Postpartum thyroiditis usually becomes evident at around 3 months 
postpartum. Women typically experience elevated thyroid function tests 
and symptoms of hyperthyroidism with fatigue, palpitations, sweating, 
loose stools, and some weight loss or trouble keeping weight on. It will 
usually last about 6 weeks, and then some women will go on to have 
hypothyroidism for a period of time. Sometimes these women remain 
hypothyroid, but many women return to normal thyroid function.
For women who have a known prenatal diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis 
with hypothyroidism ( or simply have hypothyroidism), I usually do 
thyroid function tests every 6 weeks postpartum thru the first 6 months 
because they are at risk for a bout of postpartum thyroiditis. I find 
that some of these women need to decrease or go off of their 
levothyroxine for a few months while the flare occurs, and then 
eventually, by 6-9 months, they need to go back on their levothyroxine.
I hope this helps.
Anne Eglash MD
Clinical Associate Professor
Dept of Family Medicine
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
600 N. 8th St.
Mount Horeb, WI, 53572
608-437-3064 (O)
608-437-4542 (fax)

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