Thyroid

I recommend this website: http://thyroid.about.com/ It has TONS of information and Mary Shomon, the moderator, is a fabulous author and patient advocate. I have learned much from her, her website and newsletters. She often answers emails personally, and there are blogs as well in a variety of thyroid topics. Good luck.

As long as your dr is monitoring it, I wouldn't worry too much. From my experience, if your levels are off you just won't get pregnant.

Hyperthyroidism is caused by lack of tungsten. if you have hyperthyroidusm you need a trace mineral supplement. Try newvision.com ( I havent personally tried it, but I wrote it down to try at some point)
ps.... SOY is a big time bad thing. It mimics estrogen. It is in many processed foods (soy protien, soy powder, soy licithin, soybean, etc ) Parabens in lotions also are esrogenic. Estrogen really affects the thyroid!!!!
eat as much natural foods as you can. Stay away from hormones in beef and milk too. buy meat that has no hormones.

Also check this out: Soy can cause feminization of males in utero and masulenization of female fetus's. Look it up online.

What did the doctor say? How elevated is the TSH? If the dr. just increased your dose, that will probably take care of it. I have Hashimoto's too -- Hashimoto's is an autoimminue disease where your immune system attacks your thyroid gland, thus causing your low thyroid hormone. I don't understand you when you say you are "worried that it did not get low before conception." The high TSH just means that your body is trying to stimulate your thyroid gland, by putting out more TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone).

Your thyroid levels will not hurt your baby either way, if that's your concern. I conceived all three of my kids with a high TSH, which was only diagnosed after all three kids were borns.

Hello EM,

The best endocrinologist I've worked with (due to my seriously ill spouse) is Rachelle Halpern, MD Endocrinology & Metabolics. She's an exceptionally sharp, well read physician. I originally found her through:
http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/medical/chroncifati...
and this is a bit more updated:
http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/medical/endocrinolo...
There are other doctors recommended here as well so you can make your choice.
I know CFS and the like are moe complicated than hypothyroid, but Hashimoto's (which my spouse has had) is also more complicated, so I recommend the best I've come across.
Halpern Rachelle MD. 925 Village Ctr Lafayette, CA 94549 Phone: ###-###-####
Best of luck on this and your pregnancy.

E.

My thyroid levels always changed during pregnancies. Just make sure you take your meds at the same time everyday, and keep your appointments to get it checked. You will also need to get it checked at your post-partum checkup.

Hi EM,
If your intereted I have the BEST thyroid Dr in the southbay (Mt. View) Took me a year to find him and becaue of him I have 2 very healthy baby boys. I went throught radio active treatment 5 years before having my first child. That treatment alone made me a new person with my mood. Talk about being reborn. WHOA! He is the best in the field and I went through a lot of hell finding him and putting my trust in him as so many other dr's failed me. I now live in the East Bay and commute over to see him for my appts. I would fly to him if I had to. I was a mess 12 yeas ago when I found out I was hyper thyroid with hot nodules. I would be lost without him. He watched my levels so close during both my pregnancies where other dr's had no clue. I was in tears. I don't know where you live but having your levels on track makes all the difference in your life and for your unborn baby. Ive been on synthroid for 9 years and feel wonderful. Your dr should be on top of it. My levels were tested every 2 months through out my pregnancy and then after for 3 months as your levels will change before and after pregnancy. He has the best bed side manners. Good luck to you. All the best to you and your pregnancy. Email me if you want more information.

SAHM, 39 with a super funny 3yo son and a 5 month old son who is full of smiles and bubbles. Im a stay home mom and my husband works his butt off so I can be with the children full time. Even though that requires him to travel to LA every week its hard as I feel like a single mom a lot. Im very blessed to have the life I have. Its a trade off.

I am a mom of two who went through getting the Hashimotos dx about 6 years after my last child was born. It's been four years since my dx and I have achieved balanced thyroid levels for the last two years by being closely followed (blood work to test levels every 3 months) by an experienced Endocrinologist. I am thankful for the two doctors who have gotten me on the road to physical and mental health and well-being, but my first Endocrinologist warned me that I'd need much closer monitoring should I become pregnant. All of those changing hormone levels throughout your pregnancy can really mess with your thyroid levels. You will need more frequently taken blood work to make sure your levels are within acceptable range throughout your entire pregnancy, or so I've been told. If you are early in your Hashimotos diagnosis, and have those widely fluctuating levels, it could be a lot trickier to level you out. When I first got the H. diagnosis, I had Hyper- episodes alternating with Hypo- and I felt severely low during my lowest)exhausted, swollen, achy, sleeping all the time), and jittery, twitchy, irritable,and talking extremely fast with my hyper-thyroid episodes. It can make a person almost feel manic-depressive. However, once I was regulated (feeling best, of course, with low tsh levels), I was my fairly normal, much more even-keeled self. I hope some of this testimonial helps you. I wish I had reached out and gotten more help through my adjustment to this disorder. Best, K.

I have hypothyriodism, and hashimoto's. Before I got pregnant, my levels were all over the place and I was having to change doses all the time. Once I got pregnant, my levels evened out, and I am still on the same dosage. My daughter is 20 months and I haven't had any problems since. In fact, three nodules on my thyriod have disappeared and the 4th has shrunk considerably. My doctor told me that the body has ways of taking care of itself and protecting itself during pregnancy, and many women who have thyriod problems before pregnancy, are able to control it much easier during and after. It is very important to get checked as often as your doctor wants during and after. Good luck with your pregnancy! I'm sure everything will be fine.

A.