Postpartum thyroiditis?

[AvaJude18]

Hi everyone,

Just a bit of a random one. So I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in Dec 2023 (7 months postpartum). It was a bit of a shock tbh. I since found out about Postpartum thyroiditis and wondered if my diagnosis was related to that and would somehow sort itself out in a year - 18 months? I'm just after anyone's experience with pp thyroiditis and how did you know that's what it was, rather than full blown hypothyroidism? I did have the antibody test (tpo) and my results were 16 (range 0 - 31).

My TSH was 20 on diagnosis (0.27 - 4.2)

T4 - 9.2 (12 - 22)

And after 6 weeks on 50mg Levo my results were

TSH 2.8 (0.27 - 4.2)

T4 15.8 (12 - 22)

T3 5 (3.1 - 6.8)

I'm now 13 months postpartum - feeling OK (well, as well as I can working full time with 2 kids)

Thank you for any experiences/advice

[Regenallotment]

I have this T shirt and my babies are 20 and 22 now.

I was more on the hyperthyroid after my second birth. And I have TPO antibodies.

You may have the other sort of antibodies TgAb. nHS won’t test those but you can get them done via Monitor My Health.

50mcg is a starter dose, after 6-8 weeks report fatigue, chills etc all symptoms to GP and request an increase. Most feel better when TSH is around 1-2 or lower and FT4/3 up in the top of ranges. Your FT4 is still low, FT3 looking better.

Mine resolved in about a year (but did a number on my mental health which led me to sell our house and move the whole family 300 miles across the country, give up a high paying job). My only reason for sharing all this is not for sympathy but to try to avoid it happening to anyone else.

I was absolutely fine until I had a car crash with whiplash in 2019, Covid vaccine Covid twice in 2020 each leaving me with crushing fatigue and slow recovery, perimenopause misdiagnosed and HRT (old tablet style) which destroyed my digestion and adrenals and two periods a month for a few months growing fibroids and therefore iron deficiency without anaemia and depression and anxiety in 2021-2022. Had CBT then found the strength to book a doctors appointment … then found this forum.

Definitely seek support for every symptom, don’t wait and see, never feel you shouldn’t have an appointment, don’t take any gaslighting/normal nonsense from anyone.

. I didn’t know I had Hashi until I was in my late 40s, all of this knowledge is retrospective, I had absolutely no idea what was going on at the time. I don’t wish this in anyone. Looking back I can explain my behaviour and health right back into childhood based on what I know now.

So for you, yes it might be transitory but keep an eye on it 🙏🌱

[arTistapple in reply to Regenallotment]

Whilst my post birth hypo did a job on me too, I was especially intrigued by your reference about moving house as some sort of solution?

My husbands job moved us all over and many mistakes were made but moving house with the job sort of covered them up and probably my hypo state too. I always thought we would move back home (Scotland) when my husband retired but our children and grandchildren are now firmly placed here. I have spent the last seven years making my husband’s life a misery attempting to make him move us back to Scotland. Funnily enough, I now use this as a sort of marker of my health. If I am moaning and distraught about moving I know I am bad. If I feel more well, it does not matter a hoot!

Glad to associate with your experience.

[Regenallotment in reply to arTistapple]

That’s fascinating, I think it’s a primal urge to protect and find a safe place. I’m very reluctant to move from what is probably not our ideal home but it’s almost visceral, I feel I can’t contemplate alternatives until in a better position 🤔

[JuSa44]

I had post partum thyroiditis after the birth of each of my three kids. I was hyperthyroid and it flared up about four to six months after the birth. For my first child, I came right on my own after about 18 months but I needed meds for the second and third. I took carbimazole for a few months and then had regular blood tests and it seemed to correct itself.

The problem with post partum thyroidis is that you don’t realize there is an issue with the thyroid because you assume the tiredness, anxiety, weight loss/gain is owing to life changes and the new baby.

I had a flare up this year (not post partum!) which was a wake up call for me. Since you have a tendency towards thyroid problems, you should have regular blood tests and check ups for the rest of your life. Stress, illness etc can trigger thyroid issues. The thyroid is so powerful and affects all physiological functions so when it is hyper or hypo, it wrecks havoc.

All the best!

[tattybogle]

mine started after a birth

(brief period of mild ?hyper symptoms and unexplained weight loss starting about ?4 mths after birth , followed by worsening hypo symptoms for next 4 years) but this was missed, no one considered thyroid, so no testing.

Finally 4 yrs later a GP thought "?thyroid"... TSH 5.7 then 6.8 Total T4 30% then 25% (fT4 not tested) TPOab 2499[0-50] then >3000

so all i know is that in my case, it definitely had became permanent hypothyroidism.

once someone has started taking levo post partum, the only way to tell if their thyroid can manage on its own again will be to stop levo (at some point later) for a few mths and see what happens. (which unfortunately has the potential to be very disruptive to your life, depending on 'what' happens)

When TPOab are positive there is a greater chance of "post partum" being permanent ... but other than that there is not a lot of research..... so what are your chances of staying hypo permanently ... no one really knows

many times with thyroid issues , we only get to understand what's happening by looking in the rear view mirror.

[jgelliss in reply to tattybogle]

Very similar story with myself. I had tuxemia with my pregnancies. With each one getting worse. After the last child was born I experienced lots of weight loss. Experienced hypo symptoms but not connecting that I was going through thyroid issues. Felt very fatigued weight gain no energy palpitations itching. This was for 15 years. Had throat pain thinking I was having strep. Only to find out that I had a nodule that turned into papilary cancer and had TT. Dr's are very negligent when it comes to thyroid issues. It's a shame that so many of us had/ and continue to this day to suffer for Dr's negligence and very little knowledge of the thyroid .