Thyroid Antibodies Question
Find a Conversation
| Sat, 07-29-2006 - 1:23am |
Hey ladies, I'm back with yet another question and I don't have my EY package right now so you might not remember me. I'm 10 weeks pregnant and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism just a couple months prior to getting pregnant. My family doctor says it's going to turn into Graves because of my family history but that right now the hyperthyroidism isn't that bad. I had an U/S done earlier in the month and that seemed to be okay but my endocrinologist could feel a nodule on each side of my thyroid. He ordered up more bloodwork and again my TSH came back at 0.01 and the T3 and T4 were still within range. He tested for thyroid antibodies and my Tg was 6.9 so about 3x higher than normal and my TPO was over 700 instead of the normal 40.
Now I realize that's it's probably nothing to worry about but none of my doctors seem too concerned and they kept focusing on the tests that were in the normal range and not saying much about the stuff that was out of range. Don't I have a higher risk for miscarriage with the extra antibodies present? I am happy that they aren't giving me meds for it but they test me every 3 weeks to a month to make sure nothing changes. Are they just trying not to worry me? I'm feeling pretty miserable and it's not normal pregnancy stuff. I've been telling the drs since the thyroid problems started (before pregnancy) that I've been having trouble breathing and they have ignored it and then finally gave me an inhaler with Albuterall and said I have asthma. I'm 29 years old and was a runner in high school, in gymnastics, softball, etc and have never had any problems with asthma, plus I just lost about 30 lbs. I just feel like I'm being blown off and I was just wondering what you all thought, if it's really nothing to worry about or if I need to push the issue more. TIA!
JEN
(Military Wife and mom to Kyla 8.12.04 and baby #2 EDD 2.22.07)

Hi Jen,
I don't know the answer to your question but I found some information on Hyper/Graves' at:
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/hypergraves.htm
I don't think this specifically mentions the antibody issue but it might help.
Hi ,
I have had thyriod disease for 19 years, and I feel you need a new doctor or second opinion, any time your thyriod antibodies levels are high and everything else showws normal in your thyroid test, is a cause for concern. Shortness of breath and with you being pregnant, you could be having a host of other minimal symptons that are passed off as pregnancy related and actually are small warning signs for thyroid failure. You, in, my opinion should be on medication for the well being of your baby and you to avoid thyroid failure which can happen during pregnany with all you hormones getting thrown out of wack.
I am not a Doctor, but I speak to you from experience of having lived through what you have described. As patients we are our best own advocates. Speak up for yourself, defend yourself and if you do not feel good, never accept minimal answers from a doctor, yes , they are trained specialist , but you know your body better than they do and what is right or wrong when it comes to how you feel. God put , gut instincts in us for a reason, listen to it......
I understand in military options are limited, go to an encronologist or internal doctors who are better suited to monitor you during and after your pregnancy. Good LUCK!!!
Well thank you!
I hope this helps you, this may not even apply to you or your situation ......every female in my family is predepositioned with a gene that causes heriditery Thyroid disease during first or second pregnancy. I have two sisters and myself, and now possibly my daughter who is pregnant with her first who all have driffrent types of thyriod disease.
The shortness of breath can be caused by a couple of things along with the pregnancy factor. Goiter can go undetected through phyisical exam due to body structures hiding the goiter, secondly if you are experincing heatburn/acid reflux, combined the two can make you short of breath, feelings of aniety, (DAH, cause you an't breathing), and can cause irritation of the vocal cords, which causes VCD( Vocal Cord Dysfunction), when goiter and acid reflux are combinded it compresses the vocal cords to shut down , attachs start slow and over time get worse, any time you are short of breath GO TO THE ER, they have to treat you, and cannot turn you away , period. Usually patients are given a batch called a GI-Cocktail, which stops the build up of acid reflux and relaxes the vocal cords and you are usually back to normal in an hour.
There is a web site called About.com go to it , click on disease, click thyriod disease, and read everything you can get your hands on , thyriod disease is manageable, only if you keep up to date, on how to help yourself first and with a good doctor, they have a search engine to find you a good thyriod doctor in you area. Never ever let a doctor catorize you as anxious, or hysterical, tell him you will be glad to stuff a sock down his throat and see how well he breathes in the next 10 mintues. I bet he'd get labled anxious to LOL>>>>>
email me anytime, I will always try to help by sharing life experience with this disease.
D
YES, I WOULD PUSH FOR IT , THE NODLES MIGHT BE INTERFERRING WITH NORMAL THYRIOD FUNCTION.
eNJOYED TALKING WITH YOU , GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEW RECRUIT, I AM EXPECTING MY FIRST GRANDBABY IN LATE JAN OR EARLY FEB. I AM SO EXCITED, TO BE A YOUNG GRANDMA, I AM DEMI MOORE AGE GROUP LOL....
D SIGNING OFF