Birth Control Forum - Birth Control And Hypothyroid

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Learn what the thyroid does, and the characteristics of thyroid disease here. In this intro section, we'll also review types of thyroid disorders MDs diagnose....

Q: Birth Control And Hypothyroid

asked by: ginginhi on December 15th, 2004

New User

I have some questions about birth control. As soon as I got married earlier this year, I was recently diagnosed with hypothryoidism. The doctors still haven't gotten my meds regulated, and I didn't want to start birth control until I know more about hypothyroidism. I have been told that an underactive thyroid can make it hard to conceive and i'm wondering if anyone knows if birth control meds would effect my ability to have children later considering my thyroid problems. Also, I have read so much about all types of bc, and basically am overwhelmed. I don't know what is best for me, and I don't know how to go about getting bc. What do I have to do to go on the pill? Can my regular doc just prescribe me something or do I have to get an exam? Right now my husband is on deployment with the military so I am wanting to take my time and make the right decisions while the bc issue isn't urgent. Any advice someone can offer is greatly appreciated.

Replies(4)

bd1012

replied on December 17th, 2004

Extremely eHealthy

Hey.. I also have hypothyroid.. I have had it my whole life and I take levothyroxine for it. I am on depo and so far I haven't had any problems with it that I know of.. I have heard hypothyroidism can mess up your chances of conceiveing and needless to say I have never gotten pg after a year on the depo and I didn't even get pg on the withdrawl method. If you want to get the bc after you figure out what is best.. Just go to planned parenthood and they will walk you through it and probably will give you advice.

shinyapple

replied on December 30th, 2004

New User

You can go on the birth control while being hypothyroid. I was on birth control when I was diagnosed a couple of years ago and the same doctor prescribed me both medications. The only thing is that birth control pills might effect the absorption of your thyroid meds. All that means is that you might have to take more levothyroxine when you are on the pill. Now coming off... That's another story. My body is wreaking havoc and i'm having a hard time differentiating between hypothyoroid symtoms and withdrawal symptoms. But that could just be me as I also had a hard time adjusting to the pills when going on them in the first place.
And (now that i'm reskimming through the original post) your regular doctor can prescribe you bcp but you need to get an annual pap smear just to make sure everything's aok.

becky24

replied on January 21st, 2005

New User

Hi...I also have hypothyroidism.I have had it since I was 11 which is for about 12 years now.I have never had trouble conceiving.Actually it only took me 1-2 months to conceive after I stopped my birth control pills.

jasmine89

replied on March 13th, 2009

New User

Hi, im 20 and ive been on the pill for 8 months now and ive had hyperthyroidism for over a year. I recently had a radioactive iodine treatment for my thyroid but it failed and now im stuck with hypothyroidism, and no thyroid gland cause it has destroyed itself. So i was supposto get my period this week but its been 3 days and i still havent gotten it. There seems to be a lot of white discharge, and a ton of lower back pain and cramping, im thinking this cannot be pregnancy as we do use condoms and i take birth control. So either the egg is implanting or my period is playing hide and seek?

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