I just started my meds and my sitting pulse is still well over 100/bpm. I would think these drugs would be fast acting because I have to take them three time a day. I really want these to work because I don't have time to put ttc off for months due to the two other treatments there are.

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Colleen

Hi, I know this is kind of late, but I have been battling Graves' Disease
since I was 15. It didn't have an effect on my pregnancy though, I got pregnant
very easily both times and my levels and symptoms actually improved
while pregnant. I have a hard time controlling it the rest of the time though.
I had to see the ob to have my thyroid tested constantly, plus I had to
have 4 ultrasounds with a maternal-fetal specialist the last pregnancy. I
know how much of a pain the meds can be to take 3 times a day and not have your symptoms improve. Maybe you should do the iodine pill treatment so
you can be done with it and start TTC again. It is easier to medicate an
underactive thyroid than an overactive one, your body responds better
to the meds that way. I am sorry for your losses. I hope you have a
successful pregnancy soon and your thyroid quits giving you all that
trouble!

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Hi, I'm a newbie, and very intrested in getting support and sharing with sufferers of Graves Disease and other members as well. I am in my 30's and was diagnosed with GD two years ago. I did not fully understand the impact that is can have on fertility until my husband and I started trying for a baby with no luck so far after one year. Colleen what meds are you on? I was on Methamozole and my Gyn. and Endocrinologist nixed that because of side effects for babies, I started Propylthiouracil about six months ago and my TSH levels are normal. I am hoping that I will start ovulating normally and it appears so. Because I am almost 35 my gyn has decided it is time to start trying for baby more agressively. so I am beginning the blood test and whole nine. And I will probably try Femara if I am still failing to ovulate normally. I am feeling your pain and frustration. I am always looking for Graves disease/fertility success stories and support.

Shondra, I'm 38 so I don't have the 6 months to take off ttc to do the iodine pills. I'm actually feeling much better and only have a few symptoms. I'm having hand tremors, but that runs in my family so it may have nothing to do with my thyroid. The other is that my hair isn't growing and I don't even know if that is a thyroid symptom. Very odd. I'm not sweating like a marathon runner anymore and I'm not starving all the time, so I know things are getting better.

I'm currently on the methimazole but will be asking my endo next week to switch to the PPI because I have read it is a safer drug to take while pg. I haven't started to ttc yet, hopefully next cycle and I am hoping my cycles will be back to normal soon. Stupid D&C has me all messed up. I'm also going to be talking to my endo at my appointemnt about calling my PCP to give me a referral to a RE, he wanted me to wait to ttc until I had been on meds for awhile. These last 2 months have been so hard! When you go through a loss the 1st thing you want to do is get pg again.

I'll let you know how my appointemnt goes next week! Hopefully my gut feeling is correct and the meds have finally kicked in and are doing their job!

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Colleen

I'm glad you are feeling better! I hope your appointment goes well. And
the hair thing probably is because of the Graves Disease, I have been
shedding lots of hair for years now and it grows very slowly.

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My hair was thinning out but seems to be growing again. Methimazole was not effective for me at all I had all of the adverse side effects especially whenever I got a bruise or cut I seemed to bleed forever. My Gyn wouldn't let me start fertility testing until I switched to PTU. She was very upset about me being on methimazole. I am trying to do a lot of research on Graves. Most of the symtoms are supposed to correct themselves when the disease is in remission. I suffer the eye problems, blurry vision and I have the goater which is almost gone now. But the thyroid meds definetly slowed down my metabolism and I have gained a bunch of weight I am trying to work off and its so hard now. I discussed the thyroid removal surgery with my Endo but my insurance wouldn't pay, only for Radio. treatment which I do not want. However my endo told me that for women who are pregnant and suffer from GD most insurances will cover the surgery to remove thyroid gland if there a risk for miscarriage. Colleen is it possible for you to have the surgery?

Kim (I'm assuming that's your name, I apologize if not), the surgery will be another thing I plan on talking to my endo about next week. My insurance is really good so maybe they will cover it. It would be cheaper than having to pay for long term treatment for my baby if things aren't under control while I'm pg. KWIM? I'm hoping that he will change my meds if the surgery is out, but I hate taking anything while pg, even Tylenol, but I don't want another m/c. I'm so mad at the OB I went to for not testing my thyroid when I was 1st pg.

Thaks for the advice ladies!

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Colleen

Hi, I am new here, my name is Dawn and I have a beautiful son who is 17 months and I have been told that I may have hyperthyroidism aka Graves Disease I have had blood test but was not told what they were, and am trying to get in to see a endo, I have a huge lump at the base of my neck and my right side is swollen, my obgyn has told me that it is my thyroid I have trouble swallowing and keep a sore throat, my obgyn thought that it could be depression and anxiety and he gave me Lexapro and I have been taking it for about 4 weeks yesterday I had to go back to my obgyn yesterday and he is trying to get me in asap, he is supposed to call today! I have night sweats, hair loss, shaking all over, my joints hurt, and I am so tired and weak. I feel like I am going crazy, does anybody else feel this way??? I can cry at a drop of a hat and I know thats not good, I just want to take a pill and have it go away!! Does anyone have any advise?

Dawn Apple - I was told I had Graves disease when I was 23, I am now 33. Before I knew what was going on I noticed my heart was racing 120 bpm when I was sitting down. I lost a lot of weight and I was thin to begin with. I got Depression after they killed my thyroid with radiation, I'm fine now it didn't last long though.
Your thyroid is a huge part of your body it can affect all your major organs well everything. Once they did the radiation awhile later they put me on synthroid and its been controlled ever since. When you have your thyroid surgically removed or with radiation it goes from hyper to hypo. I guess its easier to control it that way.

__________________
Karen (33)
Married to DH (33) in June of 2001
DD (4)

* Clomid 1 1/2years in 2002 and 2003. * 2 rounds of injectables in 2003.Pregnant with daughter now 3 1/2
* 2 months on Femara - BFN
* Injectables start April 25th Follistim and Hcg shot with IUI. No IUI this time.
Cancelled due to way many Mature follicles.
* 1st round of Follistim and Hcg shot w/IUI starts June 7th. 1st round IUI on June 17th
* 2nd round of Follistim and Hcg shot w/IUI start meds July 18th. IUI was on July 28th.
- Aug. 17th 1st beta test 462 ****Miscarried - ectopic pregnancy 9/9/07 Lost right tube.
*3rd Round, Oct. '07 - Follistim & Hcg shot w/IUI-10/28/07 ** ended in chemical pregnancy 11/07
*4th Round, Feb 25th, - Follistim & Hcg shot w/IUI - Cancelled due to many mature follies.

Hi, i'm Suzanne (25) i just joined the site. I've had hyper thyroidism (graves disease) since my late teens. The only time i was treated for it was during my 1st pregnancy in 2005. Its been 2 years since i've had medicine for it, and i'm feeling horrid. I went in this week to get it taken care of because we've been trying for baby #2 for over a year now.

The doc told me that since its been untreated its possible that having a thyroid overactive for so long could just shut down alltogether and turn in to HYPO. So i'm waiting for my blood test results at the moment.

This is also my first month charting temps. If anyone wants to chat or buddy up, im here!

Aloha all,
In a HUGE nutshell...
I am 39 w/ graves and have been trying to get my thyroid levels correct and conceive for over 4 years now. Sperm count and HSG were normal. I was on clomid for three months, and the Dr. said it looked like I ovulated and my cervical lining was good... at that point my thyroid still wasn't perfect. Needless to say, I didn't get pregnant.
Considering the time factor and feeling we weren't doing enough, I switched Dr's. (I'd also felt it didn't seem to matter to her one way or the other whether or not I could get pregnant...)
So glad I did, I have a more aggresive (in a good way) Obgyn - my next step is meeting with fertility specialist and possibly doing short term hormones then IVF. (We're on the super fast track here...)
I've been working really close with my endo. My last thyroid test came back normal for the first time ever.
The funny thing is, my periods have always been like clockwork - every 28-29 days until my second month on clomid. (I am not on it now.) Last month, my period was 13 days late. This month was 4 days late. All this makes me unsure of when my supposed "fertile" window is... and REALLY stressing me out (which I know doesn't help.)
I'm just wondering if it's do to the clomid or absence thereof, or having my thyroid level be normal first time, or dare I say... my age?
*sigh*
can anyone identify?
Mahalo for listening,
beans