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TTC and HyperThyroidism
i have been TTC for 6 months and have just been told i have subclinical hyperthyroidism with mulitnodular goiter. my endo has recomended that i spot TTC and have RAI treatments done right away. i need some help here. has anyone been in this situation before? any recomendations meds or RAI?
Hi Jackie-I have been TTC for 26months now. Have been tested and tested and everything except for the TSH came back normal. To make a VERY long story of trying to find the right doctor (not sure if I have yet), being misdiagnosed, going through failed fertility treatments and much frustration...short.... I was told by an endo that my irregular TSH could be causing my infertility. Tricky thing is, I AM ovulating. My endo said she did not agree with RAI-that destroying the thyroid would not cure the disease and that I was a good candidate for meds. I was put on Tapazole for 2 months. My TSH before the meds was 0.01. After two months, I had reached the normal level. She advised that I stop meds to see if I went into remission without it. I did not....I then had a 0.04. I then had an uptake and scan done. I was then finally given a diagnoses-GRAVES' and Multi Nodulular Goiter. I am now on Tapazole and Propranolol-both low doses. She has advised me to stay on the meds this time for 4-6months. I am n my 2nd month and am having good days and bad. I suffer from anxiety, fatique, mental cloudiness, poor memory and muscle aches and fatique. Some days I feel much better, others not so much. I decided to see another docor as I am not happy with the office I am currently with. It is very rare that I actually see the doctor and I have to plan an average of 3hrs for an appointment.....waiting time in lobby and in room. She has MANY PA's (physicians assistants), and I have recieved contradicting info from each one. There is more but I will spare you the details.
I saw another endo about 4wks ago. So far I like him. He suggested just going forward with the RAI. In the beginning (while seeing the previous dr), I wanted to do RAI, as I was so tired of TTC without success not word of cause for infertility that I was just happy to get a diagnosis and wanted to move forward quickly. However, afer doing research and hearing the doctor's reasoning as well as my husband's desire for me to try meds first, I decided to take the meds route. Once I had taken the tapazole for two months and felt sooo much better, I was convinced that the meds route was the right one for me. Then, after being taken off and having to start all over again, I began to wonder what I should do. Take meds again for a longer amount of time (I figured two months was too short amount of time) or move forward with RAI. I decided to take the meds route. The thought of being hypothyroid (which usually occurs after RAI) did not sound appealing to me. My mother actaully is hypothyroid and is on meds. She struggles with weight gain, amongst other symptoms. They have had to regulate her meds several times. I don't think she has been given the correct dosage yet. I have read many stories of people who have become hypo after RAI. Some have no probs after obtaining the correct dose/meds, others continue to struggle for years. At this point, I would rather deal with what I am familiar with...the symptoms I suffer from with being hyper. rather then take the chances of becoming worse as hypo. I struggle with this decision weekly.
My new endo believes I should go forward with RAI-seems to think my struggles will be over-to just take care of it once and for all. I am not sure I am ready to do it though so I am still taking meds. He supports my decision and agrees to monitor. In addition, he feels it is not necessary to avoid pregnance while on this meds. I am hoping that after 2-3months, my level will reach normal again and will hopefully open the window of opportunity to get pregnant. Although, he says it is possible, this endo is not totally convinced that the Grave's alone is causing my infertility and advised me to start seeing my fertility specialist again. I am so lost!!!! My main goal is to feel better but above all I want to get pregnant. Two years of being told everthing checks out fine is in a way a double edge sword type news. I am happy that nothing(female-wise) is wrong but being told nothing is wrong isn't answering the question of my haven't I gotten pregnant yet. sigh!
Well, I know that is a lot of unorganized thoughts and comments. I am just having a rough couple days and need to speak to someone who may have had feelings sinilar to mine. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. It really helps to talk to others who are seeking answers.
Good luck with the RAI. Please let me know how it goes.
I saw another endo about 4wks ago. So far I like him. He suggested just going forward with the RAI. In the beginning (while seeing the previous dr), I wanted to do RAI, as I was so tired of TTC without success not word of cause for infertility that I was just happy to get a diagnosis and wanted to move forward quickly. However, afer doing research and hearing the doctor's reasoning as well as my husband's desire for me to try meds first, I decided to take the meds route. Once I had taken the tapazole for two months and felt sooo much better, I was convinced that the meds route was the right one for me. Then, after being taken off and having to start all over again, I began to wonder what I should do. Take meds again for a longer amount of time (I figured two months was too short amount of time) or move forward with RAI. I decided to take the meds route. The thought of being hypothyroid (which usually occurs after RAI) did not sound appealing to me. My mother actaully is hypothyroid and is on meds. She struggles with weight gain, amongst other symptoms. They have had to regulate her meds several times. I don't think she has been given the correct dosage yet. I have read many stories of people who have become hypo after RAI. Some have no probs after obtaining the correct dose/meds, others continue to struggle for years. At this point, I would rather deal with what I am familiar with...the symptoms I suffer from with being hyper. rather then take the chances of becoming worse as hypo. I struggle with this decision weekly.
My new endo believes I should go forward with RAI-seems to think my struggles will be over-to just take care of it once and for all. I am not sure I am ready to do it though so I am still taking meds. He supports my decision and agrees to monitor. In addition, he feels it is not necessary to avoid pregnance while on this meds. I am hoping that after 2-3months, my level will reach normal again and will hopefully open the window of opportunity to get pregnant. Although, he says it is possible, this endo is not totally convinced that the Grave's alone is causing my infertility and advised me to start seeing my fertility specialist again. I am so lost!!!! My main goal is to feel better but above all I want to get pregnant. Two years of being told everthing checks out fine is in a way a double edge sword type news. I am happy that nothing(female-wise) is wrong but being told nothing is wrong isn't answering the question of my haven't I gotten pregnant yet. sigh!
Well, I know that is a lot of unorganized thoughts and comments. I am just having a rough couple days and need to speak to someone who may have had feelings sinilar to mine. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. It really helps to talk to others who are seeking answers.
Good luck with the RAI. Please let me know how it goes.
Thank you for the advice. i have been looking online like a crazy person. but this is a hard decision. i think i kinda have decided to do the rai. the complications that i found online for being hyper and being pregnant or even TTC are not something that i think i want to deal with if i don't have to.
hopefully i can get the RAI done next week and start my 6 month wait to get back to TTC.
hopefully i can get the RAI done next week and start my 6 month wait to get back to TTC.
Oh boy! was I way off, LOL!
You need to have normal stable levels before conceiving.
RAI is faster (and safe for you and future babies) than meds - ATDs.
ATDs, can take up to 24 months or longer, and then, its not a guarantee you will stay at a healthy level.
RAI is safe to conceive after levels are stable which usually is approx 6 to 12 months after RAI.
After conceiving you will need to be monitored frequently because TSH usually goes up during PG and med. dose will need adjustment. You want TSH around or between 1 and 2.
Other than that, you should have a happy healthy baby - God willing.
Good luck with the scan and with the conceiving!
GL
Trying to conceive. sorry about that. had the uptake and scan yesterday have to go back for 24 scan. the tech said that normal levels for the scan are between 5%-15% mine was at 17% yesterday. so i will be interested to see what it comes back as today.
Are you referring to total thyroidectame for cancer?
Please be more specific.
Don't understand what you are referring to - please restate.
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