depression Archives - Stop The Thyroid Madness

Feel better on T4 than you did on Natural Desiccated Thyroid?

Occasionally, hypothyroid patients will exclaim with conviction and truth that they outright feel better on Synthroid or Levothyroxine (T4-only meds) than they did when they tried Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) or even T3-only. And we believe them.

But…there is an explainable reason which does not mean T4-only is better for you. It really isn’t. Bear with me and read on…

Years ago, as many of us were starting on NDT after being on T4, we were seeing our lives change in a huge way, far more than T4 did! It was like a miracle! Those five hormones really made a difference.

But some others were having problems when raising something so miraculous for others. Huh?? We didn’t get that.

It took awhile longer to finally see why and to answer the “huh?” i.e. we began to see that there were three strong and correctible reasons why someone was not seeing the miracle of NDT as others were, and instead, were blaming the NDT (or T3) and moving back to T4-only…

The three main and correctible reasons why NDT, which gives all five thyroid hormones, seems to fail…

1) NOT BEING “OPTIMAL” WITH YOUR NDT DOSE (it’s NOT about just being in range and not about being held hostage to the TSH)

We all have had a tendency to believe that our doctors know what they are doing with NDT or T3. But, the majority do not. They tend to leave you on too-low doses, and/or pay attention to the lousy TSH. Thus, due to the natural suppression of the feedback loop (hypothalamus to pituitary to thyroid), you will get worse on those lower doses, sooner or later. i.e. you will get more hypo, and/or have rising adrenaline, cortisol, anxiety or other. And because of that, some exclaim “NDT didn’t work for me!” and they rush back to T4-only. But NDT, with all five thyroid hormones, could have worked well IF you had known to be more optimal. Optimal puts the free T3 towards the top of the range and the free T4 mid-range, and puts the TSH below range…all three…and removes all symptoms. What amount does that is very individual—some start to achieve that in mid-2 grains, others are in the 3-5 grain area, others may be higher.

What if you tried to raise to be optimal, but had worsening problems? Read #2 and #3 below.

2) NOT BEING OPTIMAL WITH YOUR IRON LEVELS (it’s not about just being in range)

When this is brought up to patients who once tried NDT and failed, they will exclaim with all sincerity “But my iron levels were great”. We know that a very small percentage may have had good iron. But what is common with the majority is they did NOT have good levels “Falling in the normal range” does not equal a good level of iron. It’s WHERE one falls that tells the story.

For example, with two types of ranges for serum iron (NOT ferritin):

a) When the range is approx. 40?155: women who have optimal serum iron tend to be close to 110, or 109, or 108, etc. They are NOT in the 90’s and definitely not lower when optimal. Men tend to be in the upper 130’s.
b) When the range is approx. 7-27: women are optimal around 23ish; men are towards the top.

If they are lower than the latter examples, it messes up the ability to raise NDT and feel great without issue. Why? Inadequate iron levels tend to raise the reverse T3 (RT3) as one is raising their NDT. As the RT3 goes up due to inadequate iron, you will feel worse. And because of that, some exclaim “NDT didn’t work for me!” and they rush back to T4-only…but if they had had optimal iron, NDT WOULD have worked…as long as they also had optimal cortisol (See #3 below) and were working to find their optimal dose of NDT (see #1)

See more details about iron here: http://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ferritin

3) NOT BEING OPTIMAL WITH YOUR CORTISOL LEVELS (it’s not about just being in range, and it’s NOT about blood cortisol)

We noted years ago that at least 50% of those with hypothyroidism had a cortisol issue as revealed by saliva, not blood. What does a cortisol issue mean? Either their cortisol was too high (due to the stress of being undiagnosed, poorly treated, or being on T4) or was too low (due to the stress of being undiagnosed, poorly treated, or being on T4), or had both high and low (due to the stress of being undiagnosed, poorly treated, or being on T4).

And what happens with a cortisol issue when you are trying to work with NDT? Either RT3 will go too high (the inactive hormone), or one’s T3 will pool in the blood and not make it to the cells, or both…and you won’t feel well or have bad reactions like excess adrenaline, anxiety, shakiness, feel-bads.

And because of having a cortisol issue, some exclaim “NDT didn’t work for me!” and they rush back to T4-only…but if they had…

a) done the 4-point saliva test, not blood
b) compared the saliva results it to the lab-values page (it’s not about that normal range)
c) CORRECTLY treated it (see this page, plus Chapter 6 in the updated revision STTM book if saliva is VERY low, which also applies to Adrenal Cortex),

….they would have soared on NDT…along with good iron and being OPTIMAL on NDT (or T3)

Note: it’s always about the results of a saliva test, NOT blood cortisol.

Bottom line, it’s not as simple as “feeling better on T4”. It’s more about that you are NOT experiencing the side effects that you did on NDT from any of the above three problems, which were all correctible. That is different.

“That all sounds like too much trouble–I’m staying on T4-only!”, you may be exclaiming….

There is a big problem with that reasoning that I hope you will be open to….Namely, T4-only outright…

CAUSES low iron
CAUSES a cortisol problem
CAUSES many other issues like lowered B12, lowered Vitamin D, rising blood pressure, rising cholesterol, depression, anxiety, heart issues, bone thinning, chronic pain….and more. The individuality is in who gets which…but T4 users do get problems of their own kind, sooner or later.

Please note that the above is not an empty strong opinion. It’s based on years of reported patient experiences from many who were on T4! i.e. most of the following hypothyroid symptoms were experienced by T4 users!! They were still hypo!

Now you may state “But I know people on T4 who do not have those problems!”.

First, some outright DO have some of those problems, but don’t realize it or they deny it (while others see it in them). Adrenal issues, even those denied, can make certain people awash with defensiveness, argumentativeness, denial, anger, paranoia towards others observations, low patience, moodiness, etc.

Yes, some on T4 do, in fact, do better than others. But you know what we have observed? The longer they stay on T4-only, the more problems WILL, in fact, raise their ugly heads eventually…like either adrenal issues, or low iron, or low B12, or depression, or rising cholesterol, or rising blood pressure, or heart problems, or dry skin and hair, or chronic pain, or bone loss, or rising illnesses…..on and on. Forcing the body to live for conversion alone backfires….sooner or later.

Summary: A working Natural Desiccated Thyroid, or adding T3 to that T4 as a second choice and getting those frees optimal, is a much better way to go than being on nothing but T4, according to years of worldwide patient experiences

A working NDT gives you all five thyroid hormones, and does NOT force you to live for conversion of T4 to T3 alone, i.e. some of NDT is direct T3. Additionally with T4-only, some people have genetic mutations which hinder the conversion of T4 to T3 and may not realize it.

There is a good reason that millions of patients found out that T4-only is not the way to go for many reasons, and NDT is the way to go if you correct the reasons you did NOT to do well...or even adding T3 to your T4 in an OPTIMAL amount. But you will still need optimal iron and cortisol!

P.S. The above three reasons are the most common for not doing well on NDT (or T3) and should be considered first. A 4th less common reason: chronic inflammation of any cause. Read about inflammation. If this is true for you, the sad part is that T4-only will also backfire, as it raises RT3.

Mold exposure can also effect conversion.

Click on the graphic to order an excellent saliva cortisol test.

January 3rd 2018 101 replies

There’s a dynamo Thyroid Patient Advocate you should know about!

I’ve been doing this a long time.

And early on in my activism, I became acquainted with someone else who was fighting for better hypothyroid diagnosis and treatment. And she was a bulldog! She chose NOT toÂ “walk the fence”… instead speaking the bold truth about the scandal of the current popular thyroid diagnosis, as well as treatment with thyroxine for all too many. She has numerous times over the years written the governing bodies in the United Kingdom as to the problem, including with her communication “hundreds of references” to available research and studies to back up the issue.

Her name is Sheila Turner, and she’s the founder of Thyroid Patient Advocacy in the UK (TPA-UK).

And Sheila is a HERO!

Others who work with TPA-UK

What I have loved about Sheila’s website and work are all those who are associated with it. They are:

– Barry Durrant-Peatfield, (UK) MB BS LRCP MRCSÂ who serves as Patron and medical advisor
– Malcolm Maclean MD (UAE)â€‹, a ScotÂ practitioner who has rejected the idea that being “normal” in labwork means a patient couldn’t possibly have a thyroid problem. Dr. Maclean also wrote a brilliant STTM Guest Blog post about the effects of high doses of iodine
– Kent Holtorf, MD, the medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group and non-profit National Academy of Hypothyroidism.
– Gina Honeyman, DC, owner of the Center for Metabolic Health, LLC and co-author of a fabulously detailed book titled “Your Guide to Metabolic Health.”Â
– Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, Â a board certified internist and Medical Director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers and Chronicity.

Sheila’s latest concern and confrontation: PossibleÂ removal of Liothyronine (T3) from the NHS Prescription list

Just one more example of Sheila’s persistent and unflagging fight for better treatment, she has stood up in immediateÂ defiance about the possible removal of T3 medication from the publicly-funded National Health Service (NHS) Prescription List–a potential removal as recommended by the NHS-funded program calledÂ PrescQIPP. (Only the second middle link on their website is working for me to view the Drop list.)

PrescQIPP is recommending the following: Â

They do NOT recommend the prescribing of liothyronine or T3-containing products for the treatment of primary hypothyroidism
They do recommend prescribing of thyroid hormones in line with Royal College of Physicians guidanceÂ (which means thyroxine, T4-only, monotherapy).

The rationale of the above ridiculous comments? Are you ready??

– T3 has a short half-life

– Steady-state levels cannot be maintained

– No robust evidence i.e. has not been shown to be more beneficial that levothyroxine with respect to cognitive function, social functioning and well-being

– Inconsistent with normal physiology

– Insufficient clinical evidence of effectiveness and cost effectiveness to support the use of liothyronine (either alone or in combination) for the treatment of hypothyroidism.Â

To the contrary,Â the evidence of consistently-reportedÂ therapeutic efficacy of T3-containing medications by a huge and growing body of thyroid patients worldwideÂ is clearly important and worth consideration if the medical profession has even one intelligent and open-minded cell in their brains.

EVEN WORSE, their recommendations show how to move patients off their T3 and onto T4-only.

And in Sheila Turner’s latest newsletter, she states with her typical and dynamic activism:

The information about liothyronine by PrescQIPP is both mis-leading, and some of it is downright incorrect.Â I am in the process of writing a response to PrescQIPP asking them to remove the hormone liothyronine from the ‘Drop’ list with immediate effect and I will give all the reasons they need to do this.Â If such organisations as the BTA, NICE, NHS UKMi (Q56.6) and PrescQIPP learnt how the different thyroid hormones work, there would be no controversy and if L-T4 left patients with continuing symptoms, the active thyroid hormone T3 would be given automatically and without complaint.Â I intend to ensure they know how thyroid hormones work.

Bottom line, Sheila Turner is a strong friend of thyroid patients who is persistent in her quest to drive in the TRUTH aboutÂ what appears to be a backwards and dark ages medical system in the United Kingdom about how a thyroid works, about diagnosis, and about successful treatment protocols. And what SheilaÂ might achieve in the UK will only help the rest of us!

You are a hero, Sheila!

– CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO, which includes patients in the UK, and which underscores the FALLACY of T4-only, thyroxine treatment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n0NfAUyOKo

– Have you Liked the Stop the Thyroid Madness Facebook page? It’s full of daily inspiration and information based on solid patient experiences and wisdom!

– TPA-UK forum:Â http://www.tpauk.com/forum/

Thyroid treatment success stories–read Erin’s story about T4-only problems and moving to NDT!!

I love real life stories!

In fact, I think those kind of testimonies are some of the most influential ways to help others. And Erin’s story below really struck me. She spent years ignoring the idea that her T4 treatment with Synthroid and later Levoxyl just might explain all the growing problems she was having. So she finally saw the light, made a change, and is feeling so much better as she finally is working on the right issues. Enjoy her story! And if you want to read more, they are on the Stories of Others page, which anyone is invited to contribute to!

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HOW I MISREAD MY CONTINUED SYMPTOMS WHILE ON T4-ONLY…THEN GOT WISE

by Erin

I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis and post-partum depression after having my first baby at 23 years old. Â I went to the doctor because I was so depressed and fatigued that I couldn’t get out of bed most days. I also had terrible headaches. My doctor put me on Prozac and Synthroid and I stayed on both for the next 23 years (also later used Levoxyl).

Continued problems

The Prozac did help me to be more functional; however, I still had periods of depression and fatigue, and developed other health problems as well, such as anemia, IBS, and chronic pain from TMJ. Â I went back to my doctors seeking solutions, but they put me on new and different meds that didn’t help and actually caused worsening symptoms like sedation and dependence. Â I was even diagnosed with bipolar at one point and on six different psych meds at one time!

I finally got off all the meds except the Levoxyl (which I had switched to from Synthroid) Â and Prozac, and was able to go back to school and regain some functionality. Â But I continued to struggle with chronic pain, periods of depression, fatigue, and digestive complaints. Â My doctors periodically checked my TSH and told me I was optimally treated or raised my Levoxyl. Â I didn’t question their testing or treatment methods, and did not connect my health problems with my hypothyroidism.

For many years, I just lived with the pain, discomfort, and fatigue. Â I chalked it up to stress and aging. Â But the IBS and fatigue got progressively worse until they were seriously interfering with my life. Â I had bloating, constipation and pain that often kept me housebound. Â I went to my doctor, and was told to change my diet, and take over-the-counter preparations for constipation. Â He never suggested that my health problems could be related to my hypothyroidism.

My denial and my apathy

My mother, who began frequenting a particular thyroid website, told me that some people can not convert t4 to t3, that she was one of those people, and that I might be too. She encouraged me to go back to my doctor and ask him to test my t3 levels. Â It seemed unlikely to me that my hypothyroidism was not being adequately treated! After all, I was getting my health care at a university medical center – a teaching institution.

My doctor ordered lab tests yearly and had not adjusted my Levoxyl for several years. Â I think too I was just plain too exhausted to deal with it. Â I barely had enough energy to get through work, let alone devote time to researching an alternative form of thyroid treatment that, in my mind, probably would not work anyway! Â I think, too, the Prozac contributed to my failure to seek alternative modes of thyroid treatment by dulling the pain and keeping me apathetic.

The pain and discomfort of my IBS is what finally pushed me to take the first step to finding an alternative form of health care. Â My husband had been insisting for a few years that I go to a naturopath or functional medicine doctor, but I didn’t want to pay out of pocket when I had medical insurance that I paid for each month.

My breakthrough, finally

Finally, I got on the internet and searched for a functional medicine doctor in my area, and found one not far from my house. Â My new doctor, a naturopath, ordered comprehensive lab testing, which revealed that I had very low free t3 levels, severe anemia, low b12, low ferritin, high cholesterol, candida overgrowth, other digestive bacteria imbalances, and more! Â He told me that my health problems were related to my hypothyroidism, which, he said, was not optimally treated on my current medications. Â He advised me to reduce my Levoxyl and add .25 grain of Naturethroid each day. Â He also recommended a variety of supplements.

When I first took the Naturethroid, I didn’t feel much. But about two weeks later I began to feel better than I had in years! Â I could not believe how amazing I felt; it was like a miracle! Â My IBS, Â head and jaw pain went away, and I had feelings of well-being. Â I was convinced natural desiccated thyroid was the solution to my health problems.

A bump in the road

About 10 days later, however, I started feeling anxious, restless, shaky, and having heart palpitations. I went back to my naturopath and he told me to stop the Naturethroid. Â I felt intuitively this was incorrect. Â I frantically searched the internet for some reason for my symptoms, and found STTM. Â I learned that I couldn’t tolerate the Naturethroid because of my low iron and low cortisol. Â I also felt empowered by what I learned on STTM; the site encouraged patients to make their own decisions about their healthcare. Â After that, I took over management of my own health care. Â I told my naturopath what I had discovered, and he agreed to adopt the treatment plan I felt was right from what I learned from STTM. Â Fortunately, he was open-minded and has been willing to be my equal partner in my health care.

I learned from the STTM site, book and forums that recovering from years of untreated hypothyroidism from staying on T4 meds is more complicated than simply getting on NDT. Â It takes a lot of work to stay informed, investigate, identify and treat the root causes of my health problems with natural remedies. Â It is far easier to remain passive and allow my doctors to dictate my treatment. However, my apathy kept me sick for a long time, and I cannot afford to lose anymore time being sick! Â Treating the root causes of my health problems is well worth it, as it leads to longer-lasting and better results than simply covering the symptoms with harmful pharmaceuticals.

Success and confidence for the future

While I still have work do to, I have come a long way and feel better than I have in years. Â The progress I have achieved in recovering my health has made me confident that I will ultimately achieve optimal health with the tools I have learned on STTM.

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Check out the latest page on STTM about enlarged thyroidsÂ aka goiter, and theÂ causes, treatment and more!
Have trouble tolerating Natural Desiccated Thyroid? There are explainable and treatable reasons!

Â DID YOU KNOW STTM IS ON FACEBOOK? Join us!

NEWS FROM LAUGHING GRAPE PUBLISHING:Â

The STTM **SPANISH EDITION** book is on sale for a limited time only thanks to an overstock! Only at theÂ LGP site!
All English books fromÂ LGPÂ still include a 4-page handout about Herbs for Thyroid! Take advantage of this now.Â

October 23rd 2013 10 replies

Depression? High blood pressure? Weight gain? Need a nap? On a T4-only med like Synthroid? TEN RESULTS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

(This page was updated in 2015. Enjoy!)

STTM Thyroid Awareness Month January is THYROID AWARENESS MONTH, but no matter what month you are in,Â it pays to be an informed patient!

**A healthy thyroid, or the right treatment, will create the following TEN RESULTS:Â**

1) Bodily warmth

Because the active thyroid hormone T3 stimulates your metabolism is the right way, patients find themselves gettingÂ close to or at 98.6 F/ 37 C in the afternoons, plus warmer hands and feet.

2)Â Better mood

The right thyroid hormones increase neurotransmitter responsiveness in your brain (like serotonin), meaning it’s your natural anti-depressive…and depression is kicked to the wind.

3) The ability to concentrateÂ

Just as they are anti-depressive, thyroid hormones promote better thought processing in your brain.

4) AÂ healthy heart and blood pressureÂ

Thyroid hormones play a strongÂ role in the health of your cardiovascular system

5) Softer skin and better hair

The right thyroid hormones keep you moister, so you don’t have problems with dry hands, dry hair, eyebrow loss, hair thinning….etc.

6) Better weight maintenance

Your metabolism stays at a point where it’s easier to maintain your goal weight with healthy eating habits and exercise.

7) The ability to avoid napsÂ

The right metabolism from the right thyroid hormones (after a good night’s sleep) keeps you awake and feeling fabulous even in the afternoons.

8) Healthy cholesterolÂ

Thyroid hormones appear to have both an indirect and direct relationship to healthy cholesterol levels.

9) Easier and more regular bowel movements

Because of the extra moisture that the right amount of thyroid hormones give you, bowel movements are better, and constipation and hard stools belong to someone else.

10) AÂ stronger immune system

Thyroid hormones play a direct role in the strength of your body’s ability to withstand infections and disease, or at the least, fight them quicker and more stronger if you do get sick.

So my friends, if anything above seems off to you, there are important things you need to do:

Find a doctor who will do the Free T3 and Free T4, NOT just the TSH. Just using the TSH lab test has kept many folks UNdiagnosed, or UNDERtreated.Â
Learn how to read those lab results here. Lab results have NOTHING do with just “falling in the range”.
Look into natural desiccated thyroidÂ (NDT).Â It gives you all FIVE thyroid hormones, not just one left to depend upon like T4-onlyÂ (aka Synthroid, Tirosent, Levothyroxine, Eltroxine, etc).
Find out about all problems associated with being left undiagnosed due to the TSH and undertreated due to T4-only meds,Â such as non-optimal levels of iron, high or low cortisol, low B12, depression and mental health issues, low Vitamin D and other problems. Any of these can also contribute to problems with the above ten results.
Order the revised STTM book. This is a compilation of successful patient experience and wisdom to help you achieve the above ten results. Learn from patients! Right now, it’s in ENGLISH, GERMAN, SPANISH AND SWEDISH.

**The above graphic was lovingly created by thyroid patient Marivia Gonzalez of Panama.

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* ADD A BLUE THYROID AWARENESS RIBBON to your Facebook profile pic here. It will end up on the lower right….

* Did you know there’s a STTM II book? Every chapter is written by medical practitioners! A great followup to the revised STTM book!Â

* Join the STTM Facebook page to get daily tips and inspiration!

January 4th 2013 31 replies

Scandanavian thyroid patients sickened…and US thyroid patients don’t blame them!

The following was sent to several thyroid leaders and websites yesterday from Scandanavia. And if you don’t understand the full story, read what I have to say about it below…and you’ll see why thyroid patients find this disgusting:

To Whom it may concern in the matter of The H. C. Jacobaeus Lecture Prize 2012 by theÂ Novo Nordisk Foundation

With grief we become aware that The H. C. Jacobaeus Lecture Prize 2012 will be awarded to Anthony Weetman at The International Thyroid Symposium on 29 November this year, in Gardermoen, Norway.

Anthony Weetman is painfully well known by thyroid patients worldwide in a way that is miles afar from the honor and gratitude.

Can it really be true that Novo Nordisk Foundation will honor Anthony Weetman from the UK, despite the fact that this doctor treats the majority of thyroid patients as mentally ill?

Is it a position on thyroid diseases and patients that Novo Nordisk Foundation shares with Anthony Weetman?

It is well documented that Anthony Weetman is practicing a simplistic approach to thyro-endocrinology.

Does this mean that when Novo Nordisk Foundation wants to dignify this doctor with The H. C. Jacobaeus Lecture Prize 2012, the Foundation supports Anthony Weetman’s oversimplification of thyro-endocrinology?

Considering HC Jacobaeus’ honorable contributions to the history of science, the H. C. Jacobaeus Lecture Prize 2012 to Anthony Weetman is to be considered as an affront to HC Jacobaeus and as an Novo Nordisk Foundation’s active contribution to the gap between doctors and thyroid patients that will become even wider and deeper than it is already.

Sincerely,
Administrators and users of thyroid forums in Scandinavia
Ref: http://www.sonjas-stoffskifteforum.info/showthread.php?t=15164

So what’s the story?

First, let’s look at the players:Â Novo Nordisk “is a global healthcare company with 89 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy.”

Anthony “Tony” Weetman has been a Professor of Medicine at theÂ University of Sheffield in the UK for many years. Since 1991, he was also aÂ Consultant Endocrinologist at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust. From 2005 – 2008, Weetman was President of the British Thyroid Association and presently is Chair of the Medical Schools Council and a member of Council of the Royal College of Physicians of London.

Why the disgust? Â Weetman condescendingly believes the majority of thyroid patients haveÂ a somatoform disorder, which is just a medical way to say that millions of thyroid patients are no more than hypochondriacs. As a result, you are chronically exaggerating your symptoms and problems due to stress and worry. Thus what you think is wrong with you is actually the result of a MENTAL DISORDER! InÂ 2006, Weetman revealed his true colorsÂ in an article titled “Whose Thyroid Hormone is it Anyway” (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology) by stating:

“The majority of patients who demand thyroid hormone treatment for multiple symptoms, despite normal thyroid function tests, have functional somatoform disorders…”

Bottom line, my fellow thyroid patients, Weetman is basically saying that your depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, rising cholesterol, easy weight gain, hair loss, fibromyalgia pain, chronic fatigue, sluggish adrenal function, low iron,Â high liver enzymes, and a host of other very realÂ hypothyroid-caused symptoms….ARE IN YOUR HEAD…especially if the TSH lab test (which patients know is a failure) says you are normal.

You can read my blog post from 2006 on Weetman here.Â And US thyroid patients support and understand the disgust of our friends in Denmark, Norway and Sweden!

WANTED: YOUR BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM TREATMENT

I have started a page where you can showcase how you looked before the right thyroid treatment, and afterwards, here. Combine a photo of how you looked before treatment, and after treatment, into one JPG, and use the Contact at the bottom of any page on STTM to send me the photo, your first name, age (not required) and treatment. Let’s show the world what thyroid treatment can do for your mental disorder. 😛

ARE YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW?

Have you been doing your complete thyroid treatment protocol correctly? Because for most all of us, there can be several bases to cover to feel wonderful again. You will find the following information covered on an actual page on STTM,Â here, as well. Using the revised STTM book can be an important in-your-hand reminder, as well, of the bases you need to cover.

Numbers 1-6 below are key elements to feeling better again, and must be maintained, as well. You will be making a mistake if you underestimate the importance of these.

Thyroid hormones: being on natural desiccated thyroid and finding theÂ right amount,Â or the amount you can tolerate until you correct #2 and 3 below. (See Chapter 2 and 12 .)
Adrenals:Â bringing cortisol to right amounts whether through the T3CM or HC ( Chapter 6 of the revised STTM book)
Iron:Â you need optimal amounts, not just in range. (See Chapter 13)
B12:Â should be in the upper quarter of any range. Lower and you could have symptoms which resemble hypo. (See Chapter 13)
Vit. D:Â should be closer to 80 (We go by the Vitamin D Council. Addendum C in book)
Better Absorption:Â Putting one tablespoon ACV or any acid in the drink you use to swallow your supplements will enhance absorption—key for the low stomach acid too many thyroid patients have.

Â Once you have made SURE all the above is corrected and then maintained,Â and if you still have issues….then it’s time to look at these:

Re-activated EBV (Epstein Barr Virus):Â very common for hypothyroid patients under stress.Â My Med LabÂ tests this.Â
Lyme disease
Other viruses:Â get your doctor to identify and test any other potential viruses.
MTHFR defect:Â look this up if you seem to need high doses of T3 for “resistance”, have high iron, hard time getting nutrients up, high B12….http://mthfr.net/
Chronic inflammation:Â can be discerned by too-high ferritin or a CRP test. You need to get this down. Can affect many things in your body negatively!
Candida:Â promotes inflammation!
Blood sugar
Sex Hormones:Â low levels can make you feel bad. Also look intoÂ PCOS.

STOP THE THYROID MADNESS book is now in SWEDISH, GERMAN and ENGLISH. Get yours here….or send one to your friend or family member and let it help change their lives!

November 23rd 2012 9 replies

Tag: depression