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Hyperthyroidism

Amelia4Amelia4 member
in Working Moms
Long and maybe TMI, but people have asked to be kept informed (thanks for thinking of me!) and in case this can help someone else...

So I saw the endocrinologist today.  She ordered more bloodwork, including looking for anti-immune triggers that would indicate it's caused by Graves' disease. Evidently my family history of hypothyroidism (which my mom confirmed is Hashimoto's in her case) is also family history that could result in Graves' disease for me. Essentially the same triggers, just depends on how it presents in me.  They also did a thyroid ultrasound to look for indicators of Graves' disease and for nodules. She kept referring to "hot nodules" as being a potential but not likely cause; I assume this is a reference to cancer, but I didn't ask in part because I didn't really want to discuss that unless I know we are looking at a worst case scenario. The likely course of treatment is PTU until I'm out of the first trimester, then a different drug until I'm done breast feeding, then radioactive ablation therapy to essentially kill my thryoid at which point I'll take other medicines for the rest of my life.  

She said the rash looks like heat rash, but doesn't really act like heat rash, so I have a call into my OB to discuss that. It has spread from my ankles to my wrists and hasn't gone away for 36 hours. She also referred me to the high risk OB in town who can monitor the baby better. The potential complications on the pregnancy of the hyperthyroidism is increase risk of miscarriage and also that the baby's thyroid doesn't work and it is hyperthyroid in utero. So the high risk OB can monitor the baby's thyroid growth as well as the heart beat and heart rate. If hypothyroidism isn't treated in pregnancy, it can lead to delayed growth of the fetus, but there is not the same concern for hyperthyroidism, so that's a bit of good news, I suppose.

I hope to get the results of the ultrasound and bloodwork on Thursday.  And will likely get a prescription for the PTU then, too.  The high risk OB already has me on the calendar for the 16th, so things are finally moving and looking pretty decent for now.  Thankfully.  Thanks for the good thoughts and shared information.
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Re: Hyperthyroidism

  • Amelia4Amelia4 member
    I get an old school ultrasound at my regular OB for every appointment. Now I'll get the nice high-res ultrasound every month, too.  And my OB's nurse called back.  They said to come in and see them or go to the ER regarding the rash.  So I'll see them tomorrow afternoon at 3:45.  So many doctors, but I'm really looking forward to that one to see the little guy again.
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  • Amelia4Amelia4 member
    Thank you, @theresat858! My TSH is actually undetectable (less than 0.006) and my free T4 was 3.9 with the first test then 3.3 with the second.  I'm told I am, unfortunately, not a mild case.  Both doctors used the word "severe."  But I love hearing that hot nodules aren't cancer.  Guess I should have just asked.  And thanks for providing information on the ablation. I will keep that in mind and probably PM you down the road once I get some more information and have a definite plan.  I breastfed my son until he was 2, so I think that treatment will be a while away yet.  Though, who knows.
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  • Amelia4Amelia4 member
    I understand the medicines for hypothyroidism are much better when pregnant and have fewer side effects than the ones for hyperthyroidism.  However, untreated hypothyroidism has the same complications as hyperthyroidism (miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal thyroid issues, etc.) but can also result in delayed fetal development, which is a big concern.
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  • Amelia4Amelia4 member
    Thank you for the guidelines, I was going to try to find those today and you saved me Googling!  Yeah! @theresat858

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  • itsmevkbitsmevkb member

    I was severely hyperthyroid in my third pregnancy and my doctor too commented on how it's harder to control/treat during pregnancy. 

    I think I missed the other posts on this.  Did you have thyroid issues prior to your pregnancy?  For me, I was only hyperthyroid during my pregnancy and after it swung the other way and I am now hypo.

    I hope everything gets under control and you have a healthy pregnancy.

    Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12

    Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck.  Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.

    This Cluttered Life

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  • ppantsppants member
    I'm a nuclear medicine tech and also have Hashimoto's.  "Hot" refers to increased uptake of the isotope in nuclear medicine imaging.  "Cold" refers to decreased uptake of the isotope.  Typically in nuclear medicine thyroid scans, cold nodules are suspicious for cancer.  Cysts can also appear cold on thyroid scans.  Sounds like your dr is on top of the situation and you have a plan going forward.
    Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD
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  • Amelia4Amelia4 member
    @itsmevkb - I wasn't diagnosed with thyroid issues before becoming pregnant, but my only symptom has been weight loss. It started in January when I went off birth control and also got a sore throat that lasted 5 weeks and so my food intake went down then.  And then I got shingles, and then I got pregnant, so lots of things happened at once, but the assumption is I became hyperthyroid before I became pregnant.  My numbers are too high to indicate it was caused by the pregnancy as well, but the bloodwork isn't back yet.

    @ppants - Thanks for the information. I'm learning lots about this all of a sudden.  :)  And yes, my doctor appears to have a plan, and I am very grateful!
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