[maria423]

My younger sister (29 years old) has been ttc for over a year with no success. The doc checked her thyroid levels finally and it's been determined that she has hyperthyroidism. Doc thinks that's why she hasn't conceived yet.

Doc gave her three options: meds (not safe to take while pg), surgery (to remove thyroid, I think), or radioactive iodine to kill thyroid.

My sis is very depressed with these choices, thinking none of them is a good choice.

Anyone know of any other therapies or ways to contol the thyroid?

 

[Dodo]

No. Meds, radiation and surgery are the options, but that's not the whole story.

Radiation and surgery should not be considered as the first line of treatment. Your sister should start a beta-blocker and an anti-thyroid drug. These should stabilize her levels, and definitely improve her ability to assess the situation.

Also, some medications are acceptable for pregnancy (PTU, MMI). And, don't quote me on this one, but I think that some women are more likely to be eurothyroid when pregnant than when not. Not that this is a good time for her to get pregnant. It's not. She needs to stabilize her levels, first.

There is a sticky thread for expectant mommies with Grave's (a common cause of hyperthyroidism) at the mediboard That would be a good place for your sister to start. Have her check out the Thyroid 101 thread. It's invaluable.

Hope that this helps. My own experience with hyperthyroidism has been after pregnancy, not before, but I do remember freaking out when at one of my first appts., the dr. was like, so, do you want to have any more children? I now think that was alarmist.

 

[maria423]

Thank you so much for the link and the info. I have passed it all along to her, and I hope she finds something helpful, as well as something to lift her spirits and her hope. She is a beautiful person and I hate to see her so sad.