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Postnatal health

Has anyone had thyroid/liver function issues after pregnancy?

2 replies

Foggymist · 18/06/2015 15:18

After overcoming pre eclampsia and the ensuing high bp that finally went back to normal my consultant has now hit me with the news that I have high cholesterol (I'm a healthy weight for my height and eat well, he said diet doesn't affect it), and that my thyroid and liver function are slightly affected at the moment. He didn't say my thyroid activity is high or low, I think it's just kind of acting up/fluctuating for now.

He said this can be caused by pregnancy, he'll review it when baby is 6 months (he's 10 weeks now). Has this happened anyone else or can offer any advice or experiences?

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happysunr1se · 23/06/2015 13:33

Hiya, I had preeclampsia too ( had my baby last September) and though my BP went back to normal eventually I still had (months later) protein in my urine so potential kidney issues. I know u are asking about liver/thyroid but as no one else has chipped in I thought I'd say something.

I have come to the conclusion that no one knows for sure why preeclampsia develops and no one has the inclination to spend money or time researching what happens to women's bodies after delivery in the longterm.

I have read studys about links to late onset heart and kidney disease, but these studys are small and at the edges of medical knowledge.

I find it a bit depressing. But the bottom line for me is I can't do anything about my protein in urine issue other than lead as healthy a life as I can manage.

If you are going to be reviewed again then there's another chance for answers. It might go back to normal by then :) 6 months is not that long really post partum.

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MrsHathaway · 23/06/2015 13:50

I had postpartum thyroid dysfunction after my latest pregnancy (and possibly after one of the others but not diagnosed). It appears to have resolved itself just about now.

In my case I was hyperthyroid and this was only discovered when the GP ordered thyroid function tests to rule out thyroid issues in relation to a cluster of symptoms including arrhythmia, tachycardia, insomnia and anxiety.

As I understand it, PPTD is a flare up of underlying autoimmune disease (other autoimmune can include diabetes, lupus, IBS and rheumatoid arthritis). During pregnancy your immune system is suppressed, but as it comes back to normal postpartum it can do so dysfunctionally, erroneously identifying the thyroid or other organs as foreign and flooding the site with antibodies.

Have you had a thyroid antibody test or just thyroid function? The thyroid antibody test can be cleanly diagnostic for PPTD according to my consultant endocrinologist, for a given set of symptoms including recent-ish childbirth Grin although fwiw my symptoms weren't obvious enough to warrant investigation until DC3 was over twelve months old (it's rare to take that long).

Most women find that their thyroid levels correct by themselves over a few months, and regular blood tests are used to monitor progress. Then you have to watch out for the recurrence of symptoms after subsequent pregnancies and in future more generally. I'm still on monthly bloods but should be discharged by the consultant in August and then six-monthly bloods for the rest of my life.

In the meantime it can be necessary to treat some of the symptoms. In my case the heart problems were treated with beta blockers (which also help with anxiety).

No idea about the liver, sorry.

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