Some Rights Reserved
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
United States License.
Postpartum Thyblues
Written by Beth, Hypothyroid Patient
Dear Thyroid,
I didn’t even know that you existed until you began to take over my life. While I appreciate you letting me know your importance, it was a little difficult to deal with in the postpartum period. As if I wasn’t exhausted enough, you decided to raise my resting heart rate dramatically, making me insanely anxious, and losing more sleep than I knew possible.
Now, maybe you were just trying to help–I went a while without a period (which you know I hate), even after I had cut down on my breastfeeding and I lost all of my pregnancy weight–though a postpartum, breastfeeding woman of 5’6” should never drop below the 100 pound mark. It must have been hard work for you. I mean, you left my TSH nearly undetectable. So, thanks for your efforts, but I want you to know that you caused me a lot of difficulties in an already stressful time.
I do appreciate you taking care of that “postpartum thyroiditis” (as they called it) on your own without me having to take medication or stop breastfeeding on your behalf. We had some nice quiet years together.
Recently, you sent me to the doctor worrying that I had some terrible disease because I was so exhausted and my joints hurt so badly. I was convinced it was arthritis, at best. I couldn’t open jars, had difficulty opening doors, couldn’t carry my child for any extended period of time, and it felt like my body was literally shutting down. But then the call came from my doctor–hypothyroid. Ah yes, you had pushed yourself to the center stage of my life yet again.
It looks like we will be in close contact with each other from here on out. I appreciate you getting along so well with my medicine from the start of our latest encounter to bring my levels back into normal range. My joints feel much better and I am not nearly as tired–though I do still feel waves of exhaustion that seem to be coming back more frequently. Are you trying to tell me something? Are you in need of more meds? I am sure you have heard me cussing you in the wee hours of the morning when I have to take my thyroid supplement hours between eating. I hate medication–I hate being bound to a pill to get through the days. I have spent my life working to be healthy the natural way and now you have trapped me and tied me down to what will likely be a life-long relationship with a pill bottle. And what is happening with my hair, by the way? My thick and full curls have become a mess of brittle frizziness (even more than before–and that’s quite a statement). And since I have been taking this medicine to supplement you to make you happy (and keep me going) it has started thinning. Is this your work, too? Are you out to get me???
If you were looking for my attention, you got it. You have taught me your importance in my body–and I have learned you control at least a portion of pretty much everything my body does. I apologize for not being more aware of your duties but I wish we could have built this bond in a more pleasant way. Please, I beg of you, keep up the good work that I know you are capable of doing. Please don’t work too hard or take too much of a break–I need you. But let’s keep this relationship friendly.
Sincerely,
Beth
Check out Beth’s Blog to learn more about her.
—
Tags: Dear Thyroid Letters, menstrual thyroid issues, postpartum thyroid blog, postpartum thyroid issues, postpartum thyroid literary support, postpartum thyroid support, thyroid support blog
Follow Dear Thyroid on Twitter/@DearThyroid | See our Facebook Page | Become a Fan on Facebook | Join our Facebook Group
You Can Create a Dear Thyroid Profile and share with friends!
Reader Feedback
21 Responses to “Postpartum Thyblues”
Leave a Reply to dearthyroid
Comments are moderated in an effort to control spam. If you have a previously approved Comment, this one should go right through. Thanks for your patience!
Great letter, Kathy!
“I hate medication—I hate being bound to a pill to get through the days. I have spent my life working to be healthy the natural way and now you have trapped me and tied me down to what will likely be a life-long relationship with a pill bottle.”
I LOVE this…I feel the exact same way. I HATE having to depend on a little blue pill for survival. But, at the same time I’m grateful it’s available so that I CAN survive.
xoxox,
Joanna
Joanna;
I second that! So strange to be grateful for something and loathe it at the same time.
We need a cure, yo. We need a C-U-R-E
xoxoxo
We all need to go harvest some new thyroids great letter Kathy I feel the same way hate being dependant on a few little tablets to keep my metabolism going but know I would feel really ill if I didn’t have them.
Hey Beth,
I feel your pain. Literally. Nice letter!
Very true, Lolly. Harvesting thyroids wouldn’t suck. I wonder why they don’t do thyroid transplants, though I don’t think that would work for autoimmune thyroid patients or thyroid cancer patients… or would it? Hmmm.
Loved her letter too, Robyn.
This was my favorite part If you were looking for my attention, you got it. You have taught me your importance in my body—and I have learned you control at least a portion of pretty much everything my body does.
Unfortunately, due to lack of awareness/education, we only learn this after the fact, post diagnosis; at least most of us do.
Thanks, all! I agree about the problem with the lack of awareness and education. I was completely unaware of this as an issue–and apparently so were my doctors since they never checked my thyroid through all of my postpartum problems. Luckily, a thyroid panel was included in a routine checkup about 6 months after my daughter was born, so finally I had an answer. I have no problems telling the world about the power of the thyroid now. Every time I have a friend with any medical (or emotional) concern, I yell “GET YOUR THYROID CHECKED!” I am really surpised to know the huge number of people who KNOW that they have a thyroid problem–and there has to be tons more who are suffering and have no idea what’s going on. It’s sad. I figure telling everyone I know is my small part in helping spread the word. 🙂
Beth
Dear Beth, I loved your letter. It is always helpful to read about someone else’s experiences with Hypothyroidism. I liked what you mentioned about your hair. I, too, had thick, long, curly hair until I had a nodule & the right side of my thyroid removed. Now I spend unheard of amounts on conditioner trying to keep my long, once beautiful hair in shape. Most days it is a brittle frizz! Especially on the right side, hmmmm… No one seems to care & most doctors think I’m crazy when I mention my hair & the fact that my symptoms are worse on the right side of my body. Keep spreading the word, it really helps. Stephanie
Beth;
Your letter was beautiful and wonderful.
I love, love, love that you’re spreading the word about thyroid diseases and cancers — it’s very important. Over 50 million people have a thyroid problem and over 13 million people don’t know it. So, you keep on yelling get your thyroid checked, even if you have to go into a dissertation about what a thyroid is and what it does.
Like you, I wish your doctor had checked your thyroid levels during postpartum.
shoulda coulda woulda; how many times have we all said that?!
xo
Stephanie;
Though I’m not surprised your doctor isn’t responsive to your issues, I do wonder… have you considered seeing a new doctor, maybe an integrative specialist? Someone who is wiling to dig deeper and find out why your symptoms are exacerbated on the right side of your body.
One thing I wanted to add regarding hair, Liz Schau writes HOW TO KICK YOUR THYROID’S ASS, the column comes out every Sunday and one of the things that I have learned re: frizziness and dryness from her column, is using coconut oil. OMG, it works, girl.
Here’s a link to some of her articles re: coconut http://dearthyroid.org/?s=+coconut
Feel better and keep us posted. Keep fighting and sharing yourself with us. Together we will get through this.
xo
Haha, I just realized I said Kathy instead of Beth. Sorry, Beth! I had surgery yesterday and am still out of it from the anesthesia and pain meds!
Sorry Beth I have no excuse other than my Anaesthesia must have lasted 3 years I copied Joanna.
Hope your recovering well Joanna.
Joanna;
The “Kathy” mistake is my fault! When you saw it earlier this morning, it said Kathy, but that was my mistake, it should’ve been Beth. I can’t let your meds to take the heat for my error.
xo
Lollylicious;
I digress, it’s my fault. When it was originally posted, I accidentally changed the name. This beautiful letter was written by BETH. It’s not you, my sweet. This is me. My mistake.
Joanna, I hope you are having as best as can be expected recovery.
xo
So glad to know I’m not losing my mind! I didn’t think I was THAT out of it.
🙂
Thank fook here’s me thinking I got early onset thymentia or worse still a case of CWS.
YOU ARE NOT, JOANNA! TOTALLY MY MISTAKE 🙂
Lolly, CWS? I want to assure you it’s not early onset thymentia, it’s all me, my mistake-age.
Age Miss Katie you are no age, more like over worked and underpaid.
don;t worry about it mistakes happen I do them all the time got to just laugh it off and move onto the next one.
CWS Chinese Whisper syndrome.
BETH just going to repeat make sure I got it right BETH very well written letter you are not alone in going undiagnosed be it post Partum or middle age or even as a teenager,child or baby.
You are too much, Lollylicious! “No age”. Ha.
“Laugh it off and move onto the next one”… you’re on a roll tonight, kid.
What is that? Sounds hysterical!
Thanks, babes.
Love,
Me
Can I just say that I LOVE Dear Thyroid. I can always check this site and feel like I am not alone AND get a good laugh. 🙂 Thanks for all of your support!
Hoping for a quick recovery for you, Joanna!
Lolly, glad to hear you are not suffering from thymentia–I question whether or not I am in the early onset stages myself on a regular basis.
And, no worries Katie. You are still on the awesome list in my book. 🙂
Happy almost weekend, everone!