Help. Concerned mama

[Ashleytaylor11316]

Hi just wondering if maybe someone has already been thru what i am experiencing.

I am 1.5 years post partum and noticed ive been having alot of symptoms like fatigue..., tired all the time with no energy, swollen lymphnode on the right side of my neck that seems to get bigger and smaller. I also started having white discharge out of my left breast when squeezed (im guessing milk). Everything ive read online points to hypothhroidism/ hashi. Has anyone experienced these same symptoms that can maybe give me some insight? I have not been able to go to the dr due to being a stay at home mom with no health insurance

[MaisieGray]

You could be right about the hypo link. There are a number of causes of galactorrhoea (non-pregnancy milk production) although it is more normally bilateral & multi-duct. Lactation requires prolactin (PRL) although other hormones are involved in priming the breast for milk production - oestrogen, progesterone, insulin, thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids - plus oxytocin is involved in milk release. Whilst the other hormones are regulated by a releasing factor, PRL is unique amongst the pituitary hormones in that it is regulated by an inhibitory factor from the hypothalamus, mainly dopamine. However, thyrotrophin-releasing factor (TRF) causes the release of not just thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) but prolactin too. Hence, acquired hypothyroidism may be associated with elevated PRL, and Hyperprolactinaemia is the most common (c90%) cause, of galactorrhea. However. symptoms such as fatigue etc are non-specific and may be indicative of a number of conditions, including but not exclusively, hypothyroidism. Only a full panel of blood tests would properly exclude or point to a particular problem.