What the heck is going on?! (long!)

[elizabethkott]

I had a previously treated thyroid condition (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) from when I was 6 to when I was 21. On meds, the whole thing. It went into remission, they took me off the meds.
Fast forward to my pregnancy, when I gained an extraordinary amount of weight (60+lbs). Now the weight won't come off. I mean whatever I do, it won't come off. Cutting calories, working out every day, nothing is working. I haven't lost a pound in about 5 weeks. I started to think my thyroid might have gone hypo - not producing enough hormone, thus, not able to lose weight.
So I go to get my levels checked. The doctor says everything I'm telling her sounds like hypothyroid. She feels a "sizable" goiter on my thyroid. Also an indication of hypothyroid. Great - I'm not crazy.
Until she calls me this morning to tell me that the bloodwork came back as HYPERthyroid. Meaning, it's overproducing. Meaning, weight *should* be dropping off me like no tomorrow.
Oh, and there's something wrong with my liver, so I need more bloodwork on Monday.
So what the freakin'frackin' heck is going on?! WHY if I am hyperthyroid, eating about 1500 calories, walk/running 30-45 minutes every day and doing pilates amd I not losing weight?! Oh, and I'm breastfeeding too! GAH!
I am very, very frustrated and sad. I have never weighed this much before. I can't stand how I look. I can't stand that I have to go see DH's family for Easter looking like this. I can't stand that I have to go back to work looking like this when the 4 other women who gave birth the same month as me are back to their pre-pregnancy clothes and looking fantastic. I thought if I was hypothyroid, at least there would be a reason for me still looking like this, but that's not the case.
I keep telling myself that it's better that there's something wrong with me than with DS, and that it's better to be like this with a healthy baby than back to my pre-pregnancy weight and running in and out of the hospital for him. I'm just so frustrated. I can't stand it.
Sorry for the pity party, table of one. But thanks for reading if you made it this far.

[kedss]

Sorry I don't have any btdt advice(except the weight thing, no medical reason, just much bigger than I ever used to be), just wanted to give you a big hug.

[Lilysmom06]

I just posted about my own health problems before reading your post, we can have a joint pity party!!! I know how hard it is to be unable to lose the weight, and not feel good about yourself. Its hard enough being a new mom without medical stuff going on!

I would get your thyroid re-checked in a few weeks. Maybe the tests were wrong. I don't know much about the thyroid, but would you be able to see a specialist?

I hope you figure this out, and start to feel better.

Kathy

[elephantmeg]

hugs and I would see an endocrinologist-unless you already have one!

[o_mom]

Run as fast as you can to an endocrinologist! Family docs generally don't know much beyond keeping a TSH in the lab normal range which is not good enough for treating thyroid disease.

[fortato]

Get to an endocrinologist. (I'm a thyroid cancer survivor- I had goiters and am currently on meds)
I had my levels checked back in October (5 months PP) and they were normal. Then I lost 25 lbs, and at my last appointment, they rechecked my levels and I was severely Hypothyroid)
I am now getting my levels checked every 6 weeks until the meds get under control again.


What meds were you on?

I hope your liver issue is nothing major.
Keep us posted on your situation.

Kristen

[niccig]

ITA with seeing an endocrinologist. I have a benign nodule on my thyroid, levels are normal but I have check ups every 3-6 months. The nodule is getting bigger despite 2 treatments to shrink it, so come next check up if it's bigger again, he wants to talk about other options. A friend with hypothyroidism sees her regular dr and has difficulties with getting the medication right, I keep telling her to go so my endocrinologist - this is all he does. See a specialist, if you aren't already doing so.

I hope it gets worked out quickly....

[elizabethkott]

Thanks ladies for the support... I was really feeling low yesterday!
I actually have appointments to see **three** endocrinologists already :) Before I had the idea to see the internist and have bloods done, I thought there might be something wrong, so I went about trying to get appointments. Since my old adult endocrinologist has moved away, I have to start from scratch. The first appt is on April 4th with someone totally new; the next two appts are May 1st (!) and May 2nd (!!) with two doctors my former pediatric endocrinologist recommended.
Part of what is also frustrating is that it seems like it takes a very long time to get an appointment with anyone as a new patient. And some of the nurses answering the phones are not exactly nice, either!
In the past I had been on synthroid, never a higher dosage than .01 mgs (I think). They started trying to take me off of it when I was about 19, and over the next three years just kept reducing the dosage every 6 months or so, depending on the bloodwork. By the time I was 21, I was totally off of it, and they declared the Hashimoto's in remission.
I'm just very confused because all of my symptoms are for hypothyroidism, not hyper. The weight, joint pain, fatigue, dry skin, constipation (sorry, TMI!) are all signs of hypo...
I have to go back to the internist on Monday for the bloodwork for my liver, so I am going to ask her to run the T4, T3 and TSH scans a second time. I'm wondering if they made a mistake or something... hey - it's possible, right?
Thanks again for all the support... I love this board for this reason! It helps me know I'm not *totally* crazy and keeps me sane when it looks like I might go a little more crazy than I normally am! :)

[niccig]

Uugh, having to wait is jut a pain. I know it's difficult, but try not to worrry until the endocrinologist can see what's going on. As someone else said, the thyroid functioning properly is such a fine balance. The dr. may be able to look at your results and see something that the internist can't see.
Keep us updated.

[o_mom]

I also had a long wait to get in with the Endo - 6 wks out was the first new patient appointment. Then, to my surprise, they called about 2 weeks later and offered an appointment that week because somebody cancelled. Maybe you will get lucky with one of them.

I hope they have some answers for you!

[alkagift]

I would call one of the three endos that you feel strongest about and tell them you are anxious and ask them if they would please advise you about any cancellations. Honestly, they have to know!

I was hyper for years, then hypo following my last pregnancy and am on the borderline this time, so I feel for you. I do know that symptoms are one thing and blood tests are something else--for me, I was pretty hyper but only ONE of the usual three to four tests actually showed it. So it's worth having a real expert find out. Hang in there and don't worry about what people will think at Easter. Your health is more important than what they think and next year you'll be able to stand tall with anyone! Hugs to you.

Allison
Mommy to Matthew, 5/03, and another peanut due June 07.

[dylansnan]

I have no advise, sorry. But wanted to share that I had all the symptoms of Hypo, and ended up being hyper (Graves Disease) as well. This was 8 years ago, I had the "radioactive iodine treatment" so now I am essentially hypo and take (genaric) synthroid to keep my levels up.
I had no idea anything with the thyroid could "self-correct"- makes me wonder if radioactive iodine was the right choice for me....

Hope you get some answers soon.

[chlobo]

I have no thyroid experience whatsoever and your problems could be totally related to the thyroid issue. However, I just wanted to mention that 1500 calories a day for a new mother, especially if you are nursing, with the kind of workout schedule you are doing.

If you don't take in enough fat & calories your body will go into starvation mode and instead of burning available fat your metabolism will slow down to nil & you'll never lose the weight. I'm not sure what your caloric intake should be, I just know that 1500 calories is too low. Perhaps in addition to seeing the endo you could also see a nutritionist? They could probably help you plan a better diet for weight loss.

[chlobo]

I have no thyroid experience whatsoever and your problems could be totally related to the thyroid issue. However, I just wanted to mention that 1500 calories a day for a new mother, especially if you are nursing, with the kind of workout schedule you are doing.

If you don't take in enough fat & calories your body will go into starvation mode and instead of burning available fat your metabolism will slow down to nil & you'll never lose the weight. I'm not sure what your caloric intake should be, I just know that 1500 calories is too low. Perhaps in addition to seeing the endo you could also see a nutritionist? They could probably help you plan a better diet for weight loss.

[lablover]

Hi - I'm late to this but just wanted to let you know that the abnormal liver tests are probably related to you being hyperthyroid and will probably go back to normal when you aren't hyper anymore. That's what happened to me both times. Also, you are probably going through postpartum thyroiditis. I am currently going through this for the second time. The first time I really suffered because I thought since I already had a thyroid condition (Hashi's)I couldn't have the postpartum stuff. The first time, I was hyper for 4 months and then my thyroid crashed (TSH went to 58 when it was .03 the month prior) and I was miserable. I had joint problems, my knees swelled, I was exhausted,etc. and it took several months to bring me back to normal. I was sent to orthoepedic surgeons, rheumatologists, and noone could find a cause for my knee problems but the endo said my symptoms weren't caused by my thyroid. Well a month after it normalized my knee symptoms mysteriously disappeared. This time around I was more prepared. I again was hyper for 4 months and my meds were reduced every month, but then 2 months ago I started feeling tired and my knees started swelling again. I went in for a test feeling sure that I had swung hypo. My labwork came back perfect. Doctor said sometimes the symptoms come on before it affects the bloodwork. I retested one month later and although it was still normal (TSH of 1.5) my T4 was starting to drop. Thankfully I have an awesome doctor now(just a GP) and he believed me and said that sometimes you have to listen to the patient and he upped my meds a couple of notches. I already feel better, although not perfect, (I can at least walk without limping now!) and I will probably need another adjustment upwards because I'm still on a dosage that is lower than what I was on pre-pregnancy. This was longwinded but just wanted to say not to get too frustrated because it could very well be caused by your thyroid. Make sure you are tested fairly frequently so that you can get on meds as soon as possible.

[elizabethkott]

Okay. So after more blood tests that further showed me as hyperactive, I had my first appointment with an endocrinologist today.
He believes that I have post-partum thyroiditis (well, duh) that shows as hyperactive for the first 3-4 months after giving birth, and then switches to being hypo. He believes that I am currently going from hyperactive to hypoactive.
Sooooo, I have to wait until April 20th, take another blood test. He thinks I will show as hypoactive at that blood test. If so, then I get put on synthroid. If not, wait another month, and then another blood test. Pretty much, it's a waiting game. Waiting until I go hypo, and THEN getting put on meds.
Unfortunately, he further said that it will then take 6-8 weeks for the meds to begin to work. GAH!
He also said that with post-partum thyroiditis, they try to take you off the meds at the year anniversary of the baby's birth, and that if I am still hypoactive at that point, it is likely that I will be hypoactive for the rest of my life. :(
As for the weight gain while being hyperactive, he said that my body is probably in shock and is still trying to figure out what to do. So I should keep exercising like I have been and watch what I eat, but not as religiously as I have been. (on a side note, I think I will look into a consultation with a nutritionist)
One other thing - he said shame on my ob/gyn for not doing a thyroid scan while I was pg... especially since I posted a 14 lb gain in one month with no real changes to my diet or eating habits. So for anyone else out there who's currently pg - if you post a huge, disproportionate weight gain for a month, INSIST that they do a thyroid scan on your bloods. It might save you a lot of trouble on the other end!
And that's the story from thyroidville.
I am frustrated that I have to wait another three weeks for more blood work, and that even then I may not have any answers or be able to start on medication... but there's nothing I can really do about that.
Now I just have to wait another hour for my liver sonogram (which I have had to fast for - not even any water - and I'm ready to kill someone!). The endo thinks the elevated liver levels are also related to the thyroid, but better safe than sorry, right?
So that's that. Thanks for all the support you guys have been giving me... it's been a little rough lately!

OHHHHH - one other interesting thing the doc said: 40-50% of cases originally diagnosed as post-partum depression are actually related to post-partum thyroiditis. Something else to look into for ppd moms out there. :)

[tiapam]

>Unfortunately, he further said that it will then take 6-8
>weeks for the meds to begin to work. GAH!

It seems to me the meds would be Synthroid or a generic, right? I didn't think they take that long to start working. Hopefully not!

-Pam

DD - Two years old!

[fortato]

"OHHHHH - one other interesting thing the doc said: 40-50% of cases originally diagnosed as post-partum depression are actually related to post-partum thyroiditis. Something else to look into for ppd moms out there."

I can totally see that- I know how I was when they took me off my meds and I was extremely hypothyroid... Add that to the post preggo hormones.. Wow... it's like the worst PMS you can ever have.

I'm sorry you have to wait for the bloodwork.
Please keep us updated.

Hope you are back to normal very soon.

Kristen

[dylansnan]

Thanks for the update- sorry you still have to wait to figure things out.
"one other interesting thing the doc said: 40-50% of cases originally diagnosed as post-partum depression are actually related to post-partum thyroiditis. Something else to look into for ppd moms out there." -That makes total sense, I know I can be really "blue" if my med levels aren't right.

[elephantmeg]

wow, glad you got to see the endocrinologist-sorry it's still a waiting game though. Sending good vibes your way!

[o_mom]

They do take that long to work up to the highest levels since the medication has a half-life of 7 days. You will usually start to feel better after three weeks or so, but it will take 6 weeks to get to the best levels. They wait six weeks after dose changes to re-check levels for this reason also.

You can ask about getting T3 supplements for the first few weeks to kind of jumpstart things, but most docs don't like to use them because they have such a short acting effect that you can get some wild swings on them.

[alexsmommy]

>
>OHHHHH - one other interesting thing the doc said: 40-50% of
>cases originally diagnosed as post-partum depression are
>actually related to post-partum thyroiditis. Something else to
>look into for ppd moms out there. :)

Yep, if I get a referral for PPD and in history taking mom mentions huge weight gains or losses not connected to eating or exercise, I insist they go for bloodwork. It's a little surprising how few ob-gyn's catch this. Eating/weight issues can of course be related to depression, but as a therapist, I need to know which came first, the chicken or the egg.

Sorry you're going through this.


Alaina
Alex Feb '03
and #2 in early summer '07

[niccig]

I know waiting isn't any fun, but at least you're on the right path to getting things worked out. Sorry this is happening, but hopefully soon you'll be back to your normal self.