My thyroid levels were checked before pregnancy and were normal, they hovered right at 1.04. Since I got pregnant they have been creeping up, yesterday they had gone to nearly 4. So it seems pregnancy causes some sort of issue with my thyroid? I've never been told this before but I'm pretty sure my levels weren't monitered in previous pregnancies.
I am starting a medication to bring the levels down. The nurse said it's possible my levels got high enough in my last pregnancies to cause miscarriages. I have never heard of that before and was wondering if anyone has experienced this?
i am so glad I am being monitered and something treatable has been caught. Hopefully it will calm my nerves. I'll talk more with my MFM on Monday about it.
ETA: I am only 6 weeks so the increase is just in the past two weeks.
High tsh levels can cause miscarriage or mental retardation and other issues in the baby if untreated. So yes it's possible if you spiked like this before and it wasn't caught it could've caused your previous miscarriages. My levels spiked during pregnancy but was monitored like you and was adjusted appropriately and all was well. Now that it's caught it should be fine, it needs to be monitored closely throughout your pregnancy, ask your doc if you should see an Endo (personally I would see an Endo but you may feel differently)
High tsh levels can cause miscarriage or mental retardation and other issues in the baby if untreated. So yes it's possible if you spiked like this before and it wasn't caught it could've caused your previous miscarriages. My levels spiked during pregnancy but was monitored like you and was adjusted appropriately and all was well. Now that it's caught it should be fine, it needs to be monitored closely throughout your pregnancy, ask your doc if you should see an Endo (personally I would see an Endo but you may feel differently)
I was seeing an RE to get pregnant and until we saw the heartbeat, I have now "graduated" to MFM. My other pregnancies were all regular OB, start to finish.
I'd see an endocrinologist (not RE, just an Endo) for thyroid management. Not uncommon for an OB to miss this, they are all too often terrifyingly under informed about thyroid issues. For example many use the old (and outdated) under 5 scale for tsh which is dangerous in pregnancy as it should be under 2 for conception and pregnancy. So it's possible they tested you, you were under 5 and they moved on and did t see it for the red flag it was.
I have a friend who did. She had a loss at 20 weeks and is currently due in January. She also had hyperemesis in all 3 of her pregnancies, but I can't remember if that was related to the thyroid. I do remember that she had to take medicine. Things seem to have been going well since they found the thyroid issue.
Post by StephaniePlum on Dec 1, 2015 22:57:48 GMT -5
I had the opposite issue- super low TSH. I was already seeing a perinatologist due to AMA, but I continued to see both him and my OB during my pregnancy. You might consider that- also, if tell them you want to get your T3 and Free T4 checked bc they are better indicators of your overall thyroid fxn. Try not to worry! My "baby" is a happy healthy and crazy 3 year old now.
I'm glad they found something but worried it's too late, my levels were nearly 4 yesterday and I can't start the medicine until the morning. So I'm just trying to be calm. We did see a hb yesterday and my losses were both early second tri.
I'm glad they found something but worried it's too late, my levels were nearly 4 yesterday and I can't start the medicine until the morning. So I'm just trying to be calm. We did see a hb yesterday and my losses were both early second tri.
Most likely you are fine just take the meds and get rechecked as instructed.
Pregnancy will make your thyroid work harder because your baby doesn't have a functioning thyroid during most of pregnancy and is completely reliant on YOUR thyroid to do all the work for both of you - so if you have any underlying thyroid issues (even undiagnosed or non-existent when you aren't making your thyroid work for 2) they will be "revealed" during pregnancy
Your TSH and T3 and T4 levels will need to be monitored throughout the entire pregnancy and you may need to take increasing dosages of Synthroid (levothyroxine) to accommodate for the work your own thyroid just cannot do.
Post pregnancy your thyroid function will need to be checked and you will be weaned back down and/or off medication.
I would find a good endocrinologist to monitor you for the duration of the pregnancy and then at least 6-8 weeks after.
This is relatively common (and can cause miscarriage) but if monitored and treated with medication is mostly a non-issue. Both you and baby will be fine as long as you get the correct thyroid replacement medication to help support the needs for you and baby during pregnancy.
Higher TSH means that your body is "asking" your thyroid to work harder. TSH is "thyroid stimulating hormone" - so a higher TSH level means your thyroid isn't functioning at optimal levels and is sluggish....and your body is sending out increased TSH into your blood saying to your thyroid "hey, we need more from you"
Lower TSH levels (below a 1) indicate that your thyroid is functioning too well and may be hyperactive. That can happen in pregnancy if you end up taking too much Synthroid (Levo).
Synthroid/levothyroxine is a synthetic replacement of the hormone that your thyroid naturally produces. The doctor will start you with a lower dosage to see if it is enough to meet your needs. You will likely take it once a day in the morning (take on an empty stomach with water and don't eat for 30 minutes). Your doctor will/should order bloodwork in 4 weeks after you start taking the medication to check your TSH levels to find out if the dosage you are taking is enough to meet the demands of your body. During pregnancy, you want a TSH level ideally between 1 and 2.
it takes a bit to understand thyroid stuff so don't be scared or overwhelmed. With medication, it is pretty well controlled once they get the right dosage.
I'm glad they found something but worried it's too late, my levels were nearly 4 yesterday and I can't start the medicine until the morning. So I'm just trying to be calm. We did see a hb yesterday and my losses were both early second tri.
Four is okay - especially if you've started treatment. My RE allowed me to cycle as long as I was at 5 and actively fixing it with synthroid.
You're going to be fine. The old TSH definition is 5, the new is 3. You are in that gray area between old normal and new normal. But you're now treating.
When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, my TSH was 13. That was a huge problem for me, my RE and my GP. My RE said that level was perhaps the reason I had an early loss but there's no way to be sure.
Good luck!
EDIT: Many REs will say that "under two" is optimal for TSH, but I truly wonder how many women actually hit that sweet spot consistently. Pregnancy and after pregnancy can both stress your thyroid - that's why TSH is a common blood test check in early pregnancy. Many women aren't tested until 6-8 weeks and then treated if necessary.