Want to get pregnant but been diagnosed with post partum thyroiditis, any advice?

[JuliaV]

I am 42 and had my first baby 4 and a half months ago. I have just been diagnosed with post partum thyroiditis and presently have an over active thyroid. In 6 weeks TSH has gone from .46 to .03 (4 weeks) to 0.01 today. T4 has remained at a steady 14.5 and T3 5.1 initially and is now 5.3. I saw an endo consultant who was dismissive of all symptoms and just said that it would go to underactive quite soon and then hopefully level out within a year. We are very lucky to have been able to have had a child at my age but we were very much hoping to try for another baby at around 6 months. The endo said in no uncertain terms that I MUST not get pregnant. I've just been to the GP and she also said the same but was also very dismissive of my symptoms and said they sounded like usual post baby lack of sleep etc and its probably because I've also just moved to Brisbane! I'm really hot and sweaty, very irritable, angry even sometimes, find it hard to concentrate, big clumps of hair come out daily, I've put on weight (I know not symptomatic with an overactive thyroid). I have very tingley hands and feet, my legs really ache sometimes and I'm just really down and feel out of sorts and not myself.

I'm very confused as to how they can be so dismissive about symptoms but then be really adamant about not getting pregnant, especially when it goes underactive. They also both said you can't treat post partum thyroiditis...So many questions:

1) anyone been in the same position?

2) any advice?

3) anyone got pregnant with an overactive or underactive thyroid

4) any tips on management to improve it and make it go away quickly?

Basically this is super depressing on all levels, probably won't be able to have another baby and anytime soon I am going to get even more depressed and low and tired and put heaps more weight on and not be able to shift it because it is hormonal and not related to food or exercise!! HELP, I have a really good diet and eat healthily anyway.

Thank you.

[ejh1]

Hello, and firstly congratulations on your lovely baby!! Please try to enjoy these early months with him/her...

It would be helpful to know the ranges for your thyroid tests. They all vary, so it is difficult to comment without knowing them. Having said that, they don't look way out, apart from maybe a slightly suppressed TSH - which is generally not so important as the T4 and T3 measures. You have just had a baby and your body is adjusting, so it is reasonable to 'watch and wait' for a few months to see what happens. However, you are feeling bad and want to get better so... My first thought was your vitamins. Have you had these checked? Please ask for B12, D and iron to be checked as a minimum - I'd put money on some of them being low in range or under. They physicians may say its OK to be just low in range, but you may want to supplement and will get lots of advice on that from here if you post results (take professional advice if breastfeeding though). They should do a full workup on you to check for other possible problems too - it may be something other than thyroid.

If I was you, I'd give myself a few more months and see how I felt before trying to conceive. I got pregnant at 39 when hypothyroid when my first was 9 months old (and was still breastfeeding - a dreadful drain on me!) and it was very hard. All worth it in the end though!

Finally, if the endo thinks your levels are nothing to worry about, why did he say to definitely not get pregnant? Another question to pose to him I think - these people often don't realise the emotional impact of their advice.

Good luck with it all, and I hope someone who has been in a similar situation to you is able to comment and give you more relevant advice.

[shaws]

Hi,

I am sorry you are having problems and this is a link re pregnancy and what can happen sometimes re your thyroid gland. The first two questions are re fertility.

web.archive.org/web/2010103....

It may be a good idea to wait a little till your body has recovered before becoming pregnant again. I hope you feel better quite soon and can enjoy your new motherhood.

[JuliaV in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your message, the link did not work. Not quite sure what you mean about the first 2 questions being about fertility, you mean my questions?

[shaws in reply to JuliaV]

Sorry for the confusion. I meant the first two questions on the link referred to being unable to get pregnant. Try this link:-

tinyurl.com/p4m34y9

[tilly83]

Hi Julia,

I think I had my first bout of hyperthyroidism after my first baby - he is now 30, was cross, weepy, terribly depressed and lost a shed load of weight and felt sick at thought of food... I thought it was post-natal depression. I had another child 22months later and a third three years after that and all fine. Then I had another (sound like a rabbit here!) at the great age of 45, 16 years after my first. Two years later had pneumonia and then a run of sore throats (exacerbated by giving up work, going self-employed and son being medic in Afghanistan), that caused what you have thyroiditiis and then consequently for me Graves. I hope given this is your first bout it is very much attached to giving birth which puts a strain on body ( doesn't matter about age!) you might have to give it six months at least, then get tested.... the feelings of anger, hair coming out, exhaustion may all also be related to post-birth... I got tingling hands and feet only once I'd taken carbrimazole at high dose but it's now dramatically cut down (from 40mg daily to 2.5mg ). Please get your bloods tested, get some of the recommended vitamins down you and maybe treat yourself to acupuncture and massage - a few sessions can really help ...x