PTU during pregnancy?
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| Tue, 05-08-2007 - 5:15pm |
Hi all. I'm hyperthyroid and have been on methemazole (sp?) for about a 1 year. We had a surprise pregnancy last month which ended w/ a miscarriage. The baby did make us realize that we do want one more child (we have three--5 yrs, 3 yrs, 2 yrs).
OB said to have one normal cycle and then he is good w/ us TTC.
Had endo appt. today. My numbers are good. All w/in normal range, but they are worried if they take me off that my numbers will plunge. They have switched me over to PTU. I will just be taking 50 mg/once a day. I go back in one month for follow up blood work.
They told me today that PTU is very safe for me to take during pregnancy. They said that methemazole (sp?) has caused problems w/ babies' fingernails (I'm sure other things too...) and that PTU is the drug of choice during pregnancy. But she told me if I read stuff about taking PTU during pregnancy that I'd freak out. I'd just like to hear from some real-world people who took PTU during pregnancy. Any stories you can share w/ me? Hopefully happy, healthy baby stories.

I can't say from experience, but I have read that PTU is safe to take during pregnancy. PTU has a "shorter life" than Methimazole, so you have to take more of it. A great book I read was "Graves' Disease, A Practial Guide" by Elain A. Moore with Lisa Moore. It has a section on pregnancy with Graves'. The reason PTU is the "drug of choice" is because it does not cross the placental barrier as well as methimazole. It still can cross it, but it is just not as strong. Both med's can affect the fetal thyroid.
If you do decide to get pregnant during this time, please, please, please make sure you have a great Endo and OB/GYN who will closely monitor you and your baby.
Take care!
Danielle
Thank you both for your replies!!
And yes, my OB is aware that I am taking PTU. My endo is AWESOME!! My ob actually sent me to her because he didn't like how my old endo was handling my case after my son was born. Anyhow, endo and OB are both great and have both given me a big green light for another pregnancy. Endo switched me to the PTU knowing that I wanted to try to get pregnant.