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Let’s set the record straight about “swine flu”, viruses and Natural Desiccated Thyroid!

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Though this page was written in 2009, it’s been updated to the current date and time!
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With the recent March outbreak of swine flu in a few humans, I want to speak of facts. This would involve all of you who use desiccated porcine products like NP Thyroid, Armour, Naturethroid, Westhroid, Thyroid-S, etc.

Recent cases

As of April 26th in the US, there are only 21 human cases of “swine flu” this year reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): California 7 cases; Kansas 2 cases; New York City 9 cases; Ohio 1 case; and Texas 2 cases. There have also been outbreaks in Mexico which may be related. No one has died and none of the cases have been severe. The current outbreak is a combination of swine, bird, and human influenza viruses.

What is the Swine flu?

Swine flu is a type A influenza and has been in existence with pigs for a long time. Many pigs will get sick when it does go around; very few will die.

Why are humans getting it?

The real irony is that humans can be ones who give it to pigs in the first place! But in turn, new human infection from infected pigs is actually quite rare. In most all cases, a healthy human will get it from contact with a live pig, such as at a livestock show. Then, the infected human will spread it to other humans. So, when you see that “21” people have gotten it, some may have gotten it from “one” person–i.e. a human-to-human contact.

The CDC also states that in a particular study, 76% of swine exhibitors tested had antibody evidence of swine flu infection but no serious illnesses were detected among this group. In other words, the majority of those exposed don’t even get the illness. If they do, it’s mild for most and only serious for a very small minority.

How common is swine flu among pigs?

Swine flu is common in groups of pigs all across the world, especially during the winter months. Anywhere from 25-50% show evidence of having been infected. But many pigs are vaccinated against it.

Can I get it from the use of desiccated thyroid products?

The standards in the making of desiccated thyroid powder as set by the U.S. Pharmacopoeia is extremely rigorous. So, it is important to understand that your chances of getting swine flu from taking a US Pharmacopoeia-approved product is remarkably low, low, low. You have a much greater chance of injury from riding in your car.

So, for me, with all the above facts, I’m going to take my NDT with ease and peace, because using desiccated thyroid to treat my hypothyroid is FAR FAR better than any other treatment. Perhaps you will decide to do the same. If you stay worried about it, you might also want to avoid using your car, stop using stairs, and avoid most people at all costs. 🙂 P.S. Check out the comments to this post. Will also help put you at ease.

* Here’s Dr. John C. Lowe’s rebuttal to the scare of swine flu. It confirms everything I’ve said plus a whole lot more.

* Want to know what’s on my mind? Interested in the latest information on desiccated thyroid? Just use the Notifications on the bottom right of any age.

*If you find the website to be too enormous for your brain fog, or want better ease of getting the facts, the patient-to-patient STTM book is proving to be a good choice, say many who write me. Just make sure you have a yellow highlighter. haha

April 26th 2009 7 replies

Multiple sclerosis, Dysautonomia, you name it…ALL made worse from hypothyroidism or being on a T4 med

(This post has been updated to the current day and time. Enjoy!)

Before my thyroid disease of hypothyroidism was discovered, I had horrific and debilitating consequences from exercise or any activity. You can read about it in even more detail in the Introduction of the patient-to-patient Stop the Thyroid Madness book.

When my so-called “borderline hypothyroid” was discovered by age 30, I thought whoo-hooo, I’ll finally get rid of this strange nightmare whenever I tried to do ANYTHING. I was put on Synthroid and my anticipation for a better life was profound.

But my hope was dashed.

Not only did my body continue to overreact to activity, it got much worse over time. Horribly worse. I got to where I couldn’t even grocery shop without paying horrible prices in fatigue and other miserable symptoms.

Nearly twenty years after I had started on a T4-only medication, and had even raised it. I was told by one doctor after another that my problem was not my thyroid. I was forced to start the process of applying for social security disability–a low, low time for me.

But they were all dead wrong.

Sure, turns out I have a form of Dysautonomia, a malfunction and overreaction of my autonomic nervous system, causing my body to far overreact to activity or stress. But remaining hypothyroid, as so many of us do on t4-only medications, had made it far, far worse. And I proved it. When I switched to natural desiccated thyroid in 2002 and raised it according to what patients have learned, a miracle occurred. My severe autonomic reactions made an almost complete turnaround.

And my experience of change or improvement when it comes to other diseases or conditions has been shared by others.

Last week, I received an email from a man whose brother has MS–Multiple Sclerosis. And though natural desiccated thyroid has not taken his MS away, it allowed him to move from this wheelchair to a walker! That is quite impressive.

So I am left wondering: what other conditions or diseases, which are unique in themselves, are worsened being either undiagnosed or dosed the lousy TSH lab test range…or due to the inadequate treatment of Synthroid, Levoxyl, levothyroxine, Eltroxin, Tirosent and all other T4-only medications for all to many like myself? It’s awful to think about it.

* Learn about the problems with T4-only right here.

* Join the STTM Facebook page for daily tips, information, and humor!

* Get the STTM books here, because you have to become informed in order to get well: www.laughinggrapepublishing.com

April 14th 2009 13 replies

Have you tested your B12? It’s a deficiency thyroid patients need to catch.

(This blog post has been updated to today’s date and time. Enjoy!)

In 2009, I wrote an article titled Ten Reasons You May Still Feel Bad, which is still just as applicable today as you are reading this! Nearly every hypothyroid patient can have some of those ten problems, and if so, they need to be discovered and corrected.

And one of those issues was low B12.

B12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin which has a key role in cell metabolism of your entire body, giving you energy, sharpness in your brain, and healthy nervous system functioning.

No one is capable of producing enough B12 on their own. You have to get it in your diet, or supplements. In food, it’s found in most red meats as well as fish and poultry. Liver is especially high! You’ll also find it in eggs and milk products, though it’s less absorbable if the latter has been heated.

And unfortunately, a certain percentage of hypothyroid patients have low levels of this important vitamin.

One main reason that thyroid patients get low is due to the low stomach acid we get from either being undiagnosed or underdosed due to the TSH lab test, or undertreated with T4-only products like Synthroid or levothyroxine.

Hashimotos patients may have inadequate levels due to gluten and the destruction it can cause on the stomach–another reason the majority get off of gluten!

Symptoms of low B12 can vary from person to person, but can include numbness and tingling in your hands or feet, tremors, poor reflexes, tongue soreness, leg pain, or difficulty walking with balance. Psychologically, you may have memory issues, confusion, or depression. Young women may have difficulty getting pregnant due to low B12.

When doing lab work, we saw it needed to be in the upper end of the range.

In other words, several of us with mid-range B12 still saw symptoms related to inadequate levels of B12. Getting it up in the upper quarter took those symptoms away.

To correct inadequate levels of B12 in working with our doctors, we used high oral B12 in pill or liquid versions (methylcobalamin is the recommended form of B12 for most; others use the hydroxy version), or B12 cream, or injections by your doctor (especially if you have pernicious anemia). It’s also recommended to increase your consumption of meat and dairy products, which can be rich in B12.

I highly recommend the book Could It Be B12? An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses by Sally Pacholok, R.N. and Jeffrey Stuart, D.O., who are spearheading B12 awareness.

Have high B12? That can be related to the MTHFR mutation

Turns out that a high percentage of folks can have a mutation of the MTHFR gene, which makes it hard to break down B12. To learn more, read the MTHFR page on STTM.

To read more, go here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/b12

Have you found yourself with low B12? Tell us your symptoms, how you treated it, and how long it took to stop the symptoms.

Want to be notified of these blog posts? Curious what Janie is ranting about this time? Use the Notification on the bottom of this page.

March 18th 2009 49 replies

The UK is now taking Armour away from patients!!

(This post was written in 2009, but underscores how tough it can in the United Kingdom to be a thyroid patient even today! Patients still manage to get NDT on their own.)

And right on the heels of my last post, I want to inform everyone of a REAL LIFE HORROR STORY that is happening to Sheila Turner of the UK right now. Sheila is a thyroid patient advocate who created the UK Thyroid Patient Advocacy website.

Sheila will tell anyone who asks that she was very ill while taking levothyroxine (125 mcgs) only therapy, being wracked with back pain so severe she was unable to get out of her armchair, bed or car after sitting/laying down for a while. She also suffered from debilitating ‘brain fog’ and short term memory, along with the usual lingering hypothyroid symptoms while on thyroxine.

Sheila states: I couldn’t tolerate levothyroxine alone because it was found I was not converting this mainly inactive hormone to the active hormone T3. As my muscles and tissues were not getting the T3 required, my muscles in my back were going into spasm, causing the severe pain.

She then saw a private hormone specialist who started her on natural thyroid extract (Armour Thyroid, USP) and she regained her full health! It was so profound that she started the TPA-UK in 2004 to campaign for a better diagnostic and treatment protocol within the National Health System (NHS). (UK has socialized medicine.)

Fast foward to 2009. As I wrote about below in my Feb. 14th blog post, the UK Royal College of Physicians along with several supporting organizations recently brought out their pathetic and narrrow-minded new guidelines on the diagnosing and treatment of primary hypothyroidism. And lo and behold, Sheila, along with about 15 other patients on Armour via the same medical consultant, have had their Armour removed.

Says Sheila: He and every NHS endocrinologist has been sent a letter from the President of the Royal College of Physicians, telling them they should use thyroxine ONLY as a treatment for primary hypothyroidism and that they should not recommend or prescribe Armour Thyroid and that only accredited endocrinologists should ever recommend T3 as this was rarely indicated.

Sheila has been forced to return to the synthetic treatment of levothyroxine (100 mcgs) and to it has been added 20 mcg liothyronine (T3) split twice a day. But there’s no guarantee she will be able to stay on the T3. Additionally, don’t be fooled into thinking that a combo of synthetic T4 and synthetic T3 is as good as Armour. Patients all around the world who have tried it, then switched to Armour, report far better results with the latter.

Says Sheila in a completely shocked state: I cannot believe this is happening – I tried to question him as to the reason all the NHS endocrinologists didn’t demand the BTA produce MEDICAL EVIDENCE to show that hypothyroid sufferers ONLY ever needed T4 – he said he knew they should have produced evidence, but it seems because it has come from the RCP, his and everybody else’s’ hands were tied – they have to be seen to be doing what they are told. I got the distinct impression that if anybody rocked the boat, they would be next doctor arraigned before the GMC.

Making this real life horror story even more shocking, her medical consultant explained that the only way to find the truth as to whether Armour was a better medication or not was through clinical trials using Armour versus levothyroxine. (i.e. patient experience all over the world revealing it works isn’t enough evidence. Give me a break). But when she pressed him into starting this, he said they would need the backing of their thyroid association – yes, the British Thyroid Association (BTA), the very group that has said that a TSH of 10 is borderline hypo. (See my Nov. 7th post)

Sheila continues: I told him they would never agree to this, and he agreed also. I told him that we did NOT NEED the British Thyroid Association to get ethical approval – and surely he could get a group of like-minded practitioners around him and do this themselves – but it would cost a great deal of money – and, again, if you are a member of BTA (and I believe most endocrinologists are) then they daren’t do a thing without their approval.

At the moment, Sheila will tell you with sadness and shock that it all seems rather surreal at the moment. She is scared for every sufferer of this disease to be forced into taking only one thyroid hormone – a synthetic storage hormone. She is scared for herself, too.

Sheila expounds: I just sincerely hope that I can cope with the change-over to synthetics and that Armour has made my body strong enough to do this. I will make absolutely sure that my adrenals can cope with this. I feel SO VERY sorry for all of those sufferers who are being left in the care of a head in the sand endoprat , who will refuse to even give them the correct thyroid hormone their body needs. Once again – THE NHS IS KILLING US!

This is profoundly sickening and shocking.

Update: you can read Sheila’s and UK-TPA’s response here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/uk-tpas-response-to-the-rcp/

More from Sheila that gives UK patients hope: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/relationship-between-the-RCP-and-MHRA/

From 2016: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/2016/04/18/dynamo-thyroid-patient-advocate/

Want to be notified of my blog posts? Curious what’s on my mind? Use the Notification method to be informed. Look on the bottom right where you can sign up. )

February 20th 2009 27 replies

What in the world is the UK’s Royal College of Physicians thinking??

(This post was updated to the present! Enjoy!)

2009 was a nauseating year for informed UK thyroid patients. UK’s Royal College of Physicians came out with a press release about the new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of primary hypothyroidism. And it hit the web with a resounding, stiff-necked **THUD**.

The press release was titled:

Thyroxine is the only treatment for primary hypothyroidism

Yup, as if nothing else could possibly exist, even though other hypothyroid treatments do exist, and one has been around for over 110 years changing lives called Natural Desiccated Thyroid. But no, it’s only the blinkered, horse-blinders pronouncement that “Thyroxine is the only….”.

And to underscore the title, the first line of the press release pronounced:

New guidelines on the diagnosis and management of primary hypothyroidism state that thyroxine is the only treatment that should be given for this condition, which is caused by underactivity of the thyroid gland.

And it continues in all its blabbering, tunnel-vision glory:

The guidelines also state that the only validated method of testing thyroid function is on blood, which must include serum TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and a measure of free thyroxine (T4).

For those who may not have caught up with the wisdom on thyroid patients and a growing body of entirely wise practitioners, the TSH lab test has proven to be the absolutely worst way to diagnose hypothyroidism, besides its use to find the right amount of medication. Far more important is the very test the UK College completely omitted: the free T3. T3 is the active thyroid hormone!

The came the final coup de grâce in the press release:

Patients, doctors and other health professionals are worried that people are being wrongly diagnosed and treated, due to the amount of unvalidated diagnostic tests and ‘natural’ treatments which are being offered by a variety of private individuals and companies. Wrong diagnoses and treatments can be dangerous, either because the wrong treatment can cause serious side effects, or the true cause of symptoms can be left undiagnosed and untreated.

Sadly, the danger is in using only one of five thyroid hormones, and forcing patients to live for conversion alone, resulting in a continuation of hypothyroidism in each patient’s degree and kind, sooner or later.

A concluding paragraph by Janie

In the 1600’s, Galileo was the first most prolific voice to proclaim that the earth revolved around the sun (Natural Desiccated thyroid), in contrast to the firmly held position that the sun revolved around the earth (Thyroxine). He was denounced as being dangerous and heretical. Looks as if the UK Royal College of Physicians has a 17th Century mindset….

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** I wrote about it in the news media here: http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Royal-College-of-Physi-by-Janie-Bowthorpe-090210-698.html

Are you from the UK? Tell us what you think.

February 14th 2009 11 replies

Category: +Audience