. Or hugs and advice to stop reading medical literature and horror stories on the internet.

I don't know anything about this, but I hope everything will be great and I know how hard it is to stop reading scary things on the Internet.

I have no idea if this is similar enough, but I have graves disease, which usually causes hyperthyroidism, but for some reason I have been hypothyroid for several years and have to take synthetic thyroid hormones. During my pregnancy, that just meant that I had to have my thyroid levels checked at least once per trimester to ensure proper drug dosage. Having graves disease meant that they had to check the thyroid levels in my daughter right after birth, and a week or two later as well since there are antibodies that can cross the placenta and cause hyper- or hypothyroidism. My daughter's thyroid levels were fine though, and my pediatrician told me that she wasn't surprised at all since most babies born to moms with treated thyroid problems are fine.

Good luck with the endocrinologist! I hope it turns out that there's nothing to worry about at all.

Sending tons of good thoughts for you and Kinder1 and Kinder2 <3

Thanks for the good vibes!

helbury, I've read that as long as it's treated, the babies should be fine, so it's reassuring to hear that everything was fine with your daughter. I guess I'm a little worried because this is already my second trimester, and I've had two abnormal results. I suppose that other people who had no previous issues are probably sent for further testing at this point as well, otherwise my OB would have referred me earlier. At this point, what's one more doctor and a couple more vials of blood?

I was hypothyroid during my pregnancy (not the same as hyperthyroid, but similar in that there can be scary outcomes if left untreated) and it wasn't detected until 12 weeks. Everything turned out great. Don't read the scary internet - trust that lots of people have been through this and there are all kinds of good drugs to treat it and good doctors to monitor and advise you!

I test as hyperthyroid and even have a slightly enlarged thyroid and family history of thyroid disease, but I'm totally asymptomatic and my endocrinologist is suggesting that at this point I get checked regularly and wait and see. I think having my first baby probably kickstarted my issues, but I had a healthy pregnancy with no issues with both of my kids. I think thyroid stuff is so confusing - I saw a doctor (before I found my wonderful current doc) who was ready to schedule my surgery, even though I kept saying I was having no symptoms and wasn't even a year postpartum...my point is don't freak out, don't get in too deep with Dr Google because I already did that and I can tell you there's a lot of bad information out there and you'll be all ready to order your bottle of Thyroid Armor or some shiitake. Find a good endocrinologist that you trust and don't fret!

The doctor said there was no need to worry, they're going to measure my actual thyroid hormone levels, and if they need to treat, they will. Based on my complete lack of symptoms in the past and presents, she's guessing it's just hormone-related. They'll know more after the blood test results, but no need to worry either way.

Pregnancy can make your body and brain do wacky things, and no, it has nothing to do with me being vegan and taking too much/little iodine from my prenatals.

Basically, she prescribed a chill pill.

Glad to hear you and the babes are all right! And you are right, pregnancy makes your body crazy.

Yay! It's good to have a chill pill prescription.

Yes, thyroid hormones do weird things during pregnancy. Even if it turns out that you have actually developed a thyroid issue, an endocrinologist will take care of you and you and the babies will be ok!

Pregnancy can certainly do weird things to your normally healthy body. In the last month I developed an extremely itchy rash all over my arms and legs, and the only explanation anyone could come up with was that I had become allergic to being pregnant and it wouldn't resolve until I had my baby. A couple days before I went into labor, my rash suddenly started to get better after a month of only ever getting worse. Of course while I was in labor I wasn't exactly thinking about the fact that I suddenly stopped itching for the first time, and the day after my baby was born I woke up with no sign of ever having had a rash. Crazy!