Linda was an informed thyroid patient. i.e. she knew that Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) gave her the best results and had been on it for years and successfully. It changed her life in so many wonderful ways as a survivor of polio.
At 3 grains, it was an amount that removed her symptoms and helped so many issues that T4-only like Synthroid in the past did not.
But she was faced with major heart surgery–the replacement of her heart valve. The current one was quickly failing, and it became serious and necessary to get her into surgery!
And here’s what happened after she was admitted into the hospital:
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She was immediately put on T4-only
Their reasoning: her FT3 was too high. They failed to understand that her biological stress was probably causing pooling of T3–common in response to high cortisol, and the latter also causing more Reverse T3, the inactive hormone.. Patients will usually just lower the NDT, not get on T4-only, the latter which is a lousy treatment for all too many. And Linda had once been on T4-only and did absolutely lousy!
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One of the surgical team doctors, while visiting her several days before surgery, defended the T4.
Linda reports that the doc seemed to have no knowledge that a heart needs T3 to function well.
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She was told she could NOT bring her NDT with her and take it.
Linda reports here that she was treated like a moron who couldn’t possibly have a brain on what is best for her.
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Another doctor gave in, but she was only allowed 1.5 grains
A much better treatment plan, says Linda, based on years of her NDT use, even though lower than she wanted. And she credits her insistence for this change.
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She was put back on T4 for the surgery.
“I don’t do well on T4!!”, Linda exclaims. “Why do they think I should be on an inferior treatment when I need direct T3 the most in my recovery? They are so uninformed and brainwashed!”
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Upon being sent to a nursing home for several days for further recovery, she was also forced to stay on T4-only.
Linda had a friend come get her and take her home for the rest of her recovery!
She is now back on her NDT, though less until she recovers from the stress of her surgery, which can cause T3 pooling and rising RT3. Lesson learned, says Linda!
HOW TO AVOID LINDA’S EXPERIENCE
- Designate a loved one or a few friends ahead of time to agree to be your advocate if you have to go into the hospital.
- Teach your advocates by letting them know what you are on today, why it’s a better treatment for you, and what you want to stick with (even if in lower doses due to the stress effect)
- Inform your doctor of what you want or don’t want in a hospital setting.
- Create a MEDICAL INFORMATION POUCH. Inform your advocates where this pouch will be.
WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION POUCH
Try and find a clear plastic pouch or envelope of some kind. If it’s not transparent, label it with you name and info, such as JANIE’S MEDICAL INFORMATION POUCH, 2013. Place it in a memorable place in your house to be taken to the hospital, if needed. It could even be placed in your vehicle.
Or, create a google doc with all your information, and designate someone’s email as always having access to this information.
Add the following information on a sheet of paper:
- the amount of Natural Desiccated Thyroid and/or T3 you are on. Suggest an amount to lower to during the stress of the hospital stay, and to be continued after coming home until better recovery. Explain how you dose it. Make it clear that you do not want to be put on T4 of any kind.
- the amount of HC/adrenal cortex/adrenal supports you are on and why.
- any other important meds you are on and why.
- the name of your doctor and phone number.
- the name of close relatives or other friends and phone numbers.
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HAVE SPANISH SPEAKING FRIENDS?? PLEASE POST THIS IN YOUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK PAGE: Porfavor ayudame a difundir que la version en español del libro STTM esta disponible. Porfavor peguen la liga de arriba en sus paginas personales de Facebook. No lo puedo dar a conocer sin su ayuda! https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/spanish
It translates: Please help me to spread the word that the Spanish version of the STTM book is available. Please post the above link in your personal Facebook. I can’t spread the word (about the book) without your help.
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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11 Responses to “How a hospital can royally mess a thyroid patient up!! And here’s what YOU can do to avoid this!”
Jessica Williams
I had a triple lumbar Cage Fusion (lower spine) and the nursing staff refused to give me my meds (Compounding Pharmacy, NDT) for 7 days. And no Synthroid was offered (I would have refused). They said it was an illegal drug. Interestingly, they also stole my Valium and a pair of slacks. Major hospital . . . Swedish in Seattle. I lived. I am not an easy kill.
vox
I don’t blame them for taking the valium
brenda
Any hospitalization is loaded with risk. Last year I broke my neck. 5 hospitals said that nothing was wrong with me. 13 months later my Chiropractor took simple X-rays and saw the C1 fracture as clear as the sun. It had gotten so bad that I had been going from Doc to Doc and telling them “Hey I know I have a broken neck … C1 or C2 to be exact” and they would laugh & say “Yeah right you would be dead or in a wheel chair if that were true”. Then they would order a HEAD scan since that’s what they like to do. Head and neck aren’t the same thing … duh. Thanks to NDT, Iodine, Colloidal Silver, Probiotics, the natural health community, and a lot of bed rest, I’m still here despite no care from the hospitals & insurance network Docs.
Jolene
Unbelievable and SO WRONG!!!
Kay
Having a somewhat similar experience a few years ago, and after weeks of complaining, my physician had the nurse call to say it didn’t seem likely there was a problem despite a prior history of a back injury. It wasn’t until I went to my chiropractor (4 weeks post onset of worsening condition) that he ordered an MRI. Upon receiving the results, he faxed it my physician’s office and sent me home since my condition was beyond chiropractic medicine. Between the time the chiropractor hit the send button on the fax machine & the 20 minutes it took me to drive painfully home, my family had 6 phone calls about the fax. Four of the calls were from the physician’s / insurance office & two from the emergency room. For me it seems that the chiropractor was the way to get results in an otherwise doubtful medical community. Upon arriving home my stunned family received the final phone call which said to drive me to the emergency room where a Neurosurgeon was standing by in that my MRI results were considered a ‘medical emergency’ and to expect immediate surgery. Perhaps my experience may be helpful in getting the medical attention you require. Best wishes for improved health.
Maya
What are the options for hypothyroid patients where no medicine is available except thyroxine? e.g. India?
Kay
I would try buying Erfa, also known as “Thyroid” which is a medication that is nearly the same as Amour in the US. In fact, many US citizens are buying this medication from Canada due to the positive results from the medication. If you take a look on this website under Thyroid Medications, you’ll find more information about the medication, as well as, a list of reputable Canadian pharmacies to buy from. All that you would need is a prescription from your doctor for the medication & prescription dosage. If there is any doubt about the dosage, most physicians always recommend starting with the lowest possible dose and increase it after two or three weeks, but only under the direction of your physician. I hope this helps & best wishes for improved thyroid health. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/options-for-thyroid-treatment
Michelle Devon
When I was last in the hospital, they made me bring my own Armour with me, because their dispensary simply didn’t have NDT of any kind. Fortunately, they let me keep it and let me take it myself. I found this quite funny, because I had pain medication the time before when I was in the hospital, and they just got in a huge stink about me having my own meds while in patient, but when the Armour came up, I simply refused to budge on it, and they gave in and said to take my own and, “I assume you know how to take it…” and they didn’t talk about it to me again.
But when I saw the title of this post, I realized, darn, I should have mentioned something about this sooner on my own blog too–because it’s something many of us don’t think about until we’re already in the hospital, and by then, it might be too late to form a game plan!
Great advice on having the info all ready before it’s needed…
Sandy K
I’m in Missouri and just found out about NDT through this sight. I am on Levothroxine T4 and soon may have a hospital visit. I don’t see the NDT listed in covered meds. Do you all pay for your own or what health care provider do you use? Thanks
Janie
Hi Sandy. Patients use a variety of different doctors to get a prescription to NDT…but you have to be prepared to guide them on how to use it, which this page explains: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101 The kind of doctor most patients avoid are Endos, who tend to be obsessed with T4. And NDT is cheaper than T4 meds, even without being covered by insurance.
laura
Had a few problems after my mastectomy with med administration. I also couldn’t bring my own meds and they insisted on giving me my thyroid meds with iron tablets then told me I couldn’t take it at night when I normally do. My endo said so many patients wound up leaving the hospital in worse shape thyroid wise than when they were admitted.