Postpartum Issues - Diarrhea, Loss of Appetite, Hot Flashes

I went through the same thing. I had no appetite and hot flashes as well. I dropped over 28 pounds in 2 weeks. I also felt the "baby blues". After about 2 weeks I asked the doctor to be put on Zoloft. I only took it about 3 months and it helped drastically. I also switched to bottle feeding my baby after about a month. It seems like you may be experiencing the typical "baby blues". It should only last 2 weeks. If you still feel this way after two weeks than you may be experiencing postpartum depression. If its truly postpartum depression, doctors told me it would subside after just a few months. Its up to you wether you would like to ask for some type of medication to help get you through it. Zoloft is very mild and very easy to come off of. But I would give it two weeks and see how you feel.

I had most of the symptoms after my first son was born. Tired, diarrhea, hot flashes. But my appetite did not decrease. I thought I was doing so good loosing my weight until I weighed myself and was 98 pounds. Before pregnancy I was 110. So I went to the doctor and found out that I had post-partum thyroiditis. If you have not already gone to see your doctor, I think you should. This was something that went away after about a year. I had to take medicine to regulate my thyroid until it did though. Good luck!

I have not had this issue, but if your doctor isn't helpful, and it seems to be connected to breastfeeding, maybe contacting a lactation consultant at La Leche League may help. They have tons of training and information about breastfeeding that doctors don't recieve. Just an idea. Good luck!

Have your Thyroid checked immediately! Sounds like what I had...and a little thyroid medicine will help it right away and you can still breast feed. I exclusively breast fed for over a year.

Good luck and get a better doctor!

Sweetie, you HAVE to eat!!! I know you might not be hungry but if you are going to breastfeed it is a must. Stay on your vitamins, and drink plenty of water. I didnt have post partum but I had a bad case of the "baby blues". If the MD is not willing to help call a lactation specialist. Talk to the ped too. They cant give you meds but might can offer some advice. After I had my first baby I didnt realize I was depressed and @ the 4 month check up her ped was like I think you are depressed, you need to go talk to your Dr today! Of course I broke down crying b/c I felt like I had already failed but who knows how long I would have waited if she hadnt brought it to my attn.? I hope you feel better, take care of yourself!!!

It is very important that you get your thyroid checked. I had the same symptoms after my son was born. Doctors kept telling me nothing was wrong. 4 years later I was finally diagnosed with Graves disease. All of the symptoms you described are associated with Graves. It can go into remission on its own sometimes which is why you may have stopped experiencing symptoms before. Stress can make it worse which is why you might be having symptoms again after the birth of a new baby. Get your tyroid checked ASAP!!!

This can be totally normal. Remember when you're pregnant that your blood and fluid volumes increase by 50%, and you have to lose that. After both of my kids I would have rounds of shaking with cold followed by sweating like crazy. It lasted a week or two. I lost weight quickly with both of mine too.

If you can, for your son's sake, try to nurse through it. It's hard, but you're doing the best for him. The first couple of weeks are the hardest.

If this continues, or if you have supply problems, have your doctor check your thyroid.

This sounds really normal to what happened to me with #3. Although I didn't have the weight loss because I gained so much. Even though you don't have an appetite you still need to eat or drink something good. Get someone to go to a grocery store and get some Bolthouse Farms drinks. This is fresh fruit/ veggie drinks that has lots of nutrition.
There is a mid-wife who advertises on here. Her name is Alexandra Wagner. She is awesome and no doubt will give you great advise on what to do. My baby had an eye that didn't want to open after birth, her suggestion was to squirt breast milk in it! It worked and I didn't have to take my baby to the Dr. I'm sure she'll have some good advise for you. Please don't stop breastfeeding if you can, it is SO good for your baby. But of course it you can't that's differant.
Hope you get better, just try and relax your baby is still young............. and you need rest!

It may be very helpful to see if you can find a LaLeche League volunteer to help you. These women are usually very responsive and very knowledgeable. I do know the hot flashes are very normal, but there may be some things like over the counter progesterone homone lotion (harrys, whole foods, natural supplement store) you can use to help balence them and balence things out. The loss of the progeserone is pretty tough and because women now are so low to begin with, it is amazing what a little cream can do. That may also help with your other symptoms.

Also, drink all the water you can get down. This should help with the breastfeeding as well as flush you if you are catching a bug.

Prayers for you, J.

Hi M.,

Are you still on your prenatal vitamin? It actually sounds like your little one is literally sucking the life right out of you. Hormone activity is exacerbated when nutrition is low. If you are on your vitamin, it's probably not absorbing properly.

Chiropractic care will help also. You've been in all sorts of positions and probably have some nerves pinched so that all systems aren't firing right. (You don't necessarily feel anything.) If you don't have one, look for an Upper Cervical Specialist that really understands the body as a whole. You can go to www.upspine.com if you want to locate one close by.

God bless and Congratulation!

M.