(This is multifaceted) If thyroid disease (hypo) were to persist undiagnosed/untreated for (minimum) 3 years, how might this manifest in terms of emotion/mood, cognition, coping abilities, etc.? Might it be different in someone with PTSD (early adolescent sexual trauma)?? Finally, would any of the above change (progression, intensity, severity) after pregnancy and/or live birth? For example, are these conditions that could mask and prevent proper diagnoses? Or could thyroid have exacerbated or rendered treatments (i.e. SSRI's) less likely to improve the symptoms??
[Background: 26; F. Dx PTSD 14yo (sexual trauma); Later menstruation; Pregnancy 18yo; Second pregnancy & full term birth 23yo. Mild symptoms of thyroid ages 18-21, seeming to progress more rapidly thereafter near exponentially, especially since birth of my daughter (now 3). Labs never prompting further tests; PTSD nonresponsive to chemical or behavioral treatments; deemed "treatment resistant". Last 3 years, firm belief that something was not right physically, yet until recently symptoms were diagnosed as other ailments (pcos, ADHD, insomnia, vitamin deficiencies, multiple chemical sensitivities -incl. hydrocortisone and SSRI's,... The list goes on) or as "it's just your PTSD/depression acting up again"]
Editorial Note: Took several neuro and endocrine courses while obtaining my BA, so please kindly respond with as much detail as possible with the info I provided, and feel free to ask questions. Thank you to anyone willing and able to help me on this. It gets tiring being brushed off all the time when your intuition and body knows its ailing. I am immensely grateful in advance to whomever tackles this.
Undiagnosed/untreated thyroid disease can manifest as innumerable physical, emotional and psychological symptms. Every cell in your body needs thyroid hormone to function, so the possibilities are endless.
There is a condition called postpartum thyroiditis. It's a variant of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and is autoimmune, characterized by elevated antibody levels. It usually includes a period of hyperthyroidism after delivery (can be up to a year later), a brief return to normal, and then a period of hypo. This often resolves with a return to normalcy.
If you have labs, that would help tremendously.