Hypothyroidism after coming off the B.C. pill??

meeko77 · 10-06-2007, 04:16 PM

I apologize in advance for my super long post, and also for not having previously introduced myself. I am Heather, and I live in SC, and I have been a member here for a long time, but I am a rare poster. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem:

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 14 years old. At that time, I was told I had hypothyroid and was placed on synthroid. At that same time, I was also placed on birth control pills. A few months later, at a follow up appointment, I was told that my thyroid was fine, and that I could go off of the synthroid, that they figure the thyroid normalized with the pill. Periodically over the years they would check my thyroid, always told me it was fine, etc. All this time I am on the pill, well, with the exception of the few times I tried going off to see what would happen and never had a period, so I ended up going back on. I am now about to be 30 in a few weeks. Been taking the pill all that time. Started to really concern me, so I talked to my GYN (now a totally different doctor) about again trying going off the pill. She told me to go ahead, but to make sure that I did indeed have a period and to keep track, and if I didn't bleed, I would need to either go back on the pill so that I could bleed or would have to do the provera thing, to which I said no thanks, I will go back on the pill if I need to. OK, so for 3 months in a row I have a period every 28 days!!! I was sooo excited, thinking, wow, maybe things are okay now. WRONG. During a routine health screening at work, I found my TSH was 11.1. This was on Sept 17th. I found out about this on Sept 29th. Talk to my doctor about it on Oct 3rd, just to ask if this was something that could wait until my appointment at the end of the month, or did we need to address it now. Of course she says we need to address it now. Sends me for labs. My TSH is up to 18 in just under 2 weeks!! My T4 was low at .69. My T3 was normal at 29.

So, my point in all of that epic post is: has anyone else experienced hypothyroid after coming off of the pill?

lovemychris · 10-06-2007, 08:00 PM

I'm not going to be much help here, but I have to comment and I have some questions for you if you don't mind.

I've never heard of bcp affecting the thyroid--then again, I am no doctor. I hope you are taking levothyroxine. I am amazed at how fast your TSH has climbed in such a short period of time! I've never read anything like that (not to alarm you, sry).

Have you had your thyroid antibodies checked? This is pretty important so you can find out what is causing your thyroid problem. It could be a pituitary problem.

How long had it been before your levels were checked prior to Sept 17th. If you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, keep in mind that your levels can fluctuate dramatically. Some people go from hypo to hyper and cycle back around again. Eventually, the person ends up hypo but it can take years before that happens. If you haven't had your levels checked at least twice per year since you were 14 yrs old, you very well could have been hypo on and off.

So sorry your TSH is at 18...you must be exhausted and foggy-headed, no?

ETA: You also need either a CT scan of your thyroid done or at the least an ultrasound. I got my u/s the same day I was dx'ed as hypo. It was comforting to find out there were no nodules even though it was slightly enlarged. The thyroid is easy to treat, even with the worst diagnosis there is for it.

meeko77 · 10-07-2007, 02:41 AM

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah, it is alarming to me that my levels climbed so fast .

I had my TSH checked a year ago at work. Then it was 4.570. It has been climbing slowly each year. I had no idea though that it was that bad. I have gained weight and been tired a lot, but I figured it was just the way I eat and the fact I work night shift. No other symptoms. No cold intolerance (I can't take the heat, give me the cool any day), no constipation, no dry skin and hair, etc.

I am on Levo. I have not had a U/S or CT. I will ask the doc about that when I go in to see her in a few weeks. She said I may need to go to an Endo or at least my PCP (this is my GYN who prescribed my Levo). Now that I am reading what you said, I might need to do that. Get a referral to an Endo and make sure everything is okay.

Thanks again for your reply.

mommavia · 10-07-2007, 03:33 AM

I am not a doctor either, but BCP should not affect your thyroid function. I am guessing that your thyroid condition has been present all along, but it was not checked. It amazes me when a doc will discover a thyroid problem, put your on Synthroid then take you off a few months later, claiming there is no problem.

I would find an endocrinologist that specializes in thyroid disease/dysfunction. This is important so that your treating physician is up to date on all the latest changes and news. A good place to look is at www.thyroid.org for an ATA member endo.

Cynthia

meeko77 · 10-07-2007, 11:45 AM

Thanks. Yeah, I should be able to get the referral (got to for insurance purposes, gotta love that). I know that my thyroid is worse than ever at this point. It was checked off and on through the years, and I have no idea why it got worse all of a sudden. Still wonder about why they told me it normalized with B.C. pills all those years ago.