Dear Doctor…
Once you become informed thanks to Stop the Thyroid Madness patient-to-patient information, it can still feel threatening to talk to your doctor! So composing a letter might accomplish three things:
1) It can further cement the information you carry in your head.
2) The information can give more self-confidence
3) Your doctor JUST MIGHT read it!
The below is basically a template which you can change or add to according to your style or needs.
NOTE: this is a STTM copyrighted letter. Though you can use it for personal use with your doctor, it is not allowed to use this on any website without permission from Stop the Thyroid Madness, LLC.
Dear Dr. _________,
I have learned that T4-only thyroxine medications like Synthroid became a popular treatment for hypothyroid around the 1960’s, just as the TSH lab test was created in the 1970’s to supposedly detect cases of hypothyroidism.
But…I am observing, as are a large body of thyroid patients, that T4-only medications like Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothyroxine, etc are NOT completely removing our symptoms. Neither are our symptoms removed when we are kept within the TSH range–a pituitary hormone, NOT a thyroid hormone.
Since I have been on _____________, I continue to have the following hypothyroid symptoms: (LIST THEM HERE…see Chapter 1 in the revised STTM book for the list of symptoms that match your own or use this. )
I know that you can recommend that I increase my ____________, or that I take other prescription medications to help my other symptoms.
But Dr. __________, I would prefer to go on natural desiccated thyroid which meets the stringent guidelines of the U.S. Pharmacopeia, and which patients were successfully taking before T4-only meds were ever widely used. They give me exactly what my own thyroid gives me — T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. That makes a lot of sense to me.
I have heard that some doctors will say that natural desiccated thyroid is unregulated, inconsistent, unreliable, or outdated. But apparently, patients I know who are on it are not finding any of those to be true! They state that they feel MUCH better on desiccated thyroid than on T4-only medications.
When I start on desiccated thyroid, it is my understanding that one grain or so is a safe starting amount. After 1-2 weeks on my starting dose, I would like to raise my dose approx. 1/2 grain every few weeks according to the elimination of symptoms, and NOT by the TSH range, since the TSH is simply a pituitary hormone, and thus doesn’t accurately measure my thyroid levels with the addition of oral thyroid hormones. Once I get up around the 2 grain area, I can slow down to allow the T4 to build in my system, and get more accurate symptom & lab results. I know that some patients end up higher than the 2 grain area, or are in the 3-5 grain area, and I want you to trust me as to whether I need more based on continuing symptoms and my lab work.
As far as labs, I’d prefer to keep track of my free T3 and free T4. Patients on desiccated thyroid are stating that when they completely rid themselves of symptoms, they have a free T3 towards the top of the range, a mid-range free T4, and a suppressed TSH, with no hyper symptoms whatsoever. (When I do labs, I will NOT be taking my desiccated thyroid ahead of time to give a more accurate reflection of my T3 levels.) I will also be splitting my desiccated thyroid in two or more doses a day to spread the direct T3 out during the day.
Also, I’d like to test my adrenals with a 24-hour adrenal saliva test rather than a blood or urine test–the former which I can order for myself, if needed, and which tests my cortisol at 4 different times a day. This will help rule out any issues I might have due to low cortisol. I’d also like to test my iron with four specific labs, since low iron is all too common and causes problems as I try to raise my desiccated thyroid.
Finally, I am hoping that you and I can be a team since I live in my own body and can have my own knowledge. If you can work with me on the above, I think we can make a fine team.
Sincerely,
Put your name here.
REMEMBER: you can use only parts of the above, or all of the above. You can take away some of the polite tone, or you can leave it. Make your letter YOU. But don’t make it too long!!
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.