I have just had a baby and have been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. Do I have to take my thyroxine for the rest of my life or will my thyroid get better?
Most patients who have an underactive thyroid gland require continuing their thyroxine treatment forever. However I note that your underactive thyroid gland developed shortly after your daughter was born. An underactive thyroid gland developing within a few months of delivery of a child may be temporary although in the long term such patients often go on to develop permanent underactivity of the thyroid. It is a simple matter to decide whether or not you truly require thyroxine. The thyroxine can be stopped for some 4 weeks and a blood test then taken by your doctor to measure the concentration of thyroxine (T4) and what is known as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood. This will determine if you truly have developed an underactive thyroid and you will come to no harm not taking thyroxine for a 4-week period even if you truly require it.
Related Questions
- I have just had a baby and have been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. Do I have to take my thyroxine for the rest of my life or will my thyroid get better?
- I have an underactive thyroid for which I am taking thyroxine. I wonder if this could be the cause of my continual hair loss problems?
- My 14 year old daughter has been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and suffers terribly with her periods. Are the two related?
