Does anyone have an underactive thyroid, or developed one in pregnancy?

[MemmaJ]

I suffer with low Ferritin which doesn't usually 'bother' me, but since being pregnant this time I feel absolutely terrible. I'm 19 weeks now and still suffering horrible with the extreme exhaustion/fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations, etc.
I was given iron tablets in my last pregnancy but I didn't even feel bad then, it was purely based on my results. My latest Ferritin result is 6 and I've never felt this bad with it (my Hb is always OK) - so I'm worried about just being given some tablets again and forgotten about.

On top of this I also have some of the symptoms of an underacfive thyroid, and I've been reading about the link between low ferritin and underactive thyroid, and how it can sometimes come on in pregnancy.
I feel silly asking for it to be tested though because I'm not the typical 'overweight' candidate for it (I'm actually very slim), and because I'm aware that some of these symptoms may just be down to pregnancy itself!

If anyone has an underactive thyroid, I wondered if you'd mind telling me your symptoms/how it effects you and also whether you are the typical 'candidate' for it, if that's not too personal...!

 

[xdxxtx]

Before my hypothyroidism was diagnosed, I had a dr who wouldn't in blood tests. I had gone in because I was exhausted - literally spent days at a time in bed - and I was gaining a ton of weight even though I wasn't eating much. I ended up gaining over 200 lbs before my mom finally found me a dr who ran tests on me and found the problem, and I spent many years being really sick before I found a dr who gave me enough medication. I was a kid at the time.

Not everyone gets weight gain as a symptom, but I cannot emphasize how tired I get if I even skip one pill. I also get extremely depressed. The weight gain and dry skin are symptoms the medication doesn't fix. My heart rate slows way down, and I get really cold all the time if I don't take my medication. All normal hypothyroidism symptoms.

I would recommend getting the blood work down, even though it sounds to me (and I'm not a dr, just someone who's experienced with getting screwed over by drs and having to take things into my own hands) that you need a different form of these medications. Taking regular "B-12" and "iron" aren't going to be enough for you. Check out Honest brand prenatals. These contain bioavailable forms of everything you need. You can also just buy bioavailable forms individually (I buy mine on Amazon) and only take what you need. I take Methylfolate all the time as well as Bluebonnet brand chelates iron 27 mg. I also take a special form of B12 called ... hang on, I have to look it up since my bottle is missing today! Jarrow Formulas Methylcobalamin (Methyl B12), 5000 mcg, 60 Lozenges

Edit: Talk to your dr about these, or just buy Honest brand prenatals that contain all of this and in proper amounts for a pregnancy. Outside of pregnancy, if you're still struggling with this, go ahead and buy them separate.

 

[SonnyH]

Not me personally but my mum has an underactive thyroid and she certainly isn't and was never over weight. She is a size 10-12 and always has been. As an elder teenager, I used to get grumpy with my mum because she'd always be really moody and exhausted and seemingly couldn't cope with things a person in their early 50's should be able too. She'd need to sit down after a 10 minute walk, couldn't cope with being in crowds, would be really snappy with everyone and honestly she often seemed really miserable. Fast forward to being diagnosed and treated and it's like she's a different person! Full of energy, upbeat and has her social life back!

If you are concerned, I'd def pop and ask your doc for a blood test. I went to mine yesterday as I've been getting progressively racing heart and my doc instantly ordered me a blood test for iron and thyroid levels. I got my results back today and I'm very anaemic! Doh! Oh and I'm a slim build too but there was no question of the first steps being a blood test to check everything as I'm pregnant!

 

[ronnie1234]

I have an underactive thyroid was diagnosed when 19, had my first baby at 30 currently pregnant with second at 36, I have blood tests to monitor tft levels and extra consultant appointments starting from next week

 

[Moom7900]

I had my thyroid function checked regularly for years as we have a really high occurrence of it in my family - my dad and all 3 of my sisters. It finally became underactive in my third pg (2013), and my symptoms were fairly mild. I felt tired and a bit achy and as though my joints were 'restless'. Also, my eyebrows eventually thinned a little bit on the outer corners.
I wouldn't describe myself as an obvious candidate, I have always been slim and active, and my Dad and youngest sister are both slim too. My other 2 sisters are a little heavier but nothing major, and were like that for years before diagnosis.
There's no harm in asking for a blood test, but be aware that often the levels GPs find acceptable can be different to what an endocrinologist would like to see during pregnancy. Also, it's normal for levels to fluctuate durinf pg too xxxxx

 

[lesondemavie]

I found out I have subclinical hypothyroidism after two losses in a year of ttc. The sch was causing high prolactin which was causing a corpus luteum defect. I had to be on levothyroxine and hormone supplements to get and keep this baby. My mom was diagnosed with hashimoto's while pregnant with my brother. They tested me for the antibodies but it came up negative. I have some of the symptoms I suppose but since it's subclinical not really. I get dry skin and I've had unexplained tired spells now and again. I am and have always been thin, but my weight has been harder to control as I've aged. I'm 5'5". Ages 16-26 I was 110lbs, then I ticked up to 120, dieted and got back to 110 pretty easily, started grad school and ticked up to 125, after graduation started running half marathons and working out more and now I tend to hover around 118-120. Just seems harder to lose than it was before, but I figure that's just a part of getting older (I'm 34 now). Now I wonder if my thyroid has something to do with it. I pretty much fell pregnant with this baby right away after going on levo so I have no clue if it will help with weight management given that I'm gaining for pregnancy. Guess we'll find out this summer!

 

[xxxemmaxxx]

I developed underactive thyroid in pregnancy two. It actually went overactive after 2 months of HG then piled on 4 stone by the end of the pregnancy and asked to be tested. Its been balanced for 18 months now and I'm now TTC 3. Does it take longer to conceive?

 

[lesondemavie]

It depends on how it affects your body I think Emma. Not everyone with SCH gets the high prolactin like I did. High prolactin can cause all sorts of ovulation disorders. For me, I developed beautiful follies/lining in my FP and ovulated regularly and early, but the CL failed early plummeting my E2 and P levels such that it was harder to conceive and even if I did my body couldn't support the pregnancy. Within 2 weeks on levothyroxine, both my TSH and prolactin were within normal limits (under 2.5 and 20 respectively). I'm hoping baby #2 will come much more easily now that I have it under control but I have no clue. Since you've been balanced for so long, my best guess is that it shouldn't cause any problems. I went on levo after O for my BFP cycle, so my sch still affected that CL and I still needed the hormones this time around.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I developed hypothyroidism 5m pp with my 2nd but wasn't diagnosed until my 3rd pregnancy, when I went hyper (and was diagnosed with subclinical hyperthyroidism) and when I was going over symptoms with my consultant they clocked that I was previously under active. Since then (when getting my levels tested very regularly) I've swung between hyper/hypo. When I'm hypo thyroid my symptoms include feeling really cold (especially my feet), weight gain (my most hated symptom!), hair loss, fatigue, mood swings (not as extreme as when I'm hyper though), and my hair and skin gets greasy/changes so I have a heck of a time trying to work out how to adjust my hair washing and skin care regimes. When the under active symptoms began I was a UK size 10. When I have hyper swings I lose weight quickly, but I've settled into mostly under active and weight gain is a real issue for me, I'm now a UK size 14 .

 

[Kanichen34]

I became hypothyroid after my daughter was born, but the symptoms that made me go to the GP was rapid weight loss. She tested me expecting a hyperthyroid result and was surprised to see I am hypo! I was constipated, weak nails, tired, and losing weight. I've had to have my levothyroxine increased since being pregnant. But for the poster than asked about TTC, we conceived this pregnancy on our first attempt so I wouldn't worry too much.