Graves and Menstrual cycle

[Dego856]

I've been dealing with thyroid issues since age 16. I am now 28.  I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and was treated with levoxyl for the next 9 years. At age 25, I all of a sudden experienced rapid weight loss (25 pounds in three and  half weeks) along with other symptoms and was diagnosed with Grave's disease.  I was treated with PTU for one year and went into remission. It's one and a half years later and I once again began experiencing symptoms. I went and met with my endo and was told that I need go back on PTU and need to consider RAI for the near future.  I have now been on 300mg of PTU for the past three and a half weeks and have not had my period  in almost four months.  How long will it take for the PTU to normalize my menstrual cycle?  Before this I had never had any issues with my cycle in all my years dealing with my thyroids and would like to get pregnant once my thyroid is stabilized.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

If the thyroid imbalance is the cause of the menstrual irregularity then it usually takes 1-3 cycles (months) after normalizing thyroid levels to normalize the menses.

Some would advocate surgery or RAI to definitively take care of the thyroid prior to pregnancy -- that would be the most stable in terms of thyroid function during/after pregnancy.  Pregnancy must be avoided however for 6 months after RAI.