Moms who have "normal" thyroid levels often don't.  A lot of labs are using
outdated ranges for normal.  I am sorry that I don't have my labwork on hand
so I don't know the units, nor do I have any clue what any country besides
the US uses.  A "normal" level at many labs is about 4.5.  Endocrinologists
call normal below 3.  It's a big discrepancy. And I've read in several
places that when a person starts to approach 2, it's time to be paying
attention and seeing where there is room for dietary improvement.

When you're talking about a high number being abnormal, it's TSH, which
isn't even a thyroid hormone--it's the pituitary gland's role in a feedback
loop.  Generally this works, but sometimes the pituitary takes time to catch
up, and then people fall into that crack.  It's important to test the actual
thyroid levels to get a true picture.

When my doc was out of the country for a year, I found myself sleeping 12-14
hours per day and having other typical hypothyroid symptoms.  The doc I saw
did a TSH, which was 3.5ish, and declared me normal.  When I asked to have
T3 and T4 checked (keep in mind this is the USA, and I have catastrophic
insurance, so I would have paid out of pocket for this and not been a burden
on anybody else's wallet) he flat out refused.

A year later (!!) when "my" doctor got back, he immediately agreed to a full
thyroid panel, and when it came back, and he said I was within normal
limits, I showed him a screenshot from the American Academy/College of
Endocrinologists (I think) with the updated values.  He was very pleased to
be educated!   We chose a treatment together, which has been revised once,
and we are both satisfied.

I have a friend with palpable polyps on her thyroid and terrible symptoms,
who has been seeing doc #1 for years.  She's had TSH jumping all over the
place, and yet he still refuses to treat her.  Last week she finally got fed
up enough to switch doctors.

So when I see moms with hypothyroid symptoms, I have to encourage them to
really pursue a diagnosis!  Hypothyroid doesn't just lower milk supply--it
affects every major system in the body, and it is a Serious Health Issue.
 There are a range of opinions on what can be treated with diet/lifestyle
changes and what needs hormone replacement, and if one waits too long, there
are fewer natural options that will do the trick.

Lynn Carter SFO IBCLC LLLL
Missouri, USA

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