I went to the doctor this last week, and finally heard some positive things. I went in with a determined attitude and brought my mom for back-up...or to handle things if I fell apart. Whatever.
After the routine check of the heartbeat, measure of my belly, we began talking more with my Nurse Practitioner about what was going on. (By the way, the heartbeat sounded great, and I'm measuring spot-on with how far along I am.) I was determined to get an ultrasound to make sure my continued use of this thyroid medicine wasn't making a mutant in there. After I could see that my petitions were getting no where, I began to cry. What a dork. I couldn't help it. It was one of those things where you wipe your eyes all stealthy so no one knows, but then you take a deep breath in and make a funny sound and then everyone knows. Oh well.
My NP, heard my concerns and pulled up all the information about my medicines (the thyroid medicine, "PTU", and the medicine I can take for when my heart starts pounding like crazy, "Propranolol"). The Propranolol didn't say anything TOO bad about taking while I'm pregnant, and even what she read, it seems I can nurse. The negative side effects come into play when you are taking the medicine because of high blood pressure, and it's actually the high blood pressure that does the damage. Whew! One down.
The PTU was the one that worried me the most. I have been reading everything I'm provided about all this, and in the literature they give you at the pharmacy for your medicine it said "This medicine has been proven to harm the human fetus". How's that for comforting??? So the NP pulled up that information as well and we all read it together. I'm thinking baby's gonna come out with heart defects, half a brain, four arms, and three feet. I had no clue. Apparently, the only damage the medicine does is to baby's thyroid, and that's not a certainty. So any damage this medicine can cause is treatable damage. Though we pray that there is no problem for baby, I feel comfort knowing that he/she is going to be just fine. When baby is born, they will test the thyroid and make sure that everything is okay, and if not, start medicine so that baby's growth won't be affected. I will also be able to nurse while on the medication. **Sigh of relief**
I kid you not, I have felt 100 lbs lighter since my doctor appointment. It is a relief to know that the treatment plan is a much safer option to the condition itself. I am now 2 and 1/2 weeks into my medicine and I am actually starting to notice a difference. I'm still not functioning at 100%, but I'm feeling MUCH better. My problem is that on days when I feel great, I jam tons of stuff into that day, and then I feel crummy the next day. I must learn to pace myself!
My next blood work is in a week and a half, and at that point, they will adjust my medicine accordingly. My ultrasound has been scheduled for about 6 weeks from now, sometime in May (I forget the date). Wonder if it's a boy or girl.....
After the routine check of the heartbeat, measure of my belly, we began talking more with my Nurse Practitioner about what was going on. (By the way, the heartbeat sounded great, and I'm measuring spot-on with how far along I am.) I was determined to get an ultrasound to make sure my continued use of this thyroid medicine wasn't making a mutant in there. After I could see that my petitions were getting no where, I began to cry. What a dork. I couldn't help it. It was one of those things where you wipe your eyes all stealthy so no one knows, but then you take a deep breath in and make a funny sound and then everyone knows. Oh well.
My NP, heard my concerns and pulled up all the information about my medicines (the thyroid medicine, "PTU", and the medicine I can take for when my heart starts pounding like crazy, "Propranolol"). The Propranolol didn't say anything TOO bad about taking while I'm pregnant, and even what she read, it seems I can nurse. The negative side effects come into play when you are taking the medicine because of high blood pressure, and it's actually the high blood pressure that does the damage. Whew! One down.
The PTU was the one that worried me the most. I have been reading everything I'm provided about all this, and in the literature they give you at the pharmacy for your medicine it said "This medicine has been proven to harm the human fetus". How's that for comforting??? So the NP pulled up that information as well and we all read it together. I'm thinking baby's gonna come out with heart defects, half a brain, four arms, and three feet. I had no clue. Apparently, the only damage the medicine does is to baby's thyroid, and that's not a certainty. So any damage this medicine can cause is treatable damage. Though we pray that there is no problem for baby, I feel comfort knowing that he/she is going to be just fine. When baby is born, they will test the thyroid and make sure that everything is okay, and if not, start medicine so that baby's growth won't be affected. I will also be able to nurse while on the medication. **Sigh of relief**
I kid you not, I have felt 100 lbs lighter since my doctor appointment. It is a relief to know that the treatment plan is a much safer option to the condition itself. I am now 2 and 1/2 weeks into my medicine and I am actually starting to notice a difference. I'm still not functioning at 100%, but I'm feeling MUCH better. My problem is that on days when I feel great, I jam tons of stuff into that day, and then I feel crummy the next day. I must learn to pace myself!
My next blood work is in a week and a half, and at that point, they will adjust my medicine accordingly. My ultrasound has been scheduled for about 6 weeks from now, sometime in May (I forget the date). Wonder if it's a boy or girl.....
