THYROID DISEASE DIAGNOSIS - MORE THAN 10 YEARS LATER

I must admit, I have come a long way from being clueless and confused to cognizant and competent, since my autoimmune-thyroid-disease diagnosis more than ten years ago. My approach to taking on this disease has evolved over the years.

Through my thyroid autoimmune disease struggle, here are four things I have learned:

1.      It is MY body and I have to live in it –Finally, I realized no more putting up with doctors who are excessively conventional and lackadaisical in their approach of helping me with my healthcare. I also came to the realization that I should not have to apologize to anyone for not feeling well enough to do the things I could do previously...I cannot help you move, probably won’t be able to babysit your three toddlers all day, Hubby and son, you have to fend for yourself for dinner, Umm…I’m gonna say “no” to the all night kegger.

 

2.      Living a healthier lifestyle– A mal-functioning, diseased body needs extra care.  This only makes sense, but I have to tell you, I went along with this truth kicking and screaming. Don’t get me wrong, I did not completely make poor health choices, before diagnosis. I exercised regularly, but I never paid attention to how much gut health plays a MASSIVE role in healing and regulating the body. Some of my favorite foods (yet not fit for human consumption) processed meats, Gummy bears, funnel cakes, most of the items at McDonalds…had to bid them a not so fond farewell. And now I feel great!...(OK, I still eat gummy bears from time to time)

 

3.      Kept educating myself– So little is known about autoimmune diseases, and so few seem to know about the thyroid as well. It dawned on me one day…Hey, I need to figure a lot of this out myself, by listening to my body, instead of putting all my stock into a medical professional who may not grasp the full understanding of autoimmune thyroid healing. I was asking them questions they couldn’t answer. It took me awhile to realize the “answers” I was getting were actually “non-answers” (I think they thought I wouldn’t notice).

 

And, finally, one thing that’s remained the same over the last ten years is my ability to Go Crazy!

Conserve

Restore

Adding

Zest

In

You

Go crazy my thyroid family

FOR THYROID CARE GO SEE A...PART II

From Web MD


The Appeal of Integrative Medicine
“What makes integrative medicine appealing? Advocates point to deep dissatisfaction with a health care system that often leaves doctors feeling rushed and overwhelmed and patients feeling as if they're nothing more than diseased livers or damaged joints. Integrative medicine seems to promise more time, more attention, and a broader approach to healing -- one that is not based solely on the Western biomedical model, but also draws from other cultures.

"Patients want to be considered whole human beings in the context of their world," says Esther Sternberg, MD, a National Institutes of Health senior scientist and author of The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions.”


If you haven’t heard of integrative medicine, you will. Populations are getting sicker and it is evident within the medical community, change is needed.

Conventional vs. Integrative


Conventional Medicine – has no model for health/well-being. It focuses on disease suppression and it is reactive.

Integrative Medicine – Designed to treat the person, not just the disease. Both doctors and patients alike are bonding with the philosophy of integrative medicine and its whole-person approach.



See the illustration below

If you can’t find an integrative doctor in your area, look for these keywords in a medical practice, as they are the next best thing.

• Complimentary (I switched from an Endo practice to a “complimentary” practice)

• Alternative

• Healing

• Functional

I was always under the impression conventional doctors were primarily in the business of wellness/healing until I began working in the medical field. And then, it wasn’t until I acquired a chronic disease did this newfound knowledge had become my reality. What I’ve learned behind the scenes is that insurance companies, medical associations and big pharma are the ones dictating our healthcare. This means doctors are required to adhere to all of the industry’s respective guidelines when it comes to your health….meanwhile, you keep getting sicker.

If you’ve been treated with radiation or had your thyroid removed, but still not feeling any better…you’ve probably asked your Endo to check other things, like your hormone levels, T3, vitamin and mineral levels, but they’ve refused. If this has happened to you, it is possible that this could be the reason:

Your doctor (primarily a specialist, like the Endocrinologist) has to follow the medical “gold standard of care” guidelines set forth by the “powers that be” for thyroid care, if they don’t they could be subject to:

• Insurance Claims Denials – Doctors won’t get paid for their service; they would have to “eat” the cost of serving the patient.

• A reprimand

• Criminal charges – If doctors continue to prescribe tests/treatments that are deemed not a “medical necessity” they could be brought on fraud charges.

BUT THERE’S GOOD NEWS!

Remember my analogy in the last blog post. Math, Science and English teachers must teach those subjects according to the guidelines of their associations, but the Social Studies teacher could technically teach all three subjects, without a reprimand.

The integrative doctor is just like the social studies teacher. They have a bigger canvas to paint on and it’s accepted.

Isn’t it silly that all you have to do is call yourself something else and the insurance companies and others will not deny the patient’s treatment? Perhaps this is why “integration” is growing in popularity.

For emergent immediate needs to “stop the bleeding” so to speak, a conventional doctor may be ideal in some cases, but for on-going chronic conditions that the conventional doctor can’t/won’t address, an integrative doctor may be worth looking into.

Click here to find a doctor in your area who practices integrative medicine in the U.S.


CTL

IT IS WORLD THYROID DAY!

Today is World Thyroid Day, what does that mean?

To me, it means none of us are alone in our struggle with this disease. It means there are people not just in your neighborhood, your community, your city/state or country who must deal with the difficult changes to their body that accompanies thyroid disease, rather it is a worldwide epidemic.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the neck.  It weighs only one ounce, but controls just about every cell in the body. After being diagnosed with thyroid disease, I look at butterflies differently now. Butterflies start out as ugly, slimy little creepy crawlies that in my opinion, aren’t great to look at, but they have their purpose in nature.  Then, after the caterpillar’s cosmic contribution, they change into one of the most beautiful living things on the planet.  No more crawling around for these creatures as they begin to fly and some species even travel around the world, as far as 3,000 miles. The same butterfly I had the privilege of admiring in all of its beauty, can also be admired by someone thousands of miles away.

On World Thyroid Day, I reflect upon my own butterfly and even though it is not completely functional anymore, my butterfly is symbolic in that it has put me through a lot of changes and each transition that I’ve gone through, during this disease has a universal purpose…The Butterfly Effect.  Some of the changes are ugly, but don’t think that what you are going through is meaningless, there is a reason, don’t think things won’t get better, don’t think that your butterfly will never take off and show its beauty to the world, because it will, if you choose it. Reach out to one of the over 300 million worldwide who may be having a very difficult time with their disease and help them transition into a beautiful butterfly with a purpose.

Crazy Thyroid Lady

Don't forget to get your copy TODAY of my thyroid book Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy

JUST KEEP SWIMMING - THYROID RAP or THRAP

Just Keep Swimming

Can be rapped to the rhythm of your choice, if you have someone that can beat box along with you…even better!

The hooks, the hooks they’re all around

Trying to reel me in, trying to make me sin

This disease has me feelin’ like a fish out of water, I wish I could cast spells on it like Harry Potter

I’m a thyroid mutha don’t mess with me,

Trying to avoid the hooks, trying to stay free

Just keep swimming; just keep swimming I can’t put that (Bleep) in my body

Cuz the hooks make me sicker,

The hooks make me quiver,

I am not quicker when the hooks grab my zipper.

What are the hooks, what do they represent?

It’s what makes me operate at 30 percent.

The Gluten

The Sugar

The Processed foods

The alcohol

The Stress –putting me in bad moods

The hooks are negativity

Bad vibes all around me

I’ve been researching the hooks like Madame Curie

If I don’t just keep swimming my body will disagree

I’m a thyroid mutha don’t mess with me,

Trying to avoid the hooks, trying to stay free

Just keep swimming; just keep swimming I can’t put that (Bleep) in my body

 Move over Missy Elliot make room for

The Crazy Thyroid Lady

Don't forget to get your copy of my four-star**** thyroid book on Amazon -Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy

THYROID ADVOCATES UNITE- Let YOUR voice be heard

Hello and Happy Thyroid Awareness Month!

I hate long blog posts because of my attention deficit; therefore I try to keep mine short….This one isn’t…BUT it is very important. I am asking my fellow thyroidians to take a little bit of your time and go to the facebook pages of the AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) and the ATA (American Thyroid Association) let them know how you feel about the current standards for thyroid testing (TSH only).

Here is what other thyroid advocates posted on AACE and ATA’s facebook site:

Michele T Bickford, from Thyroidchange.org - A serum thyrotropin is the single best screening test for primary thyroid dysfunction for the vast majority of outpatient clinical situations. The standard treatment is replacement with L-thyroxine. The decision to treat subclinical hypothyroidism when the serum thyrotropin is less than 10 mIU/L should be tailored to the individual patient."
The above caption has created a culture that believe the TSH reveals all cases of hypothyroidism, and that Synthroid is the cure.
REALITY: My physician will not test my Free T3 even though, my symptoms are no longer alleviated with T4 only
treatment. Why? My TSH is fine. It can't be my thyroid. Thankfully, I did not listen. After a few months on natural thyroid extract, I feel better than I have in 25 years. That is unfair.
PLEASE hear our pleas for revised guidelines.

Paul Robinson, Author of Recovering with T3 - I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism over 25 years ago. I was given thyroxine and after 6-9 months all my blood tests became regarded as being 'normal'. TSH was according to your new guidelines normal. Unfortunately, I still had the majority of the symptoms that I had originally complained of. This continued for 7 years and I lost my career and many other things resulted from this that have been life changing.

Eventually I was given treatment with Liothyronine Sodium (T3) and after much effort and the removal of any thyroxine (T4) from my treatment I became well again.

I have been on Liothyronine (T3) for over 15 years and now have NO FAITH WHATSOEVER in thyroid hormone blood test levels of TSH as any indication of whether someone is suffering from poor thyroid hormone function at a cellular level. I am totally well on this treatment. This non-standard treatment. I have repeatedly retested Thyroxine (T4) and it continues to make me ill within days.

Your guidelines might work for a lot of patients but MANY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS,.

Your guidelines imprison many endocrinologists and family doctors. You HAVE to provide some guidelines on what to do when these guidelines FAIL. They will FAIL for some thyroid patients. Please do not condemn some people to permanent illness and a changed life as a result of not dealing with this issue thoroughly.

Many of us - MANY - would be willing to work closely with you to find a fundamental process change that would deal with the people who fall through the cracks. I would for one.

Please .... please consider this and the other testimonies here. We are not psychologically imbalanced. We have just seen the process of falling through the cracks first hand and know what it feels like.

I am holding out a hand in the hope that someone in your organisation will grab it

Carol Gray, Author of Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy - The minimal amount of testing currently being done on thyroid sufferers is deplorable, especially for those who have the autoimmune component. A broader testing protocol could help the thousands of people who still complain of life changing symptoms even after they have been told their TSH is “normal”. I am taking the time to write not just for myself, a thyroid sufferer but for Judy Kirby who is spending 215 years in prison for driving the wrong side of the road on a highway, resulting in a crash killing others. She had severe brain fog-almost dementia like symptoms because her MD mismanaged treatment of her thyroid condition. I am a thyroid advocate who doesn’t just believe in testing for T3 or the “free’s”, I am a proponent of testing brain function, hormones and vitamin and mineral levels on a regular basis. I mean come on… the thyroid control just about every cell in the body! Why is this one little test (the TSH) the baseline for this all too important gland? The medical community failed Judy Kirby. After that tragedy, her life was in the hands of a jury who failed her. Judy’s defense attorneys argued that a mismanaged thyroid condition was the cause of her slow reaction time and odd behaviors leading up to the accident,( but ultimately the jury did not understand how a thyroid disorder could possibly cause someone to act so spacey and came back with a guilty verdict). If more testing is done on the body for thyroid disorders, perhaps it would offer more education to the public as to why thyroid sufferers have so many symptoms both physically and mentally….and this type of education could have freed Judy Kirby. Better yet, it could have prevented the car accident in the first place, and seven lives could have been saved on March 25, 2001

Suzanne Adair - Author of many award-winning historical suspence books - When did doctors quit being scientists and become politicians?

"There is no evidence that desiccated thyroid has any advantage over synthetic T4 and it may make the precise adjustment of thyroid hormone replacement difficult." This is political lobby balderdash, if ever I've heard it, exactly the opposite of the truth. Dessicated thyroid from pigs contains T4, T3, T2, T1, and calcitonin, just like what you find in humans with normal thyroid function. Since dessicated thyroid is a natural product and cannot be patented, drug companies can't grab it and make billions on it every year. So they spread the lie that their synthetic products are better. Synthetic T4 only works for thyroid patients who don't have underlying adrenals problems or low iron. That's very few thyroid patients.

"A history of symptoms, a physical examination and laboratory tests that measure the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood are the first steps." The TSH is almost worthless and has, in fact, been used to *misdiagnose* thousands of thyroid patients. The TSH is a measure of pituitary gland function and only indirectly measures the thyroid function. You'd get a more accurate picture by testing the antibodies, the Free T3 and Free T4 and, if the patient has been on synthetic T4 any length of time, the Reverse T3 to see how badly the synthetic T4 has plugged up thyroid receptors. And even if a patient has "normal" TSH, FT3, and FT4 results, you could still be looking at hypothyroidism, because those tests measure what's in the blood, not what's in the cells. And plenty of things impair transport of thyroid hormone into the cells. Like synthetic T4.

How do I know more than doctors about thyroid disease? Because my thyroid disease was repeatedly misdiagnosed for several years, and taking a bunch of de$igner drug$ that I didn't need while the thyroid disease rampaged damaged me internally. If I hadn't learned on my own and gotten the correct treatments, I'd be dead by now.

Come on, doctors. Quit sucking up to Big Pharma. Learn how this stuff works. Help your patients.

Dana Trentini, Thyroid Blogger (Hypothyroid Mom) - In 2009 I miscarried a baby when TSH far above the recommended safe range of 2.5 in your Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy and Postpartum. My doctors were not aware of the 2007 Endocrine Society's clinical guidelines for the Management of Thyroid Dysfunction during Pregnancy and Postpartum which recommended a TSH level not higher than 2.5 in the first trimester. My doctors were Ivey-league trained and top awarded doctors in NYC yet they didn't know the thyroid guidelines for pregnancy. My hope is that you find a way to better spread the word about your guidelines to doctors. Babies' lives are in danger from this lack of awareness.


***We are all thyroid advocates, do your part what you say matters!

Crazy Thyroid Lady