Postpartum Thyroiditis Survival Kit: Following the birth of my Daughter I had a difficult time with postpartum thyroiditis. Here I share what helped me on this journey.

The journey to good health following my battle with postpartum thyroiditis was a strange and isolating one. It was also a time when I found out a great deal in terms of my own health and well-being. In this post, I share the little things that helped me to get through postpartum thyroiditis.

1. Empower yourself with knowledge

Use the internet wisely, some respected and trusted sources are: The British Thyroid Foundation, Thyroid UK and Thyroid Trust.  I found The Thyroid Trust to be more understanding and considerate of each individual case. You can find most of what you need here in terms of information and support. For support in terms of understanding, there is a Facebook group, set up for women who have had postpartum thyroiditis, which you can find out about here

2. Follow your instincts

You know your own body. Stick with it, don’t be talked out of it. Be confident when explaining symptoms to those who are providing a diagnosis and do not doubt yourself. When you falter find an advocate – your friend, partner, mum, a person you trust, who can look into your eyes and say ‘this is your body, you know best, you’re poorly and you will be well again.’ The people who know you can see from the outside, they can rationalise when you can’t, this can be a great support when you’re not fighting fit.

3. Take someone to your appointments

Have someone that knows you inside out attend your appointments and if necessary speak on your behalf. There were times when I felt weak but having someone assert themselves for me was a real help. It also meant that on my most poorly days someone, who was not ill, was taking the information in for me and even making notes.

4. Know your thyroid function tests

This is where tip one comes in! It helped me a great deal to know a little bit about thyroid function tests and understand the condition. Often Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is used as the sole indicator of health and from my experience, I found there is a little more to it. Key testing for thyroid health during postpartum thyroiditis is TSH, T4, T3 including antibodies peroxidase(TPO) and for me thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb). For a broader understanding of overall health, linked to thyroid function, I also requested Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Ferrotin, Folic Acid, Haemoglobin and later sought support from a dietician. I am not medically trained, but these are the tests that helped me, and provided a bit of information.

5. Write test results down

The nature of postpartum thyroiditis is that your thyroid function is changeable. It helped me to keep a record of any test results. You can ask for a printout of your results or jot the numbers down.

6. Be prepared for appointments

I found appointments to be brief and could often go off on a tangent. Consider what you, the patient, want from the appointment, you are the centre of this journey. I recommend writing questions down and if necessary read them off a checklist before leaving the appointmemt. Be sure that you have everything you need in terms of information.

7. Don’t fixate on symptoms lists

The thyroid controls every cell in your body, this can cause some flippin commotion and this commotion is unique to YOU and your body. Thyroid symptoms are nebular and cannot be limited to a list. You can find a list of symptoms on the Thyroid UK website, use these as a guide only if you notice any then perhaps speak to your doctor. If you have symptoms that aren’t listed or seem different, then it doesn’t mean that you’re going mad! I had insomnia and extremely broken sleep when I was in the underactive phase, contradictory to what most lists suggest.

8. Be mindful of nutrition

If your doctor is on top of your nutrition that’s great! If not ask them to be. Whilst I was unwell with postpartum thyroiditis I also discovered that I had a Vitamin D and Iron Deficiency. I have since checked in with Hazel a dietician (regulated profession) and have corrected my vitamin D levels.

9. Practice meditation

I am a busy, non-stop type and only considered meditation after having such a positive experience with hypno-birth. Practicing meditation has been a wonderful tool that has really helped me in times of need – practice being the operative word as it’s not a quick fix. The network of people I have come across via meditation (I attend a class) has been incredibly supportive and caring so it’s a double whammy really. Marilyn Yoga has some free meditation tracks and her classes are incredible!

10. Bathe in Epsom salts

Another two in one – the Epsom salts will help to cleanse your system whilst you relax in the bath. Add some lavender to a diffuser in the bedroom after your bath to maximise the calm.

11. Go easy on yourself

Go easy on yourself and put yourself first. I found doing this nearly impossible and it was only toward the end of my journey that I really accepted this. I expected things from myself that I would not have expected from friends in the same difficult situation. Put an arm around yourself.

12. Surround yourself with friends

Surround yourself with friends that you don’t have to explain yourself to. Postpartum Thyroiditis was a very silent illness where, at times, I was seemingly ok on the outside. I found myself in the company of people only to come home and feel worse like I should just pull myself together. Shelve those relationships for when you’re well. If people can’t take your word for how hard it is then they don’t know you well enough to support you.

13. Cuddle your child

On my worst days, my mum used to bath me, scrub my back, settle me down and hand Babe to me. Her little face, hands, noises, breaths kept me alive.

14. Make it positive (until you can’t)

Postpartum thyroiditis was pretty crap but I found that finding positives helped. I started this blog, I am speaking to student midwives at Edgehill University and I have written for NCT in the hope to help others. I have met some beautiful people through meditation, I have found that I love Reiki and I have rekindled a friendship with an old school friend who went through her own battle with postpartum thyroiditis. Some days it will feel impossible but look for your own positives – until you can’t and then know it’s ok to shout ‘this is shit’ into the abyss. Because it is and that’s ok.

15. Give it time

The ‘strapline’ is that postpartum thyroiditis lasts between 12 – 18 months post-birth, this is how long it takes to recover from the condition. At certain points in my journey, TSH results showed ‘normal’ but I still felt quite unwell until around 14 months after the birth of my daughter. Your body has been through a BIG ordeal and is quite upset about it. I know it’s hard at such a precious time but please be patient with your body and yourself.

16. Acknowledge your symptoms

Always remember that there are well-recognised psychological sequelae linked to postpartum thyroiditis and as your body recovers you will recover. Having thyroid disease really does reap havoc on my mind. I KNOW this even though it is too often dismissed by professionals. Believe yourself.

Read parts one, two, three four, five and six (the end) of My Battle with Postpartum Thyroiditis.