Felt brilliant in both pregnancies so looking for clues...

[hose1975]

A little off topice but hoping you'll be able to help...

I've been pregnant twice, with two healthy children as the outcome. Physically, pregnancy is not kind to me: I had symphis pubis dysfunction twice (less awful in the second pregnancy as about three stone lighter) and gestational diabetes twice (not able to control through diet alone so was injecting insulin). However, in terms of my mood and energy levels I felt BRILLIANT. Way better than I do now.

Which got me thinking: was it something to do with the pregnancy hormones (the increased progesterone levels?) or possibly the folic acid I took all the way through both pregnancies which was responsible?

I was back to feeling tired and crappy fairly quickly post partum. I eat well, I exercise enough and I mostly get sufficient sleep. My husband does most of the running around after the small children.

I was not supplementing with anything else other than the standard-issue folic acid during either pregnancy. My last B9 test about six months ago came back at 8.something so not brilliant. I might have laid off the B complex tablets for about five days beforehand but can't remember.

I currently take 1000mcg B12, 1000mg vitamin C, a standard Boots B complex tablet, 10mcg zinc daily and 204mg ferrous fumarate every other day.

Your thoughts welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have Hashimoto's? Or any other auto-immune problem?

when pregnant any auto-immune problem diminishes or stops altogether.

But unfortunately it bounces back after baby is born

When pregnant the foetus would be seen as "foreign body" to be attacked by your own body, but the attack mechanism shuts down with pregnancy to stop this and also as a by-product can stop any auto-immunity problem temporarily

Your own body attacking your thyroid in case of Hashimoto's

[hose1975 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, I do have Hashimoto's. Not sure how much gland there is left to attack, mind, given that I was down to only the one lobe less than ten years after first diagnosis (as in, half of my gland was missing completely). I do wonder, though, whether it's worth pursuing the progesterone / folic acid line of enquiry. My periods (withdrawal bleeds) stopped without warning in the new year and my libido's been lost in action for about five years (pregnancy notwithstanding - was up for it all the time then). I am at my wits' end

[greygoose]

Well, I felt terrible during all three of my pregnancies, with the third one being the worst! Vomiting and losing weight for nine months, unable to keep anything down. It's a miracle I had a healthy baby after that! So, if there's something that makes you feel better during pregnancy, I didn't get it. lol I'm Hashi's, too.