When is it going to stop?

For months I have been coaching an individual to research the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. Now almost 30, his doctor has had him on two blood pressure medications since high school. At a checkup a month ago, the doctor ordered still yet a third medication for the uncontrolled hypertension.

This patient has a long list of symptoms – and has had for his entire life. Every time I would suggest the symptoms could possible point to a thyroid issue, he would comment, “My current and my previous doctor have both tested me for that. They both say I am within normal limits.”

“Within normal limits” – whenever I hear those words, it is the identical feeling that comes over me when I hear a fingernail scratching along a chalkboard. If you study the literature, you will find that it is estimated that 30% of the population has an undiagnosed thyroid problem. These same people helped set the lab ranges for what is considered “normal.”

This patient has struggled with his weight his entire life. Exercise programs and diet control do not remove the weight. He has been using a c-pap machine for sleep apnea for several years. Depression has been a lingering problem for him, particularly in the winter months. His hair is thinning. He has funny skin rashes. The list of symptoms go on and on. In addition, he has a strong family history of thyroid disorders.

Finally one day, I gave him the book Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Dr. Mark Starr, M.D. I begged him to read it prior to his next visit. The week before his appointment, the text messages started flying. In complete and total shock, he read all about his symptoms, one by one.

The day came for his appointment. Totally prepared, educated, and armed with notes, he courageously approached his physician. The physician would hear none of it. “You do not have a thyroid problem,” she exclaimed. “Your lab was normal.”

He quickly and politely reviewed his entire medical history and family history. The doctor would hear none of it. He finally insisted that she order a TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and TPO.  In exasperation, she wrote the order just to appease him.

The lab report came back, and the physician phoned the patient the results – sarcastically stating that all were “within normal limits.” Sad, depressed, and in total despair, he relented, “It must just all be in my head.”

Oh, but wait, I commented, “Do you have a copy of your report?”

The patient called the office and requested a copy of the lab report. The office personnel told him they could not fax him the lab report. The patient called me and asked what to do.

“What? Why can’t they fax the report? It is your lab. You are giving them permission to fax the report to you.” I assured him he did have the right to a copy of his lab report, and he should simply call back and insist upon the report.

Guess what the lab values are? You guessed it. Clearly he has a problem with his thyroid. With lab report in hand, he is now in the process of scheduling an appointment with a different physician – one who understands the necessity of correlating symptoms with those numbers that appear at the very low point on that “normal” scale.

What is the message for today? Please be your own health care advocate. No one knows your body like you do. It is your body. It is your life. It is your lab. Do not cave it. Be courageous. Keep after it when you suspect there is something wrong.

If you know it, if you feel it, then your intuition is not lying to you. There is something going on. Pursue it till you do find someone who is willing to help you. Your happiness and health depend upon it.

The thyroid epidemic has been the focus of this week’s articles:

9-21: FDA Taking Natural Thyroid off the Market?

9-22: How Do You Know if You Have a Thyroid Problem?

9-23: Why Are Thyroid Lab Tests Inadequate?

9-24: Why is Hypothyroidism Growing at Epidemic Proportions?

 Today I would like to focus on what to do if you suspect you may have a thyroid problem.

 The approach I teach and explain in my book that will be released in October, Stop the Needless Suffering, is the LOVE Method. What is the LOVE METHOD, and how can it help you?

L: Learn all you can.

O: Obtain help.

V: Validate with lab data.

E: Engage in a plan of action that’s right for you.

 For the “L,” Learn all you can – this week’s articles and references have been designed to assist with creating awareness of the thyroid epidemic that is upon us. If you suspect that you or someone you love may have a thyroid problem, please consult the references given in the articles so that you can become your own health care advocate.

 For the “O,” Obtain help – it is very important to locate a health care provider who is knowledgeable about the proper diagnosis, care, and treatment of thyroid disorders. Two resources I recommend are www.canaryclub.org and the ZRT Laboratory, and Dr. Whitney Gabhart, N.D., www.whitneygabhartnd.com .

For the “V,” Validate with lab data – it is important, if thyroid disorder is suspected, to have lab work done, but most importantly, to be cared for by a practitioner who understands the  proper tests to order and the proper interpretation of the results.

 For the “E,” Engage in a plan that’s right for you – next week I will share information and resources to assist you in helping to support thyroid health and wellness.

 Remember, one the best things you can do for your adrenals, and consequently your thyroid, is to decrease stress. We are just about ready to begin a weekend – find something fun and relaxing to do – just for you…because you deserve it! :  )

Dr. Mark Starr’s Hypothyroidism Type 2 is quite the eye opener. This book is a “must-read” for every medical practitioner today. The following statement in his Introduction is an excellent summarization of the content, evidence, and research he so aptly provides in the ensuing pages:

“This book is a compilation of the overwhelming evidence that not only is the modern laboratory testing used to diagnose hypothyroidism completely inadequate, but the current treatment for the illness is equally lacking in efficacy.”

 Dr. Starr explains that the vast majority of patients with hypothyroidism have “normal” thyroid blood tests, because the tests do not detect Type 2 hypothyroidism. He explains the fallacy that modern medicine has adopted the TSH as the “gold standard,” that is, if the TSH is normal, the search for hypothyroidism usually ends.

As Dr. Starr explains, “Doctors currently ignore patients’ medical histories and physical findings consistent with hypothyroidism. The laboratory tests for the illness reign supreme.

 Modern doctors use the thyroid blood tests as guidelines for treatment as well as diagnosis. The end result is the health disaster that is upon us.”

 The thyroid acts as a master gland in our bodies. It acts much like the gasoline in our cars. There is not one part of our body not impacted by the thyroid. Without gas, our cars do not run. Without the thyroid, we cannot live. A poorly functioning thyroid results in all sorts of physical problems.

 Another excellent thyroid resource is Thyroid Power by Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames who state, “The standard lab tests are unable to identify the millions of borderline low thyroid sufferers. The thyroid tests used today are just not sensitive enough to identify mild thyroid failure. You could be uncomfortably low in thyroid and still show normal in tests. Individuals differ in what is ‘normal’ for them.”

 Because of today’s current testing trends, the frustration is that people often have to be really sick before they are diagnosed and treated for their low thyroid symptoms. Dr. Shames goes on to say:

  “When blood tests are read, the range defined as normal for thyroid is so wide that it includes almost everyone, disregarding the unique metabolic needs of each person. Those diagnosed as really sick are actually only the tip of a large iceberg. There are many, many more who are mildly to moderately affected. These people can feel miserable for years with a variety of minor complaints that can keep a group of specialists quite busy, each surveying and treating the problem from their own limited perspective.”

 The message is clear that it is important for practitioners to listen to the patient’s story—family history and past and present symptoms—in addition to reviewing the lab work. The experts tell us that if given a choice between the lab work and the history and symptoms, a wiser choice is to pay attention to the history and symptoms.

However, for a practitioner to obtain a good history, it requires time, something so limited to them today. You and I can help by first educating ourselves and then taking an organized, preferably typed, personal health summary with us to our doctor’s visit. 

 The following lab tests, along with my symptoms, confirmed my hypothyroidism: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and TPO (thyroid peroxidase antibodies – a test for autoimmune thyroiditis).

 Leading authorities well versed in the proper care and treatment of the thyroid are in agreement that hypothyroidism is growing at epidemic proportions. Tomorrow’s article will address why this is happening.

Last night I went to bed totally baffled and saddened. I had paused my manuscript editing process in a quest for more information concerning hypothyroidism (which manifests many of the same symptoms as the imbalance of the sex hormones) and thyroid blood testing.

I recently read two entire texts on the thyroid, started a third, and reviewed information concerning thyroid hormone blood spot testing. I then met with a very seasoned medical technologist, employed by a major nationally respected laboratory. The employee pulled out two huge handbooks, and with a sophisticated laboratory vernacular, shot holes in the information I had gathered on thyroid blood spot testing.

So just what is the truth?  

This morning I decided to finish reading the third text on the thyroid. I had gotten to p. 50 when a friend called. I shared with her my frustration and my overwhelming desire to identify correct information before I proceed further with my manuscript editing process. I shared my overriding concern that whatever I put into print, it must be accurate information. We then got into a discussion about the search for truth. Everyone seems to think that their information is the truth, but when you line all the “truths”up, there is disagreement in the theories.

My friend pointed out to me, “You are a server, Rosie, but that doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers. You don’t have to know everything. You have enough information to get started. You are creating awareness and everyone must search things out for themselves.” My friend mirrored to me exactly what I was feeling…I am realizing the more I learn, the more I need to learn.

When I hung up the phone I felt such relief. No, I guess I don’t have to know everything. It’s just that this inquiring mind of mine has an insatiable appetite for understanding. Taking a break, I then went to my computer to check a few emails. Was it by coincidence that I found the following “quote of the day”?

“Everybody has to look at his or her own footprint and do the best they can. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing something. If we’re looking for perfection, we’ll never, ever get there.”  —Laurie David

I guess for today I will finish the third thyroid book…and then get back to the editing process tomorrow. 

This morning due to a “coincidence” I stumbled upon an article posted on the Canary Club web site, www.canaryclub.org.  The title of the article is: “Drs. R&K Shames Urge Saliva Testing for Hormones: More effective than standard blood tests.”  Oh my goodness, the article contains information that I need right this moment. 

My doctor ordered me to have a repeat TSH, Free T3, and Free T4 in two weeks.  My original testing was done via a blood spot test kit I obtained from the Canary Club.  However, since I have other lab that also must be done, I thought I’d  just have the repeat thyroid tests drawn at the local laboratory, all in one stick…until I read this article.

We all need to be aware of the following information written by Dr. Karilee Shames, PhD, RN, A-HNC:

For example, TSH tests are most often drawn in the morning at conventional laboratories. The blood often sits around in tubes all day long until run by some large machinery at a central lab far from the draw station, generally in the evening. More often, blood is drawn in your doctors’ office or at a small satellite lab, then courier trucks come and pick up the samples and deliver them elsewhere. The point is that during all of this time, sometimes many hours, fragile TSH molecules are degrading in the tube as a liquid. This results in the test showing a lower TSH than you actually have, which means, ultimately, that you don’t get diagnosed until much later than you should, and once diagnosed, you don’t get as high a dose of thyroid medicine as you truly need.

WOW, I am so grateful that I read this information on this day.  My thyroid test kit is now ordered and on its way!  I encourage you to go to the site and read the entire article, which also addresses why saliva hormone testing is more effective than standard blood tests.