A diagnosis

Hi Mamato2boys

Sounds pretty serious, but I guess it is better to know than not to know. I hope in time you are able to untangle it all and get your body back on track. I have a friend with thyroid problems, so I have some idea of the challenges you face.

Keep us posted. Hope we can keep helping you.

Louise

Hi Mama2boys,

I have also had thyroid issues - recently and in the past and have had good results with natural treatment. Mine was Hashimotos - which is more commonly underactive, but can also go overactive, but like Graves is autoimmune. I was underactive and did at one stage go overactive, but obtained normal function with natural treatment. Now since my baby was born 4.5 months ago I have been diagnosed with 'postpartum thyroiditis', very common after childbirth as the immune system is rebalancing itself, after lying low for a while so as not to reject the baby.

I have been taking herbs for a couple of weeks and already my symptoms are improving (anxiety and palpitations mainly). Conventional medicine does not treat the autoimmune aspect of these diseases, but herbal medicine also looks at balancing the immune system. There are also some herbs which can calm down the thyroid function. Do you know of a good herbalist/naturopath?

From my experience with herbs I notice improvements in a couple of weeks. Some examples - Melissa officinalis as TSH antagonist, echinacea is thought of as an immune enhancer - but some herbalists support it's use as an immune 'modulator' therefore helpful with auto-immune diseases. Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus) is traditional for thyroid problems. Motherwort for tachycardia. (these recommendations are only ideas for you to discuss with a professional - and under constant re-evaluation and monitoring)

Also consider your metabolism is on overdrive and you will need more nutrients, calcium and magnesium particularly important. You really need to see someone for a thorough assessment as everyone's case is different - they may like to look at the triggers for your autoimmune disease and work on you from a wholistic perspective - not just the symptoms you are experiencing. Make sure you see someone with good qualifications! I hope you find someone that your insurance covers, but it is important to get this problem under control and if not, would you consider not going through insurance?

Hey Mamato2boys

Are you still breastfeeding? Are you planning on more babies? These *may* counterindicate drinking red clover tea, but I wouldn't be surprised if your psoriasis will respond favourably to red clover once your baby weans. My dermatitis is quite closely related to psoriasis, and is improving by the week. Nothing else has helped it. Red clover is a traditional treatment for psoriasis, but I haven't been able to find any good studies that demonstrated red clover helping any sort of skin condition. Go figure.

Louise

Just checked my herb books and red clover doesn't seem to be a problem with breastfeeding. With the herbs I mentioned most are ok too (bugleweed probably not though).

With healing of prolapse - if your body is on overdrive you may not be getting the nutrient levels you require for healing..... I thought that with myself too. I am taking extra supplement with nutrients for healing also.

Hi Aussie Mum

Yeah, but ...

I remember that anecdotally breastfeeding Mums can have milk reduction when on the mini-Pill, though the figures don't say it is statistically significant (that was a while ago, though). Ordinary Pill is not recommended for breastfeeding (too much oestrogen into the baby?). But ... it can probably be built up again with more frequent feeding, as normally applies.

But, red clover isoflavones don't attach to the receptors in the breast, so technically breast tissue is not affected by exogenous oestrogen or phytooesstrogens???)

Christine?? Lactation consultants???

mamato2boys, I would not like to see you mess up breastfeeding for this, when in a year or two your baby will be weaned.

Maybe I am an old worry wort. I dunno. It is so darned complicated!!

Louise

Using a herbal tea is quite gentle compared to a herbal tincture. There is no mention of it in my literature as reducing milk production (I haven't scoured everything but used some good sources).
Main action is as a depurative (a substance that improves detoxification and aids elimination to reduce accumulation of metabolic waste products within the body) - also known as blood purifiers and largely used to treat chronic skin and musculoskeletal problems. 'Isoflavones in red clover have a weak estrogenic activity, however in 25% aqueous ehtanolic extracts of red clover flowers these constituents are present in low quantities.' (Bone, 2003)
But all the same, any concerns, this could wait until after breastfeeding (if this is the case) - however regarding herbs for thyroid, this issue is extremely important to treat - you need to weigh up that the body is not functioning well and this may also affect breast milk production. Hyperthyroid if gets too bad can decrease breast milk supply also.

I'm far from expert here, but I recall the bulk pre/postnatal herbal tea that my midwife made up for me had big ol' whole red clover blossoms mixed in with red raspberry leaves. I drank it through 3 months pp, had a great supply, and am still bf at 18 months. So it must be safe?? Of course, best to check with a lactation consultant.

Dr. Thinks I may have a thyroid imbalance. Exploring the topic at present. Would like to know if anyone experienced joint pains back,knee,shoulder with thyroid problems. Trying to see if there is a connection to my joint problem and ways of correcting the imbalance noninvasively.

Classic menopausal symptoms...something your doctors are just likely to make worse.

Hi NFP,
I wondered about that too. I've been on Synthroid for many years requiring slowly increasing amounts. I was wondering why it stopped working & later read that generics are sometimes used (unannounced) in its place. My TSH zoomed up and I was placed on a new dosage of 112 mcg. I wanted to solve my joint pain & added Collagen 2 along with my Wellesse Joint supplement. Within 2 days I developed: headache, irregular heartbeats, jittery with need for constant movement, episodes of sweating, diarrhea, mental fog, lightheadedness. Bowels were moving EVERY hour. I stopped eating for 2 days. I called the NP & was told; "Your Synthroid was increased, your labs are next due in March & you're NOT getting any more labs." "If you have diarrhea get an over-the-counter anti-diarrheal." Three days ago, I felt so sick as my heart was skipping beats more often & was having palpitations & the headache were intense & NON-stop & I was almost "bouncing off the walls" super-hyper. I stopped the Collage 2 for two weeks but the symptoms remained & even worsened. I made the decision to stop the Synthroid. This is day 4 and I feel much improved. Yesterday, I increased my Collagen 2. Started drinking bone broth 3 weeks ago. Read an article that Collagen 2 stimulates the thyroid & read an article that Synthroid can cause bone loss. I'm increasing the Collagen 2. I want to add Collagen 1&3, but so far all contain yeast (a gluten cross-reactor). Flip flops brought on hip pain so stopped wearing those. Back mostly cured with exercises to strengthen back muscles. Joints? I keep you posted on that regard. I think I need Christine's Hip Exercises though. Thanks.