Re: Re: OB Dilemma & Blood Pressure Probs/Grace, Tori

[Guest guest]

I agree with this information. My endo arbitrarily increased my dosage with

both of my pregnancies. And for the breastfeeding question...the benefits of

breastfeeding are HUGE so weigh the decision carefully.

Respectfully,

Jen

Re: OB Dilemma & Blood Pressure Probs/Grace, Tori

> can i ask if the beta blockers actually work to lowering thyroid

> function? like can they make you hypo? <<

I found this thread from November 5th - to Tori re beta blockers.

Yes, the propranolol is said to help block the conversion of T4 to

T3, but atenolol supposedly doesn't.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/graves_support/message/24343

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/graves_support/message/24343>

Chris

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intended to replace expert medical care.

Please consult your doctor before changing or trying new treatments.

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[Guest guest]

I agree with this information. My endo arbitrarily increased my dosage with

both of my pregnancies. And for the breastfeeding question...the benefits of

breastfeeding are HUGE so weigh the decision carefully.

Respectfully,

Jen

Re: OB Dilemma & Blood Pressure Probs/Grace, Tori

> can i ask if the beta blockers actually work to lowering thyroid

> function? like can they make you hypo? <<

I found this thread from November 5th - to Tori re beta blockers.

Yes, the propranolol is said to help block the conversion of T4 to

T3, but atenolol supposedly doesn't.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/graves_support/message/24343

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/graves_support/message/24343>

Chris

-------------------------------------

The Graves' list is intended for informational purposes only and is not

intended to replace expert medical care.

Please consult your doctor before changing or trying new treatments.

----------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER

Advertisments placed on this yahoo groups list do not have the endorsement

of

the listowner. I have no input as to what ads are attached to emails.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------

[Guest guest]

Hi Holly,

Yep, I was the one who mentioned that the OB I saw said she prefers to keep

her patients a little hypo. That sent up red flags for me and I don't plan

to see her again.

Lately, I've been feeling very hypo and I knew it was more than just normal

pregnancy blahs. I stopped by my endo's office on Friday, Dec 6 to have labs

done. He wasn't in his office, so I left him a note detailing my symptoms

and told him that I was afraid of going too hypo while pregnant and I felt I

should cut my PTU from 450mg/day to 300 mg/day. I decided make a more

conservative decrease to 350 mg/day. Anyway, the nurse called Monday with

my results. I'm indeed hypo:

TSH = .51 (normal is .30 - .50)

FT4 = .36 (normal is .8 - 1.8)

This is the first nonzero TSH result I've had and my last FT4 was on the low

end of the normal range. My endo told me to cut my PTU back again, this time

to 100 mg twice per day. I thought PTU was best taken 3 times per day.

Would it be better to break it into 50, 50, 100 doses? I'm not at all

confident in my ability to cut the pills into thirds, but it seems uneven,

more frequent doses would be better than stretching them out too long.

Should I be worried about the baby's development? Isn't the little guy

dependent on my thyroid hormone for his neurological development until the

11th week (I'm in my 10th week now)? I suppose the damage has been done, but

I'm really freaked out. Are there any tests that could be done to at least

put my mind at ease? Decreasing my PTU has increased my panic attacks, not

good for someone like me who worries constantly anyway. And Holly, don't

feel bad about your post. These thoughts were already running through my

head. It helps to have all the facts so I can discuss them with my doctors.

It seems that my thyroid levels have come crashing down very quickly. Less

than a month ago, I was still on 600 mg/day of PTU and now I'm hypo and on a

mere 200 mg/day. How frequently should I be monitored? Right now, I have

labs scheduled every 4-5 weeks, but sometimes get them done sooner if I feel

bad enough. When I first got pregnant, I thought the timing was great since

my thyroid levels were just about normal. Now, they're in a tailspin and I'm

terrified that I've caused my child permanent damage.

I hope my baby is one of the healthy ones to make an appearance next year.

Tori

In a message dated 12/18/2002 8:09:23 AM Pacific Standard Time,

hsutherland@... writes:

> I certainly don't want to throw a scare to anyone, but something one of the

> " preggies " mentioned has been weighing on my mind for the last few weeks.

> Someone, maybe Tori?, mentioned that their doc was trying to keep them a

> little hypo. I kept my mouth shut then, not wanting to scare anyone. I

> know

> we worry more than necessary about everything when we're pregnant. I was

> convinced that I had damaged my baby because I had a couple of margaritas

> one night before I knew I was pregnant. How silly--she turned out perfect.

> But I was pretty much scared my whole pregnancy because of it.

>

> My understanding is that hypo is the exact opposite of what you want. It's

> better to be a little hyper (if you can't be normal) than to be a little

> hypo when you're pregnant. I've known this for a few years now because my

> cousin went through her last pregnancy while being treated for hypo with

> Synthroid. She told us that her doctor was very concerned about her not

> being at all hypo while pregnant because of the risk of birth defects.

> Well, I was reading the report on TSH that Elaine sent me yesterday, and

> this paragraph hit me and raised my concern again:

>

> " There is mounting evidence to suggest that patients with a persistent TSH

> abnormality may be exposed to greater risk if left untreated. Specifically,

> a recent study reported a higher cardiovascular mortality rate when

> patients

> had a chronically low serum TSH (37). Further, there are an increasing

> number of reports that indicate that mild hypothyroidism in early pregnancy

> increases fetal wastage and impairs the IQ of the offspring (63-65)). Such

> studies support the efficacy of early thyroid function screening,

> especially

> in women during their childbearing years. "

>

>

>

> I debated on whether to post this or not, but thought it best to make

> people

> aware if they don't know.

>

>

>

> Now, it is true that those little fetuses are very resilient, and I'm sure

> all of you are going to be just great. But, if your doc is thinking

> he/she

> should keep you a little hypo, then it might be best to inform them

> otherwise!

>

>

>

> You guys are all in my thoughts and prayers. Looking forward to a batch of

> healthy babies next year!

>

>

>

> Holly

>

> Dx. 8/2001; 2.5 mg. MMI

[Guest guest]

Hi Holly,

Yep, I was the one who mentioned that the OB I saw said she prefers to keep

her patients a little hypo. That sent up red flags for me and I don't plan

to see her again.

Lately, I've been feeling very hypo and I knew it was more than just normal

pregnancy blahs. I stopped by my endo's office on Friday, Dec 6 to have labs

done. He wasn't in his office, so I left him a note detailing my symptoms

and told him that I was afraid of going too hypo while pregnant and I felt I

should cut my PTU from 450mg/day to 300 mg/day. I decided make a more

conservative decrease to 350 mg/day. Anyway, the nurse called Monday with

my results. I'm indeed hypo:

TSH = .51 (normal is .30 - .50)

FT4 = .36 (normal is .8 - 1.8)

This is the first nonzero TSH result I've had and my last FT4 was on the low

end of the normal range. My endo told me to cut my PTU back again, this time

to 100 mg twice per day. I thought PTU was best taken 3 times per day.

Would it be better to break it into 50, 50, 100 doses? I'm not at all

confident in my ability to cut the pills into thirds, but it seems uneven,

more frequent doses would be better than stretching them out too long.

Should I be worried about the baby's development? Isn't the little guy

dependent on my thyroid hormone for his neurological development until the

11th week (I'm in my 10th week now)? I suppose the damage has been done, but

I'm really freaked out. Are there any tests that could be done to at least

put my mind at ease? Decreasing my PTU has increased my panic attacks, not

good for someone like me who worries constantly anyway. And Holly, don't

feel bad about your post. These thoughts were already running through my

head. It helps to have all the facts so I can discuss them with my doctors.

It seems that my thyroid levels have come crashing down very quickly. Less

than a month ago, I was still on 600 mg/day of PTU and now I'm hypo and on a

mere 200 mg/day. How frequently should I be monitored? Right now, I have

labs scheduled every 4-5 weeks, but sometimes get them done sooner if I feel

bad enough. When I first got pregnant, I thought the timing was great since

my thyroid levels were just about normal. Now, they're in a tailspin and I'm

terrified that I've caused my child permanent damage.

I hope my baby is one of the healthy ones to make an appearance next year.

Tori

In a message dated 12/18/2002 8:09:23 AM Pacific Standard Time,

hsutherland@... writes:

> I certainly don't want to throw a scare to anyone, but something one of the

> " preggies " mentioned has been weighing on my mind for the last few weeks.

> Someone, maybe Tori?, mentioned that their doc was trying to keep them a

> little hypo. I kept my mouth shut then, not wanting to scare anyone. I

> know

> we worry more than necessary about everything when we're pregnant. I was

> convinced that I had damaged my baby because I had a couple of margaritas

> one night before I knew I was pregnant. How silly--she turned out perfect.

> But I was pretty much scared my whole pregnancy because of it.

>

> My understanding is that hypo is the exact opposite of what you want. It's

> better to be a little hyper (if you can't be normal) than to be a little

> hypo when you're pregnant. I've known this for a few years now because my

> cousin went through her last pregnancy while being treated for hypo with

> Synthroid. She told us that her doctor was very concerned about her not

> being at all hypo while pregnant because of the risk of birth defects.

> Well, I was reading the report on TSH that Elaine sent me yesterday, and

> this paragraph hit me and raised my concern again:

>

> " There is mounting evidence to suggest that patients with a persistent TSH

> abnormality may be exposed to greater risk if left untreated. Specifically,

> a recent study reported a higher cardiovascular mortality rate when

> patients

> had a chronically low serum TSH (37). Further, there are an increasing

> number of reports that indicate that mild hypothyroidism in early pregnancy

> increases fetal wastage and impairs the IQ of the offspring (63-65)). Such

> studies support the efficacy of early thyroid function screening,

> especially

> in women during their childbearing years. "

>

>

>

> I debated on whether to post this or not, but thought it best to make

> people

> aware if they don't know.

>

>

>

> Now, it is true that those little fetuses are very resilient, and I'm sure

> all of you are going to be just great. But, if your doc is thinking

> he/she

> should keep you a little hypo, then it might be best to inform them

> otherwise!

>

>

>

> You guys are all in my thoughts and prayers. Looking forward to a batch of

> healthy babies next year!

>

>

>

> Holly

>

> Dx. 8/2001; 2.5 mg. MMI

[Guest guest]

Hi Tori,

100 mg taken twice a day is reasonable. As your dose decreases, you can take

it twice daily every 12 hours.

Whenever you decrease your dose, you can notice temporary hyper symptoms like

the panic you mention. These symptoms resolve within a few days.

Changes in estrogen levels during pregnancy cause a natural reduction in your

thyroid hormone levels so most people on ATDs need a dose reduction. You

should have labs every 3-4 weeks or more often if symtoms suggest your levels

may have changed. Take care, Elaine