Can someone help me figure this out?

[mama2004]

Since the birth of DS (he'll be three in April), I have been a bit off. I have dry skin, especially scalp, hands and feet. Since weaning at 2.5, my breasts have been increasingly tender, my mood the week before my period is off kilter--never used to be so off balance. I have a lot of trouble sleeping and not much appetite. No significant changes with weight, though, after the 70 pounds of pregnancy weight came off right around 18 months.

I was sick most of the summer with a respiratory illness (sinuses, deep cough) that had two peaks with fever, aches, the works, and have actually had to had to use an albuterol inhaler a handful of times this fall because of night waking with trouble breathing. It's very unusual for me to get sick at all, let alone have it drag on forever. My throat often feels swollen, not at all sore, but as if it's swelling shut on the inside. This past week, I've had a funny rash right down the center of my torso; itchy with tiny little bumps, it's only red when I scratch. And the skin on my face feels hot/puffy/stings. No changes in laundry detergent/shower habits (use OCM on my face and a teeny bit of castile soap elsewhere).

I don't have insurance, and if I do get any insurance, I won't be covered for an ND, and I'm not sure that an MD will be interested in trying to put all the pieces together, if that makes sense.

I take clo pretty much every day, I have supplemented vit. d pretty regularly (1000-5000 IU) and sometimes take NOW brand minerals as well as occasional vit. c usually emergen-c or SA mixed in juice. I've also tried Natural Calm lately. I guess that's it. I was just wondering if anyone here recognizes anything about what's going on or has suggestions of things I might try to get back on track--it's especially important to me because we are discussing the possibility of another baby, and I really want to be at my healthiest before we do that.

Thanks!

[kjbrown92]

thyroid?
allergies?

[mama2004]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

thyroid?
allergies?

Thanks--I've been wondering about thyroid. I don't use iodized salt anymore and I'm wondering if that's not so good. Forgot to mention that I'm feeling generally run down (probably not surprising given the first post) and my libido is and has been at about a negative 10.

Something is worn out/off balance, and I'd love to have an idea of where to start with questions or tests, assuming I have access to health care anytime soon.

[kjbrown92]

I just found a sea salt that has iodine in it (because we don't use iodized salt either). Have you looked up the information on thyroid to see if it fits? Could be adrenal fatigue too, but it sounds more like thyroid.

[mama2004]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I just found a sea salt that has iodine in it (because we don't use iodized salt either). Have you looked up the information on thyroid to see if it fits? Could be adrenal fatigue too, but it sounds more like thyroid.

I haven't done a lot of looking at thyroid yet, I've poked around in the adrenal fatigue threads, but I've had a hard time following along. There's a lot of information and in some places, the source/symptoms, whatever seem kind of obscure... Not sure if I'm expressing that clearly. I think I'll try to find some good info about thyroid.

I have had some seasonal allergy issues since I moved to the Pacific Northwest, no history of allergies prior to moving here. And more recently, I've become really sensitive to something at my MIL's house--it's some kind of fragrance like a fabric softener that permeates all of her dry goods and makes it impossible for me to eat anything from that house. A shame, really, because she does a lot of good baking, but it all tastes like licking a perfume ad or chewing on fabric softener. DH doesn't know what I'm talking about. IL's also smoke and I have had to use the albuterol in the middle of the night after our last two visits with them. With regard to glandular stuff, I also had a heckuva time nursing my lo, at least part of it due to low-ish supply (pituitary/adrenal issue, maybe? or just horrible bad luck).

I feel like I have a couple of different threads to pull, and I'd like to try to get a clearer idea of what might be going on so that I can present some clear questions/requests to a health care provider.

Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate the help trying to unravel some of this.

[beanma]

I would be very suspicious about your thyroid. You mentioned about 10 symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid). The dry skin, especially the throat as that could be a goiter, the change in appetite and libido ( you don't have to gain weight with low thryoid) – I would definitely get it checked out. Postpartum thyroiditis is very common and if I recall correctly does not have to happen immediately after the baby is born.

There's a huge long thyroid thread here. You might want to cross post there and see if any of those folks have ideas.

[sbgrace]

I know next to nothing about thyroid but the first paragraph does sound possibly hormonal/thyroid stuff to me.

The second paragraph though very much reads allergy and/or other autoimmune sensitivity (allergy is autoimmune too) to me.
Sinus infections and cough are consistent with allergies. The hanging on cough here is viral asthma inflammation.
albuterol (asthma)
swollen throat could be allergies..does this happen like an anaphylactic type of swelling and do you have any other symptoms at that time? Allergies can make the throat feel constricted too. And things draining can do it (sinus/allergies)
rash--allergic reaction and/or autoimmune perhaps but itchy makes me think allergic reaction
face same

It sounds like your body is in a state of hyper-sensitivity and that happens to my son with allergies.

While you try to figure it out I'd try an antihistamine like zyrtec and see what happens and consider the cough (if it's still happening) can be asthma. You might need something strong to get things back in kilter. My son had to have steroids to calm things down this summer. Then you can do natural stuff to keep on top of it.

[beanma]

I think the throat thing sounds exactly like a goiter (enlarged thyroid gland). A physician can easily diagnose by palpating your neck. It's non-invasive.

[mama2004]

Originally Posted by beanma

I think the throat thing sounds exactly like a goiter (enlarged thyroid gland). A physician can easily diagnose by palpating your neck. It's non-invasive.

Yeah, I've had my thyroid manually checked before, and tsh levels were normal during pregnancy, not sure about free t3. I've wondered if the lump I've been feeling might be thyroid, but the goiters I've seen have all been really obvious externally, I wasn't sure if there could be a more internal manifestation (makes sense, though).

It's a little confused because of the bronchial spasms and respiratory issues that I've had this fall, it's difficult for me to determine clearly which problem is which. Can I just confess that I've always had a secret fear of thyroid problems. I had a good friend once who had a history of thyroid issues, and it was apparent because of her eyes, the bulging eyes...

[beanma]

The bulging eyes go along with when the thyroid is overactive, so hyperthyroid. What you're describing to me sounds more like low thryoid or hypothyroid, but it could be something else entirely. Getting checked out would probably be worth it.

[mama2004]

Originally Posted by beanma

The bulging eyes go along with when the thyroid is overactive, so hyperthyroid. What you're describing to me sounds more like low thryoid or hypothyroid, but it could be something else entirely. Getting checked out would probably be worth it.

Thanks for all your feedback. Sorry if I sound like a weenie about the eyes, for some reason (and this was well over a decade ago), I've always been concerned about that. I am definitely of a mind to try to see someone and possibly look for a referral to an endocrinologist, but I don't have insurance at the moment, and may not be able to get coverage--it's a wait and see kind of thing.

I am very grateful for the links and suggestions that everyone has provided, I was starting to feel like I must be a little crazy, or that I've just been feeling off randomly, but the more I look around, the more it looks like the symptoms I've been having for the last year or so are thyroid related, so I'm glad to have a focus.

ETA I'm wondering, too, if the weird allergy/inflammatory response kind of stuff that has been happening is linked in with all of this; seems like a good possibility.