Thyroid issues after baby?

Hi all, just wondering if anyone's had thyroid issues since having their baby? how did you realise there was a problem, what did the dr do about it, and what happened since?

They asked me about thyroid function when I joined the gym the other day and it got me thinking. I've recently had a huge weight gain, feeling the cold this year a lot more than usual (usually I'm a hot bod) and I also had a recent bout of depression that was a lot deeper and seemed to come out of nowhere (to the point where I was on the verge of asking for ADs at the drs). When I googled, I found some references to postpartum thyroiditis, which is usually a period of hyperthyroid function followed by a hypothyroid period. This also fits since there were a few months there where i was unusually irrationally anxious and jittery.

Bumpo!

Hey MD, i havn't had any issues myself, but have scanned many a person who has. ;)

Weightgain is definatly a side effect of hypothyroidism, as is tiredness, lethargy. On the other end of the scale, heart palpitations, weight loss, irritablitlity, inabilty to sleep, on edge all the time can be signs of a preson with hyperthyroidism.

A blood test is a great place to start to check your thyroid hormone levels. If indicated further testing can be done, such as a nuclear medicine thyroid scan and/or ultasound depending on the blood test results.

IF you had hypothyroidism, the cause would determine the treatment. If it was a global low hormone issue then this is generally recitified with oral Thyroxine tablets. If you had an over or under functioning nodule in the thyroid creating the issue, then this would be further investigated.

Thyroid issues can easily be dismissed as issues associated with having a new baby, like the tiredness etc. Might be worth a chat with the Dr and blood test. ;)

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Hey MD, i havn't had any issues myself, but have scanned many a person who has. ;)

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What do you mean scanned? Are you a medical intuitive? Reiki practitioner? Energetic healer? Or something much less exciting like a radiographer? :lol:

MD - According to my naturopath I have a sub-clinical thyroid disfunction. Basically my tests from the doctor for a thyroid condition came back ok although I am on the edge of having a "real" condition. My condition is triggered by pregnancy and generally rectifies itself with a little help from herbs and supplements over time.

My symptoms are insulin resistance (inability to loss weight without a lot of effort, low basal temp, very bad hormonal based depression, a lump feeling in my throat, irregular cycles. One test to do on yourself is to take your temp for 3 mornings in a row under your arm and if the temp is considered low then this is an indicator of thyroid disfunction. I think temps below 36.3 are considered low and you must take your temp at leat 3 days after af starts.

Google MassAttack...this naturopath deals with weight and hormonal issues.

Close- Nuclear medicine technologist! :p

Thanks Bekz, I'm not sure I'll register as having a prob on the blood tests, I was reading Christiane Northrups books and she also talks about similar issues in menopausal women, where the thyroid function comes back seemingly in the correct range but really further testing indicates there's a problem, and (importantly) it responds to treatment.

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Close- Nuclear medicine technologist! :p

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Hehehe - glow in the dark lady!!

I've just had a BT which my GP told me over the phone that my thyroid function is abnormal, I'm going back on Monday for more tests.

Does anyone know how this impacts on fertility? I still don't have my period back and thought it was kind of odd since I think my son is starting to wean himself.

SG
xo

Shoegal,
An abnormal reading could mean a couple of different things. Your TSH reading should be between 0.3-4 and if any higher than this it means you could be hypothyroid, readings lower than this can mean hyperthyroid.
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism after 12mths TTC and its the only thing discovered so far that was preventing my falling pregnant.
Basically the thryroid, pituatary gland and ovaries are all in the same system, the endocrine system, and hence if these are 'off' in any way so too is the reproductive system.
It can sometimes mean you are not ovulating.
I came off the pill at the start of my TTC and just thought that my long and random cycles for the first 12mths were because of that - but it may have been that i was not ovulating half the time - depending on my endocrine system.
I have been taking Oroxine daily since April and my levels are only just starting to get to a falling pregnant range, after playing around with med levels (trial and error).
An endocrinologist advised to fall pregnant i need to aim for TSH of between 1-2.

Hi mummawannabe

I had an endo appt last week after an iodine thyroid scan and she diagnosed me with postpartum thyroiditis. I just have to wait it out apparently but am having repeat bloods in a month's time.

3 weeks ago my FT4 was 32 and last week it was 28, so on the way down.
3 weeks ago my TSH was 0.05 but I don't know what last week's result was.

I'm not in a real hurry to TTC#2 but have made an appt with my FS for January. I'm wondering if he will put on the pill to make AF arrive if it hasn't come back by then??

Thanks for your reply and those numbers.