Hi Everyone,
I've been having quite a bit of tests done for thyroid problems. Multi
nodules were found around my thyroid. Now they're (doc) wanting to do a
Nuclear thyroid Scan which includes taking iodine pills and radiation to
rule out tumors. Is this dangerous? The thought of all of this radiation
scares me. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks!!!!!
Liz K.
Hi Everyone
Just to let you know the October/December
International Journal Of Integrative Medicine
has one article on "A Multifactorial Approach to the Assessment and
Treatment Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"
and a second article on "Causes and Treatment of Hypothyroidism"
A local Newstand carries this magazine for $3.95 but maybe some local
libraries have copies. I have not had a chance to do more than glance at
them, but for me a beginner they look good.
William
a TSH of 0.37 indicates borderline HYPERthyroidism.
Here in SA Tonalin is roughly R100 for a month's supply. Crazy.
Hi,
I got a copy of my test results, I'm confused with the results. My T4
is 1.75, my TSH is 0.37. They didn't do a T3 test. My doctor said I'm
high on the T4, and normal for the TSH. He has me on Levoxol .88ml.
But I still feel tired and gaining weight, etc. He won't give me a
higher dose. So I started to take some raw thyroid too I got at the
health store, and it helps. Does anyone know what my results mean?
Does the TSH need to be higher? I've taken my temperature in the
mornings and it goes from 97.6 to 98.2.(since I added the raw
thyroid) Everyday it is different. I feel the doctors are always
brushing me off to help me.
Thanks!
Diana
Hi Arthur,
Check out the Specific Carbohydrate Diet at http://www.scdiet.org.
hello all:
i just joined the group. i have a long story so buckle down.
i'll start with where i'm at now... trying to get to the bottom of
some related things... mercury, intestinal worms/impaction/ thyroid
and adrenal dysfuntion. i have been AROUND the block with natural
therapies for the last 4 years. diagnosed with chronic fatigue many
years ago. i had initial succes a long time ago with levothroid. felt
GREAT for about 4 months. then went out drinking ( i dont even THINK
about doing this anymore) some beer with friends, got smashed, and
said good bye to the healthy chapter of my life. it was a hangover i
have not recovered from. i have been painfully and slowly climbing my
way back to health inches at a time for many years. i got into the
ketogenic thing with dr newbold who was one of the pioneers way
before atkins. after a while on this diet my body began cleansing
itself by pasing old hard impaced stool. i lived on steak and ice
cream for a while. go figure-- it cleansed me. incidentally i tried
vegetarianism preceding this-- and it was a miserable failure. i was
sort of able to function, but this wasnt the answer for me. then at
my wits end i had my amalgams replaced. i noticed a definite shift in
my body. not as many sugar cravings. no desire for pot-- in fact pot
no longer worked on me. very strange. soon after the fillings were
out i started passing parasites. no coincidences here. for the next 4
years i took every vitamin known to mankind under the guidance of a
kinesiologist. passing ungodly amounts of parasites and gunk from my
intestines. after years of this, and still not regaining my energy
back i have recently begun to explore other options. i have read some
of andy cutlers excerpts frm his book (amalgam illness) and it is one
possible explanation for my problems. i have also consulted with
aajonus vonderplanitz who is a proponent of the promal diet... raw
meat, raw vegetable juices... raw everything in its pure state. i
have had some success, but still looking. his diagnosis through
iridology was extremely interesting. he found that my lungs were
completely scarred, my thyroid gland itslef was fine but it was
surrounded in scar tissue preventing it from interacting with the
rest of my body. he found lots of mercury and also problems with my
adrenal glands. his diagnosis can acount for all of my symptoms. in
the meantime he said it woul be very difficult and take me years to
recover with his diet. i am now, after years of renouncing md's,
going to an md to explore the use of cortef, thyroid meds, and get
some testing for mercury according to andy cutler's guidelines which
are different than any metal diagnosis i have ever heard of.
i imagine some of you have had similar experiences to mine. i
am interested of course in fully regaining my health. i read some
info my a woman named gail wurmstein who reported that her adrenal
glands had healed while on cortef, and she no longer needs to take
that med. that really piqued my interest since i have not been able
to heal my adrenal glands through the use of natural therapies. my
body is ferociously cleansing itself still. passing impacted
intestinal plaque twice a day, and huge amounts of worms as well. i
was on antibiotics years ago for a long time, so i am assuming that
plays a part as well in my intestinal situation. the stress of all
the cleansing is very taxing. i used to think that the root cause of
everything was intestinal, but now i wonder if it is just something
in addition to the energy problems and thyroid and adrenal problems.
ok... thanks for listening. please post if you have any ideas. i will
try to be of service to people who have intestinal problems as i have
been through the mill with this stuff.
thanks for your time,
arthur
Hi everyone,
A frequent frustration for us with hypothyroidism is weight gain and inability to lose weight. I found this information from Mary Shoman's site and wanted to pass it on. I'm going to try it. Has anyone else tried it and if so did you have success?
Tammy
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Supplements May Speed Weight Loss
[INLINE]
News Promises New Tool in Weight Loss Battle for People with Hypothyroidism and Underactive Thyroid Conditions
[INLINE]
Join the Discussion
"I've just started adding this to my weight loss effort in the past few days, after reading about the studies. Is anyone else taking CLA, and how is it going for you?"
Mary
[INLINE]
[INLINE]
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About CLA
CLA Helps Dieters Reach Goal
Thyroid Weight Loss Center
Contact Mary Shomon by Phone
[INLINE]
[INLINE]
[INLINE]
Elsewhere on the Web
The Journal of Nutrition (December 2000, Pubmed)
Tonalin Brand CLA Site
Medical References on Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Life Extension Foundation CLA Summary
[INLINE]
by Mary J. Shomon
Major news for people with thyroid problems who are facing weight loss challenges is the news that the natural dietary supplement conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces body fat in people who are overweight.
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, published in the December 2000 issue of the Journal of Nutrition found that CLA reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. According to the research project manager, an average reduction of six pounds of body fat was found in the group that took CLA, compared to a placebo group. The study found that approximately 3.4 grams of CLA per day is the level needed to obtain the beneficial effects of CLA on body fat.
Dr. Michael Pariza, who conducted research on CLA with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reported in August 2000 to the American Chemical Society that "It doesn't make a big fat cell get little. What it rather does is keep a little fat cell from getting big." Pariza's research did not find weight loss in his group of 71 overweight people, but what he did find was that when the dieters stopped dieting, and gained back weight, those taking CLA "were more likely to gain muscle and not fat.'' In a separate study conducted at Purdue University in Indiana, CLA was found to improve insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetic patients, and moderately reduced the blood glucose level and triglyceride levels.
CLA has been the subject of a variety of research in the past several years, and findings also suggest that some of the other benefits of CLA include the following:
* Increases metabolic rate -- This would obviously be a positive benefit for thyroid patients, as hypothyroidism -- even when treated -- can reduce the metabolic rate in some people.
* Decreases abdominal fat -- Adrenal imbalances and hormonal shifts that are common in thyroid patients frequently cause rapid accumulation of abdominal fat, so this benefit could be quite helpful.
* Enhances muscle growth -- Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in weight loss and management.
* Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides -- Since many thyroid patients have elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, even with treatment, this benefit can have an impact on a thyroid patient's health.
* Lowers insulin resistance -- Insulin resistance is a risk for some hypothyroid patients, and lowering it can also help prevent adult-onset diabetes and make it easier to control weight.
* Reduces food-induced allergic reactions -- Since food allergies can be at play when weight loss becomes difficult, this can be of help to thyroid patients.
* Enhances immune system -- Since most cases of thyroid disease are autoimmune in nature, enhancing the immune system's ability to function properly is a positive benefit.
If you're interested in taking CLA to help with weight loss, keep in mind that it's not a magic pill, and you will need to start a program of diet and exercise in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off.
If You Are Interested in Taking CLA
CLA is a supplement, and does not require a prescription. It is available at health food stores, and at online outlets like Drugstore.com. Experts recommend that you use a patented name brand, as some brands have inconsistent or insufficient amounts of CLA contained in them. The brand used in testing was "Tonalin" brand CLA, which comes in 1000 mg capsules. To obtain the level determined to be effective in the testing -- 3.4 g, or 3400 mg, per day -- you would need to take 4 of these capsules a day, with meals. (Note from Mary Shomon: I'm taking Tonalin, and I take 2 with breakfast, one with lunch, and one with dinner, to get my 4000 mg total per day. After just one week taking CLA, I already noticed less abdominal bloating, and a slight reduction in appetite, which may be a result of lower blood sugar).
Please note also, that you should not think that CLA alone will help you lose weight. You still need to be, as I am, on a balanced, reduced-calorie, low-glycemic diet, and have to incorporate regular, vigorous exercise, and weight bearing activities, into your life.
I tried it for a month - nothing happened. Too
expensive for me to continue, so discontinued.
this has a virus; don't open it.
from:
===============================
http://www.iahf.com
http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id=7485058&w=0&p=0
===============================
MON, 26 Nov 2001, demonstrations in front of the gates of the Codex
Alimentarius meeting in Berli
To: "Health Freedom, Codex Issues
Subject: Report from Berlin: Codex Bombed With 127 Million Emails-Vitamin
Threat Stopped Flat at Step 3- Does Not Advance At All
From: John Hammell jham@...
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 21:02:06 -0500
'
IAHF List:
All of us owe a debt of gratitude to Matthias Rath, MD and the rest of the
500 German participants at his demonstration who braved a cold rain to
demonstrate for health freedom in front of the gates of the Codex meeting
in Berlin for several hours monday.
Demanding in speech after speech, chant after chant that the Pharma Cartel
and their Codex lackey, Nazi Ralf Grossklaus leave the people of the world
in peace and not block our access to high potency vitamins- the vitamin
consuming consumers of the world prevailed yet again over the greed driven
agenda of the Pharma Cartel.
Due in part to the 127 Million emails sent to Codex delegates by vitamin
consumers all over the world, pharmaceutical lackeys at the Codex meeting
in Berlin were once again slammed hard by the sheer force of truth, and the
demented anti vitamin proposal remains stalled at step 3 (step 8 is
completion, but they might as well give up now, because they are NEVER
going to reach completion on this agenda item!) The matter won't come up
for another year now, and if we can just sustain our momentum perhaps they
will withdraw the measure entirely if we can keep finding enough strategic
ways to keep the pressure on. We especially need their fax numbers, because
we can make them run out of paper and ink and keep them from getting any
other work done til they raise the white flag of surrender! This was how we
won the DSHEA battle in the USA in '94- and now we're going to do the same
thing world wide- it will be the Cartel's worst nightmare, because we are
GOING to win!
The heat generated by vitamin consumers played an important role in
polarizing both parties at the Codex meeting- keeping them mired in
unproductive debates in which neither side could reach any agreement, so
that the nefarious agenda could not advance. This victory was achieved with
the sheer weight of truth in the form of over 127 Million emailed form
letters from the website of Matthias Rath, MD
http://www.vitamins-for-all.org/ who's site has been overloaded so heavily
in the past few days that its hard to even get onto it. If you swing a
sledgehammer at a slab of concrete long enough, you'll start seeing cracks,
and we're seeing some big ones now!
Preliminary indications coming from meeting attendee Josef Hasslberger,
leader of Italian health freedom organization La Leva Di Archimede
http://www.laleva.cc are that those countries that advocate capping potency
levels at RDA levels could not agree at all with nations that favor safety
based risk assessment, and so the concensus based Codex process was stalled
in its tracks with delegates representing countries that have the largest
pharmaceutical influence left foaming at the mouth from frustration at not
being able to advance their greed driven immoral agenda. Hasslberger
reports that several third world African nations (where the Cartel buys
votes with a blonde and a case of Scotch) sided with the cartel due to the
insidious greed driven impact of ethnopiracy as the Cartel pays them off as
they seek to turn herbs into drugs.
(IAHF distrusts both the RDA proponents AND the alleged "safety based
research" proponents as NEITHER camp can be trusted, but as long as they
deadlock and don't ADVANCE this travesty, its ok!)
(See http://www.iahf.com codex oversight section- see pharmaceutically
funded, unscientific paper titled "A Risk Assessment Model for Creating
Safe Upper Levels of Nutrients" and Dr.Malter's rebuttal to this biased
piece of pharmaceutically funded pseudoscience which the US FDA has
criminally put on the table at Codex in an effort to set us up to lose in a
future WTO trade dispute.)
This victory is GREAT NEWS, and I'd like to personally thank all of you
from the IAHF who helped snowball the alert to innumerable allied groups
and multilevel vitamin distributors world wide who have huge downlines! The
other side may have the money, but we have the sheer force of
numbers-millions of vitamin consumers vs a relative few bureaucrats is a no
win scenario for them.
Due to this success, IAHF vows to intensify the anti Cartel networking more
than EVER! When you slam a sledgehammer into a slab of concrete enough
times, you'll start seein' cracks by God, and the Cartel is just going to
have to run up the white flag or the IAHF cyber army will just continue
marching right over them like so many ants on steroids. Have a gander at
Dr.Rath's form letters at http://www.vitamins-for-all.org/ which the
elements of coersion received in high enough volume to crash servers and
cause them to have migraine headaches, and have a look at his other
excellent websites including http://www.dr-rath-research.org
All of us owe Matthias Rath a debt of gratitude for his superb ongoing
leadership in this battle. Ralf Langner reports from Berlin that they had
an overflow crowd at the alternative medical symposium held in downtown
Berlin over the weekend, with so many people crowding into the Hotel that
the auditorium was packed to capacity with the crowd spilling out into the
foyer where they had to set up closed circuit TV so everyone could hear the
speakers. At this symposium speaker after speaker discussed their wonderful
orthomolecular recoveries from all kinds of serious medical conditions
using vitamins with help from Dr.Rath and other orthomolecular
practitioners. For additional info on orthomolecular medicine go to
http://www.orthomed.org Please forward this message to others. Anyone can
be on the IAHF email distribution list. Sign up at
http://email.sparklist.com/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=IAHF You can also view
the list mssgs on the web, and get more info at
http://www.iahf.com
==============================
Hi Earl,
Are you there? Snowed in? We haven't heard from you in a long time.
Hope all is well with you. Take care.
Merry Christmas!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
Please read the attachement from Norton Internet Security.
I cought 3 worms in my PC and got rid of them.
Ingo
thanks Tammy - I'm just searching for a good doc in Boston and I don't even
know where to start. I've had such bad experiences with the place that I go
now, that I need to switch soon.
Karen
Tammy,
Thank you for responding and providing this information. My Optha doc had a
long discussion with me about the Plaquenil and the risks. He told me that
as long as I keep up the appointments, which I will, if there is any change
with my next appt in six months, that discontinuation of the Plaquenil right
then, can help reverse the change. He also told me that in his 30+ years of
practice he's never seen any Plaquenil patients have a retina problem. But
I know and understand that it can happen and will continue to have the
retina checks done every six months as prescribed.
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
My friends mom had retinal damage where patches of her vision is black and she has "floaters" in her vision. The damage is permanent. She had been on the drug for two years without any other problems. Although the side effect is relatively rare if it does occur it's serious because your vision is so precious. If you are on the drug make sure you have frequent eye checks and if you ever notice what appears to be black spots in your vision get a check up right away. The thing is I think it's pretty difficult to notice the problem in early stages because they start as small tears in your retina and aren't easy to notice in your vision at first.
Tammy
Maybe I'm missing something here? I am the one that was going to
leave the group. Why would I mention hyperthyroidism in a post when
this group is a hypothyroid group? I thought we were here to share
information with each other and that is why I posted my experience
with Plaquenil. Also, I don't remember recommending it, only sharing
MY individual progress with this treatment as others have with their
typical thyroid medications. Am I completely different and should not
have shared my experience because I have Hashimoto's? I won't be back
and to those that did email me individually, I will answer your emails
but I won't be posting in this group anymore.
Best of health and happiness to all,
Debbie
I guess some of you freaked out over the possible side effects of
Plaquenil huh? Just wanted to explain a couple things about it and
it's use. It's used to treat autoimmune diseases, not just rheumatoid
arthritis. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is also an
autoimmune disease and I have all the same symptoms as being
hypothyroid. Yes you have to have a retina check every six months but
the Opthamalogist explained to me that it's because Plaquenil is a
derivative of a drug they used to treat people with that had malaria
and because that drug did have the possibility to cause retina damage,
they recommend the retina check. The other side effects aren't any
different then other meds used to treat arthritis, or even over the
counter cold remedy, allergy meds, etc. I decided to take my doctor's
advise and start the Plaquenil because I was sick and tired of being
sick and tired all the time. I was to the point that I'd give
anything a try if it would just help me feel better, and it has, and I
am so thankful for that! I was hypo many years ago, it went into
remission, and then came back full force, the traditional thyroid meds
didn't help me then either, so I felt I had nothing to lose and
everything to gain by trying this. I just wanted to share what was
working for me, but like I said, I have Hashimoto's and if you read
about this disease, you will see that it's pretty much the same as
being hypo.
Hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving,
Debbie
Yep, I took in printed out sheets on synthyroid.
my Hopkins Endo said
"synthyroid will never come off the market"
I said it's going...I stopped taking it with a bad batch"
He said "it's been around before FDA adn that's why
it wasn't approved"
I said
"I AM RIGHT NOW looking at the FDA HOMEPAGE on the web".
COVER FRONT page story says SYnthyroid OFF didn't meet deadline.
HE said, as the 7 other drs.....
"STOP reading the internet"
You can toss and throw proof right at them..
and they are STILL know it alls.
I saw Hopkins was just put on the list of top docs.
I don't know who did that.
I would NEVER suggest there.
Took me 4 months to wait on an appt.
Drove out of state to get there.
My 5 drs here were to fax my files to there before I got there.
I get there, no one knows who anything about me, no files.
The endo left to find them.
Found out the fax was broken for 4 WEEKS. 4 WEEKS!!
and no one knew it.
Months later i called about the bad batch on synthyroid.
THEY STILL have no files on me.
A year later yet.....STILL NO FILES.
Plus the endo and his student with him.....
both smirk at each other about their own webpage
which brought me to them. UM....Kelly's page?
YES. Big eye rolling.
"well, that didn't come out the way it should've".
I left there with nothing.
Nothing but a bill that is.
Hannah
Hannah,
It is normal to lose about 100 hairs a day!! Holy moly is he way off,
lol.
Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Happy Holidays!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
Thanks for the suggestions on where to get armour myself
and info on it.
went to the Derma. appt yesterday for alopecia.
Believe this loser is no better than the endos.....
and other so called drs. He had the gall to tell
me that the hair I'm losing is from being old and it's normal
to lose 400 hairs a day!!!! When did 32 catagorize as old?
He says this is normal. The endo said it is hereditary
(NOT IN MY FAMILY AT ALL). Even the Derm. said it's not
a gene thing. They all contradict each other over and over.
HOWEVER
they all made sure to tell me to STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET.
Even JohnHOpkins smirked that I found THEIR OWN thyriod disorder page.
I swear to God. I have learned more here than anywhere.
I was being treated for hypothyroid without being told
the name of it for months before I found it on the net.
I learned here why I was getting the blood tests and synthyroid.
Pretty pathetic. They wouldn't say anything but 'take this....
see you in
3 months."
I still have no respect for this so called normal range either.
I have been so EXTREMELY hypo....tests said normal range.
I have been medicated....tests said normal range.
Dose was upped.....tests said normal range.
I am now unmedicated and I am still in normal range.
What is wrong with this picture?
I had horrid menstrual cycles with huge clots and odor.
Definate sign of illness. Ob/gyn internal they said was 'Normal'
Went to the Neuro for not concentrating and remembering..."normal'.
Now this Derm. says my huge hair loss is normal.
If I hear that this is all normal one more time...I will just be
postal. Maybe those incidents were from people with hypo?
This is the reason why depression sets in. IT is from DRS.
telling you that you are normal when you know you are NOT.
NO ONE KNOWS you don't feel right BUT YOU.
There is just NO one in this area qualified for my needs.
I keep telling them now that I am NOT their normal
thyroid patient cause their syn. meds don't work for me.
I believe like you....every one of is unique and will
react to different drugs differently.
The last endo said, 'well, yeah, you're right, but
that's very rare. Pay at the door. ????? HE did nothing.
Someone on one of these groups a long time back said they
used shampoos with Jajoba in it and they are starting to
get "peach fuzz" back where they lost hair....even though
their drs told them it would not return.
I have been using it, but can only find it in Clairol
Herbal Essences. Been about 2 months now and i also have
peach fuzz and new hair returning. Wallmart has the
Clairol but if anyone finds more brands with it, please tell us all.
thanks for listening
and wish you all a happy holiday!
Hannah
Thanks Ari!!
Doctors are now finding that supplementing T3 with the T4 (Synthroid,
Levoxyl, etc.) is good for some people who can't convert the proper amt
of T4 to T3. In your case, maybe you don't need the T3.
PS I agree with your post!! ;)
Happy Holidays!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
Two Principles for Health Independence
by Brian Tracy
There are two great principles for achieving health success. The first
Principle is what we call the law of attraction. The law of attraction says
that you are a living magnet.
It says that your thoughts create a force field of energy that radiates out
from you and attracts back into your life people and circumstances in
harmony with them. Any thought you have, combined with an emotion, positive
or negative, radiates out from you and attracts back into your life the
people, circumstances, ideas and opportunities consistent with it.
How to Attract the Health You Desire
Many people feel that this is perhaps the most important of all mental
laws. It says that if you have a very clear idea in your mind of your
desired goal, to become healthy, and you can hold that idea in your mind on
a continuing basis, you will inevitably draw into your life the resources
that you need in order to achieve it.
Every person who has become healthy or successful has become healthy and
successful as a result of holding the idea of health and success in their
mind long enough and hard enough, until they drew into their lives the
resources they needed to accomplish it.
Your World Reflects Your Thoughts
The second principle is called the law of correspondence. This mental law
is very powerful. It says, "as within, so without." It says that your outer
world is like a mirror that reflects back to you what is going on in your
inner world.
And this law of correspondence says that everything that happens outside of
you corresponds to something that's going on inside of you. When we say
that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, we mean both at
a conscious and at a subconscious level.
Visualize Your Goals Clearly
If you consciously believe that you have the ability to achieve your goals
and you can hold a picture of those goals clearly in your mind long enough
and hard enough, eventually your outer world will correspond with it.
Three Reflections of Health
There are three places where we see this law of correspondence. First of
all, your outer world of people will correspond exactly with your own
attitude.
You will always see your attitude reflected back to you in the faces and
the behaviors of the people around you. If you have a positive, optimistic
attitude, people will respond to you almost immediately, even before you
open your mouth, in a positive and cheerful way.
Relationships Show You Who You Are
The second area where we see the law of correspondence is in your
relationships. Your relationships will always mirror back to you exactly
the kind of a person you are.
When you are happy and optimistic and at peace, your relationships will be
happy and harmonious and loving. But when your thinking is disrupted or
negative for any reason, consciously or unconsciously, this will be
immediately reflected in your relationships.
Inner and Outer Wealth
The third place you see the law of correspondence is with regard to your
health. Your external world of health willl be a mirror image of your inner
world of preparation.
The only part of the equation that you can control is your conscious
thoughts, and if you can keep your conscious thoughts on what you want, on
your images of health, eventually your external world of reality and
experiences will reflect it back to you.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply these principles in your financial
life:
First, guard your thoughts carefully. Whatever you think about, combined
with the emotions of desire or fear, you will attract into your life. Be
sure that you are attracting what you want by continuing to think only
about what you want.
Second, keep feeding your mind with new information, ideas and pictures of
the person you want to be and the life you want to live. By creating this
inner attitude of mind, you change the outer aspects of your reality.
I was reading in a natural health supplement book that the cell salt
Sepia addresses hypothroidism. You might want to explore this. My
understanding is that it's also very helpful for many issues related
to women. As a guy, I'm not sure if that's the way to go, but hey, a
homeopath might be able to give some guidance.
Peace!
Ari
I feel that it is now time for me to contribute to this forum as many
people have answered my querys.
I have read that Cytomel provides the T3 that Armour is supposed to
address. My endo refused to prescribe me either one of these and
insisted that synthroid or levoxyl are the best on the market. So I'm
on levoxyl.
Forest Pharma will provide you with any info that you need regarding
the Armour Thyroid product and they are pretty friendly. I
discovered a product called 7-keto which studies show is a useful way
to address hypo. I believe that you can research this product on
enzy.com. This company also sells a supplemente specifically for
hypothyroidism. I am not recommending this route, only citing it as
an alternative for research. Each one of us has a different dna, and
thus we will all react differently to different protocols.
Hopefully, we'll all find the ideal one is short order.
Regarding the one individual who was leaving the forum, I would never
ever consider taking the drug that she suggested. If you read her
email, it doesn't once mention hyperthyroidism. (perhaps I missed
it) I'm sure that she meant well, but one testimonial is not
sufficient to make a prescription recommendation. Not by a long shot!
Best,
Ari
From what I heard, the biggest problem that drs
have about prescribing armour is that it used
to come from only cows. People could use it cause
we're so much alike....but we could also have
a chance of getting a disease that cows get called
"mad cow disease". The endo said it is horrible
and basically "brain rot" and won't prescribe it.
My regular physician won't prescribe it either
soon as he saw what I wanted. Like it is written
and taught at ALL med schools NO ARMOUR or something.
He said that was OLD times, and 40 yrs back.
Synthetic hormones can't give you mad cow.
Now there is new stuff from pigs instead of
cows so everyone says you can't get mad cow disease....
from a pig. My endo said I could. Bovine and porcine.
Cow and Pig. Same protein.
i don't know what to think anymore cause
everyone has different information. Where can
you find out.....FOR FACT who is right?
I need something written to take to the drs.
They look at me like i am stupid.
Hannah
Hannah,
Brain rot disease? ;)) I didn't need the medication for that!! LOLOL.
Armour, I believe only comes from pigs, it is not scheduled to be pulled
off the market soon as far as I know. Thyrolar is the medication equal
to Armour, but is not natural, does have T3 and T4 in it. My hair still
falls out on this med, but maybe not as bad. I am going to try Thyrolar
again because I think I had more energy on it. I think I read that the
half life is a little longer also. BUT, if my hair gets that bad again,
will switch back to Armour.
Keep us up on your journey. ;)) Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Holidays!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
Hello all,
I haven't been here in a long time.
I seen the last posts are answers to my questions on
armour. Thank you!
I got toxemia during delivery of my daughter.
Turned into high BP problems, autoimmune problems,
eventually hypothyroid by the end of it.
She is now 3 1/2 and i am right where I started from.
Been thru umteen drs. Paid thru the nose. Here I sit
unmedicated.
The synthyroid helped 50% with my problems.
Still had them though. Got a 'dead' batch and quit it.
Found out the racing heart, body aches, and hair loss
stopped getting of that med. I have enough baggies of
hair to make a wig. Synthyroid and Levoxyl all TRIPLE
my hair loss immediately. Didn't know till I got off it.
I still lose hair now being unmedicated, but a small
bit in comparison. I refuse to take those now.
Now I am beggin and trying to get someone to let me
try armour. No one will give. They say both cow and
pig forms of it can give you the "brain rot" disease.
I don't know what to do. I printed out your experiences
with it though and hoping they will help.
Thanks,
Hannah
Plaquenil; does anyone know what medication that is? I've never heard
of it. ;)) Thanks
Happy Holidays!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
I had to look it up myself. Sounds like it is one not
to be "taken" lightly. Here is a page with
description:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/hydroxychloroquinesystemic202288.htm\
l
Mary C-MI
I would like to say goodbye to all of you and that I found alot of
helpful information and support from this group, thank you all.
I have improved tremendously in the five weeks I've been taking
Plaquenil. I have so much more energy, in fact I worked 17 hours of
overtime this last week and could have put in more but need time to
get ready for the holidays. My Hashimoto's/hypothyroid systems have
all but disappeard, I am not experiencing any side effects from the
Plaquenil anymore, and I'm still feeling better day to day.
My rheumatoid arthritis, which is also connected with the Hashimoto's
since they're both autoimmune diseases, seems to be under control.
Seems the only problems I am still experiencing is occasional
fibromyalgia and the pain from the osteoarthritis in my hands.
My next appointment with my rheumatologist is a week from Thursday. I
can't wait to tell him how much I've improved from the Plaquenil. The
medication has also helped me to lose weight and I'm almost back to
the size 6 I used to be.
Best wishes, good luck, and happy holidays to all of you.
Debbie
If anyone wishes to contact me with any questions, please email me at
greyeyes1956@... and I'd be more then happy to write back and
share my information.
Tried Levoxyl, felt much worse, even though my numbers
went down.
Get a new doctor, one who listens to you. I had to
learn the hard way. about.com has a top docs
directory.
Dina
P.S. Armour took me from 5.7 down to 1.3 rather
quickly. I'm still at around 1.0 and have been there
for a year. I don't care so much about the numbers, I
care much more about feeling well. Armour does that
for me, Levoxyl did not.
Hello,
Although I had wanted my doc to go the Armour or Cytomel route, he
insisted on Synthroid or Levoxyl. I opted for Levoxyl. Anyone using
it? Please tell me your success stories, how you were feeling
before, what your levels were, how you feel now, and how long it took
to get there.
Thanks!
Ari
p.s. Thanks for all of the info in response to my earlier posts.
Tammy,
Dunno if the Atkins diet is dangerous, but it's certainly the most extreme... if you have friends who want to try a low-carb diet, you could steer them towards a more gentler one such as Sugar Busters! or Carbohydrate Addicts diet. Surely it's not unhealthy to get nutrition from grilled chicken and salads and loads of green peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, onions, garlic, bok choy, strawberries, blueberries, etc. is it? (rather than relying on white flour & sugar for energy) :) If you think about it, low-carb diets have a lot in common with low-fat diets because many of the "diet staples" are the same, such as salad and tuna fish and cottage cheese. But of course, many are also different, such as unprocessed cheese and nuts.
--
Mindy
http://www.scdiet.org/ says they've helped lower TSH levels... and it's
not necessarily "low carb" but more "low grain" (they do allow honey and
lots of high-fructose fruits)....
--
Mindy
Hey girl!!! I m glad someone else is here whos my age- Hi my name is kristina and i'm 17- 18- in feb. and I have similiar probs. I have been taking synthroid too and I still have the symptoms of this and HATE it!! Perhaps you can talk to ur doctor about other meds and diet plans, I m still learning too so i hope you can find what u need here.
Love Ya!
Kristina
Hello everyone - im new to this so bare with me.... Im 19 years old
and have been taking synthroid for my hypothyrodism for a year now. I
thought once my leveals were normal my hair would stop falling out in
clumps but last month i went for my routine check up and it showed my
leveals were finally stable .... My hair is still coming out! anyone
got any advice??? i would apperciate it!!! thanks Hope :)
Hi everyone,
I have a question but before I ask I need to give a little background. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in September but believe I've had a problem for years. Prior to six years ago I was beyond exhausted to the point of hurting, had headaches, irregular periods, got sick constantly and had allergy problems. I found that all of the symptoms went away when I started on a fantastic liquid supplement, with the exception of a weight issue. However, I think the weight issue was really just unrealistic expectations because 3 1/2 years ago I was a size 8-10. I decided to go on the Atkins diet. Initially I was successful and lost 18 pounds and kept most of it off for a year and a half. Then I started to gain it back and every time I'd try to lose again going back on Atkins I had no success. Then not only could I not lose but I started to gain uncontrollably despite watching calories and exercise. It was the uncontrolled weight gain that finally led me to a diagnosis of
hypothyroidism even though the extreme fatigue and other symptoms didn't return.
My question is this: Has anyone else had a similar experience after being on the Atkins or other high protein, low carb diet? Did you have a worsening of symptoms or first get diagnosed after the diet? The reason I ask is that I now believe this type of diet is extremely dangerous and would like to hear if others experienced the same thing so I can try to deter the people I know who are on it or thinking of doing so.
Thanks!
Tammy
Definitely, My last TSH was I think 4.1 or 4.5. Can't
remember LOL. I feel EXTREMELY lethargic.
Mary C.
Hi,
Perhaps I'm nuts but being borderline and with several symptoms of
hypo, I'm wondering if anyone else on this site has a similar TSH or
whether I'm going solo. If so, what have you used to help your
condition?
Thanks,
Ari
Karen,
I am glad Synthroid is working for you. That's cool!! I took Synthroid
for several years.
I am on Armour now, and my memory and depression has been somewhat
better. I lost a few pounds at the first month, but regained some back.
Take good care. ;))
Happy Holidays!!!
Love,
Reneé and Jerry
Hello,
I hear so many negative stories on this group..... I was wondering if anyone
is experiencing positive results on Synthroid. I've been on it for 6 weeks
and I feel really good. I still have a ways to go, but the difference is
significant. I got weighed a week ago and then today and, in that time, I
lost 8 pounds. That made me hopeful, coupled with the other symptoms that
are diminished. Any positive feedback would be appreciated.
Karen
Hi Gail (and everyone!)
Where did you find info on treating your thyroid with diet? I'd
really like to learn more about that. I hate the idea of taking a
pill for the rest of my life. My TSH was 8, 2 weeks ago. However, I
did feel tired a lot and showed a lot of signs of depression. After
reviewing some info I found on the net (mostly from About.com) I
decided I wanted to try Armour. Since then, I've read conflicting
reports, so I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. I am feeling
a lot more energitic and my consentration seems to be a bit better,
but sometimes I still feel like I just can't get it
togeather.
Does anyone know: Does your Thyroid naturally fluctuate?
Amber
Armor Thyroid is a natural form of T4 and T3 and synthroid is just what it sounds like synthetic T4. Many people have a need for the T3 because of a resistance to the hormone and the T4 is totally ineffective. For more on that look at http://drlowe.com
New England Journal of Medicine is suggesting that
--
anomie
"Pain is the common enemy of all mankind"
Fall Equinox 2001
NAMTPT web site
http://www.myofascialtherapy.org
I have never taken Synthroid- my naturopath put me on
Armour since the beginning. It has worked wonders for
me! My TSH level is now <.01, so he is going to
adjust it downward, but I am very pleased with the
results. I am taking 180mg, but will be taking about
150mg or so to level out the TSH. I would recommend
it- no side effects and I feel like I have my life
back- a natural approach simply did not work for me.
In a message dated 11/12/2001 8:20:43 AM Pacific Standard Time, stevku@... writes:
Do you know what you're temps. were for that week? I've been taking
mine and the 1st day it was 96.8, next day 95, next 94.8, and next it
was 93.6. Maybe I'm taking them at the wrong time of the month. I
started taking it a almost a week after I started my T.o.m. I used a
digitable (sp.) thermometer under my arm 1st thing in the morning
before getting up.
Liz,
I use a Galium thermometer for my temps. They are new and now, the most reliable. Mercury thermometers aren't made anymore due to environmental issues. Plus, you should consider if you have an old mercury thermometer that may have been dropped a lot, that it might not be very accurate anymore. Digital are not considered very accurate because their batteries get weak and give you varying readings. Below is another viewpoint on how to take and look at the body temperature situation:
How are Body Temperatures Measured?
Since Dr. Wilson believes that low body temperatures cause the symptoms and since most patients complain of symptoms they are having during the day, Dr. Wilson recommends that the temperatures be measured during the day.Body temperatures are normally lower in the morning, higher in the afternoon, and lower again in the evening. So if the temperatures are low during the day when they're supposed to be at their highest, that's better evidence that there's a problem.Temperature patterns are also important and illuminating. How patients feel can be affected not only by how high or low their temperatures are but also on how steady their temps are. This is especially important during T3 therapy. One temperature reading a day is not enough to see how widely the temperature is fluctuating, but more than three a day can be too time consuming.For these reasons Dr. Wilson recommends measuring the temperatures
By mouth with a thermometer
Every 3 hours
3 times a day, starting 3 hours after waking
For several days (not the 3 days prior to the period in women since its higher then) for diagnosis.
Every day during treatment. Here is a convenient temperature log you can print out and use to record your temperatures. For each day, add the 3 temperatures together and divide by 3 to get the average.If your temperature consistently averages below 98.6 then you may be suffering from Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome. Note: Some people believe that moving the thermometer around in the mouth very much can increase blood flow to the area and affect the temperature reading. It seems prudent to be mindful not to move the thermometer unnecessarily much.
What kind of thermometers should be used?
Digital thermometers are very fast and convenient but can easily become inaccurate from:
dropping them from 4 inches or more
low batteries. When they become inaccurate they can still give a reading, it just won't be right. There's no way of knowing whether the reading is correct or not. Sometimes, a digital thermometer will show one reading one minute and another the next.Mercury Thermometers are very consistent and they hold their readings. If patients are too busy to read their thermometers (while driving, for example) when it's time, they can take the thermometers out and read them later.Mercury thermometers can take longer (it's good to leave them in for around 7 minutes). They are also being phased out of the market because of environmental legislation and are becoming harder and harder to find. The concern is that when the thermometers are broken the liquid spills out and some mercury vapor gets into the atmosphere, finding its way into the food chain. When broken thermometers are thrown in the trash and then incinerated, that apparently puts even more mercury into the air. One doctor
believes that some mercury can make it through the glass of intact thermometers. She believes that some of her patients are especially sensitive to mercury and have noticed episodes of acute depression, headaches and malaise just from measuring their temperatures with a mercury thermometer.Galistan Thermometers are very similar to mercury thermometers except that they contain Gallium, Indium, and Tin. These are very good alternatives to Mercury thermometers. They are glass and contain a metallic looking liquid. They may advertise "Mercury Free" on the packages they come in.Glass Alcohol thermometers are very consistent but frequently don't hold their readings. They usually contain a red liquid. These thermometers are fine as long as you read them right away.Mercury, Galistan, and Alcohol thermometers all take much longer to get a reading than a digital thermometer. One approach might be to use a digital thermometer most of the time, while checking it for accuracy every few
days against one of the others.
The Big Picture
No matter what thermometer you choose, no matter how new, it may still not be perfectly accurate. There is always some variation among thermometers, some small, some large. The important thing is for patients to be able to see the changes in their temperatures with proper T3 therapy. Therefore it would make sense for patients to try to take their temperatures in the same way each time with the same thermometer for comparison's sake. The Mercury, Galistan, and Alcohol thermometers are especially good for this since they are so consistent. The liquids they contain are going to expand with warming the same way every time (make sure to shake down the Mercury and Galistan before each use to reset them). So even if a patient has a Mercury or Galistan or Alcohol thermometer that is a little inaccurate, at least it will be consistently inaccurate and in that way still useful (in showing the improvement in temperature with treatment).By the same token, if your story is consistent
with Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome and you find your temperature is normal, by all means check it with another two or three thermometers! Many patients have found that their thermometers were wrong and their temperatures were low and they have responded well to treatment. In fact, if your history is classic for WTS your chances of having a normal temperature are only about 1 in 200. There's a lot better chance that your thermometer is wrong than there is that your temperature's normal.These issues of thermometer accuracy don't come up very often but they come up often enough that doctors and patients would be well served to know about them. For the most part, patients are easily able to see that their temperatures are low before treatment, that they come up with treatment, and that their complaints begin to disappear as their temperatures improve.
Liz,
When taking your basal body temp you should take it first thing in the morning with a glass mercury thermometer because it's more accurate. My guess is that your digital thermometer has a low battery because a temp of 93.6 indicates hypothermia. Below are instructions on taking BBT.
In Health~
Tammy
Testing Thyroid Activity
At night, shake down a thermometer - be sure that it is shaken down and below 95 degrees. Next morning, on awakening, put the thermometer under your arm with the bulb in the armpit with no clothing between it and the armpit. Leave it there for 10 minutes (use snooze alarm if you wake up to an alarm). Just drowse for that time lying still.
After 10 minutes, take the thermometer out, and read it, writing down the result right away. (On waking, most people don't think clearly and might forget the reading). This is known as your Early AM Basal Temperature, and the "normal" should be between 97.8 and 98.2. This reading taken by armpit is somewhat lower and somewhat more accurate than by mouth. If you have a low-grade infection this may read higher than your "normal", therefore if it is in that range above, you should repeat the above procedure every other day for a week or so. If a menstruating female, also do it on the 2nd and 3rd day of your period.
If lower than the range, you are probably hypothyroid, and if higher, then you are probably hyperthyroid (or you have an infection somewhere).
Just some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can be: depression,low energy, fatigue, many infections, chronic headaches (also check corn allergy), Circulatory problems, Chronic skin problems, poor memory and/or concentration, eczema, psoriasis, excessive weight, irregular menstrual periods, neuroticism, irritability, hair loss, and lots more. The book by Dr. Broda Barnes is excellent.
To treat hypothyroidism, you can either find an MD, or a DO, who will write you a prescription for Synthroid, or you can go to a good health food store and get a "glandular" that contains thyroid (along with other glandulars usually). Start with two glandulars/day for a week, and use the above temperature test to determine if that is correct for you.
Also there are a few other thyroid references on the resource page - under Professional Sources.
Hi Amy,
Do you know what you're temps. were for that week? I've been taking
mine and the 1st day it was 96.8, next day 95, next 94.8, and next it
was 93.6. Maybe I'm taking them at the wrong time of the month. I
started taking it a almost a week after I started my T.o.m. I used a
digitable (sp.) thermometer under my arm 1st thing in the morning
before getting up.
Thanks!!!
Liz
----
Hi Ari, welcome....
Many endocrinologist believe that most people funtion optimally with a TSH
between 1 and 2. When I was first diagnosed, mine was 9.5. I've been on 50
mg of synthroid for one month and it went down to 6.7. I do feel much
better, but have a ways to go. My dose was increased however. If you don't
feel well, there are doctors who have the mind set that I mentioned. Good
luck
Karen
*********
Ari
My blood work came back normal which I found out is not uncommon but
I had all the symptoms taken out of a case text book. I took my
temperature each morning for a week and that along with my Mom having
hypo, all my symptoms and the temperature readings was enough to
convince my Doc (thank God)don't get down if the results show what
you are not expecting..be your own health advocate and fight to be
heard...
amy
I was reading about various medications and noticed that the New
England Journal of Medicine is suggesting that Armour thyroid is more
effective than Synthroid for people with hypothyroid condition.
Anyone take it? Please advise.
Thanks!
Ari
Hi!
I'm new to the group. I'm a 29yo Male. I believe that I am border-
line with
hypothyroidism and have had my TSH results, 4.69 about 5 weeks ago
and 5.1 two weeks ago. I know that these are close to normal, but I
have several of the symptoms of hypothyroidism and I know that normal
varies among different people. Of course I'm also talking with a
doctor about this.
What were your results and/or symptoms? What medications have helped
you and what differences have you noticed? Were there other levels
that were also responsible for your symptoms such as low
testosterone, low blood sugar etc.?
Your experiences will be very helpful for me in helping myself.
Thanks a ton!
Ari
What? Good health requires 2-3 BM's a day??!! I'm lucky if I go once a week, no joke!!! :/ Though I've noticed some improvement since adding extra magnesium to my vitamin regimen....
--
Mindy
Mindy,
You asked it steamed is OK. I know that full cooking of a vegetable destroys all the enzymes which make for good digestion. I know that switching to one portion of raw veggies at lunch like squash or zucchini per day has made me more regular vice constipated. I always had a good sized salad, but that was not enough. I still only go once a day while good health requires is 2-3 bowl movements/day.
I do not know to what extent steaming destroys the enzymes, but I am led to believe that it is at least 40 and perhaps as high as 65%. I would like to know more.
Hope this helps. Ben
Thanks I will look into that book.
William
I've been on the T3-T4 protocol for about a year now and it took care
of everything but about 20 lbs. of weight gain,lol. The book that has
been a God's send for me and my family is "The Thyroid Solution by
Ridah Arem M.D. He is the head of endo at Baylor University. So if you
feel mental, can't remember and Synthroid hasn't helped. Get this
book.....
Vitamin C deficiency can be one cause.
Here is a link from one of the latest newsletters from Mary Shomon's site about how to "Winterize you and your thyroid." I thought the tips were worth passing along:
http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa110400a.htm
Linda in LA
"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey
http://geocities.com/llheinsohn/index.html
I've been getting a bunch of bruises lately...anyone know what causes
this or how to solve it? BTW my multi-vitamins have iron in it, and so
do my B-complex vitamins.
--
Mindy
*nod* Yeah, veggies are great! So steamed would be ok then? What about stir-fried (in chicken broth if you're afraid of fat...which I'm not btw, 'cause I'm on a low-carb diet)?
--
Mindy
Tammy,
I do take a mini-multivitamin called Sam's formula which I get from http://cat007.com/catalt.htm the generic co-op where I also get the Salmon Oil, just because it is very inexpensive for some interesting reasons which you can read there.
I have been researching health for just a few years and have become relatively convinced that supplements which are not in their natural form as found in nature may not be much good for us. For instance, Vitamin C taken as a supplement (ascorbic acid) comes without all the other goodies you get from eating an orange as a Vitamin C source and it is these other goodies which make the C truly useable, absorbable and totally effective in your body. These "other goodies" are rarely understood if at all. Besides, supplements which are normally chemical formulations are also actually different from the natural version and these differences may also make them ineffective.
So I am taking the mini-multivitamin, one with low quantities of vitamins et al, just in case it might help and besides it is very inexpensive. I feel that the best course of action is to eat all fresh food with at least 1/3 raw and never to touch anything which has been processed in any way.
So that is the long answer, I hope not too long, to your question. Best regards, Ben
Ben: This pretty much summed it all up in this post about
Hashimoto's. Yes all my "thyroid" tests came back "normal." But, the
one test that came back abnormal was my sedimentation rate. Your sed
rate shows how much, if any, inflammation is in your system, which in
turn, usually causes your body to produce white blood cells thinking
your body has an infection and is "attacking" what it thinks is wrong.
In HM and in RA (rheumatoid arthritis) which both sometimes go hand
in hand because RA is also an autoimmune disease. It was a
rheumatologist that diagnosed my HM. His first clue was the sed rate,
which was higher than normal. Instead of putting me on the typical
thyroid meds, I was put on a steroid (Prednisone) for one week. I
felt so much better after the second day on the Prednisone and when I
went back one week later, he told me that I had Hashimoto's
Thyroiditis and RA. I am now on Plaquenil which is commonly used for
RA or any autoimmune diseases. I'm in my fourth week and I can
truthfully say I am feeling so much better then I have in many years.
I was in remission for quite a few years and when this came back, it
was worse then it ever had been before. The side effects of the
Plaquenil were pretty bad the first week to 10 days but they have
subsided and I've learned when and how to take it so I don't
experience them. I take it just before bed and I either sleep through
them or they've diminished completely. Here's a tidbit of info that I
haven't seen shared anywhere or read anywhere but the first GP that
even thought about checking my thyroid, looked at my fingernails.
When she seen that I didn't have any "moons," you know those areas of
white half moon shapes near your cuticle, except in my thumbs. So,
check your fingernails, if you've got kids, check theirs because this
usually runs in the family.
Debbie
Illness" by Stephen Langer, M.D.and is great for anyone who has or
suspects they have thyroid problems.
where the body produces antibodies which attack the thyroid gland as
if it were a threatening invader such as a bacteria, virus or fungus.
It's one of many causes of thyroid disorders. You don't have to have
this to have thyroid problems. To diagnose it you should ask for an
antithyroid antibody panel consisting of antithyroglobulin and
antimicrosomal antibodies. Treatment is pretty much the same according
to the book (he uses armour thyroid), nutritional supplementation (B
vitamins, vitaminC...) and essential fatty acids particularly GLA and
EPA and improved diet with lots of fruits and veggies.
Fatigue, depression, memory loss, nervousness (anxiety to panic
attacks)allergies, Heartbeat irregularities, muscle /joint pains,
sleep disturbances,etc...
have a problem with your thyroid. If you get the results back and
everything looks "normal" don't let them tell you you're fine and
insinuate it's all on your head. Keep looking until you find a doctor
who goes against convention. It' can be difficult to do but they are
out there. If you happen to live near Cleveland Ohio I have a great
doctor here. You can also check a website that lists recommended
doctors although they are updating the list right now so the
information isn't available yet.The site is
http://thyroid.about.com/mbody.htm
thyroid stuff, it has a vast amount of information. You'll have to
check back periodically to see if the site has been updated. They list
doctors by state and that's how I found mine.
HI Everyone,
I am a teacher and at the end of the day we had this lengthy meeting
concerning the use of inhalants in the teen population .. one thing the hand
out mentioned that some medicnes that can be adversely effected by the use of
caffeine are thyroid drugs... Has anyone had a problem drinking coffee and
taking there thyroid medicne?? Thanks in advance!!!
This information I got is from a book titled "Solved: The Riddle of Illness" by Stephen Langer, M.D.and is great for anyone who has or suspects they have thyroid problems.
Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis (HAIT) is an autoimmune illness where the body produces antibodies which attack the thyroid gland as if it were a threatening invader such as a bacteria, virus or fungus. It's one of many causes of thyroid disorders. You don't have to have this to have thyroid problems. To diagnose it you should ask for an antithyroid antibody panel consisting of antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal antibodies. Treatment is pretty much the same according to the book (he uses armour thyroid), nutritional supplementation (B vitamins, vitaminC...) and essential fatty acids particularly GLA and EPA and improved diet with lots of fruits and veggies.
The symptoms are the same as you'd find in any thyroid condition: Fatigue, depression, memory loss, nervousness (anxiety to panic attacks)allergies, Heartbeat irregularities, muscle /joint pains, sleep disturbances,etc...
Keep in mind that you can have "normal" thyroid levels and still have a problem with your thyroid. If you get the results back and everything looks "normal" don't let them tell you you're fine and insinuate it's all on your head. Keep looking until you find a doctor who goes against convention. It' can be difficult to do but they are out there. If you happen to live near Cleveland Ohio I have a great doctor here. You can also check a website that lists recommended doctors although they are updating the list right now so the information isn't available yet.The site is http://thyroid.about.com/mbody.htm
and click on the doctors tab. This is actually a great site for thyroid stuff, it has a vast amount of information. You'll have to check back periodically to see if the site has been updated. They list doctors by state and that's how I found mine.
Good luck Monday. If you have time I highly recommend you buy that book and do some reading before Monday. It really makes things clear.
Tammy
Debbie,
You said that you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Can you point me to any info
about it, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated differently than
hypothyroidism? Or lacking that just tell me? I am quite sure that I have
hypothyroidism and want to prepare best I can for my first doctor's
appointment which is this coming Monday.
Thanks much, Ben
Hi Amy:
There's not many posts in this group so I'd like to let you know about
another group in here called hashimoto's. There's been many people
posting since I joined a few weeks ago, there weren't many before then
though. As far as advice for losing the weight, there's only the
known and true which is drink alot of water, exercise, and watch your
sugar and fat intake. Wish there was a magic cure for it but it's a
harder road for us that have underactive thyroid problems. Good luck
with the synthroid, it never helped me at all. I'm on a different
drug because I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.
Debbie
Hey Amy,
It's only been about 7 weeks for you. They say it takes 4-8 to *start*
losing. My sister started right at the end of the 8th week and she lost
loads of weight (80 lbs in 3 months). Being patient is very hard -it's only
been 3 for me and I can't wait. Your dosage was just increased, so maybe
that will help you. If you're experiencing more energy as a result of
treatment, then try doing more activities. It's all cyclical in my mind.
Good luck.
Karen - Massachusetts
Hi everyone :-)
I am so glad that you all have a group because I don't know where to
turn. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid on 9-11 and just went back to
the doc this week and he raise my synthroid to .075 my symptoms have
improved except for the weight gain. Before I got this hypo I NEVER
had a weight problem I was always a size 6 dress now I have gained 40
pounds in ten months and I am miserable...any advice on how to lose
the weight?? I would appreciate it very much
Amy
In a message dated 10/31/2001 8:02:30 AM Pacific Standard Time, mindy@... writes:
What about Armous, which contains both T3 and T4? What is the benefit of something that has only T3? Also what do you think of this web page? http://yarchive.net/med/thyroid_extract.html
Mindy,
As far as the doctor's comments on the web link, he pretty much parrots the standard, Synthroid marketing line. I really feel the major drug companies are little more than scumbags who will do or say anything for an increase in market share. And most doctors are in the position of swallowing the information they get from free seminars put on by drug manufacturers on what is the best treatment for any given disease or health condition.
For some people, Armour works well. It was the standard of treatment for decades before synthethic T4 only pills (i.e., Synthroid) took over the market for thyroid care. As far as how well it works, I think that's an individual thing. I know several friends who have and continue to do well on Armour and I see no reason for their medicine, "silly" as it is, according to the doc on that web link, to be yanked in the service of "modern chemistry" or market share. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Armour didn't work for me; I felt worse on it than I had on Synthroid/Cytomel combo. But the experience with Armour led me to a new doc who is versed in clinical diagnosis of low thyroid symptoms rather than the lazy way of relying only on blood tests. He immediately recognized symptoms of low thyroid system dysfunction and started me on the timed-release T3 protocol, which has been helping me in so many ways over the past months. I'm really excited to be feeling so much
better and to be seeing the opportunity ahead of me to truly and finally GET WELL with this interesting treatment plan!
As far as why the T3 works better than T4 only or T4/T3 combo's I only have the information I've read from Dr. Wilson's Manual which I read in preparation for going on the treatment plan. I'll explain it to you as best as I can, letting you know up front, that I can't speak for the Wilson's people. I hope I'm getting the gist of the idea summed up here. But if what I say isn't clear you can get a lot of complete information from their web site: www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com. Also, Wilson's treatment isn't for everyone, though personally I think low body temps should be investigated and some treatment for it employed. Bodies aren't meant to function at lower than normal temps for any period of time just as they aren't meant to function at higher than normal temps either. Would you let your kid go on months or years with a 104 degree fever without treatment? Well, I think neither should we stand for doctors who let us go on months or years with sub-normal temps in
the 97s or even 96s!
What I understand Dr. Wilson suggests is that it's not just the thyroid gland that needs to be targeted in a treatment protocol for hypothyroidism. His idea is that many cases of hypothyroidism are a SYSTEM dysfunction rather than a glandular dysfunction and that body temperature is the means of telling if the thyroid SYSTEM is working together to produce the proper output--body temperature at exactly 98.6 degrees. That is the temp where the proper production of enzymes and hromones takes place, digestion proceeds easily, cell repair happens apace, etc. Wilson (and lots of other more wholistically inclined docs, like Dr. David Derry on thyroid.about.com) states that the pituitary gland is very sensitive to T4, more so than other glands or body tissues in the body and it will shut down its production of TSH in response to high levels of that hormone which can leave the rest of the body classically hypothyroid yet with blood work that shows "normal."
Wilson further thinks that in some folks, during or shortly after a period of stress in their lives, the body somehow slows down to conserve energy, part of our million years of genetic wiring for survival, I guess. But some folks' bodies don't rev back up again when the car accident or whatever is over and they remain in a continually slowed down state. In this state, Wilson postulates that the body keeps putting out T4 that somehow gets converted into Reverse T3 instead of Regular T3 in the tissues (which is where T4 to T3 conversion happens) thus bogging down the body system and starving the cells of Regular T3 which is essential for life.
So, if you're still with me, Wilson's protocol involves stimulating the system with pure T3 in a timed released manner so it goes in slowly and evenly over 12 hours. The purpose is to give the body cells their much needed T3 and also to begin clearing out the cells and tissues of RT3 and excess T4. When you supplement with T3 the body gets stimulated and begins producing its own T3 so the Wilson's protocol is very strict in dosing so as to pay attention to body symptoms and signs of too much T3. Also, doseage levels and timing of medicine intake is strictly controlled so an even, smooth shift from endogenous T3 production to exogenous supplementation and back to endogenous production is achieved as much as possible. The medicine isn't a lifetime thing, nor is it a one dose fits all forever proposition. The medicine is started at a very low amount then gradually and smoothly increased to a relatively high level. This is when all the T3 is being supplied from the
medicine. Then, the process is reversed, the patient gradually weaning the dose every few days back to the low, starting level. At this point, the body's system is in full control and usually doing a better job (at least hopefully) of its own T4 to T3 conversion. All the while, the patient monitors their temperatures daily as an immediate guide to what doseage level is personally optimal to bring body temps back up to 98.6. (As a personal note, coming down on my first cycle, I've found I've kept most of the improvements I gained from the high doses of T3, such as increased body temps, clearer mental processing, more energy, so the theory seems to be working in actuality in my body with this protocol.) This cycle is repeated as often as necessary to clear out the body tissues of the backlogged RT3/T4 and restart the thyroid SYSTEM function so the patient's body handles T4 to T3 conversion properly on its own. Often, folks who've done the T3 only protocol called Wilson's
find their thyoid system function returns to normal and they need no extra thyroid drug replacement afterward! Some, get improved thyroid system function but find they a need small amount of outside T4 supplementation, smaller than their previous dose, and yet they feel better than before the Wilson's treatments.
My apologies for the length of this email and also to Wilson's people if I've mistated or misunderstood the basics of the protocol. Again, what I've told you is the process and theory as I've understood it. You can find more information on the web site link I gave above. I hope this answers your question. :)
Linda in LA
"We are each responsible for our own life--no other person is or even *can* be." Oprah Winfrey
http://geocities.com/llheinsohn/index.html
Linda,
What about Armous, which contains both T3 and T4? What is the benefit of something that has only T3? Also what do you think of this web page? http://yarchive.net/med/thyroid_extract.html
--
Mindy
Could today get any worse? I dunno, I hope not...
I went to work at the animal center I volunteer for and I just
couldn't understand what the heck they were saying to me at times,
sometimes, I had to stop myself mid way in whatever it was I was
doing just to remember what the heck I was doing!? Does this sound
mental or what? Gosh, and people were asking me whats wrong, and I
just kept saying, I dunno I m just not with it today. I almost broke
down but I couldn't, coz 1- I knew they would think I was really nutz
and 2-I had a lot of work to finish. I guess thats what you all mean
when you talk about brain fog. But I can't have that happen... this
is all so scary.. Anybody know how to sorta fix this? and also my
level was low recently so they raised my dose, from 75 to 100-(just
so ya know) I still don't know whats up with the breathing thing...
maybe it could be part of panic attacks, but if i do have em, which I
don't know that I do, they are not as big as some people get them, I
think. I don't know that it has anything to do with this, but I ll
have to have them check that. But this was so crazy, they kept
telling me over and over and over again things that they had
repededly (sp??) said before. Even my boss looked at me like I was
nutz when I kept asking her about my time card. I guess I know what
it was like to be like Hellen Keller, can't see, and can't remember
ever if you do hear it.... ooooooooh lord.... please tell me this
gets better.....
Cytomel is the T3 stuff, right? BTW how is Cytomel different from what Dr. Wilson prescribes from his patients? I've heard that they're both T3 but I'm unsure of how they're different from each other...
--
Mindy
Hello,
I'll send some cytomel freely to anyone interested, just drop me a
mail.
Why? Merely because cytomel didn't give me the results I had expected
from it, and I'd prefer giving my spare tablets to someone using it
daily rather than throwing it off.
Ernest
Boy can I relate to this! Sometimes when you're tired
for a long time, the undone things that pile up really
can seem overwhelming. But if you just START, and
take one thing off the list and do it, and keep doing
that, it will get better . . .
Mary
Hi Kristina,
Welcome to the group. There is no age limit! I just
wanted to say I understand about people not
understanding about thyroid disease. It's hard for
people to understand when you may not LOOK ill.
However, you do have a doctor's diagnosis. Maybe the
doctor can give you some literature about thyroid
disease for your parents to read, or he would talk to
them if they went with you to an appointment.
www.thyroid.about.com is full of information too, but
I thought coming from a live doctor they might accept
it better. Good luck!
Mary
I was diagnosed with Hashi's and I
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--
Mindy
Boy, Karen,
I am glad you are better!!!! Thank you for the