Hi Lisa :D

I guess at times people adapt and cope with what they face in life. I hope the same happens with you and the PTU - that you finally can take the PTU without the side effects.

All the best, keep smiling and stay positive :wink:

nowandagain [rockon]

Thanks Terrence :). I know that a lot of my stress and anxiety comes from thinking that this will be going on forever. Of course, my symptoms and problems will have to be re-evaluated quite frequently. I know my doctor is VERY adamant about me taking the PTU, but I guess I just don't know how much more than I can handle because of the severity of my symptoms to date. So, thank you again for keeping me in your prayers...it is VERY much appreciated and I'm sure it will contribute to a safe outcome for me and the baby :).

Hey lisa, Keep your chin up. I am sure everything will turn out ok in the long run. I too suffer from panic attacks and know how scary they can be. I keep you in my prayers everyday. If you ever need anything just let me know!! Hang in there.

Sorry that I've been away from so long. Last Tues. I went and saw my OB, who gave me the advice that taking the PTU would be far less risky than not taking it. So that was it for me and I've been taking it ever since. The bad problem has been that I've been very ill all week long now :(. I've lost 7 lbs. because I've been able to keep very little down. I feel miserable and now I don't know what to do if I can't tolerate this happening over and over, since my OB thinks this is what's best. He's hoping that the nausea and vomiting subside, but there isn't really any inkling of that happening yet. I just have different degrees of nausea, how bad depends on when I've taken the medicine.

If that weren't enough, I've been very depressed over this whole thing. I hate being sick like crazy and at this point, no lines have been drawn about there ever being a point where we decide that this option isn't the best for us. In my mind, this means a potential of another at least 4 months of being very sick, which is very not good to me. I go again to see the OB tomorrow and I'm hoping he'll be able to either give me more hope that things will work themselves out or take me off of it (the latter having a TINY chance of happening). And at some point, my husband and I may very well have to be the ones who decide how much I can physically take.

Hi Lisa :D

Deep down, if you feel like taking the pill then go ahead. It's probably best to take it when you feel ready, and not when everyone else thinks its a good time.

Just ensure you always have a loving support of family, friends and doctors available in case you need someone to talk to, or someone for additional support.

Finally, always [b]keep hope alive[/b] :wink: Despite all this, there's light at the end of the tunnel regardless of all the setbacks you may be facing now. This may be a difficult time for you, but sooner than later you'll have a lovely daughter to care and love {??}

May everything get better right .... now :D

nowandagain [rockon]

I'm sorry to hear that things are still a little crazy, Lisa :(

It sounds like the whole endocronologist business would be very frustrating :x But ultimately it is your decision and I think you should do what you think is best for you and the baby :D

Good luck with everything! :wink:

Thank you Paul :). Your kind words really mean a lot to me. Yet again, I was determined to take the pill when my husband gets home, against my gut instinct, and I've been sick all morning. Needless to say, I know what will happen when/if I take the PTU. Of course, I don't want to have a panic attack, but I've already had one and everyone still hounds me about taking it. I wish they wouldn't have done the dang test to begin with since it's not a routine test that most offices typically run. I know in my case that it's done more harm than good in knowing :roll:. The really upsetting part is that I know this will more than likely continue past having the baby. After the baby is born, I'll have to see since I'll have a 30-52% chance of getting postpartum thyroiditis and what that will do to my already larger than more thyroid. With postpartum, hyperthyroid last for a few months, then hypothyroid, then 20% stay hypo and 80% return to normal function. However I think those are just for normal thyroid function before the baby is born, so who knows in my case.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I just don't know where to go from here. I'm going to try to get another blood test to re-check my levels again. They should be getting lower and lower considering that's the natural progression/regression of Grave's disease during pregnancy. That will do more to convince me that I'm doing okay, but I have a feeling the doctors will be saying that I was having another good day again and still insist on me taking the PTU whether I have panic attacks or not. Grrrrrrrrr :?.

Hi Lisa

I am so sorry to hear about everything that has been happening to you. You're in my prayers. Everything, I'm sure, will be absolutely fine and in a few months you will be holding a beautiful baby girl in your arms!

Paul :)

Thank you everyone for your kinds thoughts. This whole situation has been very difficult for me to deal with. The endocrinologist that I saw at my first visit called me last Monday to tell me that he's never seen this kind of problem before and suggested three times that I see a psychologist to get over my fears about taking the PTU. I was about ready to scream at him, but I rationally told him three times that I know I could take it if only I had more reassurance that the drug would be okay for me AND the baby....to which he had no reply. That has basically forced me to make a decision to see the endocrinologist that he practices with, who was very understanding and on call the night of my panic attack. On Friday I literally sat down with the two pills in my hand and a glass of water. From the minute I sat down, knowing that taking the pills was a possibility, my hands started shaking uncontrollably and my breathing was getting out of control just like as with my panic attack. I told my husband, I just don't know how much more of this I can take. I don't know how many more panic attacks I can have or why I should have to have any more. I'm sorry to be such a downer, but lately this has been on my mind 24/7. Thank you again for all of your good thoughts.

Hello Lisa,

I'm so sorry to hear about everything that's been happening to you!!! I will keep you and your family in my prayers and hope that your baby will be okay!!! Relax and stay safe, we want you and the baby to be okay!! I hope things turn out and that you are blessed with a healthy baby and your health will be in perfection!! Take care Lisa and keep up posted!!

Chrissy