Many pregnant women encounter different health scares and sudden changes to their body during pregnancy. I am a hyperthyroid patient and managing my condition during my second pregnancy was overwhelming and extremely challenging.
Before pregnancy, I had to do a routine blood test every 12 weeks to monitor my TSH and T3/T4 levels and I was on Propylthiouracil (PTU), 2 pills a day. My T3/T4 levels were in good range then but I was advised by my endocrinologist not to stop my pills till my TSH levels were stable.
I found out that I was pregnant in Feb 2021 and the first thing that got me worried, was my PTU pills. Thankfully, my endocrinologist was very supportive and helped to closely monitor my T3/T4 levels. And so I found myself going for blood tests every 6 weeks. It was exhasuting to travel to the hospital regularly but I had to do it.
I was still on PTU during my first trimester and it made me very nervous and worried about the side effects to the baby.
Would the contents in the pill pass through the placenta?
But I was thankful that my T3/T4 levels stabilised during my second trimester and we went on a journey to wean me off my pills. From 2 pills to half a pill and eventually none.
I read articles that pregnancy may normalise the thyroid hormones and many mothers find themselves with stable TSH and T3/T4 levels during the second and third trimester. It is not a blanket understanding that it happens with all pregnancies. This phenomenon varies with different mothers and different pregnancies.
So now its been almost 9 months post delivery and I have received 2 reminders from my doctor to do a follow up blood test to check my thyroid levels. I am not procrastinating. I am just not able to squeeze in the time to go for a blood test and I am absolutely dreading the thought of bringing my baby along. So for now, to support my thyroid health, I’m taking 2 brazil nuts daily, in hopes that the selenium will help heal my thyroid.
Thoughts and Whispers 