Surviving postpartum with your thyroid monster

   AAAAHHHH the little bundle you've been waiting for has arrived!

Hopefully, you got to have the amazing birth experience you have been striving for like we did! Our journey that led with our Finn in our arms was miraculous, beautiful and soul quenching.....and then we spent our recovery time monitoring not only my recovery but prepping for the probable thyroid issues that moms with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism have to endure after bringing a life into the world. Thyroid issues..it is a flurry of symptoms that can hit at any moment when your hormones fluctuate severely like they do after you have a baby. It can't be avoided. The best you can do is prepare for it by pre adjusting your medication while you are recovering from labor and delivery and following your recovery directions to every detail. Pay attention to your body and how it feels. Rest ALOT and eat properly. Continue to take your supplements. I cannot express how important it is to stay off your feet. After two weeks, even one event will deplete your energy levels and you know what? That's perfectly fine and to b expected. Your energy will eventually return! Just spend time enjoying your little wonderful miracle!

       I cannot thank my husband and my family enough for taking such good care of me during my recovery. My husband was by my side every hour for the days he was absent from work, changing Finn and allowing me to adhere to my week long bedrest mandate ordered by our midwife. My mom filled our pantry and fridgerator/freezer with easy to make meals and family favorites so my husband and daughter could handle mealtimes with ease. We were so blessed with her foresight for that....we had food for weeks! Our daughter kept up with the household chores. My father-in-law, who happens too live next door, made himself available when my husband had to return to work for any small requests that might arise. We are so blessed! It took me a good two weeks for my symptoms to level out. The brain fog lifted, the rapid heartbeat, the added profuse sweating, the insomnia finally left. The blues didn't take hold like they can with thyroid people....Smiles were all around our little house!

  When your thyroid hormone wildly fluctuates from delivery, it can swing from hypothyroid, which means your thyroid isn't making enough hormone and you supplement that, to hyperthyroid, which means you have too much thyroid hormone in your system. Symptoms can range from headaches to rapid heart rate, inability to handle heat, severe sweating, dehydration, vision changes, swollen eye lids, fatigue, insomnia, joint pain and much more. Not only are you recovering from the pregnancy, you are dealing with these symptoms all while adjusting to supplying milk to your wee one too.
   In severe cases, a thyroid storm can occur which can be fatal in adults. If you have any of the following symptoms, please contact your midwife or obstetrician immediately.

• A very high fever of 100 degrees to as high as 106 degrees.
• A very high heart rate, which can be as high as 200 beats per minute (BPM). 
• Palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
• High blood pressure.
• Confusion, delirium, and even psychosis.
• Extreme physical and muscle weakness
• Extreme fatigue and exhaustion.
• Extreme restlessness, nervousness, and mood swings.
• Exaggerated reflexes, especially in knee and ankle areas.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Profuse sweating or dehydration.
• Stupor or coma

Please take care of yourself as you recover from your miraculous journey! Blessings from our family to you!

Just being natural.... It could save your life!

Cold/flu medications are not recommended for thyroid conditions!

Interaction with your blood pressure can cause severe

 heart problems and damage---even heart attack!

After spending five months taking the necessary steps of healing from the inside out...taking required vitamins and minerals, adopting an autoimmune diet, relieving my adrenal glands, finding the correct dosage of my synthetic thyroid medication, it has happened----I caught a cold/flu virus from my work that has been sending ordinary folks to the doctor after bronchitis sets up in their lungs. Foolishly, I quietly was measuring
my goddess self on how far I had come by seeing if I would contract this highly contagious plague. I felt it coming in and waves of failure feelings and setbacks washed upon my broken spirit.

So, what's a person to do???................

Being hypothyroid, it usually doesn't take much to give me an excuse to crawl into our cozy, soft bed. Turn to the the old fashion remedy of sleep!

And what do you do if you are so miserable, you just can't?

All Natural Tips for Dealing with Colds and Flus

• Apple cider vinegar: Try 1-2 teaspoons of it in an 8 ounce glass of apple juice or water. This remedy has been used for centuries and shortens the life of the virus while giving you a good immunity boost. Drinking ACV in your teas and juices throughout the day gives you an amazing boost and kills germs in your system.
• Vitamin C: Although most over-the-counter products are taboo for thyroid patients, vitamin C packets, vitamin C lozenges will speed up healing and ease sore throats. Double check the ingredients for any stimulants.
• Cinnamon candies: When medication won't do and you have a fire burn in your throat, look for extremely hot cinnamon hard candy to suck on.
• Essential oil for the steamy bath or in a steam vapor: I love my essential oils! Not only do they cure most of what ales me from infections to wounds to lifting my spirits, they can also attack any nasty little viruses that decide to invade my body through the air. I personally enjoy lavender, tea tree, orange, frankincense and eucalyptus oils. Put a few drops in your steam bath and this will help clear your breathing paths. Put about 20 drops of your favorite with distilled water in a spray bottle to kill any airborne germs and spray surfaces in your home or office. For a direct steam method, use distilled water and 2 drops each of your favorite oils in a saucepan and boil. Put a towel over your head and the pan and breath deeply. Doing this two times a day is all that is needed. I also make my own Vicks with coconut oil and eucalyptus and rub this on my chest and under my nose!

• Neti pot? If not, go out and get one and do it! A neti pot is a grand way to clear excess debris and mucous from your sinuses and it staves off the risk of getting a sinus infection from things not moving through your system. My only caution is for anyone that has plugged ear canals, you can tell if they are swollen and plugged by pinching your nose and blowing---if they pop or crackle, you are good to go; if they hurt and do not pop, that means you may want to throw in some Lavender and a carrier oil in your ear to make the swelling go down and infection doesn't set up in there, compounding the problems you are having already.
• Zinc it up! Zinc is critical in speeding up the process. Taking zinc within the first 24 hours of the onset of symptoms has been beneficial in shortening the life of the virus. There has been research that has contrary information about zinc, but from my experience, this mineral is great! I have been using it to "beef" up my weakened immune system.
• Drink fluids! Drink your fluids to rush this invader out of your system. Green tea, one cup of coffee, salty water, juice, plain ole water...get your digestive tract flowing to usher this illness out the door! It will help you to sleep better too, especially if you are losing fluids through temperature and sweating.
• Lastly, celebrate you conquering this junk with your own amazing body and compromised immune system! Your immune system is so amazing it not only fights itself, it fights intruders as well! #hashimotoswarrior #thyroid #autoimmune  As with any advice, talk to your healthcare team about the pros and cons of these tips or any vitamin/mineral and you can decide if it is the right thing for you.

Thanks for reading....now it's time for a quick nap! :)