On Tue, 18 Jun 2002 22:17:48 -0400, Rick Gagne & Elise Morse-Gagne <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >Or could the thyroid levels fluctuate >rapidly enough (especially in and after pregnancy) that test results from >August might not be applicable in October? >Comments from more medically knowledgeable types solicited! Thyroid levels in the peripartum can fluctuate rapidly enough to make the August and October numbers vastly different. The course of postpartum thyroiditis can swing from hyperthyroid to hypothyroid in a very short time span. Reading about this conditions can be found at www.chss.iup.edu/postpartum/Thyroid.htm www.thyroid.org/patient/brochur7.htm www.the-thyroid-society.org/featured_articles/postpartemthyroiditis.html A good discussion of "breastfeeding and thyroid disease" can be found on www.thyroid.about.com. The author suggests that it is not uncommon for low supply to occur with thyroid disorder since "changes in metabolism can affect milk production." She writes from personal experience, and mainly suggests the ways that any mom would try to increase supply, such as frequent feedings, fenugreek, etc. The most important thing that your client can do is see an endocrinologist experienced in helping breastfeeding mothers. Close monitoring of thyroid hormone is necessary to achieve "normal" levels, whether hyper- or hypothyroid. *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html