(This blog post was originally written in 2007, and informed thyroid patients at the time were disappointed in Oprah for not being informed or a good spokeswoman about the horrific way hypothyroid was being treated. Nothing changed. So we as patients just kept trodding along, chatting with each other.)
I have had many folks email me about their concern that Oprah is not only failing to get the message about her thyroid issue, but thyroid advocates and interviews are not sending the message about what information is needed out there…and the media has STILL not caught on to this HUGE treatment scandal of the use of T4-only meds and the TSH lab. So, by request, I have created a letter template that you can use to be part of a massive letter-writing campaign to Oprah.
Yes, I’m sure she’s very distracted by the heartsick tragedy of her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, but it may also worsen her thyroid condition, as well as create a potential adrenal problem. So THIS is the TIME to make a MOUNTAIN in her mail room. Go here: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/letter-to-oprah-winfrey/
Please note that you can also use the above template letter to email her, but if we can ALSO send REAL LIVE letters as outlined in the above page, that can make a HUGE VISUAL difference as to what we are trying to tell her.
Important notes: All the information on this website is copyrighted. STTM is an information-only site based on what many patients worldwide have reported in their treatment and wisdom over the years. This is not to be taken as personal medical advice, nor to replace a relationship with your doctor. By reading this information-only website, you take full responsibility for what you choose to do with this website's information or outcomes. See the Disclaimer and Terms of Use.
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9 Responses to “Join the OPRAH WINFREY LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN”
Pip
Wow! Thank you so much for this website! But I haven’t seen any information about the other severe psychological symptoms I had before being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. (Update sent to Janie by Pip after writing the above: Sorry I just posted when I hadn’t read your wonderful page on psychiatric, psychological & emotional aspects of Thyroid disease i.e. it’s not all in your head!!) In fact, I was having not just panic attacks, severe depression & utter fury, but psychotic episodes. I was living in terror for months prior to finally being advised to take Evening Primrose oil; then being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s & taking Armour. The worst symptoms came around 10 -14 days prior to my period, so they called it pre-menstrual dysphoric syndrome.
However, I’ve not been able to find a good Endo or Doctor to help me here in Atlanta. I am currently working with one in CA, through a friends recommendation.
I must say that even though I still get lesser symptoms before my period (which I never had before I stopped breast feeding my 2 year old & only baby), they worsen if I miss taking Evening Primrose 2 -3 times a day at 1300mg, not if I miss a dose of Armour. I am so interested in this dosing for relief of symptoms not thyroid lab levels. Even though my levels are now ‘normal’, I still have minor antibodies & many, many symptoms after 14 months of 90mgs of Armour. I will ask my new CA Doc to work with me on what you have suggested & hope to become well again soon. Thank you SO much 🙂
Dianne Joyce, PsyD
I was forced to get a new thyroid dr when mine retired in Oct. She immediately cut my Cytoel to 50% “to avoid osteoporosis as I get older” and to see if “my own thyroid wouldn’t kick in on it’s own somehow.” I have been sick ever since then and continually going down hill. I had a CT scan right before X-Mas with contrast. Apparently the iodine in the contrast got stored in fat cells and caused the nodules in my throid to release excess horemone which led to hyperthyroidism with severe–and I mean severe–panic attacks. My doctor stopped the rest of my thyroid medicine as a result and asked me not to go back on until an 31 when she has her first appointment to see me. Now I believe I have gone completely hypo and can barely stand because of dizziness and feeling chronically faint. I am nauseated and cannot get to work. I read that patients with thyroid conditions such as mine should be on an iodine free diet 2 weeks prior to CT or given a certain medication prior to the CT scan to try to avoid what happened to me. Please take this as a warning because I am all but incapacitated at present and am glad if I can help anyone ele avoid what happened to me. I’m glad this site is here.
cindy hoffman
I am right along with you guys. I am in the process of getting my doc to go with the Armour. She is hesitant on doing so. I have tried all the anti-depressants and could not go with any from the side affects. I blame my thyroid on that for the way it wigged me out. I have been having anxiety, hair loss & mild depression. I have been told that is just part of it. I am tired of it. Hopefully i will be able to get this under control this new year.
Alison
I was on Effexor XR for over a year and all of the horrid side effects described in the linked article are VERY familiar to me – I think it was one of the worst experiences in my entire life.
I’m with Sarah and ibeji on this one.
Sarah
About effexor – Don’t take it! If it is low to moderate depression you suffer from, there are far more effective , healthier ways to treat depression. If the depression is a result of hypothyroidism, continue agressively treating that.
I found relief from moderate to severe depression through treating my hypothyroidism, after years of being on several different doses of Effexor – from 75 to 375mg – experiencing little improvement and suffering from many side-effects.
Depression is often a symptom of other problems. Besides the inefficiency of many anti-depressants, it simply makes more sense to treat the source of the problem anyway.
ibeji
Dear Barbara,
concerning “Effexor”, you may find the following New York Times article interesting: “Dr. Drug Rep”, by MD Daniel Carlat: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/magazine/25memoir-t.html?_r=1
Best regards,
ibeji
Deana Newcomb
Excellent article. One can never stop being their own advocate.
toby
I have been low thyroid for several years. It finally took T3 compounded. I also take 75 mg of effexor ex. Note someone will not get full disability with low thyroid even though it took several years to feel well again. The world does not understand thyroid problems.
ibeji
I just sent Oprah the following message (I had to shorten Janie’s model letter because of the 2000 character limitation on Oprah’s website):
Dear Oprah, I am worried about you!
My name is xxxxxxxxxxxxxx and I am a thyroid patient living in yyyyyyyyyyyy. My letter is to let you know that thousands of us who are appreciative fans of you and your philanthropic work are concerned about you and your current health problems (thyroid condition).
And although you felt helped by a healthful diet, vitamins and the month-long rest, they will ultimately not stop the attack of your immune system on your thyroid and you will fall into more chronic hypothyroid unless you adequately treat it. You can read about Hashi’s here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/hashimotos/
and here: http://thyroid.about.com/
as well as several other fine sites on the internet.
The vast majority of doctors try to put thyroid patients on the most common thyroid medication around, such as Synthroid, Levoxyl, or other T4-only meds. The patient-to-patient website https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ will explain why this doesn’t work and hasn’t worked for five decades.
It will also tell you about a far better medication called Armour, which is desiccated pig thyroid, and dosing by the elimination of symptoms first and foremost.
As the most influential woman in the world, you can also do a MIRACLE for millions of thyroid patients, by helping them be more aware of WHY they continue to have hypo symptoms due to the scandal of five decades of T4-only treatment and being held hostage to the TSH lab value.
I not only wish you the very best in your quest for good health, but I think your own struggle will work wonders to change millions of lives.
P.S.: Helpful literature might also be:
Dr. Broda Barnes: “Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness”,
Dr. Barry Durrant-Peatfield: “Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy: The Great Thyroid Scandal and How to Survive It”