New Here - to Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen,

I was diagnosed with graves a few months after my second baby, too. Welcome

to the club!

First, be sure to have your baby's thyroid checked while taking PTU and

nursing. This is not something most doctors will do. However, I live in a

major metro area and we go to the Children's Hopsital. Our pediatrician did

some research and concluded it was prudent to draw blood every couple of

months or so just to make sure my daughter's thyroid wasn't slowing down.

Of course, this is traumatic for the baby and not all doctors feel it is

important, but mine did.

Second, I went into remission after weaning my baby. My whole story can be

found under TED stories on the thyroid web page: http://ithyroid.com I

weaned my daughter for several reasons: I had heard testimonials of women

whose thyroid levels improved after weaning and since I had been pregnant

and/or lactating for four continuous years, felt instinctively that that had

something to do with the development of Graves. It's important to know that

not everyone I've consuled since has gone into remission after they've

weaned a baby, but some have.

Also, I learned that PTU is classified as a 'probable carcinogen' by the US

department of Health and Human Service. The URL for this information is:

http://ehis.niehs.nih.gov/roc/toc8.html It is part of the " 8th Report

on Carcinogens " published by the US Department of Health and Human Services'

National Toxicity Program. PTU caused cancer in lab rats and was noted as a

probable cause of thyroid cancer that occurred in four out of 350 or so

people who took the drug. I felt strongly, and still do, that letting a

baby get even a trace of this substance might not be the best thing for the

baby since there are NO studies on the long term effects of PTU passing

through breast milk (even in small amounts) to infants.

Finally, I developed a serious liver reaction to PTU and couldn't take the

drug. Forced to decide between surgery and RAI, I felt I had no choice --

given all my concerns about PTU, the anecdotal evidence that weaning would

help etc. -- but to wean my baby, try natural medicine, and hope for the

best.

Nearly miraculously, I went into remission within three months; within six

weeks, my bloodwork was nearly normal.

Please read the exact natural methods that I used on ithyroid web page. But

just know that I think weaning a baby gives your body a chance to heal

itself. Again, thisisn't true for all -- my sister-in-law did not go into

remission after she was diagnosed and she weaned. however, she continued to

take PTU; I went off all meds, ate macrobiotically, saw a homeopath, and

weaned all within a couple of weeks. I think that combination gave me an

excellent chance to heal.

Please feel free to write to me privately as well: petri017@...

B

New here

> Hi Arlene,

>

> I am new to this list and I was reading your post which mentioned you are

> taking PTU. I have been taking this medication for about two months now.

I

> hate the taste of it and the aftertaste. I am 27, had my 2nd baby in

April

> and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism a few months after he was born. My

> levels have been in a normal range the last couple of blood tests, (I get

my

> blood tested every two weeks) and I take 2 doses of 100mg PTU each day.

How

> long have you been taking PTU? How long have you known you are

> hyperthyroid? I am so grateful to find this support group as I really

don't

> have anyone to talk to about the ups and downs this disease has caused me!

> As I am still breastfeeding my son, I can't really get a scan until I am

> done with that and even though I am trying to get him onto a bottle full

> time, I can't seem to cut out the nighttime feeding. So do you feel at

> this point that you'll be able to cut down on the PTU? I can't imagine

> taking it forever. I don't suppose that's even an option for most people.

> I've heard so many people say it's better to be hypo and hyper and I'm

> starting to see why. Even my doctor mentioned something along those

lines.

> I am still hoping that the whole thing will go away and that perhaps it

was

> due to a post partum thing caused by breastfeeding but I guess I won't

know

> until I find out if I have the antibody that causes Graves. Is yours

Graves

> or something else? Anyone else care to share their story with me? I'd

> appreciate any info anyone is willing to tell me! And I'd love to hear

your

> stories about the naturopath experience. I just want to start feeling

like

> myself again and I know my hubby would agree!

>

> Jen in Canada

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