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motherhood, Postpartum Thyroiditis

My Struggle with Postpartum Thyroiditis

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(POST UPDATE- Please read the bottom of the post for an update on my condition, a link to the Facebook support group and suggestions on how to cope with symptoms)

I’ve been wanting to write this down for a while, not only to help someone else who may be going through the same battle but also to put all of my thoughts on paper and help put this into perspective for myself that it is now (hopefully all) in my past. I was diagnosed with a rare thyroid condition called postpartum thyroiditis. I will start at the beginning because my story starts out the same as most women who are going through postpartum depression, yet it turned out to be so different.

My second baby boy, Leif, was born in June 2015 and everything was perfect and I do mean everything- not only was life great but the actual birth and beginning postpartum period was nothing short of total happiness. It was around the end of August that I started noticing some of my postpartum symptoms such as sweating were not going away but were instead becoming much, much worse. I also noticed that my resting heart rate was very high and I was having awful mood swings. I didn’t think too much of it because we had a lot going on- new baby, we were buying a new house, our businesses were doing really well and growing so I just assumed I was a bit stressed.

By mid to late September things became drastically worse, my resting heart rate was always above 120 (I use this affordable pulse oximeter to track my heart rate), I started feeling very anxious and panicked, I would go days without sleeping,  I was always sweating profusely, had trouble concentrating, memory loss, major weight loss (50 pounds in 3 months) and I had almost nonstop tremors. I came to the conclusion that I had postpartum depression and I immediately made an appointment with my midwife. It was at that visit to my midwife that I told her my symptoms and that it felt like I was losing my mind. I was laying on the exam table shaking uncontrollably and crying. I felt like I was going to die and I was so scared. They sent me to the emergency room and they said it was most likely postpartum depression/anxiety disorder. I followed up with my family doctor the next day to determine if I should begin taking medication, luckily my doctor decided to do blood work that day and a few days later I received the results. I had extreme hyperthyroidism. Cue the anxiety attack- it seemed like my life was already so out of control and hearing this just scared me even more.

I was so lucky that I was able to find an amazing endocrinologist who fit me into his schedule that same day. He took one look at my labs and said that each of my symptoms was a direct result of this hyperthyroidism and not postpartum depression/anxiety. Those two illnesses produce a lot of the same mental symptoms, so if you are suffering the way I was please get your blood checked! I was somewhat relieved to hear that I was not losing my mind but that I was actually sick and that is why I was feeling the way I was. We discussed that I most likely either had graves disease or postpartum thyroiditis, we wouldn’t know for sure until I had more blood work to check for the trends in my thyroid levels as well as check for the graves antibody. I’m forever grateful that my doctor spent so much time with me that day reassuring me and helping me find safe medication to take while breastfeeding. Stopping breastfeeding was just not an option for me, but luckily one of the medication options was a beta blocker called propranolol which is okay to take while nursing. It is not a treatment (there are none for postpartum thyroiditis), but a medication used to protect the heart while someone is in the hyperthyroid phase. So the next step was to just wait it out, I ended up testing negative for the graves antibody so we were sticking with postpartum thyroiditis as the diagnosis.

Postpartum thyroiditis involves two phases- hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism and can last up to 18 months. Women may experience both or just one of the phases. My hyperthyroid phase lasted from August- November and it was nothing short of a nightmare. Even with the beta blockers I still had most of my symptoms. Besides the physical symptoms it was the mental symptoms that were the hardest- I became really isolated from both my family and friends, although I feel like when I did go out I was able to hide it somewhat well, but as soon as we would come home I just completely crashed physically and mentally. Those few months were the absolute toughest months of my life. Looking back now I am so sad about all that I feel I lost in that time- precious time with my children and husband, the excitement of buying our dream home as I was too sick to even feel any emotion or sense of happiness. I had to close down my thriving business for a bit and perhaps the biggest of all is that I would not have anymore children, not because it causes fertility issues but that I knew I could never have this happen to me and my family again and the chances of it happening again are very high, around 50%, after having it once.

Once the hypothyroid phase hit it was initially a welcome relief from the physical and mental torture of being hyperthyroid. That soon changed when I became so exhausted that a whole new level of depression hit. I was so tired I could barely take my kids out for playdates, work on my business….live. I became so depressed when I would see my friends going certain places or even working out. I was jealous that their bodies weren’t holding them back from these normal activities. I honestly hit such a low I thought I might never recover. The hypothyroid phase can last up to one year so I tried my best to stay positive and start the countdown to recovery. It’s now late January and I had my first bit of good news in months, my levels are stabilizing and returning to normal! I will follow up with more blood work in a few weeks to confirm that this may finally be over and in the meantime i’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

If you’ve read this story and can relate to all of it or just a small part of it in some way and it has helped you, then I am so glad I shared this. If you’re suffering from depression or anxiety please have your thyroid levels checked, although thyroiditis is very rare it is a major cause of mental illness. Perhaps it is so rare because it goes undiagnosed. Have you suffered from postpartum thyroiditis? If so leave a comment below with your story so we can all help each other. One of the biggest challenges of this disease is that it is so rare and there are not a lot of personal stories or even research available online.

So, that’s my story…. Often times when you hear about someone with a thyroid disease you don’t think much of it but having experienced it now I will never take my health for granted again. Your thyroid controls your entire body and that’s why there are such a wide range of symptoms from physical to mental. I feel like it has scarred me in some way and I still deal with the mental side of it because it was that difficult. I’ve also learned a lot about how to take better care of myself in a holistic way including eating a much healthier diet and adding acupuncture into my routine. Here’s to health and happiness for all of us!

It has now been 2.5 years since I was first diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis and I can happily report that I am back to “normal”!  My blood work was back to normal at about 1 year postpartum but it took at least another year for me to feel back to myself mentally.  As I mentioned above, postpartum thyroiditis is not a chronic condition and although there is no treatment for it it will eventually go away on its own- you will feel better.  I promise!  I wanted to share some helpful things that got me through such a difficult time in hopes that they will help you. Here are some tips:

1. Conquer your biggest symptom first, for me that was anxiety. I’ve had panic attacks before so this was not a new feeling for me, but the level of the anxiety and tremors that come with hyperthyroidism was unbearable. I read a few books and just arming myself with knowledge about how to try to calm my body (and mind) was so helpful. Here are a few suggested books:
The Anti-Anxiety Food Soluation
The Anxiety Toolkit
Natural Treatment Solution for Hyperthyroidism

2. Epsom Salt baths work wonders for your body and ultimately your symptoms.  They help flush out toxins and baths are very relaxing.  I used this bag of epsom salt.

3. Diffuse lavender oil to help yourself stay calm. I actually kept a bottle right next to my bed and made it a routine to diffuse the oil before bed. I used a cheap diffuser similar to this one. If you’d rather not use a diffuser just get a bottle of lavender essential oil and sniff it before bed. I swear, it really helped me. Maybe it was a placebo effect, maybe it really worked- either way I felt better.

4. Eat Healthy! My diet wasn’t terrible before my diagnosis but it wasn’t great either. I really focused on getting the proper nutrition and I credit this with helping to heal my body.

5. If you’ve been cleared by your doctor do light exercise. Go for a walk, outside preferably if the weather is nice. I wasn’t cleared to exercise at all until about 8 months postpartum because of my high heart rate but just taking a slow walk outside once the weather was nice was very, very calming and helpful.

6. Acupuncture works wonders. It was the first time I had ever tried it and I absolutely loved it. When I left after the first session I was so incredibly relaxed I thought I would melt in a puddle, it was amazing. The effects didn’t last too long for me but doing it weekly seemed to help my overall health and wellness. Luckily my insurance covered it, if yours doesn’t try calling a few different places and seeing if they will work with you. My acupuncturist was honestly the most caring, calm person i’ve ever met and he seemed to really love his job and would work with anyone in any financial/insurance situation.

7. Surround yourself with supportive friends and family. I have a hard time letting other people do things for me, I just always feel guilty but I learned to stop feeling that way. If a friend wanted to come bring me food, I let them- if my mom wanted to clean my entire house- I let her. You HAVE to go easy on yourself, it’s best for you and for your family.  I created a Facebook support group, please feel free to join and connect with other moms who have been diagnosed with Postpartum Thyroiditis.  It is a closed group which means that only members can see each others posts.

8. Try your best to relish in the amazing moments you are having with your newborn. I know it’s not fair at all to be going through such a yucky illness during what is supposed to be such a happy, beautiful time but please– take the time to just relax and enjoy time with your little one.

I hope these tips help, if I think of anymore I will update the article again. As i’ve mentioned a few times, this is a temporary illness and you will recover from it. I’m so far removed from how I felt during this time and I promise it will eventually be a distant memory for you too. I do get my blood work taken every 6 or so months which isn’t necessary anymore but it’s for my own peace of mind. Good luck in your recovery and please feel free to email me (hello@bstamped.com) or leave a comment with any questions.

I love supporting moms in all areas of postpartum recovery and encourage you to read the story of Angela who developed Sheehans Brain Damage as a result of her delivery. She suffered from several different health issues throughout her pregnancy as well. I love that other women are using their blogs to tell their stories of pregnancy and postpartum. Let’s all support each other!

 

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39 Comments

  • Reply Rachell

    Big hugs mama! I have PPD and would never have thought about getting my thyroid checked. My depression has been lingering for quite a while now, so maybe I’ll swing in and get that ruled out? I really appreciate you sharing your story, it’s so hard sometimes. Fingers crossed for normal levels! I’m so glad things are starting to look up!

    January 28, 2016 at 9:34 pm
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      Hi Rachell- Please get your levels checked, could have something to do with it or not but it’s worth looking into. I know the struggle, stay strong and know that better days are ahead!

      January 28, 2016 at 11:17 pm
  • Reply Carrie

    Hugs to you, momma! As if raising two boys wasn’t hard enough. Know that you always have friends and family (and old babysitters) to help you through any times of trouble. Xoxo.

    January 29, 2016 at 3:46 am
  • Reply WHEN THE FOG CLEARS // Finding a way through postpartum depression

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  • Reply Katrien

    Hi! Greetings from Belgium! Just found your blog on google. I’m in the same boat as you are. On Valentines day I gave birth to a beautiful little boy. 4 months later I felt depressed and anxious. Also have a high resting heart rate. My family doctor had some bloodwork done turned out I have hyperthyroidism.
    The doctor doesn’t know whether it is graves disease or postpartum thyroiditism. He recommends a radioactive iodine uptake scan, but I really don’t want to do this. I’m the primary caregiver of my son, after the test I can’t hold or nurse him. He still refuses a bottle. We have no family living nearby to help taking care of him.
    From what I understand you were diagnosed with postpartum only by testing antibodies?

    I hope you are feeling better now and enjoying your beautiful little boy!
    Thanks for sharing your story. It’s nice to know I’m not going crazy! 🙂

    July 8, 2017 at 9:47 am
    • Reply Maria

      Hi Katrien,

      I also was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis, and the first stage was hyperthyroidism. The endocrinologist just tested for TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 and I had blood work done every 4 weeks to see the pattern.They usually dont give meds for that first stage because its usually transitory, but if you have a lot of symptoms you can get the same meds mentioned in this blog. Hope that helps.

      September 16, 2017 at 2:03 am
      • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

        I decided to create a postpartum thyroiditis support group on Facebook. Please feel free to join and connect with other Moms on there. It is a closed group so only members can read your posts. All the best! xx, Brittany https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767626529967325/

        April 8, 2018 at 7:49 am
        • Reply Michele

          I sent a request for your group on Facebook, I need people to talk to about this

          April 30, 2018 at 1:41 pm
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      Hi Katrien! I don’t think I ever replied to your comment, i’m so sorry! I hope you’re feeling a bit better now and have more answers about your condition. I decided to create a postpartum thyroiditis support group on Facebook where we can all chat more. Please feel free to join and connect with other Moms on there. It is a closed group so only members can read your posts. All the best! xx, Brittany https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767626529967325/

      April 8, 2018 at 7:50 am
    • Reply Kristy Milner

      Thank you all for sharing your stories I can relate to many of the life obstacles faced with this condition I am one year into PPT and my levels are stabilising but I still don’t feel myself – I can go weeks without an attack and then stress can hit and massively aggravates it – can anyone relate to this ? How long did it take to feel completely your again – I have a final consultation in aug and I’m hoping for good news – sending love to all xxxx

      July 15, 2019 at 8:17 am
      • Reply Karina

        Hi Kristy, I’m exactly the same. I’m not 12 mo PP and I’ve had some good weeks but I get attacks and it hits really really hard again and it’s so frustrating. Do you feel better now?

        May 5, 2020 at 8:32 pm
  • Reply Michele Servellon

    Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience. I too went through the same thing almost 13 years ago after the birth of my second son. I too had a lot going on in my life at that time and my doctor told me that I had post partum depression. I was prescribed medication and sent on my way. I have to say this was the worst experience I have every had. I knew that my body did not feel right. I felt like I was going crazy and family and friends just looked at me and no one knew what to do with me. My husband took me to a psychiatrist and she prescribed medication I went to a therapist to talk but I really had no reason to be depressed. I had two healthy children, husband, house dogs and cats. All was good, so why did I feel so bad. Two years later the pressure on my skull finally let up and I was feeling much better. After a couple of years of blood results after my physical my GP decided to test for Thyroid and the results came back that I had Hashimotos. Hashi Who? I decided to take matters into my own hands an find an endocrinologist and I am happy with the care that I receive. He is thorough and explains things in detail. Now no one has confirmed this and I don’t believe that I can go back and find out but I would bet that I had Post Partum Thyrodits and not Post Partum Depression and that I was a lucky one that continued to have thyroid issues past the post partum stage. I am learning to deal with this life sentence and it is not always easy. Unless a person has experienced this for themselves they cannot understand the depth of despair. I hope to be able to help someone by sharing my story.

    January 30, 2018 at 3:49 pm
    • Reply Kelly

      I am so glad you got the help you needed albeit a little too late. I too had postpartum thyroiditis and while it stayed only in the hyper phase it was the longest 5 months of my life. No one knew what to do with me either and I felt totally alone. Doctors kept telling me it was postpartum depression and my family was begging me to get on antidepressants but I knew it was something more. You just can’t explain to people how crazy you feel and like your skin is crawling!

      I agree that you most likely had thyroid issues as well. I think a lot of women who have postpartum have an overlooked thyroid issue since I have seen how easily I was dismissed.

      I hope they have you on a good medication and that you are feeling much better today and all the days going forward.

      January 31, 2018 at 8:53 am
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      Hi Michele, Thank you for sharing your story! I’m so sorry to hear all that you had to go through, but now that you have a diagnosis i’m sure that is helping you to move forward. I decided to create a postpartum thyroiditis support group on Facebook. Please feel free to join and connect with other Moms on there. It is a closed group so only members can read your posts. All the best! xx, Brittany https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767626529967325/

      April 8, 2018 at 7:49 am
  • Reply Lili

    Hei from Norway. My little boy was born in July 2017. It was a very difficult pregnancy but I managed to enjoy the last 3 months and he came naturally exactly at his IVF estimated due date. One week after birth I started to feel sad. I started to have very strange symptoms so strange that my doctor took especial blood test. Strange enough every month I did have my thyroid hormones check but it wasn’t until 5 months PP when the blood test showed overactive thyroid. Hyperthyroidism. I wonder how long does it last? I am inside in the standard normal levels but not in My normal ranges and I feel it. Sometimes I don’t sleep so well. Its bothering me. The.

    April 4, 2018 at 10:46 pm
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      Hi Lili, how neat to see this post has reached someone in Norway but i’m so sorry you are dealing with it too! I can promise it WILL get better. My hyper phase lasted just a few months and the symptoms were somewhat controlled by a beta blocker (propanolol, which is considered safe while breastfeeding here in the United States). I think it’s really important to try and take great care of yourself to help the symptoms go away. Eat healthy, light exercise (if you’re doctor okays that) and acupuncture, essential oils etc… Were some helpful tools for me. I’m now 2 years and 6 months from the start of it and I can honestly say I think i’m back to my real “normal” again. Even though my results said they were normal after about a year it took a while to mentally get back to normal. The very worst is the beginning so you’re in the worst of it now, just hang in there and I promise it really will be better soon. xoxo-Brittany

      April 6, 2018 at 11:29 am
  • Reply Kim Alberts

    Will you please email me so we can chat?
    I had my baby August 29,2017. I developed Post Partum Thyroiditis and was hospitalized December 27, 2017 for thyroid storm because my heart rate was 160 and up. I was in the hyperthyroid phase from that day until mid February, where I swung to hypothyroid and have remained since. My TSH is currently 89. I would love to see how you are doing and chat about when you’re levels started to really normalize. This has been the scariest ride of my life and your story is so strikingly similar to mine. It would mean so much just to have someone to relate to. Thank you!

    April 5, 2018 at 9:54 pm
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      Hi Kim! I’m so sorry to hear that you are going through this too. I will send you an email today to catch you up on my story and help answer your questions. I think I will update this blog post too since i’ve gotten a ton of questions about how i’m doing now.

      April 6, 2018 at 11:21 am
    • Reply Kelly

      Hi Kim! Congratulations on your baby-I hope you’re having a good day. Please feel free to email me as well if you need anything or just a listening ear. I was hospitalized for a high heart rate as well it was resting around 140-150….so scary and unsettling. I am through the worst of it, but still feel little abnormal at times and am constantly in fear of it coming back. I don’t want to be dramatic, but it feels a little like PTSD! My email is kmcdermo26@gmail.com and feel free or anyone feel free to reach out whenever. I think it would have made a difference to me had I had someone to talk to who had gone through it before.

      April 6, 2018 at 12:15 pm
      • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

        It totally feels like PTSD! I actually go every 6 months now (not ordered by the doctor) and get my blood work checked.I feel like I need that peace of mind. I’m so glad we’ve been able to form a little community and connect here. All the best to you and hoping for the rest of your recovery to go smoothly.

        April 6, 2018 at 2:19 pm
      • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

        Hi again Kelly- just wanted to let you know we created a postpartum thyroiditis support group on Facebook if you’d like to join and connect with others. Here is the link, it is a closed group which means that only members can see each others posts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767626529967325/

        April 8, 2018 at 7:43 am
  • Reply Lili

    I decided to take an ultrasound next week and my next bloodtest will be at the end of April. Even when my hormones are inside the range they are not yet where they should be. I hope this gets better. I wanted to have another baby but this experience has been so scary, that I decided not to. It was a tough process 🙁
    I am now nearly 9 months PP. Summer is getting closer. I hope it helps. A friend of mine told me this: what it doesn’t kill you make you stronger” have a nice day to Everyone.

    April 6, 2018 at 8:52 pm
    • Reply bstampednow@gmail.com

      I think it is a great idea to go for more testing. We know our bodies best. I have no doubt summer and sunshine will help you, things like this are always much harder in the winter. In the meantime I decided to make a private Facebook group for people here to join if you’d like to connect with others going through postpartum thyroiditis. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767626529967325/ All the best to you Lili, enjoy that little baby of yours!

      April 8, 2018 at 7:38 am
    • Reply Kelly

      Yes keep advocating for yourself! Normal range is a huge spectrum and even when I was in “normal range” I still had hyper symptoms for about 2 more months. The positive to look at in that is that it is at least moving in the right direction. I am now 12 months PP and really starting to feel physically better and processing what happened. I am nervous too about ever having a baby again because I just can’t fathom going through it again, but now in hindsight I have a better outlook of what it is and know that it got better. It’s so hard when you’re in the middle of it and feel like you will never be yourself again and your body will always feel weird. But you will feel better again!

      Thank you so much for creating the Facebook group I think it’s a great idea because there is not a lot of great information about this online yet and it’s all conflicting and a little scary when you read some of the forums and posts. I think a Facebook group focused on healing and helping those going through this is wonderful.

      April 8, 2018 at 11:51 pm
      • Reply Lili

        Hei Kelly
        Do you think I still have a hope to feel better physically at 12 months? I am 9 months PP and I got the diagnosed at 5 months (December) In March my levels came inside the range but as I said not in My optimal range. I feel much better but my throat is still bothering me like itchy that comes and go. That’s why I decided to go for the US. I feel sometimes angst thinking that I will probably never be better 🙁

        April 10, 2018 at 12:22 am
        • Reply Kelly

          Hello! I would take comfort in the fact that you’re starting to feel better because I think that’s a good sign. Everyone is different so the treatment will vary, but with the right medication/doctor and with time you will get to a better place. I think it’s a great idea to go for the up scan and to make sure nothing is missed so that you can be on the right treatment plan.

          All I can say from my own experience is that I had symptoms from 3 months PP and was diagnosed at 6 months PP and while I felt a little better at 9 months PP (a whole lot better than I had felt) I didn’t really start to feel like I was coming out of it until 11months PP. I think even now my body is still figuring out how to come back to complete “normal.” But day to day is just so much better. Keep the hope and focus on the good days and if you’re having a bad day give yourself some grace and know that those angsty feelings will pass.

          April 10, 2018 at 9:12 am
          • lili

            Hello Kelly

            I thought it will be nice to update. At 9 months + 2 days my sore throa dissapeared. The only left was the swallowing issue. I went to the US and the Doctor could confirmed that my thyroid gland looks fine. Like nothing has happened with it. He told me that most probably my problem was muscular tension. I am doing now physiotherapy and is working, every day I feel a little bit better (^.^). I am back to work and the sun is shinning more. Have a nice day. Take care.

            April 18, 2018 at 7:34 am
          • Kelly

            Hey Lili!

            I am so happy to hear that you are feeling better and that everything is going well. The postpartum period is just so crazy! I don’t know that anyone can be prepared for it. Take care of yourself and your little one <3

            April 19, 2018 at 8:53 am
  • Reply Candace

    I haven been having a lot of hyper symptoms for about 8 weeks now (beginning when my baby was almost 3 months old) I had my TSH checked around the 5th week of this and it had been 1.4. I have continued with the symptoms and at times getting worse. Is it possible to be in range at 1.4 but still be experiencing hyperthyroidism symptoms? I feel crazy!

    April 10, 2018 at 12:58 am
    • Reply Kelly

      Hey Candace-I’m so sorry you’re feeling that way it really is so unsettling and it’s even more frustrating when doctors are telling you everything is fine when you don’t feel that way.

      You should have a full panel done and get the numbers for your TSH, T3, T4 (I think there are more but those seem to be the most important ones to see what’s going on). The TSH is the last of the numbers to change so your levels could oh your TSH is fine while it’s in the stages of starting to move. That’s what happened to me and why I wasn’t diagnosed properly at first because they only tested the TSH which was within “normal range.” By 3 months later after many more doctors visits and cardiologists, I ended up in the hospital who tested my blood again and that was when my TSH had finally moved to less than 0.

      Everyone is different and everyone’s “normal” is different, but I would say if you’re having symptoms and feeling like it could be hyperthyroid to keep up with it and ask your doctor to do a full blood panel. If they won’t do it then find a different doctor who will.

      It’s all so confusing because I feel like the symptoms also mimic postpartum anxiety and depression (which it very well could be) so it’s easy for doctors to write It off as that and move on. I would just keep up on it if you have that feeling that something is off. You know your body better than anyone else.

      Brittany started a Facebook group for women suffering from this so there would be a place for us all to talk and offer support and ask questions. I think the link is above if you wanted to join. I really hope you feel better soon and get the answers you need and feel free to reach out whenever!

      April 10, 2018 at 9:21 am
  • Reply Candace

    Thank you so much! I have not yet got a full panel done but I did get my tsh rechecked.
    -September 2017 during last trimester I was at a 2.14
    January 2018 (6 weeks pp) it was 1.14
    March 2018 it was 1.04
    April 2018 it is now .6

    Dr is sending me in for US next week. Does this trend seem like PPT? I knew I was feeling all these hyper symptoms. I also asked dr to refer me to endocrinologist. Is there anything else I should do? When my heart starts racing it’s soooo unsettling and it’s usually at night:( also I notice my thyroid is slightly swollen when I look at my neck. Very slightly but I can see it. Does this happen?

    April 17, 2018 at 2:00 pm
    • Reply lili

      Hello Candance, you should really see an endocrinologist. ASAP. You have to get also full panel blood test. Keep updating us.

      April 18, 2018 at 7:36 am
    • Reply Kelly

      Hey Candace!

      I don’t know if I ever submitted my reply back to you, but I don’t see it so I am assuming I didn’t!

      I am so glad you are advocating for yourself and I think going to get the US and seeing an endocrinologist is a perfect plan because they will get you on the right path with the right medication.

      That’s what happened to me as well with the TSH. Everyone has a different normal, but I found my normal was between 2.0-3.0 and anything less than that was giving me symptoms. When I went for the first test the TSH was .8 and they said it was within normal range and sent me home. It was 3 months later that I ended up in the hospital and it was less than 0. I am so happy you’re staying on top of it so you wouldn’t have to go through that.

      The heart racing is so unsettling! I used to lay in bed at night trying to sleep and it would just be beating out of my chest. I hated it! Two things that helped me. 1) An app on my phone called “calm” I would do meditations and sleep exercises and that would defintely help to get me through it and calm me down and sometimes fall asleep. 2) the doctor prescribed me propanolol. This changed my whole world! It’s safe to nurse on if you’re doing that and they gave to me in a small dose so I took 10mg 4 times a day. It’s a beta blocker that stopped the heart palpitations completely and slowed my heart rate to 80-90 beats per minute. I would still sometimes get the heart racing during the worst part of the whole experience but not nearly as much. I would ask the endocrinologist about it if you’re comfortable with it. It was super easy to come off of too.

      I am glad you’re getting the up scan, and yes the swollen thyroid is definitely something that can happen. The Up Scan will tell them more information about why this is happening. They measure the blood flow and make sure there are no other underlying conditions. Just keep moving one day at a time and try not to google. That’s way easier said than done, but googling gave me so much more anxiety about all the things it could be and that my life would never be the same because a lot of the forums people are just so negative.

      I will tell you that with the right plan and doctor you will be able to get through this! If you need anything we’re here and we know how tough this is, but there’s a light at the end! I am 12 months PP now and I feel like myself again.

      April 19, 2018 at 9:12 am
  • Reply Ivana

    I just diagnosed this same postpartum thyroid thingy for a month now and the biggest difficulty is having this heartbeat super fast it makes me throw up feeling like I’m super sick. I can’t eat properly and it affected my mood whole day. I’m nauseous 24/7. Taking the pills somehow not making me feel better. My GP got me an appointment for another bloodwork in another 2 weeks time to see how this medication helps my body. But I’m pessimistic since I could feel my body is still not getting any better. My husband is busy taking care of our family business, I know I have to stay strong for our little one. Hopefully I’ll really cope with this situation and praying it will heal soon.

    May 23, 2018 at 12:59 am
  • Reply Heidu

    Hello! I just found your blog and it was good to hear about another mama’s journey through this. I was diagnosed by my OB with postpartum thyroitis about 3 weeks ago. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist but it’s still several weeks out. I agree with you when you said the mental/emotional symptoms were the worst. I’m in the hyper state right now, so the physical symptoms are tough but still the mental ones are worse. It’s hard not to feel like I’m a bad mom sometimes. But I’m truly glad that there is something causing this and I’m not just going crazy! I hope these next weeks before my appointment go quickly!

    July 23, 2018 at 6:58 pm
  • Reply Jesse

    Hi there! I a so glad I found this blog. I was diagnosed with post-partum thyroiditis about a week ago and am awaiting the full panel blood results from my endo to rule out Grave’s. I had been feeling pretty bad; heart racing, shortness of breath, hot, worse anxiety than usual, etc. and finally decided to go to the doctor. At first, she thought it was anemia (I have a history) but then at the last minute, she decided to test thyroid, too. Turns out I am in a really acute phase of hyper right now, and I feel like crap. Some days are better than others, but it’s especially hard for me because I am a personal trainer, avid runner, yoga teacher, and just all around very physical, but with this disease I just feel exhausted. And as someone who already has anxiety, and uses running as her outlet, the inability to run right now bums me out. I am curious– does anyone else with this experience achy joints and a mild headache from time to time? I’m wondering if these are symptoms of hyperthyroidism or if they are just something else. Sigh. Grateful to have found this blog!!

    December 26, 2018 at 8:30 pm
  • Reply Kelsi

    Hey I am so glad I found this blog. I am almost 6 months post partum, I have th absolute sweetest little boy you could ask for. I have recently been diagnosed with post partum thyroiditis. My thyroid was hyper January and February and my emotions were all over the place so bad that it caused my relationship so much stress. I’m also a SAHM…and never been a stay at home anything I have also pride myself in my work and independence. So I was already going through so many changes. One of my biggest struggles before pregnancy ( I have always suffered anxiety and depression) was my self image and learning to love myself completely. In this struggle I made my gym my safe place I sculpted myself into an acceptable mirror image for myself and I was in the best shape of my life. During pregnancy I gained over 50 and told myself afterward I would go right back to working out and setting goals and as a SAHM that is my “mommy me time” my sweet boy stays home with daddy and I go to the gym. Well I have been struggling so much mentally and physically and my depression in my self was so bad all I wanted to do was cry all the time. My thyroid is recently dropping to underactive and I can tell that in the change of symptoms. I didn’t lose a significant amount of weight I’ve lose 20 lbs in two months but now I have already gained 5 since the start of the month. As much as I enjoy my anxiousness and irritability. Calming down I know with the weight gain my depression will come in so heavy. It’s such a stressful time because all you want to do is be the best mother and spouse you can be but you can’t help but not be yourself. I haven’t felt like myself since my son was born. I feel like I’m walking around in someone else’s body. I’m not the happy go lucky out spoken woman I always have been. I’m a Keep to myself, I can do it all by myself, I don’t need help. Just let me be. I haven’t been motivated this week at all to go to the gym or do anything g really. So I truly hope this passes soon. But until then I am so glad to know that I am not the only one.

    March 13, 2019 at 12:06 am
    • Reply Anna

      Hi Kelsi, I was also in amazing shape and super motivated with the gym in the past, before the PP thyroiditis. I’ve been hardly able to move for 12 months so I’ve now lost the great shape I had from exercising. Here is what I have learnt – please listen to my advice: you have GOT to stop putting pressure on yourself to exercise and work out! PP thyroiditis is a rollercoaster for your body, and exercise is a huge extra stress for your body to deal with during this crazy illness. You need to accept that you are seriously ill, and cut yourself some slack. I used meditation (Headspace and Calm app, plus Yoga Nidra on YouTube) to help me come to terms with my present situation. This helped me stop putting pressure on myself to exercise when I was unwell.

      Once you have accepted that you are sick and therefore cannot exercise, it will be a huge weight off your shoulders. Without the mental strain of guilt, and physical strain of workouts, your body will heal faster. Once you start to heal, you can GRADUALLY start to build your activity up. For me, that meant starting to go on short walks 12 months after the illness started, then start LIGHT yoga, then from there I plan to very gradually build up to my previous level of fitness as my body normalises. Listen to your body and do not put pressure on it!

      Exercise should made you feel good but it shouldn’t be driven by hating your body. Once you’re well enough, I recommend you see a therapist about your body image issues. Because there are times in life when your body WILL change against your will (like during PP thyroiditis!) and it’s important to build up the self esteem and resilience to cope with these times, and be kind to yourself when this happens.

      I wish you all the best! Anna

      May 27, 2019 at 7:36 pm

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