Thursday, October 29, 2009

10 Weeks

So I went in for my appointment with my new Perinatologist today, per the recommendation of my Midwife. He was very nice, which was a relief. I had some issues with his secretaries trying to make my appointment, and I did everything but go through the phone and strangle them. I digress.

He made a copy of my Thyroid labs and my medications. He said that my medications were the lowest dose that I could possibly receive. Which he assumed would probably not bring my Thyroid down to where I need it to be. There's a possibility that these doses will work, but the stronger possibility is that they will need to be increased. The meds themselves were appropriate though, and thats a relief since I have been taking them since Monday.

I still don't feel any different. My heartrate is less bounding, but it is still high. All in all, it will take at least a month for the meds to fully kick in. The doctor suggested that when I get my Thyroid levels drawn in 4 weeks to add a TSI (Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin) to the labs. This lab will test if this immunoglobulin is present in my blood. If it is present, it is the reason my Thyroid levels are so high. He said it would be better for me to NOT have it present, because if it's present in my blood, then it is in the baby's as well. This would cause the baby's Thyroid to start overproducing Thyroid hormone. Which we don't want. The baby doesn't start using its own Thyroid until the 13 or 14 week of gestation, so I'm hoping my meds are appropriate and working well by that time. So please be praying that this is not present in my blood. I want what is best for the baby.

Another concern that he had was that the medications that I am on pass through the placenta to the baby. That means that my Thyroid med and my heart med would also be working on the baby's Thyroid and heart. :(  These drugs could suppress his or her's Thyroid. This would trigger the baby's Thyroid to work harder to make up for the lack of the hormone, thus causing Hyperthyroidism in the baby. That is why the higher the doses of these medications that I require to keep my Thyroid levels appropriate, are dangerous to the baby. So the lower doses required the better. I won't know exaclty which levels are appropriate for me until I get my levels checked. Even then, it can be back and forth with the doses until we find the right one. Please be praying that these low doses that I am on do the trick.

He looked at the baby to make sure that everything was alright. WOW!!  What changes occur in a couple of weeks!!!  The baby looks like a baby! Well, Dan said it kind of looked like a snowman. :)  The baby's facial features are in place and were somewhat visible. We were able to see the small eyes, nose and mouth!! The baby's arms were clearly visible and moving! The baby had a very large belly. Which I had the doctor quickly verifiy to NOT BE ANOTHER HEAD. Just one little turkey in there. :)  He moved the image around and we were able to see the legs, but the Ultrasound picture we received only shows the head, arms, and belly. Hence, our little snowman. We heard that wonderful heartbeat, which is a bit faster now--176 bpms. He said the baby looked great! GREAT NEWS!!

Here is our little one.

I turned the Ultrasound photo on its side to clearly see the baby. My womb is in the shape of a heart!!!! LOVE THIS PHOTO SO MUCH!  Head is the circle on the top, baby's right arm is visible, then that big old belly.

Dan called Marcie to update her on the way home, and he told her we were having a snowman.  :) so funny.

The baby's head is down though and right where it is supposed to be. The way the picture was taken was looking at it with the words right side up. It's easier to see the baby the way I posted it though.

The baby has grown from 0.8cms to now 1 inch in length! In just 3 weeks!

Our real life representation is a dried strawberry. I was hoping to find a more attractive strawberry, but this ones size was closest. Don't worry, I'm sure the baby's much cuter!

So much growth!!!!!

I have to go back and see this doctor the week of Thanksgiving, right before Dan and I come home to Michigan!! Before that appointment I have to get my levels checked at my PCP's office and possibly adjust my doses. I am not considered high risk at this point, but he wants to follow up with me along with my Midwives.

Midwife appointment is next Thursday at 11 weeks! I will update then. One thing he said is that to make sure everything is alright we will have to do more ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy. Fine by me. :)

Monday, October 26, 2009

I went in today for my appointments. Bright and early at 830am. The ECHO was done and the results were normal. My heart looks healthy although it is working hard.

After the ECHO was complete Dr. Krishna came into the office and told me that my blood results were in and they were as he had suspected. All of my Thyroid levels were more than double what they were supposed to be. This means that I do, unfortunately, have Hyperthyroidism.

He wanted to get me started right away on a Thyroid Inhibitor PTU, as well as a BetaBlocker to help bring my heartrate down. This news was distressing, because after working so hard to not be taking any extra medications during this time, here I am getting put on two. The PTU I was fine with, I had researched it over the weekend and knew that it was safe during pregnancy. The BetaBlocker on the other hand, I wasn't so sure of. I wanted to get a second opinion on it before I started it, because it was contraindictated in pregnancy. After a long ordeal, I received the RX's from Dr. Krishna, and made my way to my Thyroid Ultrasound. I wasn't going to start taking the medications until I had heard from my Midwives that it was safe.

I waited forever to get in for the Ultrasound, and when I finally did I was done in 15 minutes. GO FIGURE!
The Ultrasound tech would tell me nothing, apparantely they will be fired if they discuss results. So I had to wait to hear from Dr. Krishna.

I went home and tried to get some sleep since I had to work this evening. I was woken up by a few things. One was a call from my Midwife. PTL! She also reviewed the medications that were prescribed to me and said that the benefits outweigh the risks and that I should start both medications asap to keep the baby safe.  With that said, I decided to fill the prescriptions and get started with the treatment. My midwife also said that she would like me to see a high risk perinatoligist. That way someone who specializes in pregnancies of this nature can make sure that everything is fine, including the meds that I am on. I agreed and am waiting to hear back as to when my appt with that doctor is.

The second call was from Dr. Krishna. He said that he viewed my thyroid ultrasound and that there were no nodules or cysts found. He said that it was a little enlarged, but nothing too great. I have to follow up with him in 4 weeks to check my Thyroid levels and make sure that they are appropriate.

So as of yesterday now, I have started my PTU and my BetaBlocker. I am excited to see the changes in my everyday life, but those changes more than likely will not become evident until I have been on the treatment for a month or so. I am however, nervous for the baby. Dr. Krishna said that the baby's thyroid will have to be checked via ultrasound in a couple of months, and once again after delivery. The baby could have Hyperthyroidism because I have it. There are a variety of other concerns regarding pregnant mothers with this disease, I am hoping that I have started treatment early enough to have bypassed these risks. By God's grace alone.

I ask all of you to join with me in prayer to lift up this baby that God has blessed us with. This baby is already a miracle just for being here in the first place. Hyperthyroidism plays a large role in mothers being infertile, which is why I suppose it may have taken so long for this little peanut to arrive. Dan and I are so very blessed to be entrusted with this little baby, and I want to do everything possible to protect this little one. Please pray that the baby is healthy, that God has and is protecting (s)he from any risks that could have been or will be a possibility. Also, that the baby will be born as a FULL TERM HEALTHY bouncing baby. (Well the bouncing part isnt quite as important I guess.) God is great, and He is faithful.

I'll leave you with what Dan left me today as I went to sleep.

"He will have no fear of bad news; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord" Psalm 112:7

Week 9

Friday, October 23, 2009

My appointment with Dr. Krishna was for 3pm. Dan and I prompltly arrived and were ushered into waiting room one. Dr. Krishna came in and asked me what I was here for. I explained to him about my pulse and that my Midwife wanted me to be checked out, just to be sure. He asked me if I have ever had my Thyroid checked, I said no. He then began to ask me a series of questions that the content of which was all to familiar.

How long have you had a high heartrate? As long as I can remember.

Do you have heart palpitations ever? Yes.

Hold out your hands, do you find you tremble often? My hands are always shaky.

Are you warm blooded, or cold? Warm, but that just changed a few years back. I used to be cold-blooded.

Do you sweat a lot? More so than my friends, yes. But not excessively.

Do you experience shortness of breath with physical activity? Yes! I thought I was just horribly out of shape though.

Do you find that you don't gain weight, even though your appetite may be increasing? ABSOLUTELY. I have stayed the same weight, forever. I just thought I was blessed with a high metabolism though. ;)

He came to the conclusion that I may have Hyperthyroidism. He did an EKG there in the office, which was normal except for tachycardia of course. He scheduled me for an Echo and a Thyroid Ultrasound for the following Monday. We drew the normal Thyroid functions there at his office and I would receive the results on Monday when I came in for my tests. He told me to cut out all caffeine since that would raise my heartrate more.  =(  BIG SADFACE. I had already cut out 90% and was saving that last 10 for when I felt sick to my stomach and moments of weakness. Of course, I can't cheat even a little bit, because there are people all around to call me out every time. Marcie mainly.

The weekend preceding my appointment was uneventful. Time was spent with Dan, and cleaning the house. Of course, I researched away about Hyperthyroidism and all possible complications for me, for baby, treatments, etc.  One great thing about this week though? The nausea and vomiting has cut down a bit. I don't feel miserable ALL day long. Only at certain parts. My vomiting has been cut down to an average of about once a day. Which is a great improvement!! All things I have tried have failed unfortunately.

My midwife suggested B6 50mg twice daily. She also wrote me a RX at week 7 for Zophran to hopefully stop the vomiting. I tried the B6, my sweet husband could only find 100mg pills and he spent 30 minutes cutting each pill in half for me. :) Sadly, the B6, would start quickly dissolving in my mouth and would make me more sick, so I stopped those after a couple of days. Much to Dan's dismay. I never filled the RX for the Zophran because I didn't want to take unneccesary pills. I tried Saltines, Pretzels, anything salty. These things definitely helped for a time. Dan scoured the city for SeaBands, the small accupuncture wristbands supposed to help with nausea. Those did little but put indentations in my wrists. Surprisingly, the thing that helped the most, was eating constantly. I have to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours on the dot, or I will be sick. Eating those small meals often as well as thinking positively has worked to make me feel a bit better. I am thankful for every minute of it. And for my sweet husband.