One thing that I didn’t mention was that Mother Nature scheduled our 2nd baby earlier than we had been thinking. I was still on the Methimazole and was switched to PTU right away. I was able to stop taking it within about 6 weeks but having been on the ATD during a critical period of fetal development was again a huge worry. I actually did go into remission with the second pregnancy and have remained in remission for 5 years. I confess that I feel great and that both my children are very healthy and happy kids. That said, I probably would not have choosen that path. I would have felt far more comfortable having had the possibilty of recurrance removed and no need to take ATDs during pregnancy or while I was nursing. As is turned out, my youngest had a severe dairy allergy and I had to go milk free. I ended up being her best source of nutrition for 2 years – she could not use even the hypoallergenic formulas. It would have been a train wreck if I couldn’t nurse due to treatment. It was very stressful. I would have easily traded my remission for a little more peace of mind.
Another thing to think about, is that if you do have a recurrance after delivery, you are sick again (hopefully they catch it early) but now you also have a baby to take care of. I was really sick after our first. I feel like there is a lot of her first year that I just don’t remember and there is no way to get it back. I feel robbed. I could barely stand up if I was holding her.
A friend of mine had thyroid cancer. She ended up having a total thyroidectomy and RAI at a much higher dose than Graves patients receive. She was required to be in a special hosptial room after her RAI for a couple of days. She waited several years (hadn’t found Mr. Right) but she now has a healthy and happy 2 year old. Her Dr. closely monitored her replacement hormone and adjusted as necessary.
Just some thoughts about my experience. I hope I wasn’t too rambling.
Laurel
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