WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SHEEHAN'S SYNDROME?
You may feel like you are going crazy before you have a diagnosis of Sheehan's Syndrome.
Sheehan's Syndrome is a rare disease that is not always easy to diagnose, and the symptoms may gradually increase over time.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of Sheehan's Syndrome frequently are misinterpreted and given incorrect labels. The extreme fatigue associated with Sheehan's Syndrome often is categorized with motherhood.
The Sheehan's Syndrome symptoms usually appear over a period of months or even years. However, the signs of Sheehan's Syndrome may result immediately in some women.
The hormone deficiencies of the pituitary gland (master gland) cause Sheehan Syndrome symptoms to occur.
SHEEHAN SYNDROME SYMPTOMS
- Difficulty breastfeeding ( lack of breast milk)
- Irregular heartbeat (May feel like a racy heartbeat at times.)
- No menstrual periods (amenorrhea) or infrequent menstruation (oligomenorrhea)
- The loss of pubic or underarm hair
- Slow mental function (forgetfulness and brain fog)
- Weight gain even when dieting
- Difficulty staying warm (this is a result of an underactive thyroid)
- Low blood pressure (May feel light headed and dizzy)
- Fatigue (So exhausted you can barely move out of bed)
- Loss of interest in sexual activity
For some Sheehan Syndrome women, the Sheehan's Syndrome symptoms are nonspecific and are explained as the result of new motherhood duties.
The overwhelming fatigue, for example, goes hand in hand with being a new mother.
A woman may not realize they have Sheehan's Syndrome until there is a need for thyroid treatment or adrenal insufficiency.
Depending on the extent of damage to the pituitary gland it is possible for some Sheehan Syndrome women to remain relatively symptom-free until an extreme physical stressor occurs.
The physical stressor that triggers the Sheehan's Syndrome may be a severe infection or surgery.
If the body goes into extreme stress, the result may be an acute adrenal crisis.
An acute adrenal crisis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when there is not enough cortisol.
The adrenal glands produce the hormone cortisol.
The pituitary gland sends messages to your adrenals to release cortisol.
If your pituitary gland is damaged, then the gland may not be able to sign the adrenal gland.
You can click on the following link to read about What Is Sheehan's Syndrome?
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Resources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sheehans-syndrome/basics/symptoms/CON-20029870
