Underactive thyroid.

[ellanevemum]

Hi, I have just been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. Has anyone else had this problem after a baby and how did they cope????????

yep me - there are a few others too. Mine wasn't diagnosed until my last baby was 2.5 - I thought I was shattered because I had three children. It takes a while to get the thyroxine dose right, but once it's ok you'll feel loads better. Have you been prescribed some and what dose?

No not yet. Only just got the blood test results back and am going for an ulratsound scan in the morning. Just finding out about it really and realising with hindsight that I have all the typical symptoms.

It's amazing because I was just begning to accept that maybe it was all part and parcel of having 2 litle ones! In a way it is a big relief to realsie thing might get better.

I have been tested for it as my sister has it and I had all the symptoms but thankfully my blood test was normal.

My sister was quite ill but now she is tons better but will be taking the medication for the rest of her life and she is only 30. Its more serious than people think but manageable once treated.

I have been feeling seriously awful, some days I haven't known how I was going to get out of bed, my hair has fallen out in a frightening way and I have a swollen neck. Plus I have put weight on since I had my baby. No wonder depression is one of the symptoms!

Whizzbangbang, can I ask you if you thyroid is still underactive or did it return to normal?

My sister had the swollen neck too. She has the Hashimoto's disease.

You see I have put on weight, feeling tired all the time and was depressed too so believed I did have a thyroid problem - my GP gently suggested more exercise and some vitamin B6

Please tell me that your sisters neck got better. If mine gets bigger I will look like a turkey by xmas!

I'm not underactive at the moment, but in the summer I was feeling very down and generally rough. I went to the gp for a blood test and sure enough my thyroid had gone up, so the gp increased my dose and it's all great now. Please don't worry about the idea of taking medication for the rest of your life - all you are doing is replacing a hormone that you body isn't making enough of, its not medication. There are no side effects etc. You will feel loads better once you starting taking tyroxine, it takes a couple of weeks.

Yes my sister's neck got better almost straightaway once she started taking the thyroxine.

Sorry didn't mean to worry anyone with the medication thing just repeating what my sister said, but she's like me a worrier.

thanks zippety for the information. No worries. it's all really helpful.