NBR - Any of you have a sluggish thyroid (long)?

SugarChick10

A year & a half ago pre-pregnancy, my ob at the practice I used to go to thought my thyroid felt a little enlarged and she sent me for bloodwork, which came back fine.

 

Post-partum back in April, the mid-wife at the practice I started going to when I got my BPF thought my thyroid felt a little enlarged. Since she was referring me back to my PCP because of the lingering hypertension, she told me to let my PCP know about my thyroid and she suggested an ultrasound. My PCP went with bloodwork, which came back ?borderline?. He felt it was most likely due to lingering hormones, didn?t prescribe any medication.

 

I recently started to experience some sluggish thyroid symptoms, but they can also be explained by other things. A few weeks ago I started losing what I think is an insane amount of hair (it?s everywhere & OMG my poor shower, lol!), which I expected to happen post-partum, but it just seems so late to happen & it seems like a lot. About a month ago I started to feel very achy, but I heard that can happen post-partum and now I?m no longer achy. I?ve been pretty forgetful lately, but I?m a new mom & I have been tired, so yeah, that could bring on forgetfulness. It seems I feel just as tired with 8 hrs sleep as I so with 5 hrs of sleep, but I?m a new mom, back to work?so yeah, who wouldn?t be tired. I used to love the cold, but now it seems like I feel it more than usual. I?m having a hard time losing a few pounds, despite going to the gym & following WW. I seem to gain & lose the same 1 lb (and I do write what I bite), but I know it gets a little harder to lose any weight as we get older.

 

My question: I don?t need a referral to see a specialist--would you seek out a specialist, or confer with your PCP or ob/midwife again? I have an appt with my PCP at the end of the month for hopefully my final BP check (came off the meds this month) & while he?s good about some things, he seemed kind of dismissive about both the thyroid and the hypertension (he didn?t think my BP?s were especially horrible??20 yrs ago we wouldn?t have bothered treating you with those numbers.?). I have an appt next month with my midwife/ob office to see if my BC pills are playing nicely with my newly lowered BP.

 

TIA!

Strunella

I have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).  I was diagnosed a million years ago and had never exhibited any symptoms.  Though you're supposed to take the medication for life, I eventually just stopped taking it due to laziness.  Before TTC though, I knew it was important to have a thyroid levels under control, so I had the bloodwork done.  No issues.  I found that odd, since you don't suddenly get "cured."   I was tested again many months later and was advised to begin meds again...they told me that some doctors don't prescribe meds when you are "borderline" so it's possible the previous doctor didn't see the need.   I am currently on Armour Thyroid.

All this to say, it's a simple blood test so I would definitely have them test you again.

debbadebbadoo711

I don't have a thyroid condition, but I also lost a lot of hair and it didn't start until about 3-4 months post partum, which I later found out is the normal time for that to happen. 

Good luck! 

MyPunkinPie

Yes. Seek out an endocrinologist and get the blood test. You obviously feel there's something just not right about how you feel so why not look into it? Especially if you don't need a referral.

racampbell1

Yep, underactive here.  All the things you describe can be normal PP things, and also fit with underactive thyroid!  I would get it checked out - I was diagnosed 9 years ago and started out feeling just a little "off" which quickly progressed to feeling really, really crappy.  The sooner you can get on the meds (which for me have zero side effects) the better, if you're out of balance. 

Ask what your numbers are and what scale they are using to gauge whether you are in the "normal" range or not.  The range has been narrowed fairly recently, so if you were borderline using the old numbers, you could be off using the new ones.  I think the new range is .3 to 3.0 but ask your doc.  The old range was .5 to 5.0 or something close to that, when I was tested I was only at 6, but I felt AWFUL.  Achy joints, extreme fatigue, dry skin, etc.  GL and I hope you get some answers.  

SugarChick10

Thanks ladies! Reading your replies, I think I?ll go ahead & make an appt with an endocrinologist. Especially since I just remembered that my dad has a hypoactive thyroid (forgetful!).

 

Thanks again!