TV personality Dr. “Drew” Pinsky is SORELY misinformed about desiccated thyroid!

YOU GOT IT WRONG DR. DREW!Note: though this STTM blog post will be mentioning a US presidential candidate, we will NOT approve comments that make political comments in any form. We DO invite you to comment about the problem of medical professionals like Dr. Drew Pinsky being completely ignorant about the efficacy of Natural Desiccated Thyroid! SPEAK YOUR MIND!!

Recently, Dr. David Andrew “Drew” Pinsky (also known in the media as Dr. Drew) while being interviewed on KABC’s “McIntyre in the Morning,” made a ridiculously misinformed comment about the fact that Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is on natural desiccated thyroid to treat her thyroid condition.1

The Washington Times stated that Dr. Drew and another doctor came to some “startling conclusions” and were “gravely concerned“. The Times quoted Dr. Drew as saying

“Both of us concluded that if we were providing the care that she was receiving, we’d be ashamed to show up in a doctor’s lounge. We’d be laughed out,” he added. “She’s receiving sort-of 1950-level care by our evaluation.”

The article narrowed it down with this quote from Dr. Drew:

“She also has hypothyroidism, and she’d been treated for hypothyroidism with something called Armour Thyroid, which is very unconventional and something that we used to use back in the ‘60s,” Dr. Drew said. “And by the way, wow, Armour Thyroid sometimes has some weird side effects.”

Here are SIX REASONS Dr. Pinsky is exactly the kind of doctor that informed thyroid patients report avoiding like the plague

1) To the contrary to what Dr. Drew stated, this so-called “unnconventional” medication from “back in the 60’s” was being used on thyroid patients starting in the 1890s…and was clearly successful for six DECADES as the primary treatment for hypothyroidism, and as medical reports reveal.

2) This so-called “unconventional medication” was only substituted with Synthroid starting in the 1960’s (which is synthetic and only ONE of FIVE thyroid hormones) because money-eyed Knoll Pharmaceuticals promoted it as a way to make moola….and doctors stupidly fell for it. See Chapter 1 and 2 in the revised STTM book for verified history about the introduction of Synthroid followed by the successful use of NDT for decades.

3) The “conventional medication” of using only one of five thyroid hormones (aka Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothyroxine, etc) has caused a multitude of problems for thyroid patients for over 50 years, as they have reported. The body does NOT force us to live for a storage hormone alone. Read https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work i.e. the use of Synthroid, Levoxyl and Levothyroxine has been the treatment producing “grave concerns” for too many patients.

4) Natural Desiccated Thyroid has changed lives ten-fold, report patients who started back on it around the turn of the 21st century! The results have been clearly superior to T4-only for all-too-many thyroid patients. Read https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101

5) Any “weird side effects” from Natural Desiccated Thyroid has explainable and correctible reasons for most of us, ranging from misinformed doctors using the lousy TSH lab test to dose by, to keeping patients on low doses far too long, to the fact that NDT will reveal either inadequate iron levels or cortisol issue (the latter two which by the way, Dr. Drew, are due to the lousy and inadequate treatment with T4-only for most). Study this: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ndt-doesnt-work-for-me

6) As far as Dr. Drew’s comment about being laughed out of the doctors lounge….that is exactly why informed patients are disgusted with, have so little respect for, feel immense frustration by, and run as fast as they can from doctors who would do that.

All of YOU are the reason we are yelling “Stop the Thyroid Madness!”

Thyroid patients worldwide are sick and tired of the robotic way medical practitioners worship the TSH lab test, the complete and biased ignorance many have about Natural Desiccated Thyroid or even T3 in one’s treatment, the blindness to obvious clinical symptoms of a poor treatment with T4, and the failure to understand how a healthy thyroid works and why!

It’s NOT about a “conventional” storage hormone alone any more than it’s simply about a pituitary hormone!

To Doctors: LISTEN TO THYROID PATIENTS! OPEN YOUR MINDS!

We are not brainless little peons who walk into your offices: we do live in our own bodies and thus have some wisdom about what works and what does NOT; we DO know that our lives have changed thanks to Natural Desiccated Thyroid and going by the free T3 and free T4, NOT the TSH. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/things-we-have-learned

To Thyroid Patients: WANT TO TELL DR. DREW HE’S WRONG ABOUT NDT??

Go here: https://www.facebook.com/drdrew/ Also share this link to this blog post: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/2016/08/18/tv-personality-dr-drew-pinsky-sorely-misinformed-desiccated-thyroid/

JanieSignature SEIZE THE WISDOM

 

 

 

 

 

REMINDER: Note: though this STTM blog post mentions a US presidential candidate, we will NOT approve comments that make political comments in any form. We DO invite you to comment about the problem of medical professionals like Dr. Pinsky being completely ignorant about the efficacy of Natural Desiccated Thyroid! Speak your mind!!

  1. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/18/dr-drew-pinsky-gravely-concerned-about-hillary-cli/

STTM graphic HEY DR. DREW....

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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85 Responses to “TV personality Dr. “Drew” Pinsky is SORELY misinformed about desiccated thyroid!”

  1. Erika

    Hi janie,

    I wanted to ask you what causes your eyes to become dry, poor saliva production and dry sinuses. Its like my body is trying to make saliva but it dosent make enough or the right quality. Im also having crazy muscle twitches everywhere in my body. Im starting to have headaches. I dont know what would cause this reaction.

    Reply
    • Janie Bowthorpe

      Hi Erika. I represent years of reported patient experiences, and reports of hypothyroid symptoms vary from person to person, even if some symptoms are common with the majority. We do know that dryness for “some” can go hand-in-hand with being hypothyroid, but I have no idea if that’s your cause or anything else about you. If you suspect hypothyroidism, you could do labs and then compare them to this page: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/lab-values

      Reply
  2. Mona Bottari

    No surprise! Not the only wrong comment the celebrity doc has made and I’m willing to bet not his last. He has been wrong on numerous occasions about many subjects and doesn’t get a ounce of respect from me.

    Reply
  3. Maria

    Hello Janie,

    I recently ordered your book (in Germany) for my mother; she would now like to switch to NDT from T4 only…but she wants to work with a doctor. She went to one for naturopathic treatment and asked him if NDT would be an option for her…The doctor said no – because my mother suffers from histamine intolerance and she “might react allergic to the pigs’ proteins”…is that possible??

    (The same doctor seems to never have heard of synthetic T4+T3 combination pills…when my mother wanted to know if those were an option at least, the doctor asked HER if she had any specific brand in mind. He didn’t know any.)

    (I do take NDT by the way: I had a friend from uni – an ENT specialist! – write a prescribtion for me (that’s possible in Germany), went on NDT, and later said to my endo, “I feel good on these, I’m not switching back to T4. Deal with it.” Now I get my prescribtions from him – still, I’m the only patient in the whole practice who takes NDT. Even though my endo knows that they’ve worked well for me for years…it’s pretty sad.)

    Kind Regards,
    Maria

    Reply
    • Janie Bowthorpe

      Does she eat ham? Bacon? I would think that would be a good test to see if she reacts?

      Reply
      • Maria

        She eats ham and Schnitzel.

        I gather from your reply that you’ve never heard of a severe allergic reaction to NDT?

        It sounds to me like something a person (in this care a doctor) has to add, even though they know not much about the subject. Still, it left us insecure.

        Reply
        • Janie Bowthorpe

          Well, it’s not about “being allergic to NDT”. It seems to be more about someone being allergic to either porcine…or being allergic to fillers. So when someone says they are fine with ham and schnitzel, we don’t normally see problems with NDT. But each person has to see.

          Reply
  4. Donna Czerwinski

    This is so upsetting and indicative of what’s going on these days with the medical profession; it is almost impossible to find an endo that is willing to consider anything other than synthyroid…ugh…my primary gave me a name of a newly graduated female endo and when I looked up her profile, one of the reviews said she won’t consider anything other than synthyroid…back to square one. when I just saw my primary I said I know my hair doesn’t look right. she suggested me taking hair skin and nail vitamins, which I am now doing. Well, here are all my numbers from recent b/w..I’m on 81.25 now and lowered from 96 or whatever it is because I felt I had palps…I admit I’ve been drinking an extra cup of coffee which may be interfering…ferritin was great last time, but here are the thyroid related numbers…vit d 69.3ng/mL; t4 free direct .81ng/dL (low); tsh .75uIU/mL; dhea 162.0ug/dL; thyroxine t4 5.9IU/mL; t3 107ng/dL; thyroid peroxidase tpo ab 6iU/mL; t3 free serum 2.9pg/mL….I feel I should increase the dosage of the Nature Throid but don’t know to what. That is only after hearing from Janie; I was wondering about that New Zealand thyrogold; do you take it in conjunction with your ndt or by itself; also, is there a better ndt that I should be taking…I just want to get this right once and for all. Took synthyroid years ago when I was in my 40s; was on 90 mg of Armour until it seemed to not be right and now nature throid….weight is always hanging on me weirdly….I did have one of my parathyroid glands out this Feb and I just read that you can develop thyroiditis, which nobody ever told me….too much stuff and no good doctor to really know what’s going on . I’m 64 and naturally post menopausely….buy a young 64. I just want to be right….I have only one daughter who has health problems since she was 13 and she’s 41 and has way more stuff going on than me; I’m sure the stress of that doesn’t help…anyway, thanks for listening and I’d appreciate any enlightenment..I trust people who are intelligent as I consider myself and are dealing with this stuff.

    Reply
  5. Mandy

    Synthroid was never helpful. I slept way too much from extreme exhaustion and He brain fog was horrible. I’m so thankful for Armour. So what if it is an older medication. Different meds for different people. A true doctor understands that a condition and it’s treatment are going to be different fo everyone!!!

    Reply
  6. Karen

    If not for Dr Drew, possibly the world would go on about its ignorance concerning women’s health issues. Even though he’s far from being a qualified individual (I would call him “a designer doc,”) he has brought to light women’s thyroid struggles and for that, we should all thank his designer ass. I’ve struggled for years after a trauma concerning Thyroid which is a “tricky business” with women all over the world.

    Reply
  7. Karen Robb

    Dr. Drew’s show has been cancelled by HLN…oh darn…NOT!
    http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/25/media/dr-drew-hln-canceled/

    Reply
  8. Bob Tayman

    I encourage everyone who has had their Thyroid removed due to cancer to read the following… The link for the “Dr” Pinsky article in the Washington post does not seem to work for me anymore…

    http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/many-thyroid-cases-overtreated-report-concludes-1.3038648#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=8Wwy2wb

    Reply
  9. Amy McGowen

    Dr Drew is a stupid conventional Dr that like the majority of others gets his info and education from Big Pharmaceutical reps selling their products. I’ve seen him on other shows with out of date info as well.. He’s more of a TV personality than a real Dr who needs to go get an integrative medicine education if he’s actually trying to help anyone.

    Reply
  10. Robin

    This is why “Dr.” Drew is more of a TV personality than he is a full fledged Dr. He knows what he learned about thyroid treatment a hundred years ago In school like I did in nursing school and he refuses to learn anything new or question lack of evidence with treatment of just T4. He’s afraid. God forbid he learn something from the hundreds upon thousands of people that have been successfully treated with NDT… that would mean he’d have to admit he was wrong and spoke out of line about something he knows nothing about!
    Get with the program because people are doing their own blood work and treating themselves, so either you Dr.’s get on board or we will work around you. It’s as simple as that. I’m tired of the medical field following the money and Big Pharma, and not caring how many people they keep sick! Shame on you! You and your family are not exempt from having thyroid issues making you sick! Stop with this nonsense of acting like people asking for a natural thyroid hormone to feel better is like asking for a narcotic! I can barely walk without NDT. I think I should know how I feel and where I feel best and should be looked at as an individual not a lab result. Get with the times of have people leave your practice in droves. My Dr. told me when I reported all my symptoms of Fibromyalgia going away that “we didn’t have an epidemic of Fibro, we have an epidemic of low thyroid from all the toxins we have in our environment and said he’d go out on a limb and say everyone could benefit from being on NDT.” My life has changed because of NDT. No lab and no Dr. will tell me otherwise.

    Reply
  11. Bonnie

    I don’t think doctors should be able to formulate a medication protocol unless they have been diagnosed with a thyroid disease. You have no idea what thyroid patients go through unless you go through it yourself. It’s like a rich person “sympathizing” with a poor person – yeah right – you have no clue!

    Reply
  12. Jay Steed

    Thanks for talking about this topic,..As soon as i heard the interview i came quick to read what you guys thought about this low blow to us thyroid patients

    Reply
  13. Susan Siens

    I have given up on trying to find a better practitioner and will return to my old PCP. Unfortunately, the doctor at my rural health clinic (20 minutes out of medical school, will remain at clinic for a year or two then move on) is insisting that my PCP and she be on the same page regarding my NDT. I will be seeing him in Oct or Nov, and my husband will accompany me as I do not trust myself to speak aloud in her presence. After HAVING MY LIFE RUINED by these ignorami, I, a nonviolent person, have very violent feelings towards them. This is not the first moronic statement I have read spoken by Drew (I only use the title Doctor for those who are capable of actually diagnosing illness) — if I remember correctly he also subscribes to the notion of a female brain.

    Reply
  14. Claire Keeley

    This is just the sort of self agrandmissement by debasing other more holistic doctors by claiming they are outdated and wrong that the thyroid community have become used to. We shouldn’t be surprised.
    I wish I could find an “outdated” doctor who took my symptoms as seriously as my blood test results, who didn’t rely solely on what they were spoon-fed in med school or by big pharma reps, but actually wanted to understand this condition and the treatment of it, “unconventional”, “weird” or otherwise.
    I’d try anything to not feel as drained as I always do, so come Dr Pinky et al. pull your finger out and accept that there isn’t a one size fits all cure for any illness, I know you’re busy, stressed and under pressure from above but I’d give anything to feel well enough to put myself in a similar position and so would thousands of other thyroid sufferers who continue to feel terrible despite being told that were normal and/or its all in our heads.
    Good on Dr. Bardack for thinking outside the box & being willing to try something that quite frankly might have worked well enough to allow Clinton to fulfil her own ambitions.

    Reply
  15. Bunny Dunn

    Amazing all these morons posting. None of you have seen those records with the knowledgable eye he has and he never said anything about not being effective or right for her. What HE did say its usage was antiquated. I’ve only spoken with Dr Drew once but if you’re a celebrity or a high profile individual this is who you see. ( he treats tons of famous folks because of his knowledge and expertise ). I think the writer of this article needs to do more research rather than posting take away opinions and trying to impugn Dr Drew in the process. If you want the best, this is the guy you see

    Reply
    • Paige

      Are you on NDT? Have you ever been treated with synthetics? I have. And I am far better on NDT than I ever was in 23 years in levo and synthroid. Funny you call the patients morons because one celebrity psychologist says treatment with NDT is antiquated and he’d be laughed at in the doctors lounge. Since he DOESN’T treat thyroid patients, because he’s not an endo or DO or naturopath or integrative doctor, he can’t, with a few idiotic statements, wipe out years of patient experience. Guess he’s in big pharmas pocket as well. He and you do those of us doing better on NDT a real disservice. Do you even have a thyroid issue?

      Reply
    • Karen

      If this is “the guy” that celebrities see and rely on for their personal health and well being I know they can do better. The “knowledgeable eye” you speak of has been bought and paid for by big pharma and big medicine. Synthroid has been recalled several times in its short history. NDT- has never been recalled since it was first developed over 100 years ago. I find it curious that many conventional doctors all say exactly the same thing about NDT – using exactly the same words – Dr. Drew included. It’s like they are all reading the same information and simply regurgitating the doctrine rather than interpret or question its accuracy. Especially when their patients come back appointment after appointment complaining of the same nasty symptoms that drugs like Synthroid and its generic counterpart can never resolve. Fortunately thyroid patients like Hillary and me are looking elsewhere for the right solutions.

      Reply
    • Jamie

      Bunny Dunn; I am having trouble seeing how his high profile has any bearing on his knowledge, experience, or competence?

      I’m far more impressed with results. What I have clearly observed over and over again is that this web site and this blog’s author (Janie) gets it right consistently. Why? Because she does exactly what doctors won’t do, she listens to patient experience and sees exactly what works. I have been in a number of health and thyroid groups over the years and the patient experience is overwhelming in favor of NDT(and or T3 treatment when needed) restoring peoples lives.

      In business I used to look for people with impressive credentials. Now I no longer care much at all about someone’s credentials, I care about their experience and how willing they are to lean. The people who are the most open to learning tend to be the smartest and most knowledgeable people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with.

      I also suspect you are confusing opinions with experience. The information here is gathered based on extensive experience. Where is Dr. Drew getting his opinion forming information? It certainly isn’t from listening to patients, if it was, he would be singing a different tune.

      Reply
    • Lea Ann Dye

      Dr. Drew said that he is “gravely concerned” about Hillary Clinton’s health and her medical treatments. Gravely! He concluded that her treatment was “antiquated”. His implication is crystal clear. He is saying that her treatment is incorrect, inadequate, improper and therefore she’s receiving care that “we’d be ashamed to show our faces in a doctor’s office”. How you can say “he never said anything about not being effective or right for her” is a ridiculous conclusion! No one could agree with that. Also, saying lots of rich and famous people go see him means nothing. All that means is a lot of people pay privately for their care. Michael Jackson had a private physician, too. That argument is irrelevant to the matter. Treating famous people doesn’t make you a good doctor, it just makes you a rich one.

      Back to the heart of the matter, Dr. Drew claims that both Armour and Coumadin are antiquated drugs with no place in medicine. He couldn’t be more wrong. There are medical reasons for both, but since they are older and well studied medications, Big Pharma doesn’t make $$$$$. Synthroid, synthetic thyroid hormone that subplanted Armour/NDT back in the late 60s/early 70s, is still one of the most widely prescribed medications. Synthroid bought and paid for all the medical studies and research concerning thyroid hormone replacement. Strangely, all the studies say that it’s the best! Patient experience trounces that argument. Sadly, the American Thyroid Association (heavily financially by the makers of Synthroid) actually states in their treatment directives that anyone who isn’t happy with their thyroid replacement therapy should be sent to a psychiatrist. Luckily for persevering patients who have lost patience with anti-depressant-happy, statin-happy, BP medication-happy, diet-happy (I could go on and on) doctors, there are doctors out there that will go back in time when thyroid patients were treated based on symptoms and not poorly derived lab ranges. You can google ATA treatment guideline yourself and see just how ridged they are with treatment. They even say that patients have no self-knowledge and their input on care should be completely ignored as the lab results are all you need for treatment. I really hope they all lose their thyroids and try treating each other in accordance with their own guidelines. In the mean time, lucky patients who find the integrative, holistic, functional, good doctors who still know how to talk to their patients and value patient input over just little numbers on a piece of paper are ecstatic that these natural thyroid hormones are still being made.

      The “weird side effects” he mentioned is pretty non-specific, but sounds ominous! Any time you take the wrong amount of thyroid replacement hormone for your needs, you can have “side effects”. Side effects are not limited and specific to Armour. Then, he goes on to rant on Coumadin like it has no place in medicine. Actually, that’s not true. You don’t even need to be a medical professional to find that information. There are newer anticoagulants. They are expensive, but serve a purpose just like Coumadin. They are also heavily advertised and subject to lots of side effects (just listen to the commercial’s disclaimers). Not to mention, all the attorneys who advertise for folks harmed by those newer anticoagulants. You can’t miss them on certain networks who target a certain demographic. Funny how I don’t see them for Coumadin, but that’s an irrelevant argument, also. Doctors should be treating collaboratively with their patients determining which is the best medication for their condition vs which is the newest drug on the market. Sadly, Big Pharma reps spend lots of time in doctor’s offices trying to sway their knowledge on what is “the best medicine”. World we live in, sadly. Follow the money.

      Let’s see, you spoke with him once. That hardly makes you knowledgeable about his medical skills, so I’m going to disagree with your opinion that Dr. Drew is the best. Quite frankly, he’s probably no better than most (based on his interview) and he’s pretty arrogant about it. I’ll just say no to Dr. Drew.

      Reply
    • mandy simms

      He said if he prescribed that antiquated medicine from the 50s he would be laughed out of the Drs lounge. Pretty plain to me.

      Reply
    • Montana RN

      @ Bunny Dunn-

      Rarely have I seen a more ignorant comment than yours.

      Dr. Drew may or may not be a good MD in the conventional medical paradigm, but he obviously is clueless when it comes to thyroid issues. Being able to parrot the currently in-vogue medical treatment for a condition correctly does NOT make him knowledgeable, it only means he has sufficient intelligence to regurgitate information learned by rote-a skill also demonstrated in gorillas…
      My 60 yr old wife [also an RN] has had thyroid issues for the past 4 years and her endocrinologist was as worthless as the tits on a boar hog. Thank the good Lord that she at least said “NO!” to the radioactive iodine destruction of her thyroid gland, which was the first option the moron endo presented.
      Only when I was FINALLY able to get my wife somewhat deprogrammed from the medical brainwashing and partially educated about the role iodine [deficiency] plays in thyroid issues was she able to start on the road to recovery.
      We are currently exploring NDT, along with an organic diet and raw juices as a bridge to full recovery of her thyroid function.

      Reply
  16. Elvira Walker

    The mere fact that Dr. Drew could make a comment to the effect of someone’s hormone treatment being in the dark ages, shows me just how far he HAS NOT advanced. He is a celebrity doctor, so I suppose he does not take the time to do research. Whoever has crossed over from the un-natural synthroid medicines to the natural medicines are being treated in the most respectful and best way possible. I was on synthetic medicine after my thyroidectomy. I felt so badly that I was losing my will to live. My endocrinologist did not get it. She said that I was fine while all the time slowly dying. I even lost my ability to stand, sit or do anything. I took my health into my own hands, because I found that there were more ignorant doctors out there like Dr. Drew. Thank God I found information on NDT. After finding a doctor who was knowledgeable, no easy feat, I was put on Natural Dessicated Thyroid medicine, the same kind as Hillary. I slowly began to regain my health and strength back. The synthetic medicines are not replacing what our own bodies gave us before thyroidectomy. The natural medicine has the exact same thing that our bodies had. I pray that more doctors take the notion to learn about this wonderful medicine that was invented in the “dark ages”, so to speak, but still continues to help us in this new age.

    Reply
  17. Nick Vlahovich

    Fire Dr. Drew!

    Reply
  18. Alex

    Just because it was a treatment ‘back in the day’ doesn’t make it any less effective. If anything, the history behind its use far exceeds any ‘research’ on current pharmaceuticals. Synthetics can’t replace natural hormones. If doctors like you bothered to think outside the box, and learnt what lab values actually reflected (in combination, not in isolation), then perhaps the field would have a far better idea of what medicines actually benefit patients. It is just a pity that doctors have become beholden to the pharma industry, which is all about masking a problem rather than prevention and/or digging deeper to find the underlying issues.

    Reply
  19. David Tomen

    5 years ago my wife took me to the ER because she thought I was having a heart attack. Tests showed my heart was fine. But I was diagnosed Hypothyroid. 3 months of Synthroid and I was getting sicker and sicker. I found STTM, got some erfa and started to feel better. 5 years later and I use NP Thyroid dosed 4-times per day. I’m healthy, my business is booming and I love life. Shame on you Dr. Drew. And the 6 endocrinologists I’ve fired since I was diagnosed.

    Reply
  20. Jen

    Just to add ndt doesnt work for everyone

    Reply
  21. Bob Tayman

    Talk about mis-informed doctors working with old information…
    I could go on and on about this, but lets start with the beginning of the article. Strange side effects – Synthroid was given to me after a total thyroidectomy for cancer. Roughly 2 weeks later I did not feel well, racing thoughts and racing heart. The doctor INCREASED my dose after my complaints. 9 days later, (and 4 ambulance trips to the ER later), She refused to admit that the Synthroid was causing the issues even though these issues are listed as side effects and the papers I received with my prescription and these papers also said to immediately talk to my doctor if those side effects were noticed. I literally could not get up off the couch and walk to my kitchen sink to get a glass of water, all of about 17 steps without my heart rate climbing up to 135 to 160 (2 days before removing my thyroid I hiked about 17 kilometers). I had so many side effects I have a list still that I brought to the doctor (my stool was complete liquid, felt like I drank 200 cups of coffee, sore joints, stiff joints, zero energy, dry skin, dry hair, etc etc etc). I was diagnosed with arrhythmia and sinus tachycardia. 2 months I was like this until I finally quit that doctor and went to another who changed my prescription. This time, it was Cytomel I was given. Within a week my feet started to swell, but the heart issues disappeared completely. By the third week the pain of standing on my feet made it extremely difficult to walk (I still have no idea why this was happening and cannot get anyone to give me a good explanation but they kept saying it will go away). 10 months later, another doctor. Eltroxin this time. Within 2 weeks, back to the heart issues, very dark thoughts, I felt completely dead. Another doctor, after much pleading, I talked them into trying desiccated thyroid. So far (4 weeks into slowly into a low dose) I think I can finally say that although I am not yet my old self, I am feeling so much better than I have in the last 15 months that it is explainable and almost surreal.
    Please don’t talk to me about side effects from desiccated thyroid until you have talked to someone who has side effects from the synthetic drugs the uninformed medical community try to shove down our throats without any thoughts on how people are supposed to make their mortgage payments when they cannot walk 10 yards.

    Sorry “Dr’ Drew Pinsky, Just like a bad product at the department store, your credentials are now VERY suspect to me and I will make sure everyone I know is informed about your lack of knowledge of medical issues you like to talk about.. just like the power of the informed consumer, the public has to make a stand and start publicizing bad medical practitioners.

    Reply
    • mandy simms

      Your feet pain was probablt tendonitis and plantar fastulitis a common symotom of hypo. I couldnt walk without being in excruiating pain.

      Reply
      • Bob Tayman

        I have had plantar fasciitis before and I can assure you it was not remotely close to being the same ( I have insoles I wear now to prevent it and also am well versed in exercises to prevent it). They had me on T3 twice, and both times the swelling and pain started within a week of taking the synthetic t3 and also stopped about the same amount of time after stopping the medication. One doctor told me it may be a reaction to the pills. Another dismissed this and claimed it was a hypo effect, but at a later appointment with him he told me that hypo would not cause this and he had no idea what was causing it (in a round about way he insinuated that the swelling in my feet/ankles/knees along with the pain was all in my head even after I showed him pictures of the swelling, and without swelling).

        Reply
  22. Gala

    Ok first of all synthroid is not a cure all… “Take this little high dose pill and feel fine” is a stupid myth…… We as thyroid patients know we have to have what a natural thyroid produces and that’s Ts 1-7 and calcitonin and T3 being the most important…! What do yo do with manmade t4 when you don’t convert t4 into t3???? This is a ludicrous statement that this so call professional has has stated😡

    Reply
  23. Brenda

    He insulted Doctors, he insulted thyroid patients and he insulted Arkansas !!!

    Reply
  24. Amber K

    You, “Dr” are so far out of your element on this. I was on synthroid for 5 years with zero relief of symptoms. Yet, I was normal according to the tsh. I wanted to die. Every day. Every single day. You might think I’m being all dramatic with my feminine woe. I slept 20 hours a day on synthroid that was supposed to help me. I gained 50 pounds in a month. Impossible? I have proof. Dr’s like you didn’t want to fool with me after that. My tsh was normal. I MUST have been eating my weight in ice cream and cookies. Guess again.
    I had developed pcos, plantar fasiitis so bad I couldn’t bear weight on my feet, I only woke to urinate and nibble what ever was edible and back to bed. The depression I couldn’t begin to explain that. I was on lithium and other anti depressants. But nope, still wanted to die.
    Finally, a Dr NOT like you took one look at me and tested all the appropriate tests. TSH FT3 FT3 RT3. Markers for antibodies, and cancer. Guess what was happening to all that precious synthroid? Not single molecule was getting into my cells. I was so close to death I was going to get my wish in another month or so. First I would have gone into a coma and Dr’s like you would have given me MORE of that synthroid.
    Got on Armour.
    A month later, I was walking again, I was looking forward to the day again. And it’s gonna be a cold day in hell when Dr’s like you succeed in taking away the one thing that saved my wretched life.
    Saved the multitude of lives just like mine.

    Reply
  25. Irene Sennett

    From my own experience with Armour thyroid, I had weird side effects. Back to Levothyroxine and trying to get my dosage stable, I’ve learned that it’s not one size fits all. If it works for Hillary Clinton, then it’s the right medicine for her. There are also other variables that can affect thyroid function, such as antibodies, digestive health, diet, stress, etc. Reading as much as possible is up to the patient as doctors feel like the pill is the only solution (although it is crucial too).

    Reply
    • Janie Bowthorpe

      Irene, two things to tell you: 1) Armour changed in 2015 after Forest was bought out my Activas according to a certain body of patients who had been on it successfully before then. i.e. they saw strange problems. That may be why you issue with it, not because NDT gives weird side effects. Patients who had that with Armour switched to other brands and have soared. Or 2) the Armour was revealing that you have either inadequate iron or a cortisol problem. Study this page: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ndt-doesnt-work-for-me

      Reply
      • Barbara

        I was on Armour since 1997. When Activas bought Forest, I noticed some symptoms were mildly returning. I was also disgusted that the price tripled. My functional medicine nurse practitioner and I decided it was time to switch to Nature-Throid. It’s working well, and my NDT cost has dropped by 66%. I recently paid $41.20 for Nature-Throid; the last script of Armour (identical potency & quantity) cost $118!

        Reply
  26. Donna Grant

    We need a PANEL of PEOPLE to go on the show ( or any show) ,and DEBATE the issue.
    Only a stupid doctor could possibly believe that all the other hormones are completely UNnecessary !! I CHALLENGE Dr Drew to a Thyroid DEBATE

    Reply
    • mandy simms

      Yes, he should stick to councelling all those sex and drug addicts.

      Reply
  27. yesenia Rios

    Disappointed I just had thyroid cancer and this is lack of education dr drew!!
    Because of drs like u it took me forever to get checked, meanwhile I was having drs tell me it was all in my head etc….Dr .Drew…go back to school

    Reply
  28. Hadassah

    I’m sorry Dr. Drew , YOUR FIRED . Myself and other in the same predicament finally realized that we suffered enough and put up enough with this kind of treatments . And so we empowered ourselves and fired Dr.’s like you . And went to wonderful Dr. who listen to us, feel for us and think out of the “BOX”. After 23 years after T.T. and put on Synthroid and I felt awful with weight gain, no energy, brain fog, dry skin, muscle cramping, aches and pain, palpitation, high blood pressure should I go on Dr. Drew ? How would you like it Dr. Drew ? Would you deny yourself Dr. Drew from quality life ? Of cause NOT . WHY ? WHY ? WHY ? Dr. Drew deny us ? I am so very very GREATFUL that we have NDT that gives us back our QULITY LIFE THA WE SO SEEK. SYMPTONES GONE . THANK G-D !!!!!!! I went on T3 for a few months and my WONDERFUL OPEN MINDED Endo switched me to NDT . Just three weeks later there are no words that I can possibly express other than I finally feel A LIVE AGAIN . So Dr. Drew is this what you want to deny us ? Well dear Dr. Drew this kind of negative thinking on your part and practice you will be denied of having the pleasure of bringing us back to the quality of life that we so yearn for .
    HEALTH AND HAPPINESS FOR A FULL QULITY LIFE FOR US ALL . AND TO THE MANY MORE WONDERFUL DR’s WHO WANT TO LEAD US TO A WONDERFUL FULL QULITY LONG PRODUCTIVE LIFE . I say a “BIG THANK YOU FROM OUR HEARTS TO YOURS .

    Reply
  29. Carollynn

    It would seem that Dr. Drew needs to do his homework. Apparently, he is stuck in the schooling he received telling him that Synthroid is the way to go. Wrong! I guess he never learned that there are those of us who cannot convert T4 to T3. Synthroid is useless to those of us who cannot. I felt miserable on Synthroid, lost my hair and was 50 Lbs. heavier. Dr? Drew, go get some continuing education before you make such comments about Hillary’s treatment plan.

    Reply
  30. Laura Downing

    There is danger behind his words.

    He is using his “power” in the media to increase his visibility, regardless of the damage it causes to those of us struggling to take control of our health and lives again.
    Personally, I have been forced to lose years of my life, all due to incorrect assumptions and misinformation about Thyroid Disease, that is rampant throughout the medical community.

    Perhaps, if I need information on Drug and Alcohol Treatment or even Teen Pregnancy, I may turn on MTV or VH1 to hear his opinions on those topics.

    His timing and motives are questionable at best.
    One must ask why he has decided NOW is the appropriate for him to use such a public platform to suddenly address Thyroid Disease. Absolutely no one has gained anything from his statements, except for him.

    There is danger behind his words.
    As a community, it is extremely important we understand that.
    We also must make our voices louder than those who have no skin in advancing the treatment of Thyroid Disease, and the havoc Thyroid Disease causes on the rest of the body.

    Reply
  31. Katie Williams

    So disappointed in Dr. Drew. Because he is a celebrity doctor, people may be inclined to believe he is knowledgeable about what he’s saying. Smh

    Reply
  32. Aileen

    I am a nurse practitioner, and work in the field of chronic pain management. I stumbled on this website by accident, as I have been on 80 mg a day of Prozac for probably around 20 years. It is not working as well as it once did, and my depression is returning. The newest thing is to add an atypical antipsychotic to the antidepressant to give it some added horsepower. This idea does NOT thrill me, so I started looking around for another answer. Come to find out, that NIH (National Institute of Health) is even on board with this—adding triiodothyronine to the antidepressant. I can tell you, most providers aren’t aware of this. Probably because T3 doesn’t benefit big pharma, and no one acts as an advocate for the medication. Anyway, I have taken two doses of T3 now, and perhaps its just placebo effect, but darn if I don’t think I already am feeling better! Now, this is all BRAND NEW to me, having been educated in the conventional mainstream nursing/medicine schools, but I started thinking about all the patients I treat who have fibromyalgia, depression, insomnia, etc, etc. And of course, I start wondering if maybe some of these folks aren’t hypothyroid as well—undiagnosed. I order labs on patients routinely to check on liver and kidneys, among other things. I will start adding at least a free T3 and a free T4, along with the TSH. Would love to add other labs, just to see, but I highly doubt that insurance companies will cover it all. Anyway, I am trained in conventional medicine, but I do NOT agree with providers who feel that anything outside the scope of their education is horse pucky. Nor do I subscribe to the belief that conventional medicine has nothing to offer, and natural remedies are always better. I think the truth lies in the middle—doesn’t it always? So……thank you for this site, and I’ve got a lot of reading and talking to my patients ahead of me!!! Don’t give up on us nurse practitioners–we just need education!!!! THANK-YOU SO MUCH!!!

    Reply
    • daleb

      It’s common for patients suffering from thyroiditis to be put on antidepressants.

      Reply
    • Montana NAR

      If a patient is suffering from a long-term, chronic disease, such as Lyme disease complex, they will undoubtedly be hypothyroid.

      Focus on the hypo symptoms; not on the tests. I took Janie’s advice and use natural desiccated thyroid, with me deciding to increase the dose in a modest fashion, until many of my symptoms were resolved. Like the split in my lower lip and the shredding of my cuticles if I don’t take enough thyroid. I currently take 195 mg WP thyroid daily. Taking T3-only is also a viable option for any patient.

      Remember, all hypo symptoms will not resolve if there is a long-term chronic disease (a stressor) which is causing the body to produce Reverse T3 which then blocks many of the T3 receptors. However, it will help hypo patients feel much better than not having any thyroid medication with T3 in it. Just say “No” to synthroid.

      Also consider giving them compounded bioidentical hormones, in a cream form, each separately, which they can titrate themselves and hopefully alleviate symptoms. It helps with mood stabilization.

      Reply
    • Brenda

      I am an RN currently working on my Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner. I have Hashimoto’s and was on Levothroid plus very low dose cytomel for 21 years. Two years ago I asked to be changed to Naturethroid. I was and it changed my life. My blood pressure medication has been reduced from 100mg to 25mg daily. My cholesterol levels are perfect. The swelling in my ankles is gone. My heart rate was usually 80 to 100 even at rest, currently 60 to 80 at rest. I have skin between my fingers again! If you know how frequently nurses wash our hands then you know thats a big deal. I have lost that 20 stubborn pounds that is was so hard to lose before on grilled meat and raw veggie diet, but now i eat everything! Oh and the horrific horrific constipation…gone! Did I mention I am 50 years old and work as a nurse? I worked a full time and part time job until November and achieved my BSN in October. Natural dessicated has truly changed my life, the problem is that I cannot get back those 21 years on T4 and low dose T3 alone. Wake up medical professionals. Thyroid patients deserve better.

      Reply
    • mandy simms

      I couldnt believe the ignorance of the man. If it wasnt for STTM and NDT I dont know what physical state I would be in. It saved my life. Mainstream medicine was NEVER going to help me so I found a natrioath and Intergrative Dr in the USA (im in Australia) to diagnose and treat me. I was left for 18 years untreated and now I have health issues that need to be addressed because his type of Dr. Refused to do the right tests and listen to me. How is it his business to stick his nose into Hillary Clintons health care?

      Reply
    • Oliver E. Olson, APRN, FNP-C

      Try NP Thyroid for yourself and your patients with TSH >2.6 and watch the miracles happen, start with 60 mg or if want to be conservative 30 mg, and raise by 30 mg every two weeks until optimal dose is achieved, usually within 1.2-1.9 mg/kg. If you or another provider look at TSH it will approach zero and look like hyperthyroidism. It is usually not. Monitor afternoon body temperature and goal is 98.1 to 98.6. If above may be over medicated, if below and consistently 97.3 or less this is very likely deficiency or sign of early thyroid failure. Yes depression evaporates within 5 days, I had patients declare they felt better with one dose of NP Thyroid NDT. Skip the antipsychotics and Prozac for thyroid failure thank you that is madness. Believe me I know the VA treated me for 12 years before I figured out it was thyroid failure. Got my life back with just 90 mg of NP Thyroid daily. Got off all my meds from the VA. My weight normalized. So thankful for natural desiccated thyroid and STTM site, books, and patient comments and stories.

      Reply
  33. K.Norris

    My hope is that when Hillary becomes President, she will encourage Medicare to cover NDT. While she is of Medicare age, we know she has Cadillac medical coverage and can easily afford to get the best care possible. However, she is very open to the issues of her age group. I will be writing to her about this soon….

    Reply
  34. Greg wilson

    The difference between someone running to be the USA President and an idiot that calls himself a Doctor is she has the intelligence to know what is medically right for her and millions of others. We can all be thankful that this narrowminded “Dr” is not running to be president. I think he needs to start back at kindergarten really!

    Reply
  35. Pamela Plumley

    I agree with the above commenter. Any doctor who comments on a patient’s healthcare plan is a disgrace, and it is illegal to do so publicly! Clearly, a showman. Jerk. I am sick of doctors who tell you that your thyroid is a little overcompensated, now you must go down to a level that is “healthy” when you know that you will simply die on that dose. I am in that process right now, doc wants to lower me to .50 MCGs. I refused. I told her that last time that happened, I gained over 20 pounds and was sluggish and fatigued and had cloudy thinking. I will not do it again. I begged for a referral to an endocrinologist. I will ask about desiccated thyroid. I think doctors are so afraid to do anything these days. At least mine gave me a referral to discuss the matter and let me stay on the .75 for now.

    Reply
  36. Kat Evans

    Dr Drew–Really?? Are you that far removed from the current day treatment practices??
    Honey you need to have a sit down with some ladies who can teach you what’s going on in the world of thyroid dysfunction & treatment now a days!!
    Get informed Drew honey! Get informed baby!!

    Reply
  37. Val Taylor

    Dr Drew is so wrong. I fought for months with my Endo on getting me off synthroid which was making me crazy with fog like feelings in my head and I believed only suscribed becasue it was expensive. I told my Dr. if I wasn’t taken off of it and given Armour Thryroid I would find a Dr. who would. Synthroid cost nearly $100 and for several months becasue my insurance said it was the recommended medication I had to pay out of pocket for Armour. Fast forward to today I have loss weight I’m exercising regualry and feel like a human being again. He doesn’t have a clue as to what he is talking about. There are so many people sick from taking synthroid but Dr. are being forced to prescribe it I believe. even Dr. Mercola and Dr. Andrew Weil recommend taking thyroid medicine with the T3 hormone and not just the T4 in synthroid. It’s crazy. basically you are in control of your body. He is so wrong here.

    Reply
    • Donna Czerwinski

      I used to be on Armour but thought I’d switch to Nature-Throid when they so called changed the formula…is the formula back to what it was before..I did great on it then..

      Reply
      • Donna

        so Janie, here are my recent lab results; doctor took me off the nature-throid for two weeks and then I have my bloodwork done while I was not taking med. thyroxine (t4) 6.9; iron bind cap (tibc) 287, uibc 136, iron serum 151, iron saturation 53; t4 free direct .98; t3 116, tsh 5.080; ferritin serum 66; all cbc and comp metab panels normal; vit d 66.0; thyroid peroxidase tpo ab 7; thyroglobulin antibody 1.3; t3 free serum 2.7 and pth intact 23…would love your feedback….don’t feel that bad; my doc thought maybe I shouldn’t be on the med at all; worth a fast from it to see…

        Reply
        • Janie Bowthorpe

          Hi Donna. You didn’t include any ranges, which makes it hard for anyone to comment. Plus it’s the free T3 you need, not just free T4. But in spite of that, I can tell your iron is WAY too high, which can point to the MTHFR mutation: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr

          From now on, use this page to understand your lab results: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/lab-values THEN take what you have learned to groups for feedback, which is better than using the comments here on the STTM blog: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/talk-to-others 🙂

          Reply
          • Donna

            Sorry for the delay; tooth infection and pain for a week..t3 free was 2.7 ref range 2.0-4.4 pg;/mL; thyroglobulin antibody was 1.3 ref range of 0.0 – 0.9 IU/mL; t4 was 6.9 ref range 4.5 – 12.0 ug/dL; iron bind cap was 287 ref range 250-450; .uibc was 136 ref range 118-369 ug/dL; iron serum was 151 ref range 27-139 ug/dL; iron saturation was 53 ref range 15-55 %; t4 free was .98 ref range .82 – 1.77 ng/dL; t3 was 116 ref range 71-180/ng/dL; tsh was 5.080 ref range .450 – 4.500 uIU/mL; ferritin serum was 66 ref range 15-150 ng/mL…now you have the ranges; bear in mind I was taken off the Nature Throid for 2 weeks with these results; I am seeing my doctor tomorrow morning to go over results. I was diagnosed by the other doctor in 2013 with mthfr1298 A/C, NOT the 677. I would like to know the regime that I should be on to treat the mutation. He had only put me on Prothera l-methylFolate folate as metafolin 1 mg l-5methyltetrahydrofolate (2 capsules daily); that’s all. seems I should be on a lot more supplements to treat this??? B12, etc. Thanks for your help., Looking forward to your input before I leave tomorrow..no pressure ; )

          • Janie Bowthorpe

            TSH screams hypo. FT4 screams hypo. Iron wayyyyy too high for a woman when compared to women without MTHFR. Not an MTHFR treatment expert, so hopefully you can do a consultation with someone who is. 🙂

        • Donna

          Being off nature thyroid for awhile now, not sure as is my doctor that I really need thyroid med , but the results will tell and we will go over tomorrow…thanks again…

          Reply
  38. Lorraine Morley

    I am appalled that Dr Drew saw fit to comment on the personal medication of a public figure. But I can not say how disgusted I am at his complete lack of knowledge about Natural Dessicated Thyroid which has all 5 hormones the thyroid needs, unlike T4 only medications which keep patients sick. NDT was in use for 5 decades and patients did very well on it before the introduction of T4 only meds which hold patients hostage to hoping they can convert it to T3. Dr Drew you should start reading the STTM book and web site which is based entirely on PATIENT EXPERIENCE not a lousy TSH test and even lousier T4 only med! Which is why we patients on NDT would run a mile from an arrogant misinformed Dr like you.

    Reply
  39. Darla

    I don’t know of any reputable doctor who would comment on someone’s health care plan. He’s a complete quack. I wish networks would stop giving him air time.

    Reply
  40. Karla Morrill

    This is one of the most unprofessional remarks I have ever seen. Clearly, Dr. Drew is completely ignorant of the history of thyroid treatment over the years. Natural desiccated thyroid was the only option for treatment before Synthroid came onto the market. There was no TSH test in existence prior to the early 1970s; patients were treated by their symptoms, not a lab value that has proven to be unreliable in terms of how patients feel. Patients the world over are told their numbers are “fine” so therefore any symptoms are all in their heads. They are suffering immensely. I wonder if thyroid is a field in which Dr. Drew feels he is an expert? I think he should have a look at what this information: http://jeffreydachmd.com/2013/06/natural-thyroid-is-better/. After a double blind study at Walter Reed nearly half of patients felt better on natural thyroid. But, of course, as per usual, doctors don’t listen to how their patients feel. Commenting on the treatment decided upon by another doctor in such a situation is wildly unprofessional. Dr. Drew certainly cannot have all the facts regarding how Mrs. Clinton feels on this medication and/or if she was on the synthetic in the past and how she felt then. There are millions of people who suffer from hypothyroid disease, many undiagnosed thanks to the ignorance of doctors who rely on the TSH as the sole factor in whether someone needs to be treated. The implication that somehow having thyroid disease makes her unfit to be President of the United States would lead to the conclusion that anyone with thyroid disease is unfit for high-stress jobs of any kind. I wonder about the list of many medications and treatments prior Presidents have used, including medications for blood pressure, etc. President Kennedy had Addison’s disease. FDR was in a wheelchair. Were they unfit for office based on their medical conditions? Apparently not. Educate yourself “Dr.” Drew and behave like a medical professional and refrain from opining on what Mrs. Clinton’s doctor should or should not be treating her with. For many of us who are thyroid patients, even finding a doctor who is willing to prescribe this medication is nearly impossible. As a person of political standing and with her financial means, Mrs. Clinton is able to get access to what many of us are struggling to obtain.

    Reply
    • Janie Bowthorpe

      The STTM II book also has a chapter on Natural Desiccated Thyroid totally written by a medical colleague of Dr. Drew. Drew needs to WISE UP!! http://laughinggrapepublishing.com/stop-thyroid-madness-ii-book/

      Reply
      • mandy simms

        I couldnt believe the ignorance of the man. If it wasnt for STTM and NDT I dont know what physical state I would be in. It saved my life. Mainstream medicine was NEVER going to help me so I found a natrioath and Intergrative Dr in the USA (im in Australia) to diagnose and treat me. I was left for 18 years untreated and now I have health issues that need to be addressed because his type of Dr. Refused to do the right tests and listen to me. How is it his business to stick his nose into Hillary Clintons health care?

        Reply
  41. Jaye

    What weird side effects, Dr Drew? Weight loss? Improved sleep and energy levels?

    I have been on Erfa Thyroid for years and have had no side effects worse than that.

    Reply
  42. Linda Donaldson

    This doctor and so many others are so misinformed! Listen to your patients! I was held captive to the TSH and T4 only medication for 42 years! Starting natural desiccated thyroid was what my body was craving! My seasonal depression, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and over weight ALL resolved after becoming optimal on NDT!

    Reply
  43. Lianne Simon

    Yes! Unfortunately, most doctors seem to be in the mode where they oversimplify. If TSH is high, then give enough Synthroid to lower TSH into the normal range. Biology is a little more complicated than that. I was on Synthroid for over a decade without any relief from my symptoms. T4 alone simply wasn’t enough. Especially when my doctors insisted on dosing based on my TSH levels. After nearly a decade on Nature-Throid, I believe in evidence-based medicine. My quality of life improved dramatically. Would I give that up because some doctor is ignorant? Not likely.

    Reply
    • Susan Siens

      I read Lynne Farrow’s book about iodine and she pointed out that what we experience at the doctor’s office is CONSENSUS-based treatment, NOT EVIDENCE-based treatment. Sorry to be rude, but when you have a bunch of mush-brained medicos sitting around agreeing on a consensus you are not going to get very good treatment!

      Reply
    • Donna Czerwinski

      If you don’t mind me asking, what is the correct dosage of Nature-Throid that you’re on and how did you arrive at that?

      Reply
    • Sofia

      My husband has high 2 types of antibodies in his blood and low TSH. Doctor immediately made a diagnosis of hyper and Hashimoto. He wants to put him on Methimazole 5mg. I am not sure he is hyper. He doesn’t have any symptoms except of being cold most of the time, which is the symptom of being hypo. From Janie’s book I read to eliminate Hashimoto because of bacteria first. Genova Labs don’t talk to the patients, only the doctors.
      My question: which stool test should I tell my doctor to order before my husband starts taking medicine he might need at all.

      Reply
      • Janie Bowthorpe

        Which antibodies, Sofia??

        Reply
        • Sofia

          Thyroglobulin AB 2366
          Thyroid Peroxidase AB 677.8
          TSH 0.015
          FT3 4.19
          T3 Total 124.00
          T3Up 49.60
          FT4 1.16

          Reply
          • Janie Bowthorpe

            Hi. Those are simply Hashimoto’s antibodies, though quite high. That can mean you are just in the autoimmune attack for Hashi’s. But did they do the TSI?? If that is high, too, it can mean Hashitoxicosis–that’s where all three antibodies are high! But with just Hashi’s, patients don’t normally take the Methimazole. That is more for Graves disease with a high TSI as we understand it. Instead, this is the treatment many report taking: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ldn

        • Sofia

          Janie,
          The doctor didn’t do TSI. But let’s say it is not high. Could I start Armour Thyroid for this condition ? I am confused. With very low TSH it looks like he is hyper.
          I myself had high antibodies, and with Armour Thyroid before and now Naturethroid they are normal.

          Reply
          • Janie Bowthorpe

            Not sure without the TSI. But with the two antibodies..do know that starting on NDT does push antibodies up at first. But as patients keep raising to find their optimal dose of NDT, many report it helps to start lowering the antibodies!! We think it’s because NDT improves the immune system, as you may have found out. 🙂 Some need Low Dose Naltrexone to help get them down. He might? P.S. Armour hasn’t been working right for a lot of patients since Forest was bought out by Activas. A lot of patients are moving to the other brands.

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