Hyperthyroid and Pregnancy

[Jessygirl623]

Hi thank you for taking the time to read this and to answer. Any tips are greatly appericated so thank you.

I am 26 Preganat with my second child 3.5 months along. I just got my thyroid checked today at the hospital because i had two flutters in my throat today. My thyroid level was low in this scale my result 0.229 range was 0.358-3.74. Is my level really low or a little low? i am learning that thyroid and pregnancy hormone can get all messed up in the first trimenster and are suppoest to regulate during the second trimester. Any advise? Do i need medication? I also heard about somthing called thyriod storm and now i am afraid thats going to happen to me. i cant stop worring

[Jessygirl623]

thanks

[yankeeRN]

Well , a person is even a little hyperthyroid or in the higher end of normal labs then you can experience anxiety easier with the hyperthyroid than if you were not hyperthyroid.  Panic attacks are common with hyperthyroidism and anyone who has a panic attack should be checked for thyroid problems.  The problem with MDs is that many treat the symptoms while not looking for the cause of the symptom, in this case the anxiety being caused by the thyroid imbalance.  Now having said that, not all anxiety is caused by the thyroid but if you have a thyroid problem then it is likely that it is.  Try diversional activities to keep from worrying.  It might sound crazy but if I felt a panic attack coming on when I was driving then I woud turn the radio on and start singing and it seem to stop it in its tracks. Try not to worry.  Worrying can make all worse.

[Jessygirl623]

Yes very but my anxiety is usualy over my health. So if i have a headache or a chest pain i think the worst and then get anxious and paniky and have the occasional panic attack. Today i am feeling good except worrysome about my hyperthyroid if the doctor told me everything was fine i would go back to my normal self and not worrie at all but i dont know for sure. I always think the worst with medical aliments  and google is not help i find everything and associate it with how i am feeling

[yankeeRN]

I can see that you might be rationalizing your symptoms away like I did.  Pay attention to your body.The anxiety can definitely be from the thyroid--it made me restless and fidgety.--were you anxious in your past ?

[Jessygirl623]

yeah i dont feel shakey but i constantly feel nervous and anxious due to my anxiety. I feel tired but i dont get enough sleep i know that. I am hungary but its probably because i dont eat as much as i should. I dont have heart palpitations. I was hot during the summer but whos not i am cold now but the weathers changing .Overall i feel good except this weird one second flutter in my throat thats goes away as fast as it comes along. A heart papliatation would last for a few seconds at least thats not what i am feeling

[yankeeRN]

Just to clarify my first post to you--not that is matters but.  I said that I don't have any experience with pregnancy--I do--I have had 2 children--what I don't have is experience with pregnancy and thyroid problems at the same time.  My thyroid problem began --or rather was detected at age 48--I am presently 49.  Thinking back I probably had this for a bit but dismissed the symptoms for other things--until it got too bad that I coud no longer the symptoms--I had an excuse for everything--the morning coffee was the cause of my hand tremors, the heat intolerance and sweating might be perimenopause, the extreme hunger was because I was so busy, the weight loss was because I was kicking butt at the gym--get the point?  

[yankeeRN]

Do you have the numbers for your level and also the lab that you go to reference range for it?  Just because the doctor says it's normal --it could be on the high end of normal and not normal for you. For example for me my total t4  (my labs reference range 5.3 to 12.3) when my level  was  9.8, I had some hyperthyroid symptoms (shaky, heat intolerance, palpitations, very hungry etc) and when it dropped to 6.5 I had some hypothyroid symptoms (felt not myself--felt down and lifeless like I had no emotion, cold all the time, not hungry, etc)--I have finally figured out that I feel best at 8.5-9.0.  I talk with my MD if I don't feel "right"--before all this thyroid stuff I would exercise at least 4 time a week at the gym for about 2 hours. Have you noticed shakey fingers?   Put your hands out straight  and gently straighten your fingers straight out--do they shake  or are they tremulous?  If not good--if yes talk with your doctor because that is a sign of hyperthyroidism.

[Jessygirl623]

T 4 ARE NORMAL

[yankeeRN]

I don't know enough about  the thyroid during pregnancy but I do now that they do have to monitor you closely.  Don't worry too much  as worry causes stress and thus makes all worse even for the thyroid.  Thyroid storm?  Did you doctor talk with you about this? Was he concerned?   Google hyperthyroid and the symptoms to watch out for and if you notice more symptoms talk with your MD.  Also did the MD  do any other thyroid tests like free t3 and free t4?  I am sure someone will read your post who has had the experience of pregnancy and can shed some more light on this for you.  Looks like your tsh is decreased but not totally--mine is <0.01.   Best wishes.