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Doctors Hear Patients’ Calls for New Approaches to Hypothyroidism

Doctors and patients have been at each other’s throats for decades over how to treat a little gland in the neck—and patients may be gaining ground.

The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate virtually every system in the body. Not enough production of thyroid hormones, known has hypothyroidism, can cause fatigue, weight gain, depression and other metabolic and fertility problems. Too much, the less common hyperthyroidism, can cause heart palpitations, tremors and bone loss.

Because those symptoms can have several other causes, many doctors diagnose thyroid disorders mainly with blood tests. Many also rely on a single form of treatment for hypothyroidism,…

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Featured

 Thyroid Blood Tests Don’t Always Tell the Whole Story

It’s a common scenario. A patient complains of fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, thinning hair, and feeling cold all the time – common symptoms of hypothyroidism, or too little thyroid hormone. But the “standard” TSH test comes back normal, and the doctor tells the patient that he or she is “fine,” with no explanation for their miserable physical symptoms. The problem is not in the patient’s head. It’s in the TSH test.

 Was Mona Lisa’s Enigmatic Smile Caused by a Thyroid Condition?

While standing in line last summer at the Louvre, he took a long look at the portrait and decided that Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini, who the work is thought to be of, likely suffered from hypothyroidism.

Articles of Interest

New Call for More Thyroid Options

Some people with hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid glands, are organizing and agitating. Their complaint? That traditional means for diagnosing and treating the condition don't work for all patients.

The Controversy of T4-only meds like Synthroid, Levothyroxine, etc.

T4, of which is the main ingredient in certain hypothyroid medications, is a thyroid storage thyroid. T4’s purpose is to convert to the active T3. It’s T3 which changes lives.

Can I have Hypothyroidism with Normal TSH?

A common question people ask is “Can I have Hypothyroidism with Normal TSH?” The answer is YES. Even though my doctor says I do not have Hypothyroidism? YES.

Desiccated thyroid extract vs Levothyroxine in the treatment of hypothyroidism

Although desiccated thyroid extract is not widely used, this study showed that many patients preferred this option as compared with levothyroxine. This result was observed despite there being no differences in thyroid function blood test and psychometric test results, although use of desiccated thyroid extract was associated with some weight loss. These results suggest that there may be a certain number of patients in who desiccated thyroid extract might be a reasonable treatment option.

Is it Menopause or a Thyroid Disorder?

If your thyroid is out of control, all of your efforts to curb perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, hair loss, and achieve hormone happiness will be for naught.

Natural desiccated thyroid for the treatment of hypothyroidism?

Significant benefit is experienced by people who by nature of their lack or response to levothyroxine have been treated with NDT. While this is a highly selected group of people, the severity and chronicity of their symptoms and the fact that many patients have found their symptoms to be alleviated, can be viewed as valid evidence for the potential benefit of NDT when given after careful consideration of other differential diagnoses and other treatment options.

New insights into treatment of hypothyroidism

New insights into hypothyroidism – a condition affecting about 10 million people in the U.S. – have been found by researchers that may lead to new treatment protocols for the disease, particularly among the approximately 15 percent of patients for whom standard treatments are less effective.

Sleepy, Stressed, or Sick?

Why thyroid diseases are so common—and still so mysterious.

Treating Thyroid Disease With Triiodothyronine (T3) Drugs

Research suggests it has a rightful place in therapy.

What's Behind the Secret Epidemic of Hypothyroidism

If you think you might have a thyroid issue, I always recommend working with a practitioner who is knowledgeable in this area, since thyroid problems can be tricky to diagnose and treat. The diagnostic tests for low thyroid are not always accurate, and the physiology of the thyroid is complex.

Resources

5 Reasons You Should Never Take Thyroid Supplements

Their ingredients and effects are surprising—and sometimes harmful.

Paloma

Paloma Health is the first online medical practice focused solely on hypothyroidism. Get your blood tests, medical guidance and prescriptions online from the best thyroid specialists.

Hypo-Thyroid Support Coach

Diagnosed in 2013.. I had no knowledge of what #Thyroid was or how vital its optimal function is for our wellbeing.

Hypothyroid Mom

Hypothyroid Mom reveals mind-blowing secrets that will redefine health for the millions of mothers worldwide suffering from hypothyroidism (and the millions more who don’t even know they have it yet). This blog is all about rocking the world and encouraging hypothyroid moms everywhere to stand up and take charge of their health.

Miss Lizzy

Blog about my recovery from undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

Stop The Thyroid Madness

Welcome to the MOTHERSHIP WEBSITE OF PATIENT EXPERIENCES AND WISDOM! There’s nothing more powerful than the successful experiences and wisdom of thyroid patients worldwide who’ve walked the path before you. I hope you find this site to be a great resource for your journey back to optimal health and being your own best advocate!

Thyroid Hope

This blog is about my experiences with hypothyroidism and to swap notes with other people. I was diagnosed in 2009 and am still not entirely well, though I’m much better now than I was. I set up the British Thyroid Foundation support group in London in 2010. There's lots of info on the net aimed at thyroid patients, much of it contradictory and confusing. My aim is to provide a more balanced perspective and information from credible sources.

Thyroid-Info.com

Unbiased news, books, support from patient advocate Mary Shoman.

National Academy of Hypothyroidism

The National Academy of Hypothyroidism is a non-profit, multidisciplinary medical society dedicated to the dissemination of new information on the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.

There and Back Again

My personal dealings with hypothyroidism and finding my way back to a healthier state.

Thyroid Pharmacist

Did you know that 95% of those that are hypothyroid may actually have Hashimoto's?

Thyroid.org

There is no cure for hypothyroidism, and most patients have it for life. There are exceptions: many patients with viral thyroiditis have their thyroid function return to normal, as do some patients with thyroiditis after pregnancy.

American Association of Endocrine Surgeons

Hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by an underlying thyroid disease (i.e. primary hypothyroidism) instead of a problem with TSH production (i.e. secondary hypothyroidism). The most common causes of primary hypothyroidism are autoimmune thyroiditis (i.e. Hashimoto's thyroiditis or lymphocytic thyroiditis), surgical removal of the thyroid (i.e. thyroidectomy), radioactive iodine treatment, certain medications, and exposure of the neck to significant radiation.

Cytomel

Liothyronine is synthetic T3.

EndocrineWeb

Each individual patient may have any number of these symptoms, and they will vary with the severity of the thyroid hormone deficiency and the length of time the body has been deprived of the proper amount of hormone.

MedicineNet

Symptoms of hypothyroidism can be mild or severe, but are often very subtle. People with a mild form of the condition may not have any symptoms at all. The most serious form of hypothyroidism is called myxedema, which can lead to coma and even death.

Patient

About 1 in 50 women, and about 1 in 1,000 men develop hypothyroidism at some time in their life. It most commonly develops in adult women, and becomes more common with increasing age. However, it can occur at any age and can affect anyone. The most common cause is due to an autoimmune disease called autoimmune thyroiditis.

Synthroid

Hypothyroidism is a condition requiring lifelong treatment for most people. And even though it usually requires just one pill a day to keep your thyroid hormones in balance, you still might have a hard time accepting the fact that you'll be taking your medicine for a lifetime. This is normal, especially if you've never had to take daily medication for a condition before.

Women's Health Network

Sometimes when women experience problems like increased fatigue, loss of concentration and weight gain, the first thing that comes to mind as the cause is “it must be my thyroid.”